Subjects/Strategies: A Writer's Reader

This title was very helpful in my studies. The essays and stories are meaningful and thought provoking.

I use this book to teach a beginning writing class. The variety of essays is quite good; not every one is a winner, but probably 60% are accessible and there are some rarities here that the students have thoroughly enjoyed, including "Dumpster Diving" by Lars Eighner and "A Crime of Compassion" by Barbara Huttmann. There are enough writers the likes of Dillard, MLK, Ackerman, and Orwell to acquaint novices with great writing, balanced with a good variety of more pop-oriented magazine style pieces. The strategies and guidelines for essays are excellent, and a wealth of possible topics for further development is offered throughout. My class prep time is easy and concise thanks to the book's structure and execution.