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Alchemy of the Word: Writers Talk About Writing
Featuring essays by Kyle Bass, Deborah Brevoort, Rebecca Brown, Jan Clausen, Darrah Cloud, Kenny Fries, Beatrix Gates, Elena Georgiou, Bhanu Kapil, Susan Kim, Michael Klein, Aimee Liu, Micheline Aharonian Marcom, Douglas A. Martin, Rogelio Martinez, John McManus, Victoria Nelson, Keenan Norris, Richard Panek, Rahna Reiko Rizzuto, and Paul Selig. "Whether you're a young beginner or a veteran writer like me, you'll get support from reading Alchemy of the Word. These authors’ thoughts are mystical and practical, political and inspiring and funny. I've found companions on this lonely journey." --Maxine Hong Kingston, National Book Award Winner and author of China Men , The Woman Warrior , and Tripmaster Monkey "Alchemy of the Word is a smart, exhilarating collection--a true literary conversation, filled with wit, heart, and insight. Every writer with the ambition to create meaningful work will treasure this book." --Kim Addonizio, author of What Is This Thing Called Love , Lucifer at the Starlight , and Tell Me , a finalist for the National Book Award "Alchemy of the Word is a profoundly moving and incredibly incisive collection of essays. The authors, all of them outstanding educators, write with passion, beauty and humor, their work is the best possible example of the old writing school adage ‘show don't tell.’ It is one of the best books I have read about the trade." --Cara Hoffman, author of So Much Pretty "Any time writers take what little time they have away from their creative process to share the insight and wisdom gleaned from years of practicing their craft, we should all take notice. These are the kinds of lessons you don't learn in school, but instead, from life. Artists mentoring artists is a very good thing." --Gary Garrison, Executive Director, Creative Affairs of the Dramatist’s Guild, author of The New, Improved Playwrights Survival Guide
- GenresNonfiction
202 pages, Paperback
Published February 12, 2018
22 people want to read
About the author
Aimee Liu
22 books95 followersAimee Liu is a best-selling novelist, essayist, and nonfiction author based in Los Angeles.
Her 2020 novel GLORIOUS BOY, published by Red Hen Press, has received rave endorsements:
"The most memorable and original novel I've read in ages. Aimee Liu… evokes every side in a multi-cultural conversation with sympathy and rare understanding."
– Pico Iyer
“A riveting amalgam of history, family epic, anticolonial/antiwar treatise, cultural crossroads, and more, this latest from best-selling author Liu is a fascinating, irresistible marvel.” — Library Journal, starred review
”This fascinating novel examines the many dimensions of war, from the tragedy of loss to the unexpected relationships formed during conflict. The Andamans are a lush and unusual setting, a sacred home to all kinds of cultures and people, and Liu’s prose is masterful. A good choice for book groups and for readers who are unafraid to be swept away.” — Booklist, starred review
Glorious Boy is a tale of family devotion, war, and survival. Set on India's remote Andaman Islands before and during WWII , the story revolves around a mysteriously mute 4-year-old who vanishes on the eve of Japanese Occupation. Little Ty's parents, Shep and Claire, will go to any lengths to rescue him, but neither is prepared for the brutal odyssey that awaits them.
Aimee is also the author of GAINING: The Truth About Life After Eating Disorders, published by Warner Books, February, 2007. Drawing on her own history of anorexia as well as interviews with more than forty other former anorexics and bulimics, Liu picks up her exploration of recovery where she ended her acclaimed memoir of anorexia nervosa, SOLITAIRE (Harper & Row, 1979), at age twenty-five. Back then, she thought recovery meant eating well. Gaining proves that healthy nutrition is only a first step. True recovery requires a new understanding of the role that genetics, personality, relationships, and anxiety play in these disorders. Liu uses cutting edge research to dispel the myth that fashion is to blame. She examines the real reasons eating disorders -- at all ages -- are on the rise, and how they can be prevented in future generations.
Aimee has three previous novels. FLASH HOUSE (Warner Books, 2003) is a tale of suspense and Cold War intrigue set in Central Asia. CLOUD MOUNTAIN (Warner Books, 1997) is based on the true story of her American grandmother and Chinese revolutionary grandfather. Liu’s first novel, FACE (Warner Books, 1994), deals with mixed-race identity. These books have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
Before turning to writing fulltime, Aimee edited business and trade publications and worked as an associate producer for NBC's TODAY show. She has co-authored seven books on medical and psychological topics. Her articles, essays, and short stories have appeared in anthologies and periodicals such as Cosmopolitan, Self, Glamour, and Good Housekeeping.
Aimee Liu was born in 1953 and raised in Connecticut, received her B.A. from Yale University in 1975 and her MFA from Bennington College in 2006. She lives in Los Angeles with her family; teaches creative writing in Goddard College’s MFA program; and is a past president of the national writers’ organization PEN USA.
Her 2020 novel GLORIOUS BOY, published by Red Hen Press, has received rave endorsements:
"The most memorable and original novel I've read in ages. Aimee Liu… evokes every side in a multi-cultural conversation with sympathy and rare understanding."
– Pico Iyer
“A riveting amalgam of history, family epic, anticolonial/antiwar treatise, cultural crossroads, and more, this latest from best-selling author Liu is a fascinating, irresistible marvel.” — Library Journal, starred review
”This fascinating novel examines the many dimensions of war, from the tragedy of loss to the unexpected relationships formed during conflict. The Andamans are a lush and unusual setting, a sacred home to all kinds of cultures and people, and Liu’s prose is masterful. A good choice for book groups and for readers who are unafraid to be swept away.” — Booklist, starred review
Glorious Boy is a tale of family devotion, war, and survival. Set on India's remote Andaman Islands before and during WWII , the story revolves around a mysteriously mute 4-year-old who vanishes on the eve of Japanese Occupation. Little Ty's parents, Shep and Claire, will go to any lengths to rescue him, but neither is prepared for the brutal odyssey that awaits them.
Aimee is also the author of GAINING: The Truth About Life After Eating Disorders, published by Warner Books, February, 2007. Drawing on her own history of anorexia as well as interviews with more than forty other former anorexics and bulimics, Liu picks up her exploration of recovery where she ended her acclaimed memoir of anorexia nervosa, SOLITAIRE (Harper & Row, 1979), at age twenty-five. Back then, she thought recovery meant eating well. Gaining proves that healthy nutrition is only a first step. True recovery requires a new understanding of the role that genetics, personality, relationships, and anxiety play in these disorders. Liu uses cutting edge research to dispel the myth that fashion is to blame. She examines the real reasons eating disorders -- at all ages -- are on the rise, and how they can be prevented in future generations.
Aimee has three previous novels. FLASH HOUSE (Warner Books, 2003) is a tale of suspense and Cold War intrigue set in Central Asia. CLOUD MOUNTAIN (Warner Books, 1997) is based on the true story of her American grandmother and Chinese revolutionary grandfather. Liu’s first novel, FACE (Warner Books, 1994), deals with mixed-race identity. These books have been translated into more than a dozen languages.
Before turning to writing fulltime, Aimee edited business and trade publications and worked as an associate producer for NBC's TODAY show. She has co-authored seven books on medical and psychological topics. Her articles, essays, and short stories have appeared in anthologies and periodicals such as Cosmopolitan, Self, Glamour, and Good Housekeeping.
Aimee Liu was born in 1953 and raised in Connecticut, received her B.A. from Yale University in 1975 and her MFA from Bennington College in 2006. She lives in Los Angeles with her family; teaches creative writing in Goddard College’s MFA program; and is a past president of the national writers’ organization PEN USA.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 7, 2019
Is my love for this book colored by the fact that I'm a Goddard alum? Probably. But then again, some of the essays knocked me so far on my creative ass (in a good way) that I feel like I can safely recommend Alchemy of the Word to anyone who is (or aspires to be) serious about their writing. I shared some of the quotes that continue to motivate me on my blog.
August 4, 2018
This collection offered great thoughts on writing, reading, and a writer's life.of course i'm biased, it was written by the faculty of my MFA program and the outsider nature of that program (Goddard) is what drew me back to the idea of returning to school after a decade of saying publicly and privately that I would never go back to school, that I would never get an MFA.
July 7, 2018
Full disclosure, I have an essay in this. But the collected wisdom, insight, empathy, advice and companionship of the other writers is really inspiring and I am honored to be included.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews