The inner workings of a writer's life, the interplay between experience and writing, are brilliantly recounted by a master of the art. Gay Talese n...
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Feb 05, 2009
The disjointed feel of Gay Talese's "memoir" provokes accusations of a "notebook dump" (Wall Street Journal), a sentiment all the more galling when considered against his sterling reputation as a founding voice of New Journalism. A few critics did think the Bobbitts' story worth retelling, though most lauded the editor who refused to publish it. Esquire recently named Talese's 1966 piece, "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold," the best piece of writing they've ever published,
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Feb 08, 2012
Tristan
rated it: 
A bit boring, and a little to focused on his love for social clubs, hanging out with celebrities and fancy restaurants. Man, he really loves restaurants. I think his favorite phrase is "we dined..."
Had hoped there would be more about his time at the NY Times and the New Yorker.
Interesting to hear about his writing habits.
Liked the story about how he went after the story about the Chinese soccer player blamed for blowing the women's World Cup final More...
Had hoped there would be more about his time at the NY Times and the New Yorker.
Interesting to hear about his writing habits.
Liked the story about how he went after the story about the Chinese soccer player blamed for blowing the women's World Cup final More...
Oct 09, 2008
Stephen
rated it:
In his latest (and final?) literary installment, “A Writer’s Life” Gay Talese is rather frank about the stuff from which it is woven. While not tarrying over the matter, the master of literary fiction makes it quite clear that some time in the ’90s he was pretty late with a book to his publisher.
Later, as we cruise through various and vaguely related topics, borne along by the flow of his mellifluous prose, Talese is again frank and fun enough to offer up his pitches, and the respon More...
Later, as we cruise through various and vaguely related topics, borne along by the flow of his mellifluous prose, Talese is again frank and fun enough to offer up his pitches, and the respon More...
Jan 09, 2008
Christopher
rated it: 
I very much enjoy the writing of Gay Talese - he writes nonfiction and often focuses on life in New York City, such as in his books "Fame and Obscurity" (1964), "The Kingdom and the Power" (1969) and "Unto the Sons" (1992).
Some have compared Talese to a latter-day Balzac, in that he was an accomplished "social columnist" dating from his days in high school in Ocean City, New Jersey. In the present volume, Talese compiles an olio of stories fro More...
Some have compared Talese to a latter-day Balzac, in that he was an accomplished "social columnist" dating from his days in high school in Ocean City, New Jersey. In the present volume, Talese compiles an olio of stories fro More...
Aug 07, 2011
Cyndie
rated it:
One of the things I liked best about this book was how he wrote about the building near where he lived in New York that kept changing into different restaurants over the years, none of the never succeeding, as if the building was some how cursed, and always trying to be supportive of each establishment. Lots of insight into the restaurant industry in New York. Also, his story about Lorena Bobbitt is highly detailed and astounding. Several other good stories. A great read.
Dec 26, 2010
David
rated it: 
Scattershot memoir of Talese' search to find a story worth writing during a 14 year dry spell but the problem is, as this book proves, that he didn't end up finding one.
The book is filled with various stories he either didn't finish or did finish but which wound up being rejected by his editors. The stuff you would like him to elaborate on just kind of peters out but the uninteresting work is reproduced in its entirety.
The book is filled with various stories he either didn't finish or did finish but which wound up being rejected by his editors. The stuff you would like him to elaborate on just kind of peters out but the uninteresting work is reproduced in its entirety.
Nov 15, 2010
Julie
rated it: 
I'm a huge Gay Talese fan--he's a great storyteller and amazing writer. His autobiography weaves in the lives of those he wrote about into his own tale. Loved it.
Jun 28, 2008
Scott
rated it:
Don't pick this up hoping for how-to stuff or writing tips. Instead, what you'll do here is take a bunch of disparate trips with a great storyteller, with subtle tension arising from his effort, and often inability, to produce a book (or in at least one case even a publishable story) out of his exhaustive research and interviews. His transitions from one story to another are so good that you hardly notice you're on a new trip; and he effortlessly ties the end of the book directly back to the beg
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Jul 16, 2011
Walt
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Interesting to read of the variety of assignments that Mr Talese had in his long career. Despite his early teachers telling him his sentence constructions were oftern too long, he's still doing exactly that.
Mar 24, 2010
Patrick
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Talese is my favorite non-fiction writer. I'm excited to learn more about his life. His style is so smooth, I could read 300 pages of him listing his old man medications and be happy.
Look up the story, "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold" online and see what I mean. He turned Frank Sinatra ignoring him into the greatest celebrity profile ever, in my opinion.
Look up the story, "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold" online and see what I mean. He turned Frank Sinatra ignoring him into the greatest celebrity profile ever, in my opinion.
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Apr 04, 2010
I got this from the library today, though i was looking to research Princeess Diana so I could summarize her life in a pithy paragraph for a current project, I saw it on the shelf and remembered how consistently terrific he is. of course I want to know what he thinks about even John Bobbit, and that's saying a lot -
Apr 22, 2008
Jami
rated it:
Again, an inspiring view into how a great writer works... this work bounces from topic to topic, but is still intriguing and well-written. I just like his writing style - simple, straight-forward, and well-researched...
Oct 09, 2007
carrie
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i love it when writers explain the story behind the story. that's what talese does here - a glimpse at the mechanisms behind the finished product. helpful to have read some of his work, but not essential.
Dec 17, 2009
Gay
rated it:
Disjointed essays strung together but definitely fascinating. Talese is witty and a good story-teller. I also share his name.
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