Customer Reviews

Zen and the Writing Life

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This is a seminar Matthiessen did on writing as a meditation. This lecture is quite different from Matthiessen's other works, in that it is far less polished. This is NOT to imply any negative conotation but rather to imply how refreshing and helpful this material is. Matthiessen focuses on his own history as a writer discussing his successes and his failures and those experiences that have been humbling and helpful in his gorwth as a writer and with his Zen life. In addition he also discusses some important practical considerations and suggestions for someone interested in and pursuing writing both as an avocation and a career. I would have no problem highly recommending this tape.

Matthiessen is a very good speaker and teacher. He discusses his methods in an honest way. He speaks of zen in the sense of doing and not thinking of doing. His remarks and stories are at once deep and shallow. Deep in their truthfulness and shallow in the sense that he's surprisingly funny and jokes around a little. There's no secret to reveal, though. It is clear that he works quite hard. These tapes also contain interesting boigraphical information. He quotes, and comments on, several other writers. Hemmingway and Camas are two examples. He talks about his travels and publishing experiences, with the careful, and insightful, descriptions that fill his writing. His is a solid, earthy zen. The idea of "suchness" is emphasized. Hearing him speak about his journals and comrades like Schaller make me feel as if he's at the table with me.

Make this a well-spent two hours of your life. ZEN AND THE WRITING LIFE is full of self-reflection, colorful storytelling, intense emotion, and humor. You need not be a Zen practitioner nor a writer to appreciate Peter Matthiessen's lessons, though every writer and every Zen student should have access to this audiobook lecture. The practical advice the multiply award-winning author of 28 fiction and non-fiction books gives us on subjects from note-taking to plotting to scheduling your workday is invaluable. Also invaluable is the insight this Zen roshi gives us into the life of heightened awareness which is so necessary to both good writing and Zen practice.