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The Story I Am: Mad About the Writing Life
For those who write and those who want to, a book on the joys and fascinations of the literary life by an author whose work has pleased millions.
272 pages, Paperback
Published April 7, 2020
4 people are currently reading
1256 people want to read
About the author
Roger Rosenblatt
57 books148 followersROGER ROSENBLATT, whose work has been published in 14 languages, is the author of five New York Times Notable Books of the Year, and three Times bestsellers, including the memoirs KAYAK MORNING, THE BOY DETECTIVE, and MAKING TOAST, originally an essay in the New Yorker. His newest book is THE STORY I AM, a collection on writing and the writing life.
Rosenblatt has also written seven off-Broadway plays, notably the one-person Free Speech in America, that he performed at the American Place Theater, named one of the Times's "Ten Best Plays of 1991." Last spring at the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, he performed and played piano in his play, Lives in the Basement, Does Nothing, which will go to the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook, and the Flea Theater in New York in 2021. He also wrote the screenplay for his bestselling novel LAPHAM RISING, to star Frank Langella, Stockard Channing, and Bobby Cannavale, currently in production.
The Distinguished Professor of English and Writing at SUNY Stony Brook/Southampton, he formerly held the Briggs-Copeland appointment in creative writing at Harvard, where he earned his Ph.D. Among his honors are two George Polk Awards; the Peabody, and the Emmy, for his essays at Time magazine and on PBS; a Fulbright to Ireland, where he played on the Irish International Basketball Team; seven honorary doctorates; the Kenyon Review Award for Lifetime Literary Achievement; and the President's Medal from the Chautauqua Institution for his body of work.
Rosenblatt has also written seven off-Broadway plays, notably the one-person Free Speech in America, that he performed at the American Place Theater, named one of the Times's "Ten Best Plays of 1991." Last spring at the Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor, he performed and played piano in his play, Lives in the Basement, Does Nothing, which will go to the Staller Center for the Arts at Stony Brook, and the Flea Theater in New York in 2021. He also wrote the screenplay for his bestselling novel LAPHAM RISING, to star Frank Langella, Stockard Channing, and Bobby Cannavale, currently in production.
The Distinguished Professor of English and Writing at SUNY Stony Brook/Southampton, he formerly held the Briggs-Copeland appointment in creative writing at Harvard, where he earned his Ph.D. Among his honors are two George Polk Awards; the Peabody, and the Emmy, for his essays at Time magazine and on PBS; a Fulbright to Ireland, where he played on the Irish International Basketball Team; seven honorary doctorates; the Kenyon Review Award for Lifetime Literary Achievement; and the President's Medal from the Chautauqua Institution for his body of work.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
June 15, 2020
Disclaimer: The publisher sent me a copy of this book.
If you had asked me who Roger Rosenblatt was before I read this book, I would have responded, “Do you mean Ron?” So that is how ignorant I am.
But now, I want to read all of Roger Rosenblatt’s books because these bits and bobs about writing and reading are so great.
The book is a collection of essays as well as excerpts from novels and memoirs about writing. He makes observations about writing – how it is like plastering – but also about the right type of dog to have while reading Russian literature.
There are two extremely funny essays in the collection – “May I Kill You” and “Spark’s Other Notes”. “May I Kill” is a conversation between an author and an editor/publisher. It includes wonderful comments on Proust among other things. It is hard to disagree with what Rosenblatt writes about Hamlet in the Sparks Notes section. He is also right about Goldilocks. Seriously, it is an essay that speaks to both teachers and students.
And there are several essays that speak to teachers, like the plastering bit, and the struggle that we sometimes have to convey and teach something that we know, even if we are somewhat unsure about how we ourselves learned it. It is those essays, as well as the ones where he mentions his daughter that are the most moving.
And the one about Dickens’ Christmas Carol. It is impossible to argue with his reading of that classic text.
In many ways, this collection is like sitting with someone, perhaps Joyce, drinking a few pints and talking about writing, life, and reading. There is something both comforting and fascinating in such a reading. At once peaceful and stimulating. It’s strange, but the beauty and, at times, insecurity but hopefulness is a wonderful mix.
If you had asked me who Roger Rosenblatt was before I read this book, I would have responded, “Do you mean Ron?” So that is how ignorant I am.
But now, I want to read all of Roger Rosenblatt’s books because these bits and bobs about writing and reading are so great.
The book is a collection of essays as well as excerpts from novels and memoirs about writing. He makes observations about writing – how it is like plastering – but also about the right type of dog to have while reading Russian literature.
There are two extremely funny essays in the collection – “May I Kill You” and “Spark’s Other Notes”. “May I Kill” is a conversation between an author and an editor/publisher. It includes wonderful comments on Proust among other things. It is hard to disagree with what Rosenblatt writes about Hamlet in the Sparks Notes section. He is also right about Goldilocks. Seriously, it is an essay that speaks to both teachers and students.
And there are several essays that speak to teachers, like the plastering bit, and the struggle that we sometimes have to convey and teach something that we know, even if we are somewhat unsure about how we ourselves learned it. It is those essays, as well as the ones where he mentions his daughter that are the most moving.
And the one about Dickens’ Christmas Carol. It is impossible to argue with his reading of that classic text.
In many ways, this collection is like sitting with someone, perhaps Joyce, drinking a few pints and talking about writing, life, and reading. There is something both comforting and fascinating in such a reading. At once peaceful and stimulating. It’s strange, but the beauty and, at times, insecurity but hopefulness is a wonderful mix.
June 27, 2020
Review of unrevised, unpublished proofs
A collection of essays as well as excerpts from novels, plays, memoirs, and columns . . . all expounding on the joys of writing. The author looks at the rewards and punishments of the writer’s life and offers thoughts on how, what, and why to write. “Writing,” he claims, “lies at the heart of human hope and experience.” The thoughtful pieces included here support that claim.
This is a book for all who write and for all who read what the authors write.
Highly recommended.
A collection of essays as well as excerpts from novels, plays, memoirs, and columns . . . all expounding on the joys of writing. The author looks at the rewards and punishments of the writer’s life and offers thoughts on how, what, and why to write. “Writing,” he claims, “lies at the heart of human hope and experience.” The thoughtful pieces included here support that claim.
This is a book for all who write and for all who read what the authors write.
Highly recommended.
July 30, 2025
Read on Hoopla this published April 7, 2020 book The Story I Am: Mad About the Writing Life by Roger Rosenblatt. I’ve had this book on my must read list since, May 17, 2021 after reading Rosenblatt book, Unless It Moves the Human Heart: The Craft and Art of Writing. Can’t believe I waited four years to get access of this book. Having my Must Read List is invaluable.
Good read indeed
Good read indeed
June 28, 2020
A wonderful collection of writings about writing, writers, writers lives/families/idiosyncrasies and the word in general.
January 12, 2021
Both poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. If you’re a writer, know a writer, or just appreciate good writing, you’ll enjoy this collection of Rosenblatt’s essays/reviews/excerpts etc.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews