Contemporary Creative Nonfiction: The Art of Truth (Paperback)

~ Bill Roorbach (Editor) "Not all writers keep journals, of course, and not all of those who keep journals think ]of themselves as writers..." (more)
Key Phrases: tiny masters, main bile duct, creative nonfiction, New York, Father Kleinsorge, Xuan Ke (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A superior collection of the various forms of creative nonfiction."--Albert DiBartolomeo, Drexel University

"An important contribution to an emerging field."--Adebayo Williams, Savannah College of Art and Design

"An unbelievably comprehensive resource for instructors and students alike. The organization by genre and the clarity of the sample readings anthologized in each section both introduces readers to the diverse possibilities of creative nonfiction and leaves them with a heightened appreciation for the power of the prose of 'truth' writing."--Heather Fester, Bowling Green State University

"From the composition classroom to the biology lab--any teacher who makes writing a key component of the learning process will find this new anthology a creative and thought-provoking resource. Using the diaries, memoirs, science essays, travel writings, and literary journalism of some of America's most gifted writers, Bill Roorbach brings creative nonfiction across disciplinary boundaries and into the classroom."--Dana Sobyra in The Chronicle of Higher Education

"This text is one of the best, if not the best, that I have encountered in thirty years of teaching. It introduced me to at least a dozen wonderful writers and re-introduced me to many more I'd lost track of. The selections are consistently excellent."--Rick Case, Maui Community College, HI

Product Description

The most inclusive collection of creative nonfiction available, Contemporary Creative Nonfiction: The Art of Truth is the only anthology that brings together examples of all three of the main forms in the genre: the literary memoir, the personal essay, and literary journalism. Featuring a generous and diverse sampling of more than sixty works, this collection includes beautiful, disturbing, and instructive works of literary memoir by such writers as Mary McCarthy, Annie Dillard, and Judy Ruiz; smart, funny, and moving personal essays by authors ranging from E.B. White to Phillip Lopate to Ntozake Shange; and incisive, vivid, and quirky examples of literary journalism by Truman Capote, Barbara Ehrenreich, Sebastian Junger, and many others. This unique volume also contains examples of captivating nature writing, exciting literary travel writing, brilliant essays in science, surprising creative cultural criticism, and moving literary diaries and journals, incorporating several classic selections to set a context for the contemporary work. The editor's general introduction and introductions to each of the five sections provide useful definitions, crucial history, critical context, and abundant issues to debate. Ideal for undergraduate and graduate courses in creative nonfiction, literary journalism, essay writing, and all levels of composition, Contemporary Creative Nonfiction: The Art of Truth is also an essential resource for all nonfiction writers, from novices to professionals.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 576 pages
• Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (January 4, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0195135563
• ISBN-13: 978-0195135565
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.5 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #412,590 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best book on Creative Nonfiction, September 25, 2001

By A Customer

This is an amazing book--you get all the best of nonfiction, and not just some little area some scholar or writer thinks is creative nonfiction. Roorbach is inclusive without being soft-the selections are just great writing, some of it shocking, even. And his introductions are so smart, funny, and on the money. I first got the book for a class--but it changed my life and my reading habits utterly. Enjoy!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Art of Truth: Contemporary Creative Nonfiction, December 6, 2005

By	A. Pasen (Chicago) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In the murky, amorphous zone of writing known as creative nonfiction, there's a lot of room for interpretation and blind groping. Roorbach's book not only defines and provides careful guidelines for the main types of creative nonfiction, but also explains how to read them for criticism and enjoyment and includes essays from huge literary names that readers will know and find accessible. Just having the mysticism removed from this often sidestepped genre made the book worth the purchase; I am now comfortable making comments and evaluating creative nonfiction. It's invaluable for students and teachers alike as well as those who just like a good read.