Sunday, March 14, 2010

Fan Letter

Dear James Wood—

Your book How Fiction Works is brilliant. You are brilliant, too. As with any excellent writing book, I want to go back and read this one all over again, only this time, I want to have at my side Flaubert, Tolstoy, Dostoyevsky, and yes, even Henry James. That’s how brilliant you are, that you’ve made me long to give James another go.

Did I use the word brilliant enough? I don’t think so.

Sincerely, Leslie

A review of How Fiction Works from The Observer
A review from New York Magazine, that discusses Wood’s limitations
Read an excerpt here (though this was not my favorite chapter)