Fourth Genre, The: Contemporary Writers of/on Creative Nonfiction [Paperback]

Robert L. Root (Author), Robert Root (Author), Michael Steinberg (Author, Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0205275958 | ISBN-13: 978-0205275953 | Publication Date: August 31, 1998 | Edition: 205th

Reader for courses in creative nonfiction that bridges gaps between teaching of composition, creative writing, and literature. Includes three parts: Selections that illustrate "the fourth genre" (nonfiction); articles that discuss the forms and issues surrounding the fourth genre; and essays paired with articles by the authors explaining their composing processes. Selections include essay, memoir, literary journalism, and cultural criticism.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Whether writers, readers or scholars, the individuals who read this book will gain much from it. A unique, special genre, creative nonfiction offers its readers a wealth of treasures. It provides the writer's singular voice as an active participant in his or her own experience. It may offer the writer's attempt to establish or define an identity, to explore and chronicle personal discoveries and changes, to examine personal conflicts, to interrogate his or her own opinion, and to connect him or herself to a larger heritage and community. It can be lyrical, expository, meditative, informational , reflective, self-interrogative, exploratory, analytical, or whimsical. But whatever form and meaning it takes, the creative nonfiction in this book provides its readers with the pleasure of reading great tales and dramas and with the learning experience of understanding the process through which to write these literary achievements. An anthology of work by major figures in creative nonfiction, this book offers the most thorough introduction to this cutting-edge genre. Its approach is both literary and writerly, focusing on the form and acknowledging the literary impulse in nonfiction as a fourth genre equivalent in scope to the three genres of poetry, fiction, and drama. Part I compiles an anthology of contemporary essays, memoirs, literary journalism, and personal cultural criticism. Part II presents articles discussing the forms and issues surrounding the fourth genre. Part II pairs essays and memoirs with articles by their authors explaining their composing process when they wrote the essays. Included are contributions by Scott Russell Sanders, Richard Selzer, Anne Dillard, Mary Clearman Blew, Tracy Kidder, Donald Murray, and other noted writers. Writers, readers, scholars and teachers.

Product Details

• Paperback: 472 pages
• Publisher: Allyn & Bacon; 205th edition (August 31, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0205275958
• ISBN-13: 978-0205275953
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.8 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,908,472 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Guideline for Creative Non-Fiction, July 17, 2000

By 

lisa (columbus, oh USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fourth Genre, The: Contemporary Writers of/on Creative Nonfiction (Paperback)

Finally the genre of Creative Non-Fiction is gaining recognition as a valid art form. Critics are finally starting to realize what the puplic has always known; real people have valid and intruiging stories to tell. The Fourth Genre collects an overview of the best non-fiction writers writing in and about their genre. I had the privilege to study under a contibutor from this book and discovered the joys of writing about my life and reading about the lives of others. This book is a necessity to those interested in Creative Non-Fictions. I would also recommend Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris, Writing Life Stories by Bill Roorbach, and Take the Cannoli by Sarah Vowell.

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Keeper Text Book, December 8, 2001

By 

Shawna Lanne "Shawna" (San Jose, CA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Fourth Genre, The: Contemporary Writers of/on Creative Nonfiction (Paperback)

I've been using this book in a career writing class where we have been focusing on learning how to write creative non-fiction. It is a great book full of incredible selections and is a great introduction to the field of Creative Nonfiction. Let me tell you, after years of writing academic essays, this has been a blast. The book, and my instructor, has helped me understand the difference between an autobiography and a memoir or a personal familiar essay and a personal critical essay.

All of that being said, I found this book to be more of an introduction into the world of Creative Nonfiction than an instructional 'how to' book. I have enjoyed being introduced to such a large host of, for me, new writers and will definitely keep this text book for reference, enjoyment, and inspiration.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic essays, great reading even if you're not a writer, October 8, 2010

By 

Vi (San Diego, CA United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Fourth Genre: Contemporary Writers of/on Creative Nonfiction (5th Edition) (Paperback)

The Fourth Genre graces most creative-writing course lists, and for good reason: In addition to outstanding essays written in every style and on every topic imaginable, it offers essays and commentary about the writing process, style, and form.

But don't be put off if you're just looking for excellent reading. This isn't dense, heavy, or academic. The essays are brilliant precisely because you are hooked from the first sentence of each one. These are fine storytellers, and their stories resonate. This is a book for any lover of true stories, nonfiction, essays, or great writing. It's also a compilation of essays, so you can pick it up and read a complete essay (story), then set it aside until you have time to read again, which was perfect for my too-busy-to-read life these days. If you like short stories, nonfiction stories, or great first-person journalism (like "Into Thin Air"), you'll like this.