Blended with the backstories of those involved and how they became the successful writers they are today, LIGHT THE DARK is probably the coolest thing I've read aside from Stephen King's ON WRITING. Something of a biography and a self-help guide, LIGHT THE DARK offers new perspectives on finding inspiration, learning to know yourself as the writer you want to be, and that success doesn't come if you don't work for it.

LIGHT THE DARK is edited by Joe Fassler, available in paperback, and contains essays by roughly 50 authors. And quite a list it is: William Gibson, Khaled Hosseini, Mary Gaitskill, Billy Collins, Marilynne Robinson, etc. It is an illuminating and eclectic look at whose work inspired each of them, for example: Michael Chabon (Jorge Luis Borges), Junot Díaz (Toni Morrison), Neil Gaiman (R.A. Lafferty), Walter Mosley (Raymond Chandler), and Jane Smiley (Charles Dickens). I was previously unaware of the "By Heart" online series which Fassler had created for The Atlantic in 2013 and a source for many of the submissions.

I have already been talking about this brand new book with English teachers and they are eagerly waiting to begin reading the insights regarding "creativity, inspiration and the artistic process." Fassler notes that "at the core of each of these pieces is a moment of transformative reading .... each contributor tells some version of the same story: I read something, and I wasn't the same afterward." LIGHT THE DARK seems like a perfect work for summer reading for our Senior Writers' Seminar students, but I think it is one to keep referring to all year long. Library Journal gave it a starred review.

For even more books on writing, see "The 28 Best Books on Writing," recently posted on Penguin Random House’s Signature.
Links in online post:
https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/by-heart/
http://www.signature-reads.com/2017/10/the-27-best-books-on-writing/

This book gave me a front row seat to one of the most interesting experiences both as a reader and a writer. The Author had three words that were posted to the authors and they were "what inspires you?"
Now, unless you live under a rock, or haven't read much, these are authors who have written some of the best books over the years. Their contribution in shaping the world, cultures, knowledge transition and story-telling has been through their writing. I'm talking about forty six award winning writers of different genres, from different cultures, countries and races and they in turn share some works that inspire them or the moment they truly embraced writing and what led to that kind of inspiration.
I loved how personal and reflective each writer's take was and frankly speaking this has got to be the most biased review I have written because one; I love most of the writers and I have read most of their works, two; It really felt great knowing that they had their challenges and doubts about what they were writing, three; They were also influenced by other works of literature.
I am glad to have received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. It did take me almost a month to read it because I had issues with the formatting for kindle and after a while, I had to resort to Adobe Digital Editions to get to read it.
I am glad I didn't give in to the formatting frustrations because I would have missed out on the insights on creativity, writing, and storytelling from authors I'd love to meet one day.

In Light the Dark, everyone in this book is a writer. So, if you think about the wealth of creativity wrapped up in this short book... it is AMAZING. It truly made me feel nostalgic. Like, I should go and curl up in the corner and read all these author's again for the millionth time. And, then when I had that completed, I could read the writing that inspired them.

As I mentioned with excess enthusiasm, everyone in this book is a WRITER. Plus, these writer's, are writing about the ...writing.. that inspires them. So, this book definitely has a little bit of magic in it.

Yes, I did a read aloud. And, I devoured this book. I don't want to give to much away. But, I will give you a glimpse, within boundaries, of what appealed, and what troubled me.

I really like that the writers immerse themselves in reading and attribute their inspiration to other writer's. I also appreciate that many value the importance of using simple things we all are born with ... imagination, curiosity and the ability to observe.

What keeps them going? Well, that is a great question for the individual.

Perhaps some of these writers were never told to table their imagination, or to tone down their curiosity. Perhaps for some, there is no resistance to their creativity. Maybe they look within, and write down everything they observe...everything they dream.

This is profound in that it reads like restless and astute surges of creative minds. So much so, that I catch something new each time I go back an re-read a section. Yes. I am already rereading it.

I absolutely love that the short books are covered too. Poetry. I love Poetry.

Was it all good? Well NO. Don't most characters have downfalls?

Many of these writer's overcame great obstacles to produce their creations.The writer's are blatantly honest. And, as reader's, we are agonizingly aware of their vulnerabilities. And, at times, it feels like we have a kindred spirit for the complexities of life.

Overall, this book helps reader's to feel deep emotion, and a connection to the writer. And, it places a face on their process.

Not the catchy title of their book.

Not an intense line of their poetry.

But, a face. A self-aware....inhabiting .... face. One filled with emotion and wonder..one that makes each reader aware that the writer's process is as UNIQUE...as the writer.