Product Description

What makes good writing good? In his brilliant new book, Al Alvarez argues that it is the development of the voice - voice as distinct from style - that makes a writer great. A poet as well as a critic, Al Alvarez approaches his subject both as an informed observer and an insider. Here are - among others - Sylvia Plath, John Donne, Jean Rhys, Shakespeare, T. S. Eliot, Coleridge and W. B. Yeats, dissected with clarity, depth and a profound understanding of the mechanics of writing. Like the best literary criticism, "The Writer's Voice" makes writing come vividly alive. Written with passion and insight, it is the ideal gift for anyone who loves to read.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #24007 in Books
• Published on: 2006-04-17
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 128 pages

Review
'Eloquent essays, rich in anecdote, from the hand of a true and lifelong servant of poetry' J.M. Coetzee 'An impressive performance by a poet who allows nothing to come between him and the literature he loves. His book should not be neglected by anybody with a serious interest in modern literature and literary criticism' Frank Kermode 'If you want a reminder of what writing is really about, you have only to turn to an elegant little book of essays' Robert McCrum, Observer 'Is there a more charming literary companion than Al Alvarez? To read this book is to feel the shutters of the mind being slowly jemmied apart, an agonising delight This is a beautifully presented volume, and a rarity among works of criticism in that it is likely to change your behaviour. Any sane reader will give up buying books for a few months and scamper back, shame-faced but full of excitement, to the riches of his dusty shelves' Spectator

Frank Kermode
‘An impressive performance by a poet who allows nothing to come between him and the literature he loves’

About the Author
Al Alvarez is a poet, novelist, literary critic, anthologist, and author of many highly praised non-fiction books on topics ranging from suicide, divorce, and dreams - The Savage God, Life After Marriage, Night - to poker, North Sea oil, and mountaineering - The Biggest Game in Town, Offshore, Feeding the Rat. His most recent books are New and Selected Poems and an autobiography, Where Did It All Go Right? He lives in London.

Customer Reviews

Essential for all writers
Alvarez explores voice, not as style, but as something Roth described as 'starting behind the knees and ending somewhere above the head.' Drawing on Freud, he suggests that finding your voice is like something akin to expressing your true adult identity (Jung would have called it 'Self'.) The text also examines the differences between poetry and prose, and is suggestive without being judgmental. A book that can be revisited again and again.

Interesting and engaging
This short book is beautifully written and absorbingly interesting, and will have you looking at authors you might not like with a fresh and more tolerant eye. He talks about writers having a `tone of voice'. He talks too about readers having to learn to listen, and how easy it is to get sucked into `the cult of personality'. He's obviously not happy about `the shift from art to marketing', where what is produced becomes of secondary interest compared to the author's (or artist's) life.

As you read, you find yourself pausing to have a think about what's been said, to ask yourself if you agree or disagree. The author has firm views, but I never felt that he was beating me about the head with them; rather, I was being asked to consider if perhaps he had a point. On balance, I thought he did.