The subtitle of the book is "An Anthology of The World's Best Writing Advice, From Keats to Kunitz." And the advice is good -- I give the book a '0' instead of a ' only because it is a bit uneven.

The book is divided into two parts and seven sections. Part 1: The Writing Process (preparation, beginning, revision, poetry) and Part 2: Becoming a Writer (voice, audience, practice). There are several selections in each section, all of which were printed elsewhere before being collected in this book.

There are two outstanding selections. "Still Just Writing" by Anne Tyler is about the difficulty of fitting writing into one's personal life, and "How to Discover What You Have to Say" by B.F. Skinner is about the process of discovery through writing. These two selections are worth the price of the book. I learned a lot about my own writing style and needs from these two selections.

Other selections are enjoyable, particularly Ursula Le Guin on "Where do You Get Your Ideas From?" and the three actual examples of revision in progress (from Keats, Shaw and James) which show just how much editing is necessary. I don't feel so bad about my own editing anymore.

I see this book just as the title implies: as a companion. I read one of the selections when I'm tired of writing or stuck on some point. I find emotional support in it. It is hard to talk to other grad students in my department about the hard parts of writing -- my department is extremely competitive, and no one wants to look like they are faltering. While I do have a dissertation support group, I find this book useful in that vein as well.