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Mark Edmundson teaches at the University of Virginia, where he is university professor. A prizewinning scholar, he is also the author of Why Teach?, Why Read?, Teacher, The Death of Sigmund Freud, and The Fine Wisdom and Perfect Teachings of the Kings of Rock and Roll. His writing has appeared in such publications as the New Republic, the New York Times Magazine, the Chronicle of Higher Education, the Nation, the American Scholar, Raritan, and Harper's. He lives in Batesville, Virginia.
[An] in-depth analysis of the positivity of literary pursuits ... This informative and entertaining read will delight those interested in the writing process. Library Journal [WHY WRITE?] is filled with anecdotes about canonical writers, along with personal stories from the author's writing and teaching career. Edmundson is adept at finding quotes and telling tales from the English romantic poets, Greek philosophers, and American transcendentalists. Publishers Weekly [Edmundson's] especially good on the importance of a writer finding his/her voice and he offers plenty of encouragement. This book is very much a pep talk. The author is an optimistic, enthusiastic cheerleader on the sideline, encouraging us to sit down and try. Kirkus The latest in Edmundson's continuing noble effort to defend intellectual seriousness against triviality. -- Gerald Graff, author of CLUELESS IN ACADEME So much more than a how-to book, Why Write? is Professor Edmundson's lifelong meditation on the meaning of writing and existence. -- David Clemens, Founder and Coordinator, Monterey Peninsula College Great Books Program In the guise of a manual or handbook for writers, Mark Edmundson has written an impassioned argument for the writing life. -- Morris Dickstein, author of DANCING IN THE DARK A high stakes venture, in which getting it right on the page is a way of bringing yourself back to life. -- Laura Kipnis, author of AGAINST LOVE A marvelous handbook on how to write well, with penetrating commentary on good writers from Plato to John Grisham. -- J. Hillis Miller, author of ON LITERATURE Edmundson is a genial and inspiring guide to the mysteries and very real practicalities of writing. The tone and fluency of this book are an education. -- Adam Phillips, author of MISSING OUT A warm, generous book about how to live--and even, in its wise last chapters, about how to grow old. -- Michael Gorra, author of PORTRAIT OF A NOVEL Full of wit, sage advice, and a well-honed passion for the art of writing, which in Edmundson's view looks much like the art of living well. Just the right companion for readers and writers. -- David Mikics, author of SLOW READING IN A HURRIED AGE If I meet any students heading to the University of Virginia, I will tell them to seek out Mark Edmundson ... Mr. Edmundson reminds us of the power strong teachers have to make students rethink who they are and whom they might become. -- Michael S. Roth New York Times, on WHY TEACH? Mark Edmundson's lively account of the way we educate now offers enjoyment and enlightenment. Harold Bloom on WHY TEACH? Why Teach? is a heartfelt and provocative book that will interest anyone who wonders what happened to the idea that college should be a life-altering, mind-expanding experience. With wry humor and hard-won wisdom, Mark Edmundson offers an inspiring vision of the liberal arts as a vehicle for personal transformation. Tom Perotta, author of LITTLE CHILDREN and THE LEFTOVERS, on WHY TEACH? A heartfelt, beautifully written, profound, and often hilarious appeal to rage against the machinery of modern education. Booklist (starred review), on WHY TEACH? Edmundson's accessible prose will motivate both students and teachers. Highly recommended for all involved in higher education; an enjoyable and inspiring read. Library Journal on WHY TEACH?
