Read Like A Writer

There are two ways to learn how to write fiction: by reading it and by writing it. Yes, you can learn lots about writing stories in workshops, in writing classes and writing groups, at writers' conferences. You can learn technique and process by reading the dozens of books like this one on fiction writing and by reading articles in writers' magazines. But the best teachers of fiction are the great works of fiction themselves. You can learn more about the structure of a short story by reading Anton Chekhov's 'Heartache' than you can in a semester of Creative Writing 101. If you read like a writer, that is, which means you have to read everything twice, at least. When you read a story or novel the first time, just let it happen. Enjoy the journey. When you've finished, you know where the story took you, and now you can go back and reread, and this time notice how the writer reached that destination. Notice the choices he made at each chapter, each sentence, each word. (Every word is a choice.) You see now how the transitions work, how a character gets across a room. All this time you're learning. You loved the central character in the story, and now you can see how the writer presented the character and rendered her worthy of your love and attention. The first reading is creative—you collaborate with the writer in making the story. The second reading is critical.


John Dufresne, from his book, The Lie That Tells A Truth: A Guide to Writing Fiction

Header

Liquid Story Binder XE by Black Obelisk Software

Disable Copy Paste

Amazon Quick Linker

Tuesday, August 9, 2022

American Literary Masters by Leon H. Vincent

 

American literary masters by Leon H. Vincent

AMERICAN
LITERARY MASTERS

BY LEON H. VINCENT

American literary masters by Leon H. Vincent

BOSTON AND NEW YORK
HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY
The Riverside Press Cambridge


COPYRIGHT 1906 BY LEON H. VINCENT
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

Published March 1906


TO
GEORGE EDWARD WOODBERRY


PREFACE

The nineteen men of letters whose work is reviewed in this volume represent an important half-century of our national literary life. The starting-point is the year 1809, the date of “A History of New York by Diedrich Knickerbocker.” No author is included whose reputation does not rest, in part, on some notable book published before 1860.

Readers of modern French criticism will not need to be told that the plan of dividing the studies into short sections was taken from Faguet’s admirable “Dix-Septième Siècle.”

I am indebted for many helpful criticisms to Mr. James R. Joy, to Miss Mary Charlotte Priest, and especially to Mr. Lindsay Swift of the Boston Public Library.

L. H. V.

January 23, 1906.

 

 Contents

WASHINGTON IRVING
I.    His Life    3
II.    His Character    10
III.    The Writer    13
IV.    Early Work: Knickerbocker’s History, Sketch Book, Bracebridge Hall, Tales of a Traveller    14
V.    Historical Writings: Columbus, Conquest of Granada, Mahomet    20
VI.    Spanish Romance: The Alhambra, Legends of the Conquest of Spain    24
VII.    American History and Travel: A Tour on the Prairies, Astoria, Life of Washington    27
WILLIAM CULLEN BRYANT
I.    His Life    35
II.    His Character    44
III.    The Literary Craftsman    46
IV.    The Poet    50
V.    Latest Poetical Work: The Iliad and the Odyssey    58
JAMES FENIMORE COOPER
I.    His Life    65
II.    His Character    72
III.    The Writer    74x
IV.    Romances of the American Revolution: The Spy, Lionel Lincoln    75
V.    The Leather-Stocking Tales and Other Indian Stories    77
VI.    The Sea Stories from The Pilot to Miles Wallingford    82
VII.    Old-World Romance and New-World Satire: The Bravo, The Heidenmauer, The Headsman, Homeward Bound, Home as Found    89
VIII.    Travels, History, Political Writings, and Latest Novels    93
GEORGE BANCROFT
I.    His Life    101
II.    His Character    108
III.    The Writer    110
IV.    The History of the United States    113
WILLIAM HICKLING PRESCOTT
I.    His Life    123
II.    His Character    128
III.    The Writer    130
IV.    The Histories    132
RALPH WALDO EMERSON
I.    His Life    147
II.    His Character    157
III.    The Writer    159
IV.    Nature, Addresses, and Lectures    160
V.    The Essays, Representative Men, English Traits, Conduct of Life    166xi
VI.    The Poems    176
VII.    Latest Books    182
EDGAR ALLAN POE
I.    His Life    189
II.    His Character    198
III.    The Prose Writer    201
IV.    Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque    203
V.    The Critic    211
VI.    The Poet    215
HENRY WADSWORTH LONGFELLOW
I.    His Life    221
II.    His Character    228
III.    The Poet    230
IV.    Outre-Mer, Hyperion, Kavanagh    233
V.    Voices of the Night, Ballads, Spanish Student, Belfry of Bruges, The Seaside and the Fireside    236
VI.    Evangeline, Hiawatha, Miles Standish, Tales of a Wayside Inn    240
VII.    Christus, Judas Maccabæus, Pandora, Michael Angelo    245
VIII.    Last Works    249
JOHN GREENLEAF WHITTIER
I.    His Life    255
II.    His Character    264
III.    The Poet    266
IV.    Narrative and Legendary Verse    269
V.    Voices of Freedom, Songs of Labor, In War Time    273xii
VI.    Snow-Bound, Tent on the Beach, Pennsylvania Pilgrim, Vision of Echard    277
NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE
I.    His Life    287
II.    His Character    293
III.    The Writer    296
IV.    The Short Stories: Twice-Told Tales, Mosses from an Old Manse, The Snow-Image    298
V.    The Great Romances: Scarlet Letter, House of the Seven Gables, Blithedale Romance, Marble Faun    302
VI.    Latest and Posthumous Writings: Our Old Home, Note-Books, Dolliver Romance    314
HENRY DAVID THOREAU
I.    His Life    321
II.    His Character    325
III.    The Writer    327
IV.    The Books    328
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES
I.    His Life    337
II.    The Man    341
III.    The Writer    344
IV.    The Autocrat and its Companions, Over the Teacups, Our Hundred Days in Europe    345
V.    The Poet    349
VI.    Fiction and Biography    352
JOHN LOTHROP MOTLEY
I.    His Life    359
II.    His Character    365xiii
III.    The Writer    367
IV.    The Histories    369
FRANCIS PARKMAN
I.    His Life    379
II.    His Character    383
III.    The Writer    385
IV.    Early Work: Oregon Trail, Conspiracy of Pontiac, Vassall Morton    387
V.    France and England in North America    390
BAYARD TAYLOR
I.    His Life    401
II.    His Character    407
III.    The Artist    409
IV.    Poetical Works    410
GEORGE WILLIAM CURTIS
I.    His Life    417
II.    The Man    423
III.    The Writer and the Orator    424
IV.    Nile Notes of a Howadji, Prue and I, Trumps    427
V.    The Easy Chair    430
VI.    Orations and Addresses    433
DONALD GRANT MITCHELL
I.    His Life    439
II.    The Author and the Man    442
III.    The Writings    444
JAMES RUSSELL LOWELL
I.    His Life    453xiv
II.    Lowell’s Character    461
III.    Poet and Prose Writer    463
IV.    Poems, The Biglow Papers, Fable for Critics, Vision of Sir Launfal    465
V.    Under the Willows, The Cathedral, Commemoration Ode, Three Memorial Poems, Heartsease and Rue    469
VI.    Fireside Travels, My Study Windows, Among my Books, Latest Literary Essays    474
VII.    Political Addresses and Papers    479
WALT WHITMAN
I.    His Life    485
II.    The Growth of a Reputation    490
III.    The Writer    492
IV.    Leaves of Grass    494
V.    Specimen Days and Collect    503
VI.    Whitman’s Character    504




The PDF might take a minute to load. Or, click to download PDF.

If your Web browser is not configured to display PDF files. No worries, just click here to download the PDF file.

 

About the Author

Leon H. Vincent
Leon H. Vincent (1859-1941) was an American author, literary critic, and lecturer. He taught English and American literature in schools and colleges across the country and wrote several books, of which the best-known is American Literary Masters, a collection of essays on noted authors.

Buy Leon H Vincent Books at Amazon

No comments: