Who's Writing This?: Fifty-five Writers on Humor, Courage, Self-Loathing, and the Creative Process

First Harper Perennial Edition Published 2009. 185pp. Bright, clean & tight copy, unread, in FINE condition. "Editor Daniel Halpern was profoundly curious about the creative process--so he asked 55 world-renowned writers to briefly muse on 'the fictional persona behind the scenes,' the alter(ed) ego who takes over when there is true literary work to be done. And the writers responded in a myriad of ways. Margaret Atwood, Pat Conroy, William Gass, Czeslaw Milosz, James Michener, Joyce Carol Oates, Helen Vendler, Cynthia Ozick and others offered reflections on the process. The essays are mostly one-to-two-page snapshots and vary widely as to approach. Some are touching, others delightfully silly. (Edward Gorey, for one, anagrammed his name to introduce all his secret selves, including the inimitable Ogdred Weary.) Susan Sontag recalls her longtime disavowal of her work and finally comes to feel that 'the writer is me: not my double' and thus she is 'both Dr. Frankenstein and the monster.' Each contributor also submitted a whimsical self-portrait. [] Joyous and wondrous, revealing and surprising, remarkable and ridiculous, WHO'S WRITING THIS? is an unmitigated delight--an eloquent celebration of self-knowledge and artistic expression that uniquely bares the writer's soul." [publisher copy] "A browse-worthy book for literary fans."--Publishers Weekly. Pristine paperback w/sharp corners & crisp edges, a square & tight binding w/no creases in spine. Quite presentable, for the drawn self-portraits alone.