Review: A great inside look at how a great writer works
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 08 29, 2011
Anyone who likes Ann Patchett's work will love this memoir about her lifelong devotion to writing.  She gives a wry and charming look at how she evolved from a poet to a short story writer to a novelist, interspersing her personal tale with practical advice on the art and craft of writing. I especially enjoyed reading about her days at Sarah Lawrence, studying with Grace Paley and Russell Banks, and the fascinating backstory of how her first novel, The Patron Saint of Liars, made its way from her mind to the page to a publisher. And though I'm not a writer, I loved her nuggets of wisdom on how to write. Like Anne Lamott's Bird by Bird and Stephen King's On Writing, The Getaway Car delivers a rare peek inside the heart and mind of a gifted storyteller. What a great read!