{"product_id":"what-to-read-and-why-isbn-9780062397867","title":"What to Read and Why","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIn this brilliant collection, the follow-up to her \u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e bestseller \u003cem\u003eReading Like a Writer\u003c\/em\u003e, the distinguished novelist, literary critic, and essayist celebrates the pleasures of reading and pays homage to the works and writers she admires above all others, from Jane Austen and Charles Dickens to Jennifer Egan and Roberto Bolaño.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn an age defined by hyper-connectivity and constant stimulation, Francine Prose makes a compelling case for the solitary act of reading and the great enjoyment it brings. Inspiring and illuminating, \u003cem\u003eWhat to Read and Why\u003c\/em\u003e includes selections culled from Prose’s previous essays, reviews, and introductions, combined with new, never-before-published pieces that focus on her favorite works of fiction and nonfiction, on works by masters of the short story, and even on books by photographers like Diane Arbus.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProse considers why the works of literary masters such as Mary Shelley, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and Jane Austen have endured, and shares intriguing insights about modern authors whose words stimulate our minds and enlarge our lives, including Roberto Bolaño, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Jennifer Egan, and Mohsin Hamid. Prose implores us to read Mavis Gallant for her marvelously rich and compact sentences, and her meticulously rendered characters who reveal our flawed and complex human nature; Edward St. Aubyn for his elegance and sophisticated humor; and Mark Strand for his gift for depicting unlikely transformations. Here, too, are original pieces in which Prose explores the craft of writing: \"On Clarity\" and \"What Makes a Short Story.\"\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten with her sharp critical analysis, wit, and enthusiasm, \u003cem\u003eWhat to Read and Why\u003c\/em\u003e is a celebration of literature that will give readers a new appreciation for the power and beauty of the written word.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003eIn this brilliant collection, the follow-up to her \u003cem\u003eNew York Times \u003c\/em\u003ebestseller\u003cem\u003e Reading Like a Writer\u003c\/em\u003e, the distinguished novelist, literary critic, and essayist Francine Prose celebrates the pleasures of reading and pays homage to the works and writers she admires.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn an age defined by hyperconnectivity and constant stimulation, here is a compelling case for the solitary act of reading and the great enjoyment it brings. Inspiring and illuminating, \u003cem\u003eWhat to Read and Why\u003c\/em\u003e includes selections culled from Prose’s previous essays, reviews, and introductions, combined with new, never-before-published pieces that focus on her favorite works of fiction and nonfiction, on works by masters of the short story, and even on books by photographers such as Diane Arbus.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eProse considers why the works of literary masters such as Mary Shelley, Charles Dickens, George Eliot, and Jane Austen have endured, and shares intriguing insights about modern authors whose words stimulate our minds and enlarge our lives, including Roberto Bolaño, Karl Ove Knausgaard, Jennifer Egan, and Mohsin Hamid. Prose implores us to read Mavis Gallant for her marvelously rich and compact sentences and her meticulously rendered characters who reveal our flawed and complex human nature; Edward St. Aubyn for his elegance and sophisticated humor; and Mark Strand for his gift for depicting unlikely transformations. Here, too, are original pieces in which Prose explores the craft of writing: “On Clarity” and “10 Things Art Can Do.”\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWritten with sharp critical analysis, wit, and enthusiasm, \u003cem\u003eWhat to Read and Why\u003c\/em\u003e is a celebration of literature that will give readers a new appreciation for the power and beauty of the written word.\u003c\/p\u003e | \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise for \u003cem\u003eReading Like a Writer\u003c\/em\u003e: \u003c\/strong\u003e“Capacious and encouraging. . . . Prose’s little guide will motivate ‘people who love books’ . . . to be sensitive readers of their own and others’ work. . . .Like the great works of fiction, it’s a wise and voluble companion.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eNew York Times Book Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Witty . . . insightful . . . close reading leads Prose back to the place where all desires ‘to read like a writer’ start: sputtering fandom.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Written with warmth, wit, and a keen intellect.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eLibrary Journal (starred review)\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“Prose’s writing sharpens, focuses and [occasionally] even thrills when she writes of the authors who move her most deeply. These essays on their own make the book worth reading and buying; they made me buy a couple of the books she most passionately endorses.”                                                                                                                                 - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eWall Street Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePraise for \u003cem\u003eWhat to Read and Why\u003c\/em\u003e:\u003c\/strong\u003e “\u003cem\u003eWhat to Read and Why\u003c\/em\u003e will have readers anxious to revisit these classics.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e“A prolific and provocative writer and longtime teacher, Prose remains enthralled by books, especially fiction, fascinated by both technique and the “humanizing” power of story. A fluent and exacting critic, Prose conducts incisive, stirring readings of works spanning centuries, from George Eliot’s \u003cem\u003eMiddlemarch\u003c\/em\u003e to Jennifer Egan’s \u003cem\u003eManhattan Beach\u003c\/em\u003e…all the while urging readers to enter their own book bubbles and nurture body and soul.” - \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":44888305402085,"sku":"NP9780062397867","price":23.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780062397867.jpg?v=1730228780","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/what-to-read-and-why-isbn-9780062397867","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}