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Video review on Leaf by Leaf: Video review on Leaf by Leaf: https://youtu.be/UljZf6ZXI6I
Lydia Davis is one of my favorite writers--smart, always interesting, thought-provoking. Her short (and short-short) stories are clever, often funny, and stimulate my imagination. And she is a superb translator (Madame Bovary, Proust's Swann's Way).My favorite of these essays are those describing her own writing process. Davis weighs every word she uses--she appears to be as careful a writer as Flaubert himself. I loved reading about how she makes her choices, what guides her, how she thinks as
A true treasure trove. Terrific essays on under-read visionaries like Blanchot, Mallarme, Joubert, Butor, and Leiris, plus some of the best practical writing advice I've ever encountered.
Goddamn, this is how it must have felt being the first person to read the King James Bible. I am a massive atheist, but Lydia Davis's brain would be my religion, if I had to choose one.
A remarkable collection of essays by the brilliant prose writer Lydia Davis. I recommend this book to those who write. The first piece in the book "The Practice of Writing" is essential advice in choosing one's words correctly and economically. Also pieces on translations, essay writing, history, and art criticism. A brilliant cocktail of a book.
i am so pleased with myself for this impulse purchase. something i will definitely read again! when i say i want to be articulate, i mean like lydia davis. she is so precise and intentional with her words, and each essay is so neatly revised that it flows like stream of consciousness almost, but not rambly at all. she is also so aware of her own biases and fallibility - every statement is qualified, or followed up with doubts, but not in a tiresome way - her writing is still very self assured so...
lydia davis' experiments with form are so curious & she is so attentive as a writer. i adore her for that. here she reflects on writing & translating. i have a list of authors she references in these essays that I need to look up & now want to read her translation of Madame Bovary. i also can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of Artful Sentences: Syntax as Style b/c her musings about the book intrigue me enough to want to do so. i enjoy books by writers about writing & specifically about the evol...
“(1) Work on your character. (2) Work on your handling of language so that you know what you’re doing and can do it well and be in control. (3) Know your language—its words and phrases and idioms—deeply through every kind of study of it. (4) Say what you want to say without inhibition, in the way you want to say it, regardless of what other people might think (but with sensitivity to the feelings of others). (5) Work hard (write a lot), and be patient.” — Five cardinal rules, from “Thirty Recomm...
This book contains several gems. Lydia Davis, an accomplished writer and translator, who is best known for her flash fiction pieces, is a master at recognizing the magic in small events, daily observations and everyday interactions amongst ordinary people. I spent considerable time reading through the sections of essays entitled "The Practice of Writing". In simple terms she shares many of the recommendations she has made to her own students. She highly recommends that any student of writing rea...
I couldn't possibly put into words how much I loved this. A new favorite! Lydia Davis is such an inspiration. Such a great read if you're looking for: creative inspiration, actionable writing advice (not the basic, beginner stuff), a sentence-by-sentence breakdown of how this brilliant writer goes from a blank page to a finished piece, suggestions for further reading, etc. I think I'll challenge myself to revisit this each year - so inspiring.
This was such a well written collection of essays about Lydia Davis' experiences over decades. Since she usually writes fiction, I was hesitant about this one, but was hooked after reading the first essay. The writing is spectacular and I am hoping there is another volume being written!
Very uneven. Some excellent stories especially on subjects where her fascination with language are illustratedWeakest part is when treating more obscure writers and scribblers in her close environment
my ability to enjoy this collection—which is quite brilliant—was somewhat curtailed by my lack of familiarity w most of davis’ subject material and allusions. i still found it exceptional, and the last essay in particular is stunning.
What a startling pleasure, always.“13. If you want to be original, don’t labor to be original. Rather work on yourself, your mind, and then say what you think. This was Stendhal’s advice. Actually, he said: ‘If you want to be witty, work on your character and say what you think, on every occasion.’ Where did I find this quote? In my New Basics Cookbook.“But I prefer my adaptation of his advice: if you want to be original, cultivate yourself, enrich your mind, develop your empathy, your understan...
I read this entire book in one sitting. I don't know if I would recommend that, although I certainly recommend the book. It is a delectable glimpse at Davis' habits of mind.
