The Wand in the Word: Conversations with Writers of Fantasy

Book Overview

"A rich resource that will be consulted as frequently by children's literature professionals and by genre fans themselves." -- BOOKLIST (starred review) What kind of child were you? When did you... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0763626252
• ISBN13: 9780763626259
• Release Date: February 2006
• Publisher: Candlewick Press (MA)
• Length: 202 Pages
• Weight: 0.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 6.9" x 9.4"
• Age Range: 12 years and up
• Grade Range: Grade 7 and higher

Customer Reviews

Great read for all ages

In THE WAND IN THE WORD, Leonard Marcus, a respected children's book historian, biographer and critic, has compiled a series of interviews with thirteen well-known fantasy writers, ranging from old favorites, Madeleine L'Engle and Ursula Le Guin, to more recent authors, such as Franny Billingsley and Garth Nix. Marcus' interviews capture what fantasy means to each author, as well as important life and work experiences, writing routines, and how book and character ideas develop. The basic interviews follow the same pattern, beginning with the question, "What kind of kid were you?" and concluding with "What is the best part of being a writer?"; however, questions in between vary and often deal with specific themes, works, or experiences of the interviewee that reflect their individuality. As Marcus mentions in his introduction, "a good interview, like any good conversation, is exploratory in nature, with much of the fun and satisfaction stemming from not knowing just where the talk will take you" (page3), and it is this quality which makes The Wand in the Word an enjoyable reading experience for the average person as well as the die-hard fantasy fan. By following the same format for each interview, Marcus allows readers to discover that in order to be a writer, a person must read a lot, write frequently and about topics that interest them, and, most importantly, persevere! There is nothing other-worldly about these successful writers. Each is dedicated to writing and enjoys the fact that "while fame may be fleeting. . . writing is always there" (Jacques page 74). THE WAND IN THE WORD is easy to read, insightful, and entertaining, providing a glimpse in to the lives and minds of well-known fantasy writers. This book can be used as a springboard to learn more about these authors, to investigate other writers of interest, and to discover and practice various writing strategies. The one weakness is that not enough authors are included! Perhaps, Leonard Marcus will treat readers to additional interviews soon. In the meantime, readers can take the advice presented in the book and read, read, read.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

If you are a reader of fantasy, an aspiring writer, or simply an avid book-lover, don't miss this book! The Wand in the Word gives you insights on 13 different authors and their lives and work routines, including Brian Jacques, Diana Wynne Jones, Susan Cooper and Lloyd Alexander. The authors tell how World War II, reading The Lord of the Rings for the first time, or listening to their grandparents tell stories affected the different authors and their careers in different ways. One of my favorite quotes from the book comes from the interview with Brian Jacques: "I love it [writing] that as a writer you work with the poetry and music of words. Words are as wild as rocky peaks. They're as smooth as a millpond and as sunny as a day in a meadow. Words are beautiful things. Every word matters." The Wand in the Word is a must for everyone's library. Highly recommended! (And I absolutely love the title . . . perfect for a book about writers of fantasy.)

A fascinating and inspiring look at fantasy authors

This is one of the most interesting and inspirational books that I've read in a long time. Through the interviews and profiles, Marcus' masterfully brings out the best in each author, providing a fascinating look at some of the leading authors in the fantasy genre. Find out how Lloyd Alexander's experiences in the military during World War II influenced his writing, or how Diana Wynne Jones kept Tolkein from finishing The Lord of the Rings! It's inspiring to read about how authors are regular people who faced the same kinds of problems in childhood as everyone else: problems in school, problems with parents, problems with other kids. One even had dyslexia. Taken together it presents a powerful and inspirational message that anyone can be a writer, that anyone can overcome their personal obstacles to achieve their dreams. Each author also gives advice for young, aspiring writers. Highly recommended for fantasy fans, aspiring writers, or anyone who just needs a bit of inspiration.

They tell us that dragons can be beaten

I was into Leonard S. Marcus before it was cool. Really! Okay, fine. I wasn't. In fact, until I read his collection of the letters of Ursula Nordstrom ("Dear Genius") and heard about his Margaret Wise Brown bio ("Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened By the Moon") I didn't know just what a great editor and writer he could be. But now that he's come out with "The Wand In the Word: Conversations With Writers of Fantasy", I have a feeling his star is going to rise pretty high. Anyone could write a book with an interview by Jane Yolen. You might even be able to squeeze out some interest if you included a talk with Garth Nix. But a glance at the people included in this book and it begins to get a little silly. Lloyd Alexander? He's still alive? And Nancy Farmer? How did he get her? Susan Cooper!! Omigod I LOVE Susan Cooper! There are only thirteen fantasy writers contained in this volume, but with the notable exception of J.K. Rowling, they are undoubtedly the greatest living fantasy writers working today. Most of the interviews were done in-person or over the phone. Two were done via e-mail as well. It's a testament to Marcus's skills (and the verbal gymnastics of his subjects) that the casual reader is unable to distinguish between the live and written. In fact, the eloquence of each of these fantasy writers is the most startling similarity they have between one another. The interviews are presented in alphabetical order with Lloyd Alexander first and Jane Yolen last. In between, Marcus includes photographs of each author's early drafts, pictures of them as children, and the occasional shot of what their workspace looks like. Who knew they even made Terry Pratchett figurines? Marcus asks a sets number of questions of each author. What did they read as children? How did World War II affect them? What becomes clear as you read through the book is that the greatest influence this crew ever had was Tolkien. In fact, they have very different opinions on the man. Susan Cooper found his lectures "wonderful" whereas Diana Wynne Jones (who you come to trust in this matter) found them "absolutely appalling". Philip Pullman even had dinner with him, though again the great man does not come across as particularly appealing. Each author mentions what they advise up and coming writers, who their inspirations have been, and what their lives were like. All in all, it makes for a truly stunning series of interviews. Being the twisted soul that I am, I was most interested in the authors that were prone to saying particularly odd things. If I got to sit down and have dinner with four fantasy authors based solely on their interviews, I think my choices would have to be Nancy Farmer, Diana Wynne Jones, Brian Jacques (a surprise for me), and Terry Pratchett. Perhaps Philip Pullman too, but we'd have to keep the conversation well away from touching on C.S. Lewis. After a while you do feel like quizzing your other fantasy loving friends. "Did

An inspirational collection of interviews that are dynamic, surprising, and insightful

Did you know that Lloyd Alexander used his experiences as a soldier in World War II to describe battle scenes in THE HIGH KING? Did you know that Diana Wynne Jones is dyslexic? Were you aware that Madeleine L'Engle plays the piano when she feels writers' block coming on? These glimpses into fantasy writers' lives and works are just a few of the insights gleaned from the interviews collected in THE WAND IN THE WORD. Leonard Marcus, perhaps the preeminent children's book critic, engages 13 authors of fantasies for young people in wide-ranging conversations. Not surprisingly, many of the questions center on the writers' own childhoods, as Marcus asks almost all of them to describe their childhood, their early exposure to books and libraries, their contact with other storytellers, favorite teachers, or other mentors. One common element is the authors' early engagement with J. R. R. Tolkien's LORD OF THE RINGS; many authors, such as Susan Cooper, mention the books as major influences on their own works, while others, such as Tamora Pierce and Philip Pullman, note that their books run counter to Tolkien's goals. Although Marcus poses many of the same questions to several of the authors, these are merely starting places for what become real conversations, not simply interviews. Like good conversations, these are comfortable, dynamic, and sometimes surprising, as new questions grow from authors' answers and lead the discussion in new directions. Most interesting to older readers (even to the many adults who relish the works of these fantasy masters) and to aspiring writers will be the authors' discussions of their philosophies of writing fantasy, their writing rituals, and their decision-making processes. Among the numerous illustrations are original manuscript pages from the authors' works, where the revision process comes to life in vivid images. Writers-to-be will find true inspiration and encouragement from these writers' life stories and approach to writing really great fiction for young people. --- Reviewed by Norah Piehl