Joe Fassler

Bought this based on rave reviews and it usually is exactly the sort of thing I soak up like a sponge. I love writing, creativity, and windows into others' artistic process...especially that of writers. I appreciate and admire the work of all the authors included. It is exactly as described and how others described it and yet, I gave myself permission to give up about 45% of the way in.

It became tedious and tiresome, repetitive in the patterns, if not the specifics. Or, maybe it wasn't the read I needed at the time I chose to read it. I think the biggest issue for me:

Reading and writing are such an intimate and immersive experience--I read and write because I love it, not because I'm ever going to be well-known or broadly read. The author's essays were personal, yes, but most of them came across as something they'd written for themselves rather than to generously inspire other writers. Reading this felt like I was an uninvited backstage guest without actually having a ticket to the performance.

That said, it may just be me, so if you're drawn to the description, for sure, give it a try. It may be exactly what you want it to be or better.… (more)

I LOVE reading about the creative habits of successful people, which is why I'm biased towards shop-talk subjects like this. I get why most book readers would rather have the final product, and not a behind-the-scenes look, but there's something mesmerizing about seeing the seed of an idea transform into its final, polished form. For me it's like getting the origin story of a demi-god who started out as a commoner.

You'll hear from known writers such as Sherman Alexie, Stephen King, Amy Tan, Lev Grossman, Jonathan Frazen, Marilynne Robinson and Neil Gaiman reflect on the BIG questions of life and living and how those questions are illuminated through literature, and ultimately how that process informs their work as an author.

The title, "Light the Dark," has a dual meaning. On the surface, it encompasses the daily process of composing an often-unknown narrative, which is an underappreciated, laborious and solitary task, and one that is also common among all writers. The title also hints at a deeper, more primal reason of why writers write, and similarly readers read. The world can be a darkness on the soul if we let it. Literature is a collective project of the human race, stretching all the way back to its beginning, and its main purpose I believe is to light our way forward.… (more)