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mog261's review against another edition
challenging
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
3.25
bristoni74's review against another edition
3.0
I liked this book even though I haven't actually read any books by Debra Adelaide. But I do like books about books and reading! I really liked 'Writing' and 'Reader + Writer' I think because I've always been a reader (who knows I don't have a novel in me!) and I enjoyed the insights into writing, editing and the Australian publishing industry.
susannes_pagesofcrime's review against another edition
4.0
An enjoyable collection of essays that look at the joys of reading, the struggles of writing and finally the combining of the two. The first two sections 'Reading' and 'Writing' are the strongest, with the third section 'Reader + Writer' containing a couple of interesting chapters but one (Reading to the Dog) that doesn't quite seem to work, for me at least.
There are some interesting points to take from this collection that I will dip back into during my reading and writing life.
There are some interesting points to take from this collection that I will dip back into during my reading and writing life.
eyerites's review
5.0
My mum got me a copy of this book from the local book store and gifted it to me on December 25th last year. I read one to two essays from this book every day for two weeks, though those weren’t successive days, the two weeks being spread out over four months. I guess it’s a collection of essays, so you can’t help but read it in a stop-start fashion because you are constantly delving into new tales and new topics. I find it takes me about this long to read short fiction anthologies as well because sometimes it’s hard to let go immediately of the tale that came before.
Most of the topics contained are related to the author’s life, or the topic of writing, or the topic of editing, or the topic of reading. A great book for people interested in these things.
Out of all of them I enjoyed the final essay the most - it wrapped up the book so nicely, and was written using a more fictional device by placing the reader in the writer’s shoes through second-person perspective. It really brought me into the author’s world and tied together my understanding of this person by making me be this person. It felt like I was getting a taste of the author’s world as well as their fictional writing style and poetic prose. I have not read any of the author’s other works, but if it is written like this essay then I will gladly pick them up.
Most of the topics contained are related to the author’s life, or the topic of writing, or the topic of editing, or the topic of reading. A great book for people interested in these things.
Out of all of them I enjoyed the final essay the most - it wrapped up the book so nicely, and was written using a more fictional device by placing the reader in the writer’s shoes through second-person perspective. It really brought me into the author’s world and tied together my understanding of this person by making me be this person. It felt like I was getting a taste of the author’s world as well as their fictional writing style and poetic prose. I have not read any of the author’s other works, but if it is written like this essay then I will gladly pick them up.
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