How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One by Stanley Fish

Listen to Leigh Bortin's interview with Stanely Fish to learn more about this book and the author!



"I have read this book repeatedly, it is delightful! For those of us who love words, he picks great sentences and explains why they are great sentences. It is really a fun book, and I recommend it to folks new to the classical model--but everyone should read it!" ~Leigh Bortins

Stanley Fish presents very approachable and engaging instruction on the basics of writing. Perhaps influenced by his work at the University of Illinois-Chicago attempting to "renovate undergraduate education in basic skills like writing," he closes any gaps in understanding that Strunk and White may leave for today's students.

Some appreciate fine art; others appreciate fine wines. Stanley Fish appreciates fine sentences. The New York Times columnist and world-class professor has long been an aficionado of language: "I am always on the lookout for sentences that make you say, 'Isn't that something?' or 'What a sentence!'" Like a seasoned sportscaster, Fish marvels at the adeptness of finely crafted sentences and breaks them down into digestible morsels, giving readers an instant play-by-play.

In this entertaining and erudite gem, Fish offers both sentence craft and sentence pleasure, skills invaluable to any writer (or reader). His vibrant analysis takes us on a literary tour of great writers throughout history--from William Shakespeare, Jane Austen, and Henry James to Martin Luther King, Jr., Antonin Scalia, and Elmore Leonard. Indeed, How to Write a Sentence is both a spirited love letter to the written word and a key to understanding how great writing works; it is a book that will stand the test of time.