Speaking of Writing: A Brief Rhetoric

摘要

In Speaking of Writing: A Brief Rhetoric, Allegra Goodman and Michael Prince provide an indispensable, engaging guide to basic rhetorical concepts and how to write well. Through a creative structure and engaging prose, they make dry and difficult-to-parse concepts come to life, allowing readers to discover what makes writing work and not work in chapters that mimic the process of learning when guided by cogent, thoughtful instructors.What makes this book so engaging is how the information is presented. Each of the ten chapters introduces a concept and an example writing assignment that illustrates the concept that four student "characters" with distinct interests and personalities work through. The characters struggle through common missteps in the writing process to ultimately become more proficient in the chapter's main concept and writing assignment genre. Goodman and Prince balance the voices of the characters with their own authorial voices, guiding the readers through the key concepts in clear, concise prose. At the end of each chapter, there are activities and "microreadings" for the reader to read, analyze, and work through. The microreadings are particularly interesting, as Goodman and Prince provide selections from diverse authors and speakers to exemplify the chapters' concepts and genres, from fiction writer Neil Gaiman to pro football player Ray Lewis.