First You Write a Sentence: The Elements of Reading, Writing . . . and Life Audiobook

“Do you want to write clearer, livelier prose? This witty primer will help.” —The New York Times Book Review An exploration of how the most ordinary words can be turned into verbal constellations of extraordinary grace through the art of building sentences The sentence is the common ground where every writer walks. A good sentence can be written (and read) by anyone if we simply give it the gift of our time, and it is as close as most of us will get to making something truly beautiful. Using minimal technical terms and sources ranging from the Bible and Shakespeare to George Orwell and Maggie Nelson, as well as scientific studies of what can best fire the reader's mind, author Joe Moran shows how we can all write in a way that is clear, compelling and alive. Whether dealing with finding the ideal word, building a sentence, or constructing a paragraph, First You Write a Sentence informs by light example: much richer than a style guide, it can be read not only for instruction but for pleasure and delight. And along the way, it shows how good writing can help us notice the world, make ourselves known to others, and live more meaningful lives. It's an elegant gem in praise of the English sentence.

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“Narrator John Lee’s sophisticated and scholarly tone adds character to Moran’s poetic emphasis on words and their beauty…Lee’s distinguished delivery is strong during the author’s instructions for being a writer. This listen offers hope to anyone pursuing an artistic, loving approach to the written word and authorship. With appreciation for word choice and sentence structure, Moran assures listeners that anyone can write a good sentence.”

— AudioFile