True Stories, Well Told
Creative nonfiction is the literary equivalent of jazz: it’s a rich mix of flavors, ideas, voices, and techniques—some newly invented, and others as old as writing itself. This collection of 20 gripping, beautifully-written nonfiction narratives is the best of the best from CNF. Contributions by Toi Derricotte, Brian Doyle, Carolyn Forché, Caitlin Horrocks, Harrison Scott Key, and others draw inspiration from topics ranging from butterflies to baseball, and from sustainable farming to fatherhood. Their unforgettable stories shed light on how we live.
Plus, in “The Fine Art of Literary Fist-Fighting,” Creative Nonfiction’s founding editor offers his unique perspective on the evolution of the genre and the heartbreaks and rewards of literary publishing.
Introduction by Susan Orlean.
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Table of Contents
You’ll Know It When You See It
Editor’s Note
Charging Lions
From the corral, the calls sounded again and again—loud, deranged by worry, a desperate mother’s cries of distress.End of the Line
The Wishbone
Breastfeeding Dick Cheney
It’s difficult to describe my relationship with Dick Cheney—even now, after all this time.Self-Interview
Rachel at Work: Enclosed, a Mother’s Report
Mrs. Kelly
The World Without Us
Scrambled Eggs
Life after brain injuryRegeneration
How to regenerate a human heartBeds
Without a Map
Pesäpallo: Playing at the Edge of the World
Far, Far Away
Night Rhythms
The Fine Art of Literary Fist-Fighting
The Heart
Two troubled souls who—despite their love—simply would not, and maybe could not, be soothed‘Mbriago
Teaching Death
About a decade ago, I decided it was time to confront what seemed to me to be the most important issue a human being can face: death. I decided to do so in the way you might expect an academic philosopher to confront a difficult issue.Two on Two
"Once upon a time, a long time ago, I rambled through thickets of brawny power forwards and quicksilver cocksure guards and rooted ancient centers..."The Butterfly Effect
"When the monarchs hang clustered together, paralyzed by the cold, they are clasped to each other, holding the heat between them. They wait for the sun to warm them."Pesäpallo: Playing at the Edge of the World
We’re leading by one, but with two outs, when I come up to bat. The staff-student baseball game is a yearly tradition at Päämajakoulu, and part of the tradition is that the game isn’t played for any set number of innings.
Additional information
| Weight | 0.71875 lbs |
|---|---|
| Dimensions | 8.5 × 5.5 × 1 in |
