This book caught me by surprise by how much I enjoyed it. I'm no "writer". I have no craft and don't claim any or expect to gain any in the future. I feared that the slender volume might either be: (A) a tediously boring how-to book, filled with rules, like "Always have fresh typewriter ribbon" or "Use only #3 pencils", or (B) mind-numbingly esoteric and touchy-feely in reaching writing nirvana. Amazingly and beautifully so, it was neither. One could argue that the book is not so much a treatise on writing but a collection of essays, but it felt very, very connected to me. Early sections could be described as a bit "how-to", or more precisely, how-it-is, to write, that is, seriously write, and, if the author is to be believed, it's quite painful. But then, later sections belie that impression in remarkably vivid ways. I was especially impressed by a story the author relates about being told a story by another writer, involving rowing a boat in waters in which I have actually kayaked in myself. Touching on something I was so familiar with helped draw me in, but the point made by the story was 100% spot on for making its point. This slim work is very much worth the time for anyone who thrives on good writing.