Assignment 9/05/07

I suppose the famous saying, "don't judge a book by its cover," definitely rang true for Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird. When I purchased this book from the campus bookstore several days ago, I looked at the cover and thought it looked like something a soccer-mom might read while waiting for her kids in the car. Thus, I was extremely surprised by the content of the book as soon as I opened it. Unlike the usual "writing manuals" which usually recommend some type of formula for writing that can be followed to appartenly guarantee success, Lamott has a fresh, comedic spin on the idea. First, her recollections of her childhood make her human and easy to relate to; therefore, it makes me much more apt to follow and want her advice. Second, her advice on writing is finally something different. Instead of reading, "start with a quote/attention getter for introduction," her advice is realistic and stems from her life experiences. Lamott instead suggests things like the importance of practicing writing and good writing is not attained overnight. Thus, my original perception of Bird by Bird has definitely has been changed and for the better. Perhaps, this is one of the first books to provide legitimate advice on writing without putting me to sleep.