Bird by Bird

Over and over I kept seeing that Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird was highly recommended reading for writers and aspiring writers. When I saw it listed in a top five books writers must read list, I finally put the book on hold and once I got it, gobbled it right up. It is a seriously inspiring and informative book on the writing craft. Lamott is very likable and very, very funny. I've read quite a few good books on writing, but this one by far was the best. I found a DVD at the library when I was in the middle of the book about her called Bird by Bird with Annie that was shots from writing conferences, workshops, and book tours where she spoke about many of the same themes and topics from the book. It was entertaining and brought her to life, but the book was still better. (As books tend to be.) I am looking forward to checking out her fiction after hearing the way she painstakingly puts together novels. Based on this book, it seems like her novels would be full of raw honesty and beauty. She breathed so much life and humanity in these essays that her talent is hard to dispute.