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Overview
Inside the Writer's Mind propels readers into 30 very different stories, written for magazines, newspapers and the Internet. Among the stories Stephen G. Bloom dissects are profiles of accused murderers, a Little League umpire, a husband and wife who sign a suicide pact, a world-famous Brazilian plastic surgeon, and a notorious abortionist. Bloom writes about his job canning fruit cocktail, a disaster of a Caribbean cruise vacation, a lethal family of professional wrestlers, and an afternoon spent with Dr. Ruth.Synopsis
Bloom (journalism and mass communication, U. of Iowa) presents and then dissects 30 of his own stories for magazines, newpapers, and other media. The dissections are used to give advice on how a journalist goes about thinking about and constructing a story. The stories range from personal anecdotes to profiles of baseball umpires, accused murderers, and other personalities. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Library Journal
Making up this delightful collection are 30 short journalistic essays, originally published in Salon.com, the San Jose Mercury News, and the Los Angeles Times, among other places, and grouped under broad headings such as "Ordinary People," "Extraordinary People," and "Extraordinary Circumstances." Although it contains a useful albeit brief introductory chapter on good essay writing and how to conduct an interview with a subject, this is not a book about how to write narrative journalism. Rather, it is a fine example of the range of journalism professor Bloom's (Postville) own creative journalism; it instructs by example rather than by didacticism. As Bloom aptly observes, "good writing is storytelling, i.e., turning observation into narrative." Whether he is interviewing Dr. Michael Levitt, an expert on flatulence ("Dr. Fart Speaks") or Dr. Ruth Westheimer, our popular culture's expert on sex ("The Joy of Dr. Ruth"), Bloom captures his subjects with verve and interest. Somewhat less insightful are the short reflections accompanying each story that reveal their genesis and writing. Students wanting direction on their own writing process might need to look elsewhere, although the suggested "assignments" at the end of each chapter might be useful; readers of creative journalism will enjoy this book. Herbert E. Shapiro, SUNY/Empire State Coll., Rochester Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.