best books on academic essay writing

18 of the Best Books on Writing (Updated for 2023)

Table of contents

Ashley R. Cummings

The need for writers isn’t going away. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects the employment of writers and authors will continue to grow by 4% from 2021 to 2031 . And it’s projected that there will be an average of 15,000 job openings for writers and authors each year.

While there’s a huge need for writers, it’s also projected future writers will invest anywhere from $7000 to $40,000 to learn the craft. Gasp!

But there’s good news. You don’t necessarily need to invest $40K into a degree to learn how to write. There are countless books that will help you become the writer you’ve always dreamed of becoming and will help you earn money straight out of the gate.

Here’s a list of the top eighteen books that will prepare you for your writing career. ‍

“Read, read, read. Read everything  —  trash, classics, good and bad, and see how they do it. Just like a carpenter who works as an apprentice and studies the master. Read! You'll absorb it. Then write. If it's good, you'll find out. If it's not, throw it out of the window.” — William Faulkner

Best books on writing for business and marketing

Marketing is so important the U.S. spent more than $17 billion in 2021 on marketing data. A large part of marketing is knowing how to write marketing materials that engage audiences. Marketing is also one of the most lucrative freelance writing niches.

When marketing and selling anything, the words you choose to represent your products and brand are critical—these books will help you find the right ones.

1. Lost and Founder by Rand Fishkin

Best for : Entrepreneurs and marketers in the SaaS space

In his book Lost and Founder, Fishkin walks readers through the process of creating a startup. He’s very transparent and doesn’t leave anything out—the roses and the warts are on full display. Lost and Founder is a wealth of first-hand experience that any new startup can learn from.

Most of this book is about all the steps involved in creating a startup, but he also goes through how to write pitches and marketing strategies that worked for him.

Furthermore, if you want to write for startups, it’s important to understand everything that goes into creating a startup. This will help you meet the writing needs of a startup, regardless of what stage it may be in.

2. Killing Marketing by Joe Pulizzi & Robert Rose

Best for : Modern marketing strategies/techniques

Joe Pulizzi and Robert Rose are founders and partners who love content marketing. In their book Killing Marketing, they say content isn’t just marketing; it’s an essential business strategy. 

This book focuses mostly on modern digital marketing techniques. It addresses how marketing has gone from creating ‘sale’ posters to being an essential part of adding value to a brand or company. Pulizzi and Rose use anecdotes and data from their own experiences to illustrate content writing and marketing techniques.

3. Predictably Irrational by Dan Ariely

Best for : Experienced marketers looking to fine-tune writing/strategies

Predictably Irrational isn’t so much a book about writing as a book that can help writers understand what motivates us humans—which is essential for any great writer to understand.

Dan Ariely is an expert in behavioral economics, which studies how people behave when they perform any sort of action (e.g.,. shop, get married, apply for jobs, etc.).

Ariely and his team used experiments to see how suggestion, context, and even subliminal messaging can affect people’s behavior. To illustrate this point, Ariely uses an example where his team created a test that was easy to cheat on. 

Then, his team had respondents take the test again, but reminded them of any sort of moral code (like the ten commandments or even a fake ‘honor code’) right before taking the test to see if people cheated less after the reminder. You’ll have to read to find out the results, but I bet you can guess what happened.

This book is most beneficial for experienced writers and marketers looking to understand their audience on a deeper level.

Best books for copywriting

The biggest issue for copywriting (especially digital copywriting) is people don’t really read things all the way through anymore. 

According to a 20+ year study done by the Nielsen Norman Group , eye tracking research confirms that most internet users only skim and skip around a webpage for relevant info. That means copywriters must understand how to capture the attention of these skimmers and skippers. Here are books that will teach you the ins and outs of successful copywriting.

4. Ogilvy on Advertising by David Ogilvy

Best for : Learning the fundamentals of advertising

Ogilvy on Advertising is admittedly an older book that was first published in 1983. But it’s still considered one of the foremost texts for beginner copywriters and even marketers. It goes over all the fundamentals of advertising and how to write compelling copy.

If you’re new to copywriting and marketing in general, this book uses real life examples to illustrate advertising concepts. And although some of the advice about getting jobs and how to market in foreign markets may be out of date, Ogilvy’s lessons on things like research and brand image are still relevant today.

5. Hey Whipple, Squeeze This by Luke Sullivan

Best for : Creating visual stories

Luke Sullivan has been a successful advertiser for over 30 years. He’s worked at elite agencies, taught, consulted and trained. His book, Hey Whipple, Squeeze This , uses real life examples like Charmin’s advertising campaign of the 1960s and 1970’s (the namesake of the book) to illustrate all aspects of advertising. 

Sullivan goes through everything from how to protect your work to how to write for social media. The book is snarky and witty and gives you a glimpse of what it feels like to work in the creative department at an ad agency. 

6. Finding the Right Message by Jennifer Havice

Best for : How to research your audience

Finding the Right Message is all about delving deeper into understanding what makes your customers tick. It offers step-by-step guides on things like:

• How to craft customer-centric messages
• The types of questions to ask when conducting interviews and surveys
• How to research your customers and the market

Havice offers insight into how to study your audience. She then goes through how you can create messages that will pique your audience’s interest. Using her expertise as a messaging strategist and copywriter, she goes over all the things a copywriter needs to reach their audience.

Best books for longform writing

The average time spent on any webpage is 54 seconds. So, it’s important for longform articles to really engage readers in order to keep them reading for more than 54 seconds. Learning how to write engaging longform articles and books may not come naturally, but here are some books to lead you in the right direction.

7. Writing Feature Stories by Matthew Ricketson & Caroline Graham

Best fo r: Comprehensive writing fundamentals

Matthew Ricketson and Caroline Graham go over the fundamentals of writing engaging and informative longform writing in their book, Writing Feature Stories . They help both journalists and blog writers go beyond the basic who, why, what, where, and when. 

This book will help you generate new ideas, teach you how to do research for your stories, how to edit your work, and how to find the best platform for your work. Using all the information Ricketson and Graham provide, it’ll also help you get over any fear of longform writing.

8. Stein on Writing: A Master Editor of Some of the Most Successful Writers of Our Century Shares His Craft Techniques and Strategies by Sol Stein

Best for : Novelists

Sol Stein is a well known editor and teacher that uses practical and his own real-world experiences to help writers write better. Stein on Writing gives writers practical ways to improve their writing instead of relying on theory. 

A lot of this book is focused on helping novelists with creating more interesting characters, more realistic dialogue, and structure. But it also goes over things like how to trim the fat away from your writing and more efficient ways to edit and revise your drafts.

9. How to Write a Lot by Paul Silvia

Best for : Motivation and practical strategies

The title says it all. Paul Silvia uses his book, How to Write a Lot to help you become a more efficient and effective longform writer. He uses practical strategies that even go through how to make a schedule, how to get over writer’s block, and ultimately how to write like a professional.

Best books for essay writing and academic writing

Whether you’re trying to write OpEds for the New Yorker or just finishing your term paper, you can use these books to learn how to write effective essays for the world of academia.

10. A Professor’s Guide to Writing Essays: The No-Nonsense Plan for Better Writing by Dr. Jacob Newman

Best for : Straightforward and practical writing

If you feel intimidated by academic writing, A Professor’s Guide to Writing Essays is a great book to help you overcome that. Dr. Jacob Newman has been a professor for a long time and uses his experiences to help writers navigate the world of academia. 

Giving useful tips and real world examples, Dr. Newman helps to dispel the idea that academic writing is any different from other kinds of writing. His book is straightforward and practical and focuses on helping students, professors, and anyone else looking to conquer writing academic papers.

11. Stylish Academic Writing by Helen Sword

Best for : Analysis of real articles and essays

Helen Sword believes that data deserves to be presented in an elegant way. Her book Stylish Academic Writing , presents her analyses of over a thousand peer-reviewed articles (on all subjects) that show how important it is for academic writers to know how to write well.

She shows readers the skills they can learn through the examples in her book. Sword will make you a believer that compelling data should be presented with compelling writing. Slapping data onto a page just isn’t good enough anymore. 

12. Simple and Direct: A Rhetoric for Writers by Jacques Barzun

Best for : Exercises that help readers learn concepts

Jacques Barzun was a noted teacher, historian and author. His book Simple & Direct, is just that. He uses a no-nonsense style to help writers improve their technique.

Simple & Direct may have been published in the 70s, but the writing exercises, model passages, and examples provided in the book are a treasure trove for any writer looking to better their craft.

Books that relate to writing in 2022

If you’ve ever watched an episode of Mad Men, you know that advertising must change with the times. Not only does the medium change (e.g., newspapers, radio, TV, internet, etc.) but so does your audience. 

For example, Baby Boomers were concerned with security, Gen Xers were concerned with buying things, millennials cared about buying experiences, and Gen Zers care about supporting companies that have the same beliefs as them. 

So while you can keep the same foundational concepts, there are things writers must learn as they write for the 21st century.

13. The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker

Best for : Relating to all types of writing

Steven Pinker is a Harvard psychology professor who has used his own research and experience to write, The Sense of Style . In this book, writers will learn writing techniques to create compelling prose and Pinker gives real-world examples to help illustrate his points.

If you’re looking to infuse more style into your writing and interested in making your writing stand out in today’s day and age, then this is the book for you.

14. You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One) by Jeff Goins

Best for : Bloggers, content creators, indie authors

“Dress for the job you want” and “fake it ‘till you make it.” The idea that you should start acting like the writer you want to be is exactly what Jeff Goins addresses in his book, You are a Writer .

This book is a guide that will help writers in their craft, work ethic, and in marketing their material. It’s perfect for bloggers, content creators, and anyone who has been waiting to fulfill their dream of becoming a full-time writer.

15. The End of Marketing : Humanizing Your Brand in the Age of Social Media and AI by Carlos Gil

Best for : focus on engagement

Carlos Gil breaks down the science of modern marketing in his book The End of Marketing . He breaks down essential topics like:

• What modern audiences want
• Storytelling
• How to get attention on social media and how to use social media as feedback
• How to be genuine
• How to find your customers

The End of Marketing unravels the mysteries of influencers, social media algorithms, and staying on trend. It’s a must read for any writer today.

Books on writing for social media

There are over 4.7 billion active social media users worldwide. In a global survey done by Statista in 2022, 61% of marketers said they would increase their usage of Instagram and 37% said they’re increasing usage of TikTok advertising. Social media isn’t going away, and it always needs content, which means, it needs good writers.

16. Everybody Writes : Your Go-To Guide to Creating Ridiculously Good Content by Ann Handley

Best for : Bloggers and content creators

Everybody Writes teaches readers not only how to write, but also how to engage audiences with truthful storytelling. She offers practical how-tos for writing technique, publishing, and even how to find content ideas. 

Ann Handley’s Everybody Writes is one of the most highly rated overall writing books, and is especially helpful for those looking to write for social media. She also recently released an updated version with new examples.

17. Brand Storytelling: Put Customers at the Heart of Your Brand Story by: Miri Rodriguez

Best for : Step-by-step guide on how to build a brand story

Miri Rodriguez is an award winning storyteller and creative journalist at Microsoft. In her book Brand Storytelling she shows readers the importance of creating an emotional connection with your audience.

She uses case studies and interviews to show readers how, in this world of digital screens and AI, human connection will always win out. 

18. Faster, Smarter, Louder: Master Attention in a Noisy Digital Market by Aaron Agius and Gián Clancey

Best for : How to grow business from start to multimillion global company

Aaron Agius and Gián Clancey are the founders of the successful global marketing firm Louder.online. But they weren’t always successful, they actually first went into business together in 2008, but that business didn’t work out and forced them to move back home to Australia. But their experiences made them write Faster, Smarter, [and] Louder. 

This book gives writers technical and practical tips on how to gain credibility, increase online traffic, and engage with audiences. 

Read to become a better writer!

This list is just a start. If you want to be a writer, you don’t have to spend a lot of money, all you need is a library card or a connection to the internet.

In fact, even if you don't have time to learn how to write, that’s no longer an obstacle either. There are several AI and editing tools that will write content for you and help you fine-tune your sentences to stand out from other writers. There are also blogs that will give you all the resources and info you need to become a stellar writer. 

So stop sitting around thinking “one day” you’ll be a writer. As Stephen King said in On Writing , “You can, you should, and if you’re brave enough to start, you will.”

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Nonfiction Books » Essays

The best essays: the 2021 pen/diamonstein-spielvogel award, recommended by adam gopnik.

WINNER OF the 2021 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay

Had I Known: Collected Essays by Barbara Ehrenreich

Every year, the judges of the PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay search out the best book of essays written in the past year and draw attention to the author's entire body of work. Here, Adam Gopnik , writer, journalist and PEN essay prize judge, emphasizes the role of the essay in bearing witness and explains why the five collections that reached the 2021 shortlist are, in their different ways, so important.

Interview by Benedict King

Unfinished Business: Notes of a Chronic Re-Reader by Vivian Gornick

Nature Matrix: New and Selected Essays by Robert Michael Pyle

Terroir: Love, Out of Place by Natasha Sajé

Maybe the People Would be the Times by Luc Sante

1 Had I Known: Collected Essays by Barbara Ehrenreich

2 unfinished business: notes of a chronic re-reader by vivian gornick, 3 nature matrix: new and selected essays by robert michael pyle, 4 terroir: love, out of place by natasha sajé, 5 maybe the people would be the times by luc sante.

W e’re talking about the books shortlisted for the 2021 PEN/Diamonstein-Spielvogel Award for the Art of the Essay . As an essayist yourself, or as a reader of essays, what are you looking for? What’s the key to a good essay ?

I have very specific and, in some ways, old fashioned views on the essay—though I think that the books we chose tend to confirm the ‘relevance’, perhaps even the continuing urgency, of those views. I think that we always ought to distinguish the essay from a political editorial or polemic on the one hand, and from a straight memoir or confession on the other. The essay, for me, is always a form in which it’s significant—more than significant, it’s decisive—that it has some form of first-person address, a particular voice bearing witness at a particular time. An essay isn’t a common claim, it’s not an editorial ‘we’, it’s not a manifesto. It’s one writer, one voice, addressing readers as though face-to-face. At the same time, for me—and I think this sense was shared by the other judges, as an intuition about the essay—it isn’t simply What Happened to Me. It’s not an autobiographical memoir, or a piece taken from an autobiographical memoir, wonderful though those can be (I say, as one who writes those, too).

Let’s turn to the books that made the shortlist of the 2021 PEN Award for the Art of the Essay. The winning book was Had I Known: Collected Essays by Barbara Ehrenreich , whose books have been recommended a number of times on Five Books. Tell me more. 

One of the criteria for this particular prize is that it should be not just for a single book, but for a body of work. One of the things we wanted to honour about Barbara Ehrenreich is that she has produced a remarkable body of work. Although it’s offered in a more specifically political register than some essayists, or that a great many past prize winners have practised, the quiddity of her work is that it remains rooted in personal experience, in the act of bearing witness. She has a passionate political point to make, certainly, a series of them, many seeming all the more relevant now than when she began writing. Nonetheless, her writing still always depends on the intimacy of first-hand knowledge, what people in post-incarceration work call ‘lived experience’ (a term with a distinguished philosophical history). Her book Nickel and Dimed is the classic example of that. She never writes from a distance about working-class life in America. She bears witness to the nature and real texture of working-class life in America.

“One point of giving awards…is to keep passing the small torches of literary tradition”

Next up of the books on the 2021 PEN essay prize shortlist is Unfinished Business: Notes of a Chronic Re-Reader by Vivian Gornick.

Vivian Gornick is a writer who’s been around for a very long time. Although longevity is not in itself a criterion for excellence—or for this prize, or in the writing life generally—persistence and perseverance are. Writers who keep coming back at us, again and again, with a consistent vision, are surely to be saluted. For her admirers, her appetite to re-read things already read is one of the most attractive parts of her oeuvre , if I can call it that; her appetite not just to read but to read deeply and personally. One of the things that people who love her work love about it is that her readings are never academic, or touched by scholarly hobbyhorsing. They’re readings that involve the fullness of her experience, then applied to literature. Although she reads as a critic, she reads as an essayist reads, rather than as a reviewer reads. And I think that was one of the things that was there to honour in her body of work, as well.

Is she a novelist or journalist, as well?

Let’s move on to the next book which made the 2021 PEN essay shortlist. This is Nature Matrix: New and Selected Essays by Robert Michael Pyle.

I have a special reason for liking this book in particular, and that is that it corresponds to one of the richest and oldest of American genres, now often overlooked, and that’s the naturalist essay. You can track it back to Henry David Thoreau , if not to Ralph Waldo Emerson , this American engagement with nature , the wilderness, not from a narrowly scientific point of view, nor from a purely ecological or environmental point of view—though those things are part of it—but again, from the point of view of lived experience, of personal testimony.

Let’s look at the next book on the shortlist of the 2021 PEN Awards, which is Terroir: Love, Out of Place by Natasha Sajé. Why did these essays appeal?

One of the things that was appealing about this book is that’s it very much about, in every sense, the issues of the day: the idea of place, of where we are, how we are located on any map as individuals by ethnic identity, class, gender—all of those things. But rather than being carried forward in a narrowly argumentative way, again, in the classic manner of the essay, Sajé’s work is ruminative. It walks around these issues from the point of view of someone who’s an expatriate, someone who’s an émigré, someone who’s a world citizen, but who’s also concerned with the idea of ‘terroir’, the one place in the world where we belong. And I think the dialogue in her work between a kind of cosmopolitanism that she has along with her self-critical examination of the problem of localism and where we sit on the world, was inspiring to us.

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Last of the books on the shortlist for the 2021 Pen essay award is Maybe the People Would Be the Times by Luc Sante.

Again, here’s a writer who’s had a distinguished generalised career, writing about lots of places and about lots of subjects. In the past, he’s made his special preoccupation what he calls ‘low life’, but I think more broadly can be called the marginalized or the repressed and abject. He’s also written acute introductions to the literature of ‘low life’, the works of Asbury and David Maurer, for instance.

But I think one of the things that was appealing about what he’s done is the sheer range of his enterprise. He writes about countless subjects. He can write about A-sides and B-sides of popular records—singles—then go on to write about Jacques Rivette’s cinema. He writes from a kind of private inspection of public experience. He has a lovely piece about tabloid headlines and their evolution. And I think that omnivorous range of enthusiasms and passions is a stirring reminder in a time of specialization and compartmentalization of the essayist’s freedom to roam. If Pyle is in the tradition of Thoreau, I suspect Luc Sante would be proud to be put in the tradition of Baudelaire—the flaneur who walks the streets, sees everything, broods on it all and writes about it well.

One point of giving awards, with all their built-in absurdity and inevitable injustice, is to keep alive, or at least to keep passing, the small torches of literary tradition. And just as much as we’re honoring the great tradition of the naturalist essay in the one case, I think we’re honoring the tradition of the Baudelairean flaneur in this one.

April 18, 2021

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Adam Gopnik

Adam Gopnik has been a staff writer at the New Yorker since 1986. His many books include A Thousand Small Sanities: The Moral Adventure of Liberalism . He is a three time winner of the National Magazine Award for Essays & Criticism, and in 2021 was made a chevalier of the Legion d'Honneur by the French Republic.

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Hemingway's Books and Records

Books about Academic Writing: 2024’s Best Titles

Are you a student, researcher, or academic looking to enhance your writing skills? Look no further! We’ve compiled a list of the 20 best books on academic writing that will help you master the art of scholarly communication. Whether you’re struggling with structuring your essays, crafting compelling arguments, or citing sources correctly, these books cover it all. From renowned style guides to practical writing manuals, this curated list has something for everyone seeking to improve their academic writing. Let’s dive into the world of academic writing books and take your writing to the next level!

• 1 20 Best Books About Academic Writing
• 2 They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing
• 3 Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day
• 4 How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing
• 5 The Elements of Style
• 6 Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article
• 7 Stylish Academic Writing
• 8 The Craft of Research
• 9 Writing Science: How to Write Papers That Get Cited and Proposals That Get Funded
• 10 Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills
• 11 The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century
• 12 The Literature Review: Six Steps to Success
• 13 Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success
• 14 How to Write a Thesis
• 15 Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students
• 16 The Chicago Manual of Style
• 17 The Academic Writer’s Toolkit: A User’s Manual
• 18 The Writer’s Diet: A Guide to Fit Prose
• 19 They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing
• 20 Writing Academic English
• 21 A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations
• 22 Conclusion

20 Best Books About Academic Writing

See Best Deals

They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing

By gerald graff and cathy birkenstein.

They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing is a renowned book on academic writing that offers a unique approach to mastering the art of scholarly communication. Written by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein, this book about academic writing provides readers with a toolkit of essential rhetorical moves and templates to help them engage in meaningful academic conversations. The authors focus on the importance of acknowledging and responding to the ideas of others (They Say), while also making their own arguments (I Say) clear and compelling. With its practical guidance and clear examples, this academic writing book is a valuable resource for students, scholars, and anyone looking to improve their writing in a scholarly context. Whether you’re new to academic writing or looking to refine your skills, They Say / I Say is an essential addition to any writer’s toolkit.

Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day

By joan bolker.

Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day by Joan Bolker is a valuable resource for graduate students looking to conquer the daunting task of writing their dissertations. This book on academic writing offers practical advice, encouragement, and strategies for making progress on a dissertation in small, manageable chunks of time. Bolker emphasizes the importance of establishing a consistent writing routine and provides helpful tips for overcoming writer’s block and self-doubt. With its friendly and supportive tone, this book about academic writing serves as a reassuring companion for anyone navigating the challenging process of completing a dissertation. Whether you’re a PhD candidate or a master’s student, this academic writing book is a must-have for anyone looking to make steady progress on their dissertation.

How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing

By paul j. silvia.

How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing by Paul J. Silvia is a must-read for anyone struggling with the process of scholarly writing. This insightful book on academic writing offers practical advice and strategies to help academics become more productive and efficient in their writing endeavors. Silvia provides valuable tips on overcoming common obstacles such as procrastination, writer’s block, and time management, while also emphasizing the importance of setting realistic goals and maintaining a consistent writing routine. Whether you’re a graduate student, faculty member, or researcher, this book about academic writing is an essential resource for improving your writing habits and increasing your scholarly output. With its clear and engaging style, How to Write a Lot is a valuable tool for anyone looking to enhance their academic writing skills and productivity.

The Elements of Style

By william strunk jr. and e.b. white.

The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White is a classic book on academic writing that has been a go-to guide for writers for over a century. This concise and practical manual offers timeless advice on how to write clearly, concisely, and effectively. It covers grammar, punctuation, usage, and principles of composition, making it an indispensable resource for anyone looking to improve their writing skills. With its straightforward approach and memorable examples, this book about academic writing has helped countless students, professionals, and aspiring writers navigate the complexities of the English language. Whether you’re a seasoned writer or just starting out, The Elements of Style is an essential addition to any writer’s library.

Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article

By howard s. becker.

Howard S. Becker’s “Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article” is an indispensable guide for anyone navigating the daunting task of academic writing. This book on academic writing provides practical advice and valuable insights for social scientists at all stages of their research journey. Becker’s straightforward and engaging writing style makes it a must-read for graduate students, researchers, and scholars looking to improve their academic writing skills. With a focus on overcoming common obstacles and demystifying the writing process, this book about academic writing offers actionable tips and guidance to help readers produce high-quality theses, books, and articles. Whether you’re struggling to get started or seeking to refine your writing techniques, “Writing for Social Scientists” is a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance their academic writing prowess.

Stylish Academic Writing

By helen sword.

Stylish Academic Writing by Helen Sword is a must-read for anyone looking to elevate their writing in the scholarly world. This book on academic writing offers practical advice and valuable insights into crafting engaging and effective academic prose. Sword presents a fresh perspective on the oftentimes dry and formulaic world of scholarly writing, emphasizing the importance of clarity, creativity, and elegance. Through insightful analysis and numerous examples, she demonstrates how scholars can improve their writing by embracing a more stylish approach. Whether you’re a seasoned academic writer or just starting out, this book about academic writing is a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance their scholarly communication skills and make a lasting impact with their work.

The Craft of Research

By wayne c. booth, gregory g. colomb, and joseph m. williams.

The Craft of Research is a comprehensive guide to the art of scholarly inquiry, written by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams. This influential book on academic writing offers invaluable advice on how to conduct research, analyze sources, and communicate findings effectively. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or professional, this book about academic writing provides practical strategies for crafting compelling arguments and presenting information with clarity and precision. The authors emphasize the importance of critical thinking, ethical considerations, and the iterative nature of the research process. With its clear, accessible language and insightful examples, this academic writing book is an essential resource for anyone seeking to enhance their research and writing skills.

Writing Science: How to Write Papers That Get Cited and Proposals That Get Funded

By joshua schimel.

Writing Science: How to Write Papers That Get Cited and Proposals That Get Funded is a comprehensive guide for researchers and scientists looking to improve their academic writing skills. Joshua Schimel provides practical advice and strategies for crafting effective papers and proposals that will stand out in the competitive world of scientific publishing and funding. The book covers everything from structuring a paper to crafting compelling arguments and communicating complex ideas clearly. Schimel’s insights are based on his extensive experience as a scientist and mentor, making this book a valuable resource for anyone looking to enhance their impact in the academic writing world. Whether you’re a seasoned researcher or just starting out, this book about academic writing will help you improve your writing and increase the chances of getting your work cited and funded.

Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills

By john m. swales and christine b. feak.

Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills, authored by John M. Swales and Christine B. Feak, is a comprehensive guide for graduate students who are looking to enhance their scholarly writing abilities. This book on academic writing covers a wide range of essential tasks and skills necessary for successful academic communication, such as understanding rhetorical moves, developing a research paper, and improving critical thinking. It provides practical strategies and examples to help students effectively navigate the complex world of scholarly writing. Whether you are a graduate student or a researcher, this academic writing book is an indispensable resource that will help you refine your writing skills and produce high-quality academic work.

The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century

By steven pinker.

The Sense of Style by Steven Pinker is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their writing skills. This book on academic writing is a thoughtful and engaging guide to navigating the complexities of language and communication in the 21st century. Pinker offers practical advice on how to write clearly, effectively, and persuasively, drawing on both classic and contemporary examples. He delves into the nuances of grammar, style, and usage, while also addressing the challenges of writing in an age of digital communication. Whether you’re a student, professional, or simply someone who cares about the art of language, this book about academic writing is sure to sharpen your skills and deepen your appreciation for the written word.

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The Literature Review: Six Steps to Success

By lawrence a. machi and brenda t. mcevoy.

The Literature Review: Six Steps to Success, authored by Lawrence A. Machi and Brenda T. McEvoy, is a comprehensive guide for conducting a literature review, a critical component of any research project. This book on academic writing provides a clear and systematic approach to navigating the process of reviewing, analyzing, and synthesizing scholarly literature. With a focus on clarity and practicality, the authors present a six-step model that guides readers through the essential stages of conducting a literature review, from defining the topic to writing the final report. The book about academic writing is an invaluable resource for students, researchers, and scholars seeking to enhance their understanding and proficiency in this crucial aspect of academic writing, research, and scholarship. Whether you are new to academic writing or seeking to improve your literature review skills, this academic writing book offers a comprehensive and accessible framework for success.

Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success

By wendy laura belcher.

Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success by Wendy Laura Belcher is a comprehensive book on academic writing that provides a practical and structured approach to the daunting task of publishing scholarly articles. Belcher’s twelve-week program is designed to help academics at all levels navigate the complex world of academic publishing, from choosing a topic to submitting the final manuscript. The book offers step-by-step guidance, helpful tips, and valuable resources to assist writers in crafting clear, compelling, and publishable articles. Belcher’s friendly and encouraging tone makes the process of academic writing feel less overwhelming and more achievable. Whether you are a seasoned scholar or a graduate student, this academic writing book is an indispensable resource for anyone looking to improve their writing and successfully navigate the world of academic publishing.

How to Write a Thesis

By umberto eco.

How to Write a Thesis by Umberto Eco is a comprehensive guide for anyone tackling the daunting task of writing a thesis. Eco, a renowned Italian philosopher and novelist, provides practical advice and valuable insights for students embarking on this academic journey. This book on academic writing covers everything from choosing a topic to conducting research, organizing ideas, and crafting a compelling argument. Eco’s approach is both informative and engaging, making it an essential resource for anyone seeking to master the art of scholarly writing. Whether you’re a graduate student, a researcher, or an aspiring academic writer, this book about academic writing is a must-read for honing your skills and producing a successful thesis.

Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students

By stephen bailey.

Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students by Stephen Bailey is a comprehensive resource for those seeking to improve their scholarly writing skills. This book on academic writing covers a wide range of topics, including essay structure, critical thinking, and the use of sources. Bailey provides clear and practical advice, making it an invaluable tool for students looking to enhance their academic writing abilities. The book about academic writing is filled with examples and exercises, making it an engaging and interactive resource for learners. Whether you are a non-native English speaker or simply looking to refine your academic writing skills, this academic writing book is an essential guide for mastering the art of scholarly communication.

The Chicago Manual of Style

By the university of chicago press editorial staff.

The Chicago Manual of Style, published by The University of Chicago Press, is a comprehensive guide for writers and editors. This authoritative book on academic writing offers guidance on everything from punctuation and grammar to citation formatting and manuscript preparation. It is a valuable resource for anyone involved in the production of scholarly work, from students and researchers to editors and publishers. With its thorough explanations and practical examples, this book about academic writing provides clear and concise instructions for adhering to the Chicago style, making it an essential tool for anyone seeking to master the art of academic writing. Whether you are a beginner or a seasoned writer, The Chicago Manual of Style is an indispensable reference for ensuring that your work meets the highest standards of clarity, consistency, and professionalism.

The Academic Writer’s Toolkit: A User’s Manual

By arthur asa berger.

The Academic Writer’s Toolkit: A User’s Manual by Arthur Asa Berger is a comprehensive guide for anyone looking to improve their skills in scholarly writing. This book on academic writing provides practical advice and tools for crafting clear, persuasive, and well-structured academic papers. Berger covers a range of topics, from understanding the research process and effectively integrating sources to mastering the art of argumentation and honing critical thinking skills. Whether you’re a student, educator, or researcher, this academic writing book is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to elevate their writing to a professional level. With its user-friendly approach and insightful tips, The Academic Writer’s Toolkit is a must-have for anyone seeking to excel in the world of scholarly communication.

The Writer’s Diet: A Guide to Fit Prose

The Writer’s Diet: A Guide to Fit Prose by Helen Sword is a valuable resource for anyone looking to improve their writing. This insightful book on academic writing offers practical advice on how to trim the fat from your prose and create clear, concise, and engaging content. Sword’s approach to academic writing is refreshing and accessible, making it a must-read for students, researchers, and professionals alike. By providing concrete examples and exercises, Sword helps writers identify and eliminate flabby, passive, and verbose writing habits. Whether you’re a seasoned academic writer or just starting out, this academic writing book is sure to help you develop a leaner, more effective writing style.

by Gerald Graff, Cathy Birkenstein

They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein is a renowned book on academic writing that focuses on teaching students the essential rhetorical moves needed to excel in scholarly writing. With its unique approach, the book emphasizes the importance of engaging in academic conversations by responding to others’ ideas while also presenting one’s own perspectives effectively. Through practical examples and templates, the authors demystify the complexities of academic discourse, helping readers to understand the conventions of scholarly writing and become more persuasive and confident writers. This influential book about academic writing has become a staple in writing courses and is highly recommended for anyone looking to improve their academic writing skills.

Writing Academic English

By alice oshima, ann hogue.

Writing Academic English by Alice Oshima and Ann Hogue is a comprehensive guide for students and professionals seeking to improve their academic writing skills. This well-respected book on academic writing covers all aspects of the writing process, from understanding the basics of sentence structure and grammar to crafting well-organized and coherent essays. The authors provide clear explanations, practical examples, and useful exercises to help readers develop their writing proficiency. With its focus on academic writing, this book about academic writing is an invaluable resource for anyone looking to enhance their ability to communicate effectively in a scholarly context. Whether you are a student preparing for university studies or a professional seeking to improve your writing skills, this academic writing book is an essential tool for success.

A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations

By kate l. turabian.

A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations by Kate L. Turabian is a comprehensive guide for anyone involved in scholarly research and writing. This authoritative book on academic writing provides clear and practical advice on the process of conducting research, organizing material, and properly citing sources. It covers a wide range of topics related to academic writing, including grammar, punctuation, and style, making it an invaluable resource for students, scholars, and researchers. Turabian’s book about academic writing also offers guidance on formatting papers, theses, and dissertations, ensuring that writers adhere to the highest standards of academic integrity. With its user-friendly approach and wealth of information, this academic writing book is an essential tool for anyone striving to excel in the world of scholarly writing.

In conclusion, these 20 books about Academic Writing are essential resources for anyone looking to improve their writing skills in an academic setting. Whether you’re a student, researcher, or professional, these books cover a wide range of topics and provide valuable insights and practical tips for honing your academic writing abilities. With these resources at your disposal, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate the challenges of academic writing and produce high-quality work that meets the standards of the academic community.

Which Academic Writing book is best?

The best book on Academic Writing can vary with personal preference, but three widely recommended titles are:

• They Say / I Say: The Moves That Matter in Academic Writing by Gerald Graff and Cathy Birkenstein ,
• Writing Your Dissertation in Fifteen Minutes a Day by Joan Bolker ,
• How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing by Paul J. Silvia .

Each offers valuable insights and could be a great starting point.

What are the best books to learn about Academic Writing?

For those looking to learn about Academic Writing, there is a wealth of literature that can provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject. Some of the most highly recommended books include:

• How to Write a Lot: A Practical Guide to Productive Academic Writing by Paul J. Silvia ,
• The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White ,
• Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article by Howard S. Becker ,
• Stylish Academic Writing by Helen Sword ,
• The Craft of Research by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Colomb, and Joseph M. Williams ,
• Writing Science: How to Write Papers That Get Cited and Proposals That Get Funded by Joshua Schimel ,
• Academic Writing for Graduate Students: Essential Tasks and Skills by John M. Swales and Christine B. Feak ,
• The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker

These books offer a range of perspectives on Academic Writing, covering various aspects and approaches to the subject.

What are the best books on Academic Writing?

The best books on Academic Writing include:

• The Literature Review: Six Steps to Success by Lawrence A. Machi and Brenda T. McEvoy ,
• Writing Your Journal Article in Twelve Weeks: A Guide to Academic Publishing Success by Wendy Laura Belcher ,
• Stylish Academic Writing by Helen Sword .

Each offers unique insights into the subject. While these books on the topic of Academic Writing are highly regarded, it’s important to note that any list of ‘best’ books is subjective and reflects a range of opinions.

What are the best Academic Writing books of all time?

Choosing the best Academic Writing books of all time can vary depending on who you ask, but seven titles that are often celebrated include

• The Sense of Style: The Thinking Person’s Guide to Writing in the 21st Century by Steven Pinker ,
• and The Literature Review: Six Steps to Success by Lawrence A. Machi and Brenda T. McEvoy .

Each of these books has made a significant impact in the field of Academic Writing and continues to be influential today.

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7 Great Books on Academic Writing Mastery

Academic writing is a part of academic work, including reports on empirical fieldwork or research in facilities for the natural sciences or social sciences, monographs in which scholars analyze culture, propose new theories, or develop interpretations from archives, as well as undergraduate versions of all of these.

Though the tone, style, content, and organization of academic writing vary across genres and across publication methods, nearly all academic writing shares a relatively formal prose register, frequent reference to other academic work, and the use of fairly stable rhetorical moves to define the scope of the project, situate it in the relevant research, and to advance a new contribution. When you are serious about standard academic writing, you can follow the books below.

Best Books on Academic Writing

1. a manual for writers of research papers, theses, and dissertations.

When Kate L. Turabian first put her famous guidelines to paper, she could hardly have imagined the world in which today’s students would be conducting research. Yet while the ways in which we research and compose papers may have changed, the fundamentals remain the same: writers need to have a strong research question, construct an evidence-based argument, cite their sources, and structure their work in a logical way.

A Manual for Writers of Research Papers, Theses, and Dissertations also known as “Turabian” remains one of the most popular books for writers because of its timeless focus on achieving these goals.

This new edition filters decades of expertise into modern standards. While previous editions incorporated digital forms of research and writing. This edition goes even further to build information literacy, recognizing that most students will be doing their work largely or entirely online and on screens.

Chapters include updated advice on finding, evaluating, and citing a wide range of digital sources and also recognize the evolving use of software for citation management, graphics, and paper format and submission.

The book comes with a three-part structure.

Part 1 covers every step of the research and writing process, including drafting and revising.

Part 2 offers a comprehensive guide to Chicago’s two methods of source citation: notes-bibliography and author-date.

Part 3 gets into matters of editorial style and the correct way to present quotations and visual material.

A Manual for Writers  also covers an issue familiar to writers of all levels: how to conquer the fear of tackling a major writing project. A Manual for Writers has helped generations shape their ideas into compelling research papers. This edition will continue to be the gold standard for college and graduate students in virtually all academic disciplines.

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2. Move the Rock of Academic Writing: The Complete Guide to Academic Writing in all Formatting Styles

If you are eager to improve your scores and acquire academic writing from paragraph to essay, this book is for you. Many students even after years of studying can’t get used to using academic language. From this book, you will know many useful words and expressions relevant to the scholarly style. If you consider yourself a dummy in academic style writing, you should definitely examine “Move the Rock of Academic Writing” thoroughly and try to follow our advice in practice.

“Move the Rock of Academic Writing” contains five sections, each of which is divided into subsections. Each section is dedicated to a particular aspect of writing academic papers. After reading all of them, you’ll have coherent and full comprehension of how academic papers need to be written. So, what exactly can you learn from the book?

• The purpose of academic writing : types of academic papers, features of academic writing, usage of active and passive voice.
• Essay writing structure : general tips on the structure and tips for each part in particular.
• Academic phrasebook : writing essay titles, verbs for scholarly writing, phrases to use in academic writing, commonly confused words in academic writing.
• Formatting styles : APA style format guide, MLA formatting and style guide, Chicago style manual, Harvard style guide.
• Development of academic writing skills : voice in academic writing, paraphrasing, summarizing, mapping out ideas, connecting ideas, and enhancing originality.

The book is designed by experienced academic essay writers who have been dealing with academic research and writing for many years. All the tips and recommendations given in the book were assembled according to students’ common mistakes and weaknesses. Theoretical instructions presented in the book are supported with examples. Hopefully, they will ease the process of adapting certain maxims for you.

In the book, you will find an academic word list that you can use to make your paper look scholarly. Also, we have presented examples that concern one of the most problematic issues for students in academic writing – grammar. For academic writing, it’s crucial to follow the rules of grammar exactingly. Therefore, you’ll learn some grammatical rules that students usually omit or forget.

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3. Fundamentals of Academic Writing (The Longman Academic Writing Series)

The book Fundamentals of Academic Writing is a logically organized series of textbooks preparing learners for achieving their academic success. The text is primarily intended according to the author Linda Butler for beginners of second language learners in particular and as well as for adult learners having less exposure to academic writing. Many scholars consider academic writing as a means to establish an identity and seek a place in the academic context.

‘In academic writing, it is mandatory to produce logically structured ideas with well thought out, verified points and to consider different opinions’ (Gillet, Hammond & Martala 2009). According to Monippally and Pawer (2010), the ideas of all categories of academic writing are centralized and people remain in the background, the authors’ feelings play no role whatsoever in the presentation of ideas or insights.

The title of the book suggests the fact that it guides the learners both young and adults to explore and learn the basics of academic writing due to the fact that the organization of the book has a circumspect approach assisting learners to develop basic writing skills, comprehend writing as a process while building a firm ground for the learners to be confident and independent academic writers in English. Because of this very reason, the book is more about academic writing than that writing in academia.

“Fundamentals of Academic Writing,” by Linda Butler, is the newest addition to the Longman Academic Writing Series. “Fundamentals “provides beginning-level students with the essential tools they need to master basic academic writing by integrating sentence structure, paragraph organization, grammar, mechanics, vocabulary, and the writing process. “Fundamentals “leads students to build strong academic writing skills that will last them throughout their academic careers. Features:

• A step-by-step approach guides students seamlessly through the writing process.
• Clear, succinct explanations help students to understand and apply key concepts and rules.
• Numerous models and varied practices support students at all stages of writing.
• Journal writing helps students build literacy.
• Challenge activities give added opportunities to master the writing process.
• Reviewer’s checklists motivate students to revise their work.

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4. How to Write a Scientific Paper: An Academic Self-Help Guide for Ph.D. Students

Writing a scientific paper is hard. In particular, if you are a Ph.D. student, you probably know what the fear of the blank page means—writing can feel overwhelming. But a systematic approach helps. This book provides a step-by-step, top-down approach that makes it easier to turn your results into research papers that are focused, exciting, and readable.

The book focuses on the process of writing instead of technicalities, breaking this process into manageable chunks. How to choose the main point of your paper? How to write its abstract, sentence by sentence? How to outline the paper? How to turn the outline into a first draft and then into a finished manuscript? What to do if you get stuck? And finally, how to deal with critical reviews?

Here is what you get:

• A complete step-by-step plan for writing research papers, from choosing which results to include to wrapping up the paper in the Discussion section
• Concrete, actionable, and practical advice, from a paragraph-level template for the Introduction to guidance on preparing plots and figures
• Lots of writing tips, from placing signposts in your text to shortening and straightening your sentences

This book has been written for the Ph.D. student who is aiming to write a journal article on her research results, but it can be recommended to academics of all levels.

The book includes

Part I: Story

1. How To Choose The Key Point Of Your Paper 2. How To Choose The Supporting Results 3. How To Write The Abstract 4. How To Choose The Title

Part II: Outline

5. The Power Of Outlining 6. How To Write The Introduction, Part I: Structure 7. How To Write The Introduction, Part II: A Four-Paragraph Template 8. How To Write The Introduction, Part III: The Lede 9. How To Write The Materials And Methods 10. How To Write The Results, Part I: Figures 11. How To Write The Results, Part II: Text 12. How To Write The Discussion

Part III: Words

13. How Does Your Reader Read? 14. How To Write Your First Draft 15. How To Edit Your First Draft 16. Tips For Revising Content And Structure 17. Tips For Editing Sentences

Part IV: It’s Not Over Yet

18. How To Write The Cover Letter 19. How To Deal With Reviews

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5. Writing for Social Scientists: How to Start and Finish Your Thesis, Book, or Article

For more than thirty years,  Writing for Social Scientist s has been a lifeboat for writers in all fields, from beginning students to published authors. It starts with a powerful reassurance: Academic writing is stressful, and even accomplished scholars like sociologist Howard S. Becker struggle with it. And it provides a clear solution: In order to learn how to write, take a deep breath and then begin writing. Revise. Repeat.

This is not a book about sociological writing. Instead, Becker applies his sociologist’s eye to some of the common problems all academic writers face, including trying to get it right the first time, failing, and therefore not writing at all; getting caught up in the trappings of “proper” academic writing; writing to impress rather than communicate with readers, and struggling with the when and how of citations. He then offers concrete advice, based on his own experiences and those of his students and colleagues, for overcoming these obstacles and gaining confidence as a writer.

While the underlying challenges of writing have remained the same since the book first appeared, the context in which academic writers work has changed dramatically, thanks to rapid changes in technology and ever greater institutional pressures. This new edition has been updated throughout to reflect these changes, offering a new generation of scholars and students encouraged to write about society or any other scholarly topic clearly and persuasively.

As Becker writes in the new preface, “Nothing prepared me for the steady stream of mail from readers who found the book helpful. Not just helpful. Several told me the book had saved their lives; less a testimony to the book as therapy than a reflection of the seriousness of the trouble writing failure could get people into.” As academics are being called on to write more often, in more formats, the experienced, rational advice in  Writing for Social Scientists  will be an important resource for any writer’s shelf.

6. An Insider’s Guide to Academic Writing: A Brief Rhetoric

Writing teachers know that the expectations for good writing change from one academic context to the next. The only book to dedicate chapters to writing in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and applied fields respectively,  An Insider’s Guide to Academic Writing gives students the rhetorical tools they need for success in writing assignments across the disciplines. Rather than aiming to teach students every genre, they may encounter, the guide offers students practice in analyzing the rhetorical situation and understanding the scholarly values informing writing conventions in these different fields.

Available for the first time with An Insider’s Guide , our new online course space, achieve, features the full e-book, writing tools that support feedback, peer review, revision, and reflection, along with assessment and practice opportunities that facilitate student engagement.

All academic writing requires skills in critical thinking, close reading, argumentation, and research, but disciplinary differences among the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and applied fields leave students and instructors frustrated by a one-size-fits-all approach to these skills. For writing programs committed to preparing students for the full range of disciplines they will enter, An Insider’s Guide to Academic Writing  presents a proven pedagogy that helps students to adapt to the academic writing tasks of different disciplinary discourse communities.

The pedagogy features a series of flexible, transferable frameworks and concrete connections to the disciplines including unique  Insider’s video interviews with scholars and peers. Based on the best practices of a first-year composition program that has trained hundreds of teachers who have instructed thousands of students, this book offers two books in one: innovative rhetoric of academic writing (available as its own book), and a thematic reader that foregrounds real readings from the disciplines.

7. Academic Writing: A Handbook for International Students

Academic writing helps international students succeed in writing essays and reports for their English-language academic courses. Thoroughly revised and updated, it is designed to let teachers and students easily find the topics they need, both in the classroom and for self-study. The book consists of five parts:

• The Writing Process
• Elements of Writing
• Language Issues
• Vocabulary for Writing
• Writing Models

The first part explains and practices every stage of essay writing, from choosing the best sources, reading, and note-making, to referencing and proofreading. The four remaining parts, organized alphabetically, can be taught in conjunction with the first part or used on a remedial basis. A progress check at the end of each part allows students to assess their learning. All units are fully cross-referenced, and a complete set of answers to the practice exercises is included.

New topics in this edition include Writing in Groups, Written British and American English, and Writing Letters and Emails. In addition, the new interactive website has a full set of teaching notes as well as more challenging exercises, revision material, and links to other sources. Additional features of the book include:

• Models provided for writing tasks such as case studies and essays.
• Use of authentic academic texts from a wide range of disciplines.
• Designed for self-study as well as classroom use.
• Useful at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.
• Glossary to explain technical terms, plus index.

Written to deal with the specific language issues faced by international students, this practical, user-friendly book is an invaluable guide to academic writing in English.

How Do Beginners Start Academic Writing?

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The Best Reviewed Essay Collections of 2022

Featuring bob dylan, elena ferrante, zora neale hurston, jhumpa lahiri, melissa febos, and more.

We’ve come to the end of another bountiful literary year, and for all of us review rabbits here at Book Marks, that can mean only one thing: basic math, and lots of it.

Yes, using reviews drawn from more than 150 publications, over the next two weeks we’ll be calculating and revealing the most critically-acclaimed books of 2022, in the categories of (deep breath): Fiction ; Nonfiction ; Memoir and Biography ; Sci-Fi, Fantasy, and Horror ; Short Story Collections ; Essay Collections; Poetry; Mystery and Crime ; Graphic Literature ; and Literature in Translation .

Today’s installment: Essay Collections .

Brought to you by Book Marks , Lit Hub’s “Rotten Tomatoes for books.”

1. In the Margins: On the Pleasures of Reading and Writing  by Elena Ferrante (Europa)

12 Rave • 12 Positive • 4 Mixed

“The lucid, well-formed essays that make up In the Margins  are written in an equally captivating voice … Although a slim collection, there is more than enough meat here to nourish both the common reader and the Ferrante aficionado … Every essay here is a blend of deep thought, rigorous analysis and graceful prose. We occasionally get the odd glimpse of the author…but mainly the focus is on the nuts and bolts of writing and Ferrante’s practice of her craft. The essays are at their most rewarding when Ferrante discusses the origins of her books, in particular the celebrated Neapolitan Novels, and the multifaceted heroines that power them … These essays might not bring us any closer to finding out who Ferrante really is. Instead, though, they provide valuable insight into how she developed as a writer and how she works her magic.”

–Malcolm Forbes ( The Star Tribune )

2. Translating Myself and Others by Jhumpa Lahiri (Princeton University Press)

8 Rave • 14 Positive • 1 Mixed

“Lahiri mixes detailed explorations of craft with broader reflections on her own artistic life, as well as the ‘essential aesthetic and political mission’ of translation. She is excellent in all three modes—so excellent, in fact, that I, a translator myself, could barely read this book. I kept putting it aside, compelled by Lahiri’s writing to go sit at my desk and translate … One of Lahiri’s great gifts as an essayist is her ability to braid multiple ways of thinking together, often in startling ways … a reminder, no matter your relationship to translation, of how alive language itself can be. In her essays as in her fiction, Lahiri is a writer of great, quiet elegance; her sentences seem simple even when they’re complex. Their beauty and clarity alone would be enough to wake readers up. ‘Look,’ her essays seem to say: Look how much there is for us to wake up to.”

–Lily Meyer ( NPR )

3. The Philosophy of Modern Song by Bob Dylan (Simon & Schuster)

10 Rave • 15 Positive • 7 Mixed • 4 Pan

“It is filled with songs and hyperbole and views on love and lust even darker than Blood on the Tracks … There are 66 songs discussed here … Only four are by women, which is ridiculous, but he never asked us … Nothing is proved, but everything is experienced—one really weird and brilliant person’s experience, someone who changed the world many times … Part of the pleasure of the book, even exceeding the delectable Chronicles: Volume One , is that you feel liberated from Being Bob Dylan. He’s not telling you what you got wrong about him. The prose is so vivid and fecund, it was useless to underline, because I just would have underlined the whole book. Dylan’s pulpy, noir imagination is not always for the squeamish. If your idea of art is affirmation of acceptable values, Bob Dylan doesn’t need you … The writing here is at turns vivid, hilarious, and will awaken you to songs you thought you knew … The prose brims everywhere you turn. It is almost disturbing. Bob Dylan got his Nobel and all the other accolades, and now he’s doing my job, and he’s so damn good at it.”

–David Yaffe ( AirMail )

4.  Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative by Melissa Febos (Catapult)

13 Rave • 2 Positive • 2 Mixed Read an excerpt from Body Work here

“In her new book, Body Work: The Radical Power of Personal Narrative , memoirist Melissa Febos handily recuperates the art of writing the self from some of the most common biases against it: that the memoir is a lesser form than the novel. That trauma narratives should somehow be over—we’ve had our fill … Febos rejects these belittlements with eloquence … In its hybridity, this book formalizes one of Febos’s central tenets within it: that there is no disentangling craft from the personal, just as there is no disentangling the personal from the political. It’s a memoir of a life indelibly changed by literary practice and the rigorous integrity demanded of it …

Febos is an essayist of grace and terrific precision, her sentences meticulously sculpted, her paragraphs shapely and compressed … what’s fresh, of course, is Febos herself, remapping this terrain through her context, her life and writing, her unusual combinations of sources (William H. Gass meets Elissa Washuta, for example), her painstaking exactitude and unflappable sureness—and the new readers she will reach with all of this.”

–Megan Milks ( 4Columns )

5. You Don’t Know Us Negroes by Zora Neale Hurston (Amistad)

12 Rave • 3 Positive • 1 Mixed

“… a dazzling collection of her work … You Don’t Know Us Negroes reveals Hurston at the top of her game as an essayist, cultural critic, anthropologist and beat reporter … Hurston is, by turn, provocative, funny, bawdy, informative and outrageous … Hurston will make you laugh but also make you remember the bitter divide in Black America around performance, language, education and class … But the surprising page turner is at the back of the book, a compilation of Hurston’s coverage of the Ruby McCollom murder trial …

Some of Hurston’s writing is sensationalistic, to be sure, but it’s also a riveting take of gender and race relations at the time … Gates and West have put together a comprehensive collection that lets Hurston shine as a writer, a storyteller and an American iconoclast.”

–Lisa Page ( The Washington Post )

6. Strangers to Ourselves: Unsettled Minds and the Stories That Make Us by Rachel Aviv (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)

11 Rave • 4 Positive • 2 Mixed Listen to an interview with Rachel Aviv here

“… written with an astonishing amount of attention and care … Aviv’s triumphs in relating these journeys are many: her unerring narrative instinct, the breadth of context brought to each story, her meticulous reporting. Chief among these is her empathy, which never gives way to pity or sentimentality. She respects her subjects, and so centers their dignity without indulging in the geeky, condescending tone of fascination that can characterize psychologists’ accounts of their patients’ troubles. Though deeply curious about each subject, Aviv doesn’t treat them as anomalous or strange … Aviv’s daunted respect for uncertainty is what makes Strangers to Ourselves distinctive. She is hyperaware of just how sensitive the scale of the self can be.”

–Charlotte Shane ( Bookforum )

7. A Line in the World: A Year on the North Sea Coast by Dorthe Nors (Graywolf)

11 Rave • 1 Positive Read an excerpt from A Line in the World here

“Nors, known primarily as a fiction writer, here embarks on a languorous and evocative tour of her native Denmark … The dramas of the past are evoked not so much through individual characters as through their traces—buildings, ruins, shipwrecks—and this westerly Denmark is less the land of Hans Christian Andersen fairy tales and sleek Georg Jensen designs than a place of ancient landscapes steeped in myth … People aren’t wholly incidental to the narrative. Nors introduces us to a variety of colorful characters, and shares vivid memories of her family’s time in a cabin on the coast south of Thyborøn. But in a way that recalls the work of Barry Lopez, nature is at the heart of this beautiful book, framed in essay-like chapters, superbly translated by Caroline Waight.”

–Claire Messud ( Harper’s )

8. Raising Raffi: The First Five Years by Keith Gessen (Viking)

4 Rave • 10 Positive • 1 Mixed Read an excerpt from Raising Raffi here

“A wise, mild and enviably lucid book about a chaotic scene … Is it OK to out your kid like this? … Still, this memoir will seem like a better idea if, a few decades from now, Raffi is happy and healthy and can read it aloud to his own kids while chuckling at what a little miscreant he was … Gessen is a wily parser of children’s literature … He is just as good on parenting manuals … Raising Raffi offers glimpses of what it’s like to eke out literary lives at the intersection of the Trump and Biden administrations … Needing money for one’s children, throughout history, has made parents do desperate things — even write revealing parenthood memoirs … Gessen’s short book is absorbing not because it delivers answers … It’s absorbing because Gessen is a calm and observant writer…who raises, and struggles with, the right questions about himself and the world.”

–Dwight Garner ( The New York Times )

9. The Crane Wife by CJ Hauser (Doubleday)

8 Rave • 4 Positive • 2 Mixed • 1 Pan Watch an interview with CJ Hauser here

“17 brilliant pieces … This tumbling, in and out of love, structures the collection … Calling Hauser ‘honest’ and ‘vulnerable’ feels inadequate. She embraces and even celebrates her flaws, and she revels in being a provocateur … It is an irony that Hauser, a strong, smart, capable woman, relates to the crane wife’s contortions. She felt helpless in her own romantic relationship. I don’t have one female friend who has not felt some version of this, but putting it into words is risky … this collection is not about neat, happy endings. It’s a constant search for self-discovery … Much has been written on the themes Hauser excavates here, yet her perspective is singular, startlingly so. Many narratives still position finding the perfect match as a measure of whether we’ve led successful lives. The Crane Wife dispenses with that. For that reason, Hauser’s worldview feels fresh and even radical.”

–Hope Reese ( Oprah Daily )

10. How to Read Now by Elaine Castillo (Viking)

8 Rave • 2 Positive • 1 Mixed Read an excerpt from How to Read Now here

“Elaine Castillo’s How to Read Now begins with a section called ‘Author’s Note, or a Virgo Clarifies Things.’ The title is a neat encapsulation of the book’s style: rigorous but still chatty, intellectual but not precious or academic about it … How to Read Now proceeds at a breakneck pace. Each of the book’s eight essays burns bright and hot from start to finish … How to Read Now is not for everybody, but if it is for you, it is clarifying and bracing. Castillo offers a full-throated critique of some of the literary world’s most insipid and self-serving ideas …

So how should we read now? Castillo offers suggestions but no resolution. She is less interested in capital-A Answers…and more excited by the opportunity to restore a multitude of voices and perspectives to the conversation … A book is nothing without a reader; this one is co-created by its recipients, re-created every time the page is turned anew. How to Read Now offers its audience the opportunity to look past the simplicity we’re all too often spoon-fed into order to restore ourselves to chaos and complexity—a way of seeing and reading that demands so much more of us but offers even more in return.”

–Zan Romanoff ( The Los Angeles Times )

Our System:

RAVE = 5 points • POSITIVE = 3 points • MIXED = 1 point • PAN = -5 points

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