This book differs from many of the books and articles I’ve read about memory because it delves into the physical changes that occur in different situaThis book differs from many of the books and articles I’ve read about memory because it delves into the physical changes that occur in different situations. For example, the molecular trace required for short-term memory retrieval is different from that of long-term memory retrieval.
Interestingly, despite the fact that the phrase seemingly on everybody’s lips these days is ‘working memory’, neither this nor so-called ‘cognitive load theory’ is to be found in the pages of this book. (Although the description of one short-term memory experiment is almost certainly a description of ‘working memory’.
The book is both comprehensive and, to my surprise, highly readable. The physical quality is outstanding.
My only caveats are are as follows.
Firstly, the book I’ve been reading for this review was published in 2008. No doubt there have been advances in our understanding since then.
Secondly, the price of the latest (3rd) edition is eye-wateringly high. But if you can persuade your university library or, if you’re feeling ambitious, your local library to stock it then it will provide you with much evidence-based food for thought....more
I have come across quite a few books that give writing advice from the "great writers". Often, the book is full of soundbites that might look interestI have come across quite a few books that give writing advice from the "great writers". Often, the book is full of soundbites that might look interesting in a tweet, and perhaps even be useful in themselves. However, writers cannot live by soundbites alone.
This book plugs that obvious gap by writing about the advice within a broader context, and from a personal perspective.
For example, one of the questions that nonfiction writers ask is: is it ok to add fictional elements to a story if it's broadly true? Some say absolutely not. Some say yes, as long at it's not a key component of the narrative. But Roy Peter Clark takes a far more nuanced look at the question, citing from authors who want us to be transparent with our readers.
The book covers language, voice, audience and other aspects of writing. It draws on a wide variety of authors, including one of my favourites, Gay Talese, Stephen King (of course!) and Orwell. Each chapter concludes with lessons, which contain several questions. One I especially like is this:
Ask yourself, “Am I including this because it provides the reader with a memorable and delightful piece of evidence to prove the point of my text? Or is it beside the point even though it reveals what a good wordsmith I am?”.
This is a highly readable collection of good advice from the great writers, with commentary by someone who is himself both a writer and a teacher of writing....more
Being a teenager is not easy. Not quite an adult, but no longer a child, wanting both independence and security, plagued by rampaging hormones, the teBeing a teenager is not easy. Not quite an adult, but no longer a child, wanting both independence and security, plagued by rampaging hormones, the teen has rather a lot to contend with.
Drawing both on his own experiences as a teenager and an adult, the author provides what amounts to an extended pep talk that seeks to boost self-esteem and provide practical advice. The author shares his own lack of self-confidence (“imposter syndrome”) that he has even now, despite achieving success.
It’s a reasonably logical and sensible approach, although there’s a tendency to come across, inadvertently, as somewhat patronising. This is emphasised by what seems like an attempt to “get down and dirty with the kids”, through the employment of various “sweary” (Oattes’ term) words. As such it is not an entirely pleasant read, but would be a useful guide to bring to the attention of especially under-confident students....more
One of the authors’ suggestions is that schools and other agencies should work together in order to address the needs of the whole child. This makes sOne of the authors’ suggestions is that schools and other agencies should work together in order to address the needs of the whole child. This makes sense on paper, and indeed they provide several case studies of this approach working in practice.
But the practical obstacles to implementation are not adequately addressed. For example, the authors cite a local authority attempt to get social services, education and health practitioners talking to each other under the auspices of the Every Child Matters initiative. The attempt is abortive because it ends up bogged down in communications issues like the word ‘exclusion’ having different meanings for different participants.
The authors’ suggestions are insightful and could easily inform policy on a smaller scale. But the question of whether any such collaboration can ever work as an add-on to existing practices is not dealt with. (The full review is here: https://schoolsweek.co.uk/book-review......more
Last year I discovered Jhumpa Lahiri through a short story course. I loved her "The Third and Final Continent" which is in the New Penguin Book of AmeLast year I discovered Jhumpa Lahiri through a short story course. I loved her "The Third and Final Continent" which is in the New Penguin Book of American Short Stories. (If you live in the UK, and have a Kindle or Kindle app, you're in luck: the Kindle version of this book costs just £1.99.)
Lahiri has recently written a book called Translating Myself and Others, a book of literary essays. I've been sent a copy to review, and am greatly looking forward to reading it. I've already started it, and my initial impression is that it's a really interesting exploration of the issues involved in translating. It's not simply a matter of converting a word in one language to its equivalent in another (assuming there is an equivalent). It is usually more nuanced than that.
The book is a series of essays, and is produced on beautiful quality paper. I shall report here more fully in due course. ...more
The author draws on his interviews with several well-known educators to produce what is, in effect, a toolbox of techniques in such areas as “explicitThe author draws on his interviews with several well-known educators to produce what is, in effect, a toolbox of techniques in such areas as “explicit instruction”, behaviour management, leadership and evaluating educational research.
The book contains very clear explanations, and these are supplemented throughout by tables and diagrams. I have to say, though, that I found the suggested scripted introductions to a new class dire, and potentially risky because they would take too long. Also, the scripted explanations and instructions to the whole class seem pedestrian. Moreover, the author appears to accept Cognitive Load Theory as fact.
Still, as a hand-holding guide for the inexperienced teacher or new leader, the book contains some very useful suggestions, such as asking the students in a new class to complete a sheet telling you about themselves. There are also some apposite observations on school culture, motivation and curriculum. So overall a good investment....more
Spoiler alert: this review reveals part of the plot.
Rather than write the traditional sort of review, I thought I would do it in the form of one of thSpoiler alert: this review reveals part of the plot.
Rather than write the traditional sort of review, I thought I would do it in the form of one of those quizzes one sees in popular magazines. Answer each question honestly, and keep a note of your answers on a sheet of paper so you can add up the score at the end.
Q1: You are on holiday with your partner in a beautiful city, much like Venice. It’s full of lovely churches, canal tours, lovely scenery and great places to eat. Do you:
a) arise early every day in order to see as much of the city as you can, maybe even doing a few guided tours, or…
b) spend all the time in your hotel room bonking?
Q2: You have discovered that restaurants tend to close or at least not take new orders after 9pm. Do you:
a) leave the hotel in good time to find somewhere to eat, or perhaps buy a sandwich or salad in a supermarket during the day, or…
b) leave your hotel room at 9pm each night looking for a place to eat?
Q3: You have a tendency to get lost in the alleyways of the city. Do you:
a) buy a decent map or even hire a personal guide, or …
b) wander around hoping that this time you will not get lost?
Q3: One night as you are wandering lost in some back alleyway, you are approached by a sleazy bloke wearing a razor blade around his neck. He offers to take you somewhere nice. Do you:
a) Say “Oh that’s fine thank you, we love these quiet byways. And our hotel is just up there.” Or…
b) Say “Oh how kind of you. Aren’t the local residents friendly? Yes we’d love to accompany you to some dive.”
Q4: Your new companion tells you about how he was tyrannised as a child, and how he wrought revenge on his sisters, and they on him. Do you:
a) Say “My goodness. Is that really the time? We’re meeting friends for midnight drinks. They’ll be starting to worry about us.” Or…
b) Say “How awful. Please tell us more. And yes we’d be delighted to accept your invitation to stay over at your place and have dinner with you.”
Q5: Just before dinner, your host punches you in the stomach. Do you:
a) Leave straight away, or…
b) Say “How jolly. I love a bit of robust male bonding.”
Q6: Your host’s partner tells you they love rough sex, so much so that her back has been broken, and they can’t wait to find out what it’s like to kill someone. They then invite you to come back soon. Do you:
a) Say “We’d love to, but the rest of our stay is taken up with all sorts of visits to friends and family.” Or…
b) Say “We’d love to” — and mean it.
Q7: As you are wandering around the city, you see your new friend’s apartment. Do you:
a) Turn around and walk away as fast as possible and hope you haven’t been seen. Or…
b) Say “Oh wonderful! Let’s pop in for a cup of tea and a chat.”?
I won’t reveal any more, so here’s how to score. For every (a) answer count 1 point. For every (b) answer count 5 points.
A score of 7 means you are a perfectly well-adjusted human being and will probably be appalled by this story. You might even have nightmares, like I did.
A score of between 7 and 30 means you have some serious work to do on yourself in order to be considered a normal member of polite society.
A score of over 35 means that you are a psychopath with sadomasochistic tendencies, maladjusted and possibly even a convicted murderer. But mostly it means you can’t even add properly because the score only goes up to 35.
Disclaimer: I have no qualifications in psychology etc, although I did read a paperback about it once. So do not take these scores seriously!
The only redeeming feature of this book is that it is beautifully written. It was the first book by Ian McEwan I’ve read, and judging from what I’ve seen of the subject matter of other of his earlier works, probably the last for the foreseeable future.
How do you deal with writer’s block? Chances are you follow the advice of the experts who advocate free writing: just write the first thing that comesHow do you deal with writer’s block? Chances are you follow the advice of the experts who advocate free writing: just write the first thing that comes into your head, and see what happens. But how about adopting a strategy that is diametrically opposed to this: using constraints?
It sounds counter-intuitive, but imposing a restriction is likely to lead to more creativity rather than less. For example, if you attempt to write a coherent piece without using a particular letter, you really have to choose your words carefully. The result is likely to be more interesting as a result.
The word Oulipo is an acronym of a French group, Ouvroir de littérature potentielle. This is usually translated as Workshop of Potential Literature, although given its association with the sharing and critique of work on creative writing courses, the word ‘workshop’ might be ditched in favour of ‘work room’. At least, this is the view of Dennis Duncan in his book The Oulipo and Modern Thought (Amazon affiliate link).
So, what is ‘potential literature’ or Oulipo? It’s much more than a technique to combat writer’s block! I think it can best be summed up as applying constraints to see what unexpected literature results.
This book explains, in an extensive introduction, the sorts of constraints that are employed, while an index of constraints points the reader to examples of the techniques used.
One of the constraints, for example, is writing in the form of an acrostic. This is where the first letter of the first word of each sentence or line spells something out. I applied this technique to my article Short Story Adventures.
Another technique, already mentioned, is omitting a letter. This is known as a lipogram. An example is Perec’s novel, A Void, which does not have a single ‘e’ in it.
This book is a veritable cornucopia of examples of Oulipo — in some cases written by authors who predated the movement, which started in 1960. (Those cases are known, somewhat playfully, as ‘anticipatory plagiarism’.)
Interestingly, some of the techniques are mathematical in nature. For example, one of Queneau’s pieces is based on Set Theory, and another (A Hundred Thousand Billion Poems) is based on the mathematics of combinations. In that particular case, the author wrote ten sonnets. Each of the 14 lines of each one can be cut out and used in any of the other poems. The result is more possible sonnets than one could ever hope to read in several lifetimes.
You can approach this book in several ways. One would be to start at the beginning and read through to the end. Another is to use the index of constraints to explore examples of particular techniques. Yet another is simply to dip in at random.
Whichever approach appeals to you, you will be sure to find this book hugely rewarding, both in terms of enjoyment, and for trying out new ways to challenge yourself.
And, of course, for blasting away writer’s block!...more
The Oulipo Compendium, compiled by Harry Matthews and Alastair Brotchie, is in effect a dictionary/encyclopaedia of Oulipo. As such it is both comprehThe Oulipo Compendium, compiled by Harry Matthews and Alastair Brotchie, is in effect a dictionary/encyclopaedia of Oulipo. As such it is both comprehensive and easy to navigate. Oulipo is the use of restrictions (constraints) in writing. For example, writing a text in which every word starts with the same letter (a technique known as “autogram”). The point is to see what potential such constraints might have for creating literature. Contrary to what you might expect, applying such constraints tends to lead to more creativity rather than less.
The Compendium opens with Raymond Queneau’s 100 billion poems. This is a collection of ten sonnets. Originally, they were printed in such a way that you could mix up the lines from all the poems in order to create new ones -- a 100 billion sonnets to be more precise. According to the Compendium,
“Queneau calculated that someone reading the book 24 hours a day would need 190,258,751 years to complete it.”
This is a great way of starting the book because it gives you a flavour of what’s to come. However, apart from the additional sections (more of which in a moment), the book is probably more useful to those who already know a bit about Oulipo and want a reference book. If you are new to the subject, it’s not an easy read, because there is no obvious starting point. A better book from this point of view is the Penguin Book of Oulipo. In my opinion that provides a better introduction, but is not as detailed as the Compendium. I would say that the two books together complement each other.
On the subject of the detail, it is impressive. There are long examples of Oulipian work, and plenty of cross-referencing. As an example, I am currently interested in the application of computing to Oulipo, and I found a great deal of useful information in this book in under three minutes.
Following the main part of the book are additional sections introducing a few variations of Oulipo. One of these, for example, is Oupeinpo, inn which the principles of Oulipo are applied to art. Looking back on my school life, I wonder if my art teacher was aware of this movement when he set us work in which we could use only one colour, such as blue or yellow. Painting a landscape or, if you are a masochist, a crowd scene, using only different shades of blue is quite a challenge!
Another section is dedicated to the Oulipopo, or detective fiction, while another focuses on the Oulibapo, or comic strips.
Highly recommended.
From the back cover:
The Oulipo Compendium abounds in material for writers, teachers and scholars; it also offers a cornucopia of entertainment for curious readers.
Anyone interested in the craft of writing should read this book. It’s not a primer, or dictionary, or anything of that nature. But it does exactly whaAnyone interested in the craft of writing should read this book. It’s not a primer, or dictionary, or anything of that nature. But it does exactly what it says on the tin.
The author is Raymond Queneau, one of the founders of the French writing movement called the Oulipo, which roughly translates as “workshop of potential literature”. What he did was write a simple story in which there’s a bit of an altercation between two people on a bus, an observation about the person’s dress, and the sighting of one of the people a little later in the day. That’s it: hardly a story. Hardly even an anecdote.
But what Queneau then does is to rewrite the story in numerous ways. For example, this is part of the “vanilla” story, what Queneau calls “Notation”:
Notation
On the S bus, in the rush hour. A chap of about twenty six, soft hat with a cord instead of a ribbon, neck too long, as if someone’s been tugging at it. People getting off.
Now here’s an extract from one of the rewrites:
Metaphorically
At the very heart of the day, tossed among the shoal of travelling sardines in a white-bellied beetle, a chicken with a long, featherless neck suddenly harangued one of their number, a peace-abiding one, and its parlance, moist with protest, was unleashed into the air.
Here’s an extract from a version called “Official Letter”:
Official Letter
I beg to advise you of the following facts of which I happened to be the equally impartial and horrified witness.
Today, at roughly twelve noon, I was present on the platform of a bus which was proceeding up the rue de Courcelles in the direction of the Place Champerret. The aforementioned bus was fully laden- more than fully laden, I might even venture to say, since the conductor had accepted an overload of several candidates, without valid reason and actuated by an exaggerated kindness of heart which caused him to exceed the regulations and which, consequently, bordered on indulgence.
And here’s one more:
Mathematical
In a rectangular parallepiped moving along a line representing an integral solution of the second-order differential equation:
y”+PPTB(x)y’ +S=84
two homoids (of which only one, the homoid A, manifests a cylindrical element of length L>N encircled by two sine waves of ...
Not all of the “styles” work very well for me. For example, the dog Latin one does nothing for me. But most of them are instructive as well as humorous. It’s fascinating to see, for instance, what a difference it makes to the “feeling” of a piece of writing if it uses only the passive tense, or is rendered as an official report. ...more
This is Matt Madden’s adaptation or response to Exercises in Style. He takes a very simple incident, and depicts it in a variety of ways in cartoon foThis is Matt Madden’s adaptation or response to Exercises in Style. He takes a very simple incident, and depicts it in a variety of ways in cartoon form. The book is an example of Oubapo, which is a graphic form of Oulipo.
The book works in so many ways that it’s hard to know where to start. On a very basic level, it is hugely entertaining, because Madden embraces so many styles, both in terms of graphics and type. For example, Madden parodies or pays homage to the drawing styles of Jack Kirby, Herriman and Claire. As far as type is concerned, there is the political cartoon, public service announcement and even the Bayeaux Tapestry!
For students of sequential art this book will serve as an excellent reference guide to what can be achieved. I especially find the filmic aspects interesting, such as long shots, zoom and other points of view.
I bought “99 Ways” several years ago, and still find it delightful to dip into. Highly recommended for anyone interested in Oulipo, Oubapo, graphic storytelling — or just a great read!...more
This is a compendium of writings from the Oulipo, the "workshop of potential literature" started in 1960 in France. Oulipo is based on constraints, beThis is a compendium of writings from the Oulipo, the "workshop of potential literature" started in 1960 in France. Oulipo is based on constraints, be they mathematical or literary.
For example, one constraint is the lipogram, in which the writer constructs a piece of work without the use of a particular letter. With a wry smile, the Oulipo regards those writers who came up with similar ideas before its inception as anticipatory plagiarists.
Where this work differs from others of a similar nature, notably the Penguin Book of the Oulipo, is in its inclusion of writing that was never intended to be published.
For example, there are the minutes of meetings of the Oulipo and correspondence between its members. This serves to very much enrich the offering, as it provides an insight into the nature of the group and of its personalities, and the relationships between them. Some of the pieces and comments are quite amusing. I especially liked:
"Les fous littéraires, Blavier’s continuation of Raymond Queneau’s long-considered but finally abandoned project of assembling a compendium of literary madmen: writers who took themselves terribly seriously and were completely wrong about everything."
"Philosophers at the Gödel Institute für Logik have definitively proved that in order to erect a sign in the middle of a lawn that says no walking on the lawn, someone has to walk on the lawn."
and
"In observance of World Teachers’ Day, the Vientiane satellite and the Digital Francophone Campus will be closed on Friday, October 7."
There are also pearls of wisdom and insight in these pages. For example, Jacques Duchateau said, in a 1963 lecture:
"Writers do not live cloistered alone in their sole domain. But we have lived until now with the postulate that literature and “science” are irreconcilable. This may be true, but it has still yet to be proven."
I would suggest that, judging from the writings of the Oulipo, what has been proven is the opposite, that a mathematical approach can very much be brought to bear on constructing a poem or a piece of prose.
And:
"It was Rivarol, the right-wing anarchist, who stated: “A man who is right twenty-four hours before everyone else is taken for a lunatic for twenty-four hours.”
There are also some beautifully expressed observations. For example, Marcel Bénabou writes:
"...he has not managed to reach the heights of rigor and perfection to which he aspires. And, with a despair that grows each day, he discovers the vertiginous abyss of his own incompetence."
The book includes some ideas and readings that will bear revisiting. For instance, a couple of writers collaborated on what they called "microfictions". This involved one of them writing critiques of short stories which did not yet exist, and then the other one writing the stories based one critiques!
I also enjoyed Paul Braffort's "Imaginary libraries", with its classification of libraries into imaginary real libraries, real imaginary libraries, and others.
There are a few things I didn't like about the book. I found a lot of the poetry boring. It may have been clever, but I am afraid I detected little literary merit in much of it.
Another problem is that unlike the Penguin book mentioned earlier, there are no indications of the technique used. I realise that, for the ardent Oulipian, that is probably the point: to apply a technique without the reader being consciously aware of it. Nevertheless, in a book devoted to providing a representative sample of Oulipian work, I think a few signposts would not have come amiss.
I found it interesting to read Calvino's explanation of how he wrote "If on a winter's night a traveller", although not being a logician I could not understand it!
Despite these misgivings, the book is a marvellous collection of Oulipo writings. Although I read the book from start to finish, it very much lends itself to dipping in at random, and savouring the inventiveness of the writers. Highly recommended.
Please note: I was sent a free copy of this book, but that has not influenced my review of it....more
This is a very interesting, and useful, book. It covers a range of types of writing. For example, it looks at genre, digital media, illustrated work, This is a very interesting, and useful, book. It covers a range of types of writing. For example, it looks at genre, digital media, illustrated work, fiction, memoir, non-fiction.... It's quite a list!
What I like is the way the author breaks down pieces of text in order to analyse more closely what the writer has done. One example I found especially illuminating was the presentation of a piece of text along with the invitation to read it as a poem, fiction, and non-fiction. I was surprised to discover that I did indeed read it differently depending on which of those genres I thought it belonged to.
There are lots of sample passages to ponder, and discussion questions and writing prompts at the end of each chapter. These prompts are rather more challenging than the usual kind.
Although this book covers more types of writing than any one person is likely to engage in, I think it's a worthwhile investment. It's both analytical and readable: two words you don't often find in the same sentence!
This book covers twenty aspects of “Gothic” in this wide-ranging study. But what is meant by “Gothic”? You won’t find a straightforward definition herThis book covers twenty aspects of “Gothic” in this wide-ranging study. But what is meant by “Gothic”? You won’t find a straightforward definition here. As Luckhurst puts it:
“I prefer to see [Gothic] as a collection of ‘travelling tropes’ that, while they originate in a narrow set of European cultures with distinct meanings, have embarked on a journey in which they are both transmitted and utterly transformed as they move across different cultures. Sometimes the Gothic keeps a recognisable shape, but more often it merges with local folklore or beliefs in the supernatural to become a weird, wonderful new hybrid.”
If this makes little sense at the before you start reading the book, it will come to make sense as you roam through the various chapters and sections. My own interpretation is borrowed from the economist’s definition of money: money is what money does. In other words, if it behaves like or is used as money, then it is money. For me, the Gothic is similar: Gothic is as Gothic does. In other words, if watching a film in a cinema makes you wish you’d brought a friend along to walk home with, or reading a story makes you leave all the lights on when you go to bed, then there’s a good chance the film or the story was gothic.
At times the designation of something as Gothic seems to be stretching the definition somewhat, but the author usually has a convincing explanation. For example, how is Godzilla Gothic? One could see it as representing scale, as anything of an unnatural size tends to be frightening in itself. Another approach is to see it as an example of “EcoGothic”, in which nature takes revenge on humankind, whether in the form of a botanical disaster or a giant gorilla. Yet another viewpoint is that films such as Godzilla are allegorical, reflecting the current political or ecological situation.
This book has far more breadth than depth. It covers such a huge range of topics that in a spec of a single paragraph you may find several examples of what the author is talking about. That makes the book a wonderful introduction or starting point for anyone wishing to embark on a literary journey that will scare them half to death. Nevertheless, given that labyrinths are an obvious feature of the Gothic, and is the subject of a section in the book, I’m surprised that there appears to be no mention of the Argentinian writer Borges, in whose stories labyrinths are frequently featured. Perhaps Borges is considered more ludic that Gothic.
Another section features villages, so I was disappointed that an episode of the tv series The Avengers does not appear. Called Murdersville, the story is about a village that will happily bump off anyone for you – all you have to do is get them there. It’s scary in its own way because one does not normally associate sleepy English villages with Murder Incorporated. Still, given that the programme was made nearly sixty years ago, perhaps its omission is not all that surprising.
But these are mere quibbles. This sumptuous feast of a book can be read from beginning to end, or dipped into at random. You will find something – several things – to delight you on every page.
[Please note: my review is based on the April 2021 edition of this book]
Subtitled "The complete guide to writing narrative nonfiction", this book is b[Please note: my review is based on the April 2021 edition of this book]
Subtitled "The complete guide to writing narrative nonfiction", this book is bursting with good advice --the kind of advice that makes you think "Of course!", when you hear it.
For example, the author correctly points out that when it comes to reporting real-life events, the writer has no say in the actual content. What then becomes of paramount importance are such aspects as the way the story is developed, and how characters are depicted.
Using examples from reportage and borrowing heavily from the fiction writer's play book, Hart makes it clear that plotting is crucial. Also, like Chekhov's gun (if a gun appears in Act 1, it has to be fired at some point), actions like someone clearing their throat are pointless if they add nothing to how we see them as a character.
With useful plot graphs and concepts such as the ladder of abstraction (which represents the written equivalent of long shots, medium shots and close-ups), Story Craft will likely prove essential to even the most experienced nonfiction writer. ...more
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