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Title: Great book, but difficult
Review: John Jr (below) obviously has a little chip on his shoulder about writing theory and probably about academia.No, this is not a how-to book filled with exercises and tips and explanations of different techniques. It is a book for the advanced student or writer, and discusses issues involved with the short story, placing the form in assorted contexts and dissecting it from those positions. It is not easy reading, but neither is it impregnable to the thoughtful reader. It will not tell you how to write short stories, but it will provide you with intelligent ways of thinking about them, and hence, being more disciplined and perhaps original in your work.
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