Tracy Kidder is a prize-winning and (justly) acclaimed writer of long-form non-fiction like Soul of a New Machine, Among Schoolchildren, and Mountains Beyond Mountains; Richard Todd is his longtime editor and friend. This book, a collaboration between them where their voices are sometimes made distinct and sometimes merged, is part joint memoir, part reflection on the nature of (some forms of) nonfiction, and part style guide.

There are interesting elements in this book: The glimpse inside the workings of The Atlantic Monthly back in the day were fascinating, the chapter titled "Beyond Accuracy" was thought-provoking, and the discussion of the relationship between "Art and Commerce" contained some gems . . . including A. J. Liebling's quote: "I can write better than everyone who can write faster, and I can write faster than everyone who can write better."

There are also elements that made me roll my eyes: The Atlantic Monthly reminiscences are fascinating as history but belong to an age so far removed from ours that they feel like a dead-end as insight into writing today, and "Rewrite!" is important, but hardly revelatory, advice to give any remotely experienced writer. The sections on style are particularly frustrating, since Kidder and Todd are more interested in deploring things than they are at suggesting alternatives.

The book's biggest problem, though, was that it ultimately felt like less than the sum of its parts. There is no clear through line, and the title and subtitle on the cover (Good Prose: The Art of Nonfiction) is, in the end, a far less accurate description of what's inside than the sub-subtitle just below: "Stories and advice from a lifetime of writing and editing." Go in with lower expectations than I did, and you'll probably enjoy it more. ( )

Much like Stephen King's On Writing, this book falls into the part memoir/writing remembrances/good advice category.

It's not a "how-to write nonfiction" book, but more a "here's the lessons we've learned over the past four decades" book.

It's an excellent book, and deserves to be shelved right beside King's. ( )

First four chapters are indispensable. The rest are common knowledge to most experienced writers. ( )

Well written prose on writing prose, the main thing I took away from reading this is that an author needs a good editor, and an editor must need a whole lot of patience. Aside from the writing advice alot of other non-fiction authors are mentioned along with some interesting books I plan to look for. ( )

Good information about writing non-fiction from both an author and an editor standpoint. ( )