Excellent guide - informative and comprehensive, 14 Oct 2008
"The Writers' and Artist's Yearbook" (W&AY), published by A&C Black, has a long-standing reputation as a 'must-have' for any writer looking to get into publication. While a number of similar books now exist - including "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan, and "Writer's Market" (WM), published by David & Charles Ltd - W&AY remains the original font of knowledge, and for me, the premier choice.

All of these books contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, producers etc, and in truth there is little to choose between them. Indeed the competition is gradually catching up, and it is notable that TWH has undergone a major facelift for this year. Of course a lot will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the different books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better.

What makes the W&AY stand out is the wealth of advice it contains (nearly 200 pages' worth) from professional writers, publishers, agents and producers. In separate articles, famous authors such as Joanna Trollope, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell and J.K. Rowling address various aspects of the writing process and discuss a wide variety of genres. Many other highly informative pieces cover diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing your book, writing for TV, radio and theatre, the electronic world of websites and e-publishing, and financial aspects such as tax. This makes the W&AY more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing. Much overlooked is of course the fact that this is a yearbook for artists too. Correspondingly there are sections for the budding illustrator and photographer in the W&AY which are not to be found in the other guides.

There is much that is new for 2009, too. Although a couple of articles have been dropped, 7 new ones have been added, as well as a fresh foreword by Kate Mosse (author of 'Labyrinth' and 'Sepulchre', among other works). These new articles cover a range of topics, including: mind, body and spirit writing; e-books; and books published from blogs. There are also new pieces from Neil Gaiman, celebrated poet Benjamin Zephaniah, and Radio 4's The Archers scriptwriter Mary Cutler. Is it worth upgrading to the 2009 edition, then? For the articles alone - fascinating though they are - probably not. On the other hand, the advantage of having fully up-to-date listings counts for a great deal, especially if you are already looking for an agent or publisher. And at the price it is currently being offered by Amazon, it is surely a worthwhile investment.

All in all, this is an excellent and comprehensive guide. Definitely recommended for the aspiring writer or artist.

Excellent guide - informative and comprehensive, 14 Oct 2008
"The Writers' and Artist's Yearbook" (W&AY), published by A&C Black, has a long-standing reputation as a 'must-have' for any writer looking to get into publication. While a number of similar books now exist - including "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan, and "Writer's Market" (WM), published by David & Charles Ltd - W&AY remains the original font of knowledge, and for me, the premier choice.

All of these books contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, producers etc, and in truth there is little to choose between them. Indeed the competition is gradually catching up, and it is notable that TWH has undergone a major facelift for this year. Of course a lot will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the different books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better.

What makes the W&AY stand out is the wealth of advice it contains (nearly 200 pages' worth) from professional writers, publishers, agents and producers. In separate articles, famous authors such as Joanna Trollope, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell and J.K. Rowling address various aspects of the writing process and discuss a wide variety of genres. Many other highly informative pieces cover diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing your book, writing for TV, radio and theatre, the electronic world of websites and e-publishing, and financial aspects such as tax. This makes the W&AY more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing. Much overlooked is of course the fact that this is a yearbook for artists too. Correspondingly there are sections for the budding illustrator and photographer in the W&AY which are not to be found in the other guides.

There is much that is new for 2009, too. Although a couple of articles have been dropped, 7 new ones have been added, as well as a fresh foreword by Kate Mosse (author of 'Labyrinth' and 'Sepulchre', among other works). These new articles cover a range of topics, including: mind, body and spirit writing; e-books; and books published from blogs. There are also new pieces from Neil Gaiman, celebrated poet Benjamin Zephaniah, and Radio 4's The Archers scriptwriter Mary Cutler. Is it worth upgrading to the 2009 edition, then? For the articles alone - fascinating though they are - probably not. On the other hand, the advantage of having fully up-to-date listings counts for a great deal, especially if you are already looking for an agent or publisher. And at the price it is currently being offered by Amazon, it is surely a worthwhile investment.

All in all, this is an excellent and comprehensive guide. Definitely recommended for the aspiring writer or artist.

A must have book, 30 Aug 2007
I love it! The children in my class love it!

It is full of literacy starters and games to get children thinking. It fits really well with the Ros Wilson 2020 / Big Writing and the Literacy Hour.

I wouldn't be without it.

A must for any teacher!, 23 Jun 2007
I have Jumpstart for over 3 years now and it has been invaluable in my Literacy planning. The games are split into sections, some are quick, others need more time - but all of the games are wonderful. My class has several firm favourites, and I have been particularly happy with the spelling games, of which many are now being played at the children's home whilst learning their spellings for the week. Jumpstart games can be applied to any year group and I would recommend it to any Teacher.

A good starting point, 03 Apr 2007
I've used a few of the activities in this book 'as they stand' and they have worked very well with my Y7-Y8 classes who are about Level 2 - Level 4.

I don't feel it is something you could refer to as an emergency 10 minutes before the lesson starts. I have to either incorporate the activities into schemes of work or refer to it the night before/morning.

Covers all range of literacy activities and is an excellent resource in that respect.

Handy for the classroom, 28 Nov 2006
This has been a great classroom tool. It is easy read and has some great ideas. Some of them you may have already thought of, but on those rainy days when your brain just isn't working, it's great to be able to flip through the pages and find an inspiring starter. Or, in some cases the inspiration for a greta lessons; there are some lovely writing workshop ideas included. Great for 7-14's. A must have for every teachers tool box.

Thoroughly Useful!, 22 Feb 2005
Suitable for upper KS2 and secondary level, this is a great collection of literacy starters and warm-up activites. Many of the activities and games could be adapted for KS1 and lower junior. Corbett covers virtually every aspect of sentence structure and language use in this gem. He is an inspiring writer and his ideas have really livened up the start of literacy lessons in my year 5 class.
Highly recommended!

Excellent guide - informative and comprehensive, 14 Oct 2008
"The Writers' and Artist's Yearbook" (W&AY), published by A&C Black, has a long-standing reputation as a 'must-have' for any writer looking to get into publication. While a number of similar books now exist - including "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan, and "Writer's Market" (WM), published by David & Charles Ltd - W&AY remains the original font of knowledge, and for me, the premier choice.

All of these books contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, producers etc, and in truth there is little to choose between them. Indeed the competition is gradually catching up, and it is notable that TWH has undergone a major facelift for this year. Of course a lot will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the different books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better.

What makes the W&AY stand out is the wealth of advice it contains (nearly 200 pages' worth) from professional writers, publishers, agents and producers. In separate articles, famous authors such as Joanna Trollope, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell and J.K. Rowling address various aspects of the writing process and discuss a wide variety of genres. Many other highly informative pieces cover diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing your book, writing for TV, radio and theatre, the electronic world of websites and e-publishing, and financial aspects such as tax. This makes the W&AY more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing. Much overlooked is of course the fact that this is a yearbook for artists too. Correspondingly there are sections for the budding illustrator and photographer in the W&AY which are not to be found in the other guides.

There is much that is new for 2009, too. Although a couple of articles have been dropped, 7 new ones have been added, as well as a fresh foreword by Kate Mosse (author of 'Labyrinth' and 'Sepulchre', among other works). These new articles cover a range of topics, including: mind, body and spirit writing; e-books; and books published from blogs. There are also new pieces from Neil Gaiman, celebrated poet Benjamin Zephaniah, and Radio 4's The Archers scriptwriter Mary Cutler. Is it worth upgrading to the 2009 edition, then? For the articles alone - fascinating though they are - probably not. On the other hand, the advantage of having fully up-to-date listings counts for a great deal, especially if you are already looking for an agent or publisher. And at the price it is currently being offered by Amazon, it is surely a worthwhile investment.

All in all, this is an excellent and comprehensive guide. Definitely recommended for the aspiring writer or artist.

A must have book, 30 Aug 2007
I love it! The children in my class love it!

It is full of literacy starters and games to get children thinking. It fits really well with the Ros Wilson 2020 / Big Writing and the Literacy Hour.

I wouldn't be without it.

A must for any teacher!, 23 Jun 2007
I have Jumpstart for over 3 years now and it has been invaluable in my Literacy planning. The games are split into sections, some are quick, others need more time - but all of the games are wonderful. My class has several firm favourites, and I have been particularly happy with the spelling games, of which many are now being played at the children's home whilst learning their spellings for the week. Jumpstart games can be applied to any year group and I would recommend it to any Teacher.

A good starting point, 03 Apr 2007
I've used a few of the activities in this book 'as they stand' and they have worked very well with my Y7-Y8 classes who are about Level 2 - Level 4.

I don't feel it is something you could refer to as an emergency 10 minutes before the lesson starts. I have to either incorporate the activities into schemes of work or refer to it the night before/morning.

Covers all range of literacy activities and is an excellent resource in that respect.

Handy for the classroom, 28 Nov 2006
This has been a great classroom tool. It is easy read and has some great ideas. Some of them you may have already thought of, but on those rainy days when your brain just isn't working, it's great to be able to flip through the pages and find an inspiring starter. Or, in some cases the inspiration for a greta lessons; there are some lovely writing workshop ideas included. Great for 7-14's. A must have for every teachers tool box.

Thoroughly Useful!, 22 Feb 2005
Suitable for upper KS2 and secondary level, this is a great collection of literacy starters and warm-up activites. Many of the activities and games could be adapted for KS1 and lower junior. Corbett covers virtually every aspect of sentence structure and language use in this gem. He is an inspiring writer and his ideas have really livened up the start of literacy lessons in my year 5 class.
Highly recommended!

An entertaining explanation of the reading process, 28 Jun 2008
In Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, Maryanne Wolf, an expert on the reading brain, describes how our brains manage to read. Reading is not an innate activity, but it is an invention, and only a few thousand years old at that. It does not come naturally to humans in the way that walking or eating does and on the first page of this book, we learn that it is only because of the remarkable "plasticity" of our brains that we are able to achieve an understanding of the written word.

The book is divided into three parts. Firstly the history of how humans learned to read, secondly how reading is learned and how it develops, and thirdly what happens when in cases like dyslexia, something goes wrong in the "learning to read" process.

The reference to Proust in the title refers to passages from Proust's writings in which he describes the pleasure of reading, the memories that are evoked by thinking back to special books from childhood (how Proustian!), and the "reading sanctuary", that place of escape, a refuge from the world and its troubles. If Proust is a metaphor for a particular approach to reading, so the squid in the title refers to early neruo-scientific investigations of that creature which found how neurons fire and transmit to each other, adapting when things go wrong, repairing and compensating along the way. The squid analogy refers to the way reading required something new from existing structure of the brain, only possible because of the "plasticity" referred to earlier.

Wolf describes how reading actually changes us. We interact with books, both making them our own (everyone reads a text in their own way), but we are also permanently changed by them. "We bring our life experiences to the text, and the text changes our experience of life". Whenever we read, our original boundaries are challenged, teased and gradually placed somewhere new. An expanding sense of "other" changes who we are.

The section on the development of alphabets and reading systems is fascinating. Different types of brain activity are needed to read say Mandarin Chinese than are required for the Western alphabet. The style of writing shapes the culture to a degree, and certainly changes the reading experience. "Learning to read changes the visual cortex of the brain. The expert readers visual areas are now populated with cell networks responsible for visual images of letters, letter patterns and words". The eye moves ahead with a Western text, but moves leftward with a Hebrew text, gathering advance information about the text before it even reaches it.

The section on dyslexia was less interesting to me, but no doubt with be of great interest to educators and parents of dyslexic children. I am sure however that these chapters fit well into the book as a whole because they do actually illustrate what happens when for most of us, reading works flawlessly.

For those, like me, who are interested in "books about books", and the reading process Proust and the Squid would be an excellent addition to their library, a book to refer back to and to re-read. It is a little difficult to take in all the scientific material about brain processes, but there is much of immediate interest, the more complex neuro-science being available for study at a later time.

The mystery behind being able to read (or not) explained., 18 Apr 2008
Maryanne Wolf provides a fascinating insight into how we learn to read and the amazing things our brain does to make it happen. She also gives a comprehensive explanation of all the things that can go wrong. We expect our children to master in a couple of thousand days (from scratch as our brains aren't wired for reading at birth) what it took humanity several thousand years to develop. An important book for parents, teachers and anyone interested in one of humanities main achievements.

Literary, Historical, Biological, Cognitive, and Futurist Insights into Reading, Creativity, and Brain Development, 05 Oct 2007
I was attracted to this book by the title: What could Proust and a Squid have in common? As it turned out, squids make only two cameo appearances in the book on pages 5-6 and 226 (probably to justify the title in references to the early use of squids in neuroscience studies and for conjecture about passing along genetic traits that make survival more difficult), but Proust in pretty mainstream throughout the book as a resource and reference for describing the richness that reading can bring to individual experience.

Professor Wolf has written a multidisciplinary book that is mind-boggling in its breadth. You'll learn everything from how writing and alphabets developed to why Socrates disfavored reading to how mental processes vary among dyslexics who are reading different languages to the best ways for diagnosing and overcoming reading difficulties.

Yet unlike most multidisciplinary books, this one is very brief and compact. But that compactness is misleading; Proust and the Squid is a challenging book to read and contemplate. Only good readers with a lot of background in literature and neuroscience can probably grasp this book. What's more, there are vast numbers of references that you can pursue if you want to know more.

The writing style makes the book denser than it needed to be. Professor Wolf makes matters worse for lay readers by insisting on the correct scientific names throughout, when the ordinary names would have made the material easier to grasp. As a result, at times you'll feel like you are taking a course in disciplinary vocabulary. At other times, Professor Wolf engages in a penchant for long, abstract sentences: "What is historically humbling about Sumerian writing and pedagogy is not their understanding of morphological principles, but their realization that the teaching of reading must begin with explicit attention to the principles characteristics of oral language." This sentence could be rewritten as "Most impressively, Sumerians developed a written language that made reading easier to learn by visually reproducing what was spoken." Obviously, her rendition is more creative . . . but I like mine better.

Here is what was new to me: Reading involves complex mental processes that are not natural to the brain's earliest functions. As a result, new neural connections need to be developed in the right order if someone is to be a good reader. Various brain scan tests have illuminated this finding and those neural pathways are well illustrated and described in this book. But there are different ways that those neural connections can be made, some of which will make reading difficult.

The book's strength is in providing you with a sense of how humans learned how to develop written language and read it rapidly . . . and gain greatly from reading. The book also is good in the area of making the case for those who can't read aren't deficient, rather than are different in ways that offer other potential advantages such as creativity. If someone in your family doesn't read well, you'll love that part of the message.

Where I thought the book was weakest was in worrying about the implications of highly condensed (and possibly inaccurate) online information substituting for traditional reading of books and articles. To me, it seemed like much ado about nothing. Human curiosity will always drive forward learning, something that Professor Wolf doesn't address. Provide that curiosity with more tools and resources, and more learning will take place. Here's an example. Today I was finishing my proofreading of my latest book. In the past, I had researchers diligently check each quotation for accuracy and source. Inevitably, there would be mistakes that weren't caught and made it into my books. By using the internet to crosscheck the sources this time, I was able to do the task much better and in less time . . . correcting many mistakes in the reference sources in my library. Having had this experience, I'll probably do more seeking of quotations directly from the internet in the future . . . and that will probably improve the quality of my quotations.

Bravo, Professor Wolf!

Excellent guide - informative and comprehensive, 14 Oct 2008
"The Writers' and Artist's Yearbook" (W&AY), published by A&C Black, has a long-standing reputation as a 'must-have' for any writer looking to get into publication. While a number of similar books now exist - including "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan, and "Writer's Market" (WM), published by David & Charles Ltd - W&AY remains the original font of knowledge, and for me, the premier choice.

All of these books contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, producers etc, and in truth there is little to choose between them. Indeed the competition is gradually catching up, and it is notable that TWH has undergone a major facelift for this year. Of course a lot will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the different books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better.

What makes the W&AY stand out is the wealth of advice it contains (nearly 200 pages' worth) from professional writers, publishers, agents and producers. In separate articles, famous authors such as Joanna Trollope, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell and J.K. Rowling address various aspects of the writing process and discuss a wide variety of genres. Many other highly informative pieces cover diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing your book, writing for TV, radio and theatre, the electronic world of websites and e-publishing, and financial aspects such as tax. This makes the W&AY more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing. Much overlooked is of course the fact that this is a yearbook for artists too. Correspondingly there are sections for the budding illustrator and photographer in the W&AY which are not to be found in the other guides.

There is much that is new for 2009, too. Although a couple of articles have been dropped, 7 new ones have been added, as well as a fresh foreword by Kate Mosse (author of 'Labyrinth' and 'Sepulchre', among other works). These new articles cover a range of topics, including: mind, body and spirit writing; e-books; and books published from blogs. There are also new pieces from Neil Gaiman, celebrated poet Benjamin Zephaniah, and Radio 4's The Archers scriptwriter Mary Cutler. Is it worth upgrading to the 2009 edition, then? For the articles alone - fascinating though they are - probably not. On the other hand, the advantage of having fully up-to-date listings counts for a great deal, especially if you are already looking for an agent or publisher. And at the price it is currently being offered by Amazon, it is surely a worthwhile investment.

All in all, this is an excellent and comprehensive guide. Definitely recommended for the aspiring writer or artist.

A must have book, 30 Aug 2007
I love it! The children in my class love it!

It is full of literacy starters and games to get children thinking. It fits really well with the Ros Wilson 2020 / Big Writing and the Literacy Hour.

I wouldn't be without it.

A must for any teacher!, 23 Jun 2007
I have Jumpstart for over 3 years now and it has been invaluable in my Literacy planning. The games are split into sections, some are quick, others need more time - but all of the games are wonderful. My class has several firm favourites, and I have been particularly happy with the spelling games, of which many are now being played at the children's home whilst learning their spellings for the week. Jumpstart games can be applied to any year group and I would recommend it to any Teacher.

A good starting point, 03 Apr 2007
I've used a few of the activities in this book 'as they stand' and they have worked very well with my Y7-Y8 classes who are about Level 2 - Level 4.

I don't feel it is something you could refer to as an emergency 10 minutes before the lesson starts. I have to either incorporate the activities into schemes of work or refer to it the night before/morning.

Covers all range of literacy activities and is an excellent resource in that respect.

Handy for the classroom, 28 Nov 2006
This has been a great classroom tool. It is easy read and has some great ideas. Some of them you may have already thought of, but on those rainy days when your brain just isn't working, it's great to be able to flip through the pages and find an inspiring starter. Or, in some cases the inspiration for a greta lessons; there are some lovely writing workshop ideas included. Great for 7-14's. A must have for every teachers tool box.

Thoroughly Useful!, 22 Feb 2005
Suitable for upper KS2 and secondary level, this is a great collection of literacy starters and warm-up activites. Many of the activities and games could be adapted for KS1 and lower junior. Corbett covers virtually every aspect of sentence structure and language use in this gem. He is an inspiring writer and his ideas have really livened up the start of literacy lessons in my year 5 class.
Highly recommended!

An entertaining explanation of the reading process, 28 Jun 2008
In Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, Maryanne Wolf, an expert on the reading brain, describes how our brains manage to read. Reading is not an innate activity, but it is an invention, and only a few thousand years old at that. It does not come naturally to humans in the way that walking or eating does and on the first page of this book, we learn that it is only because of the remarkable "plasticity" of our brains that we are able to achieve an understanding of the written word.

The book is divided into three parts. Firstly the history of how humans learned to read, secondly how reading is learned and how it develops, and thirdly what happens when in cases like dyslexia, something goes wrong in the "learning to read" process.

The reference to Proust in the title refers to passages from Proust's writings in which he describes the pleasure of reading, the memories that are evoked by thinking back to special books from childhood (how Proustian!), and the "reading sanctuary", that place of escape, a refuge from the world and its troubles. If Proust is a metaphor for a particular approach to reading, so the squid in the title refers to early neruo-scientific investigations of that creature which found how neurons fire and transmit to each other, adapting when things go wrong, repairing and compensating along the way. The squid analogy refers to the way reading required something new from existing structure of the brain, only possible because of the "plasticity" referred to earlier.

Wolf describes how reading actually changes us. We interact with books, both making them our own (everyone reads a text in their own way), but we are also permanently changed by them. "We bring our life experiences to the text, and the text changes our experience of life". Whenever we read, our original boundaries are challenged, teased and gradually placed somewhere new. An expanding sense of "other" changes who we are.

The section on the development of alphabets and reading systems is fascinating. Different types of brain activity are needed to read say Mandarin Chinese than are required for the Western alphabet. The style of writing shapes the culture to a degree, and certainly changes the reading experience. "Learning to read changes the visual cortex of the brain. The expert readers visual areas are now populated with cell networks responsible for visual images of letters, letter patterns and words". The eye moves ahead with a Western text, but moves leftward with a Hebrew text, gathering advance information about the text before it even reaches it.

The section on dyslexia was less interesting to me, but no doubt with be of great interest to educators and parents of dyslexic children. I am sure however that these chapters fit well into the book as a whole because they do actually illustrate what happens when for most of us, reading works flawlessly.

For those, like me, who are interested in "books about books", and the reading process Proust and the Squid would be an excellent addition to their library, a book to refer back to and to re-read. It is a little difficult to take in all the scientific material about brain processes, but there is much of immediate interest, the more complex neuro-science being available for study at a later time.

The mystery behind being able to read (or not) explained., 18 Apr 2008
Maryanne Wolf provides a fascinating insight into how we learn to read and the amazing things our brain does to make it happen. She also gives a comprehensive explanation of all the things that can go wrong. We expect our children to master in a couple of thousand days (from scratch as our brains aren't wired for reading at birth) what it took humanity several thousand years to develop. An important book for parents, teachers and anyone interested in one of humanities main achievements.

Literary, Historical, Biological, Cognitive, and Futurist Insights into Reading, Creativity, and Brain Development, 05 Oct 2007
I was attracted to this book by the title: What could Proust and a Squid have in common? As it turned out, squids make only two cameo appearances in the book on pages 5-6 and 226 (probably to justify the title in references to the early use of squids in neuroscience studies and for conjecture about passing along genetic traits that make survival more difficult), but Proust in pretty mainstream throughout the book as a resource and reference for describing the richness that reading can bring to individual experience.

Professor Wolf has written a multidisciplinary book that is mind-boggling in its breadth. You'll learn everything from how writing and alphabets developed to why Socrates disfavored reading to how mental processes vary among dyslexics who are reading different languages to the best ways for diagnosing and overcoming reading difficulties.

Yet unlike most multidisciplinary books, this one is very brief and compact. But that compactness is misleading; Proust and the Squid is a challenging book to read and contemplate. Only good readers with a lot of background in literature and neuroscience can probably grasp this book. What's more, there are vast numbers of references that you can pursue if you want to know more.

The writing style makes the book denser than it needed to be. Professor Wolf makes matters worse for lay readers by insisting on the correct scientific names throughout, when the ordinary names would have made the material easier to grasp. As a result, at times you'll feel like you are taking a course in disciplinary vocabulary. At other times, Professor Wolf engages in a penchant for long, abstract sentences: "What is historically humbling about Sumerian writing and pedagogy is not their understanding of morphological principles, but their realization that the teaching of reading must begin with explicit attention to the principles characteristics of oral language." This sentence could be rewritten as "Most impressively, Sumerians developed a written language that made reading easier to learn by visually reproducing what was spoken." Obviously, her rendition is more creative . . . but I like mine better.

Here is what was new to me: Reading involves complex mental processes that are not natural to the brain's earliest functions. As a result, new neural connections need to be developed in the right order if someone is to be a good reader. Various brain scan tests have illuminated this finding and those neural pathways are well illustrated and described in this book. But there are different ways that those neural connections can be made, some of which will make reading difficult.

The book's strength is in providing you with a sense of how humans learned how to develop written language and read it rapidly . . . and gain greatly from reading. The book also is good in the area of making the case for those who can't read aren't deficient, rather than are different in ways that offer other potential advantages such as creativity. If someone in your family doesn't read well, you'll love that part of the message.

Where I thought the book was weakest was in worrying about the implications of highly condensed (and possibly inaccurate) online information substituting for traditional reading of books and articles. To me, it seemed like much ado about nothing. Human curiosity will always drive forward learning, something that Professor Wolf doesn't address. Provide that curiosity with more tools and resources, and more learning will take place. Here's an example. Today I was finishing my proofreading of my latest book. In the past, I had researchers diligently check each quotation for accuracy and source. Inevitably, there would be mistakes that weren't caught and made it into my books. By using the internet to crosscheck the sources this time, I was able to do the task much better and in less time . . . correcting many mistakes in the reference sources in my library. Having had this experience, I'll probably do more seeking of quotations directly from the internet in the future . . . and that will probably improve the quality of my quotations.

Bravo, Professor Wolf!

Would recommend, 05 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).

Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?

In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.

What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.

This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

Excellent guide - informative and comprehensive, 14 Oct 2008
"The Writers' and Artist's Yearbook" (W&AY), published by A&C Black, has a long-standing reputation as a 'must-have' for any writer looking to get into publication. While a number of similar books now exist - including "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan, and "Writer's Market" (WM), published by David & Charles Ltd - W&AY remains the original font of knowledge, and for me, the premier choice.

All of these books contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, producers etc, and in truth there is little to choose between them. Indeed the competition is gradually catching up, and it is notable that TWH has undergone a major facelift for this year. Of course a lot will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the different books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better.

What makes the W&AY stand out is the wealth of advice it contains (nearly 200 pages' worth) from professional writers, publishers, agents and producers. In separate articles, famous authors such as Joanna Trollope, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell and J.K. Rowling address various aspects of the writing process and discuss a wide variety of genres. Many other highly informative pieces cover diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing your book, writing for TV, radio and theatre, the electronic world of websites and e-publishing, and financial aspects such as tax. This makes the W&AY more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing. Much overlooked is of course the fact that this is a yearbook for artists too. Correspondingly there are sections for the budding illustrator and photographer in the W&AY which are not to be found in the other guides.

There is much that is new for 2009, too. Although a couple of articles have been dropped, 7 new ones have been added, as well as a fresh foreword by Kate Mosse (author of 'Labyrinth' and 'Sepulchre', among other works). These new articles cover a range of topics, including: mind, body and spirit writing; e-books; and books published from blogs. There are also new pieces from Neil Gaiman, celebrated poet Benjamin Zephaniah, and Radio 4's The Archers scriptwriter Mary Cutler. Is it worth upgrading to the 2009 edition, then? For the articles alone - fascinating though they are - probably not. On the other hand, the advantage of having fully up-to-date listings counts for a great deal, especially if you are already looking for an agent or publisher. And at the price it is currently being offered by Amazon, it is surely a worthwhile investment.

All in all, this is an excellent and comprehensive guide. Definitely recommended for the aspiring writer or artist.

A must have book, 30 Aug 2007
I love it! The children in my class love it!

It is full of literacy starters and games to get children thinking. It fits really well with the Ros Wilson 2020 / Big Writing and the Literacy Hour.

I wouldn't be without it.

A must for any teacher!, 23 Jun 2007
I have Jumpstart for over 3 years now and it has been invaluable in my Literacy planning. The games are split into sections, some are quick, others need more time - but all of the games are wonderful. My class has several firm favourites, and I have been particularly happy with the spelling games, of which many are now being played at the children's home whilst learning their spellings for the week. Jumpstart games can be applied to any year group and I would recommend it to any Teacher.

A good starting point, 03 Apr 2007
I've used a few of the activities in this book 'as they stand' and they have worked very well with my Y7-Y8 classes who are about Level 2 - Level 4.

I don't feel it is something you could refer to as an emergency 10 minutes before the lesson starts. I have to either incorporate the activities into schemes of work or refer to it the night before/morning.

Covers all range of literacy activities and is an excellent resource in that respect.

Handy for the classroom, 28 Nov 2006
This has been a great classroom tool. It is easy read and has some great ideas. Some of them you may have already thought of, but on those rainy days when your brain just isn't working, it's great to be able to flip through the pages and find an inspiring starter. Or, in some cases the inspiration for a greta lessons; there are some lovely writing workshop ideas included. Great for 7-14's. A must have for every teachers tool box.

Thoroughly Useful!, 22 Feb 2005
Suitable for upper KS2 and secondary level, this is a great collection of literacy starters and warm-up activites. Many of the activities and games could be adapted for KS1 and lower junior. Corbett covers virtually every aspect of sentence structure and language use in this gem. He is an inspiring writer and his ideas have really livened up the start of literacy lessons in my year 5 class.
Highly recommended!

An entertaining explanation of the reading process, 28 Jun 2008
In Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, Maryanne Wolf, an expert on the reading brain, describes how our brains manage to read. Reading is not an innate activity, but it is an invention, and only a few thousand years old at that. It does not come naturally to humans in the way that walking or eating does and on the first page of this book, we learn that it is only because of the remarkable "plasticity" of our brains that we are able to achieve an understanding of the written word.

The book is divided into three parts. Firstly the history of how humans learned to read, secondly how reading is learned and how it develops, and thirdly what happens when in cases like dyslexia, something goes wrong in the "learning to read" process.

The reference to Proust in the title refers to passages from Proust's writings in which he describes the pleasure of reading, the memories that are evoked by thinking back to special books from childhood (how Proustian!), and the "reading sanctuary", that place of escape, a refuge from the world and its troubles. If Proust is a metaphor for a particular approach to reading, so the squid in the title refers to early neruo-scientific investigations of that creature which found how neurons fire and transmit to each other, adapting when things go wrong, repairing and compensating along the way. The squid analogy refers to the way reading required something new from existing structure of the brain, only possible because of the "plasticity" referred to earlier.

Wolf describes how reading actually changes us. We interact with books, both making them our own (everyone reads a text in their own way), but we are also permanently changed by them. "We bring our life experiences to the text, and the text changes our experience of life". Whenever we read, our original boundaries are challenged, teased and gradually placed somewhere new. An expanding sense of "other" changes who we are.

The section on the development of alphabets and reading systems is fascinating. Different types of brain activity are needed to read say Mandarin Chinese than are required for the Western alphabet. The style of writing shapes the culture to a degree, and certainly changes the reading experience. "Learning to read changes the visual cortex of the brain. The expert readers visual areas are now populated with cell networks responsible for visual images of letters, letter patterns and words". The eye moves ahead with a Western text, but moves leftward with a Hebrew text, gathering advance information about the text before it even reaches it.

The section on dyslexia was less interesting to me, but no doubt with be of great interest to educators and parents of dyslexic children. I am sure however that these chapters fit well into the book as a whole because they do actually illustrate what happens when for most of us, reading works flawlessly.

For those, like me, who are interested in "books about books", and the reading process Proust and the Squid would be an excellent addition to their library, a book to refer back to and to re-read. It is a little difficult to take in all the scientific material about brain processes, but there is much of immediate interest, the more complex neuro-science being available for study at a later time.

The mystery behind being able to read (or not) explained., 18 Apr 2008
Maryanne Wolf provides a fascinating insight into how we learn to read and the amazing things our brain does to make it happen. She also gives a comprehensive explanation of all the things that can go wrong. We expect our children to master in a couple of thousand days (from scratch as our brains aren't wired for reading at birth) what it took humanity several thousand years to develop. An important book for parents, teachers and anyone interested in one of humanities main achievements.

Literary, Historical, Biological, Cognitive, and Futurist Insights into Reading, Creativity, and Brain Development, 05 Oct 2007
I was attracted to this book by the title: What could Proust and a Squid have in common? As it turned out, squids make only two cameo appearances in the book on pages 5-6 and 226 (probably to justify the title in references to the early use of squids in neuroscience studies and for conjecture about passing along genetic traits that make survival more difficult), but Proust in pretty mainstream throughout the book as a resource and reference for describing the richness that reading can bring to individual experience.

Professor Wolf has written a multidisciplinary book that is mind-boggling in its breadth. You'll learn everything from how writing and alphabets developed to why Socrates disfavored reading to how mental processes vary among dyslexics who are reading different languages to the best ways for diagnosing and overcoming reading difficulties.

Yet unlike most multidisciplinary books, this one is very brief and compact. But that compactness is misleading; Proust and the Squid is a challenging book to read and contemplate. Only good readers with a lot of background in literature and neuroscience can probably grasp this book. What's more, there are vast numbers of references that you can pursue if you want to know more.

The writing style makes the book denser than it needed to be. Professor Wolf makes matters worse for lay readers by insisting on the correct scientific names throughout, when the ordinary names would have made the material easier to grasp. As a result, at times you'll feel like you are taking a course in disciplinary vocabulary. At other times, Professor Wolf engages in a penchant for long, abstract sentences: "What is historically humbling about Sumerian writing and pedagogy is not their understanding of morphological principles, but their realization that the teaching of reading must begin with explicit attention to the principles characteristics of oral language." This sentence could be rewritten as "Most impressively, Sumerians developed a written language that made reading easier to learn by visually reproducing what was spoken." Obviously, her rendition is more creative . . . but I like mine better.

Here is what was new to me: Reading involves complex mental processes that are not natural to the brain's earliest functions. As a result, new neural connections need to be developed in the right order if someone is to be a good reader. Various brain scan tests have illuminated this finding and those neural pathways are well illustrated and described in this book. But there are different ways that those neural connections can be made, some of which will make reading difficult.

The book's strength is in providing you with a sense of how humans learned how to develop written language and read it rapidly . . . and gain greatly from reading. The book also is good in the area of making the case for those who can't read aren't deficient, rather than are different in ways that offer other potential advantages such as creativity. If someone in your family doesn't read well, you'll love that part of the message.

Where I thought the book was weakest was in worrying about the implications of highly condensed (and possibly inaccurate) online information substituting for traditional reading of books and articles. To me, it seemed like much ado about nothing. Human curiosity will always drive forward learning, something that Professor Wolf doesn't address. Provide that curiosity with more tools and resources, and more learning will take place. Here's an example. Today I was finishing my proofreading of my latest book. In the past, I had researchers diligently check each quotation for accuracy and source. Inevitably, there would be mistakes that weren't caught and made it into my books. By using the internet to crosscheck the sources this time, I was able to do the task much better and in less time . . . correcting many mistakes in the reference sources in my library. Having had this experience, I'll probably do more seeking of quotations directly from the internet in the future . . . and that will probably improve the quality of my quotations.

Bravo, Professor Wolf!

Would recommend, 05 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).

Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?

In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.

What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.

This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

If you're looking for a book to help with creative writing, buy this first, 25 Aug 2008
I was one of those people who said for years that they wanted to write, but never quite got round to it. In January of this year, I decided to stop procrastinating and DO something about it. I bought lots and lots of books on writing, and I have to say that of the seven or eight I bought, ''Your Writing Coach'' is by far the best (with Stephen King's ''On Writing'' coming a close second.)

First of all, it's immensely readable. Like one of the other reviewers of this book, I read it from cover to cover, rather than just dipping into it, though now I am writing regularly, I refer to sections of it again and again.

It is very well laid out, with an overview of each chapter, and a summary of the key points, along with exercises to help you. There are also bonus features, in the form of an internet link, at the end of each section. These links will take you to interviews and advice from writing and marketing experts.

If you are planning on writing for publication, this book is an invaluable guide which will answer most of your questions. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Amanda Barry-Hirst, 19 Aug 2007
I found Jurgen Wolff's book absorbing and inspiring. Your Writing Coach is destined to become an instant classic. Jurgen's treasure trove of advice and insider secrets I'm sure will prove to be an indispensable friend to all those who aspire to the writing life.

Clear, practical, inspiring, 19 Aug 2007
So many "help" books are little or no help, meandering about, but giving no real practical advice, just dangling carrots. Jurgen's book gives clear, inspiring, encouraging advice. His web link is invaluable - often I find I am reading books he has recommended, or following ideas he has suggested. And if you can get along to one of his workshops, in person he is just as friendly and helpful and encouraging. For beginners, get reading. And for every other writer this book offers new ideas, new ways of thinking. A jolly good read!

What I was looking for, 06 Aug 2007
Being a great believer in coaching techniques and NLP, I was delighted to find a book that encompasses these with a focus on writing, along with many many practical hints and tips to get this flowing and focused.

I've attended two of Jurgen's workshops and this book is a great summary of his techniques and style.

Highly recommended, particularly for those just starting out like me!

Much More Than A How To Write Book, 20 May 2007
Your Writing Coach is a cut above other writing books because it not only guides you to writing successfully but also to being a successful writer.

I've used the practical and holistic strategies from the book/website to turn a niche teen novel into the basis of a mulit-media project. More importantly I know that I will continue to use it as that project develops or mutates into something different.

It came as no surprise that Your Writing Coach delivers on a great concept. I used Wolff's (with Kerry Cox) Successful Screenwriting book to shape a project that was subsequently accepted by a prestigious EU Media Training Programme.

Your Writing Coach is also a good read (with a couple of laugh out loud moments) and the concept is both creative and generous.

Excellent guide - informative and comprehensive, 14 Oct 2008
"The Writers' and Artist's Yearbook" (W&AY), published by A&C Black, has a long-standing reputation as a 'must-have' for any writer looking to get into publication. While a number of similar books now exist - including "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan, and "Writer's Market" (WM), published by David & Charles Ltd - W&AY remains the original font of knowledge, and for me, the premier choice.

All of these books contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, producers etc, and in truth there is little to choose between them. Indeed the competition is gradually catching up, and it is notable that TWH has undergone a major facelift for this year. Of course a lot will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the different books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better.

What makes the W&AY stand out is the wealth of advice it contains (nearly 200 pages' worth) from professional writers, publishers, agents and producers. In separate articles, famous authors such as Joanna Trollope, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell and J.K. Rowling address various aspects of the writing process and discuss a wide variety of genres. Many other highly informative pieces cover diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing your book, writing for TV, radio and theatre, the electronic world of websites and e-publishing, and financial aspects such as tax. This makes the W&AY more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing. Much overlooked is of course the fact that this is a yearbook for artists too. Correspondingly there are sections for the budding illustrator and photographer in the W&AY which are not to be found in the other guides.

There is much that is new for 2009, too. Although a couple of articles have been dropped, 7 new ones have been added, as well as a fresh foreword by Kate Mosse (author of 'Labyrinth' and 'Sepulchre', among other works). These new articles cover a range of topics, including: mind, body and spirit writing; e-books; and books published from blogs. There are also new pieces from Neil Gaiman, celebrated poet Benjamin Zephaniah, and Radio 4's The Archers scriptwriter Mary Cutler. Is it worth upgrading to the 2009 edition, then? For the articles alone - fascinating though they are - probably not. On the other hand, the advantage of having fully up-to-date listings counts for a great deal, especially if you are already looking for an agent or publisher. And at the price it is currently being offered by Amazon, it is surely a worthwhile investment.

All in all, this is an excellent and comprehensive guide. Definitely recommended for the aspiring writer or artist.

A must have book, 30 Aug 2007
I love it! The children in my class love it!

It is full of literacy starters and games to get children thinking. It fits really well with the Ros Wilson 2020 / Big Writing and the Literacy Hour.

I wouldn't be without it.

A must for any teacher!, 23 Jun 2007
I have Jumpstart for over 3 years now and it has been invaluable in my Literacy planning. The games are split into sections, some are quick, others need more time - but all of the games are wonderful. My class has several firm favourites, and I have been particularly happy with the spelling games, of which many are now being played at the children's home whilst learning their spellings for the week. Jumpstart games can be applied to any year group and I would recommend it to any Teacher.

A good starting point, 03 Apr 2007
I've used a few of the activities in this book 'as they stand' and they have worked very well with my Y7-Y8 classes who are about Level 2 - Level 4.

I don't feel it is something you could refer to as an emergency 10 minutes before the lesson starts. I have to either incorporate the activities into schemes of work or refer to it the night before/morning.

Covers all range of literacy activities and is an excellent resource in that respect.

Handy for the classroom, 28 Nov 2006
This has been a great classroom tool. It is easy read and has some great ideas. Some of them you may have already thought of, but on those rainy days when your brain just isn't working, it's great to be able to flip through the pages and find an inspiring starter. Or, in some cases the inspiration for a greta lessons; there are some lovely writing workshop ideas included. Great for 7-14's. A must have for every teachers tool box.

Thoroughly Useful!, 22 Feb 2005
Suitable for upper KS2 and secondary level, this is a great collection of literacy starters and warm-up activites. Many of the activities and games could be adapted for KS1 and lower junior. Corbett covers virtually every aspect of sentence structure and language use in this gem. He is an inspiring writer and his ideas have really livened up the start of literacy lessons in my year 5 class.
Highly recommended!

An entertaining explanation of the reading process, 28 Jun 2008
In Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, Maryanne Wolf, an expert on the reading brain, describes how our brains manage to read. Reading is not an innate activity, but it is an invention, and only a few thousand years old at that. It does not come naturally to humans in the way that walking or eating does and on the first page of this book, we learn that it is only because of the remarkable "plasticity" of our brains that we are able to achieve an understanding of the written word.

The book is divided into three parts. Firstly the history of how humans learned to read, secondly how reading is learned and how it develops, and thirdly what happens when in cases like dyslexia, something goes wrong in the "learning to read" process.

The reference to Proust in the title refers to passages from Proust's writings in which he describes the pleasure of reading, the memories that are evoked by thinking back to special books from childhood (how Proustian!), and the "reading sanctuary", that place of escape, a refuge from the world and its troubles. If Proust is a metaphor for a particular approach to reading, so the squid in the title refers to early neruo-scientific investigations of that creature which found how neurons fire and transmit to each other, adapting when things go wrong, repairing and compensating along the way. The squid analogy refers to the way reading required something new from existing structure of the brain, only possible because of the "plasticity" referred to earlier.

Wolf describes how reading actually changes us. We interact with books, both making them our own (everyone reads a text in their own way), but we are also permanently changed by them. "We bring our life experiences to the text, and the text changes our experience of life". Whenever we read, our original boundaries are challenged, teased and gradually placed somewhere new. An expanding sense of "other" changes who we are.

The section on the development of alphabets and reading systems is fascinating. Different types of brain activity are needed to read say Mandarin Chinese than are required for the Western alphabet. The style of writing shapes the culture to a degree, and certainly changes the reading experience. "Learning to read changes the visual cortex of the brain. The expert readers visual areas are now populated with cell networks responsible for visual images of letters, letter patterns and words". The eye moves ahead with a Western text, but moves leftward with a Hebrew text, gathering advance information about the text before it even reaches it.

The section on dyslexia was less interesting to me, but no doubt with be of great interest to educators and parents of dyslexic children. I am sure however that these chapters fit well into the book as a whole because they do actually illustrate what happens when for most of us, reading works flawlessly.

For those, like me, who are interested in "books about books", and the reading process Proust and the Squid would be an excellent addition to their library, a book to refer back to and to re-read. It is a little difficult to take in all the scientific material about brain processes, but there is much of immediate interest, the more complex neuro-science being available for study at a later time.

The mystery behind being able to read (or not) explained., 18 Apr 2008
Maryanne Wolf provides a fascinating insight into how we learn to read and the amazing things our brain does to make it happen. She also gives a comprehensive explanation of all the things that can go wrong. We expect our children to master in a couple of thousand days (from scratch as our brains aren't wired for reading at birth) what it took humanity several thousand years to develop. An important book for parents, teachers and anyone interested in one of humanities main achievements.

Literary, Historical, Biological, Cognitive, and Futurist Insights into Reading, Creativity, and Brain Development, 05 Oct 2007
I was attracted to this book by the title: What could Proust and a Squid have in common? As it turned out, squids make only two cameo appearances in the book on pages 5-6 and 226 (probably to justify the title in references to the early use of squids in neuroscience studies and for conjecture about passing along genetic traits that make survival more difficult), but Proust in pretty mainstream throughout the book as a resource and reference for describing the richness that reading can bring to individual experience.

Professor Wolf has written a multidisciplinary book that is mind-boggling in its breadth. You'll learn everything from how writing and alphabets developed to why Socrates disfavored reading to how mental processes vary among dyslexics who are reading different languages to the best ways for diagnosing and overcoming reading difficulties.

Yet unlike most multidisciplinary books, this one is very brief and compact. But that compactness is misleading; Proust and the Squid is a challenging book to read and contemplate. Only good readers with a lot of background in literature and neuroscience can probably grasp this book. What's more, there are vast numbers of references that you can pursue if you want to know more.

The writing style makes the book denser than it needed to be. Professor Wolf makes matters worse for lay readers by insisting on the correct scientific names throughout, when the ordinary names would have made the material easier to grasp. As a result, at times you'll feel like you are taking a course in disciplinary vocabulary. At other times, Professor Wolf engages in a penchant for long, abstract sentences: "What is historically humbling about Sumerian writing and pedagogy is not their understanding of morphological principles, but their realization that the teaching of reading must begin with explicit attention to the principles characteristics of oral language." This sentence could be rewritten as "Most impressively, Sumerians developed a written language that made reading easier to learn by visually reproducing what was spoken." Obviously, her rendition is more creative . . . but I like mine better.

Here is what was new to me: Reading involves complex mental processes that are not natural to the brain's earliest functions. As a result, new neural connections need to be developed in the right order if someone is to be a good reader. Various brain scan tests have illuminated this finding and those neural pathways are well illustrated and described in this book. But there are different ways that those neural connections can be made, some of which will make reading difficult.

The book's strength is in providing you with a sense of how humans learned how to develop written language and read it rapidly . . . and gain greatly from reading. The book also is good in the area of making the case for those who can't read aren't deficient, rather than are different in ways that offer other potential advantages such as creativity. If someone in your family doesn't read well, you'll love that part of the message.

Where I thought the book was weakest was in worrying about the implications of highly condensed (and possibly inaccurate) online information substituting for traditional reading of books and articles. To me, it seemed like much ado about nothing. Human curiosity will always drive forward learning, something that Professor Wolf doesn't address. Provide that curiosity with more tools and resources, and more learning will take place. Here's an example. Today I was finishing my proofreading of my latest book. In the past, I had researchers diligently check each quotation for accuracy and source. Inevitably, there would be mistakes that weren't caught and made it into my books. By using the internet to crosscheck the sources this time, I was able to do the task much better and in less time . . . correcting many mistakes in the reference sources in my library. Having had this experience, I'll probably do more seeking of quotations directly from the internet in the future . . . and that will probably improve the quality of my quotations.

Bravo, Professor Wolf!

Would recommend, 05 Sep 2008
I bought the 2001 version when I was a student and purchased this one because I wanted to get back into writing again. It has definately improved with age and still contains every contact an aspiring writing could ever need. There's a very in-depth article in this addition on the UK tax implications for the writer which I found interesting (perhaps, that says more about the reviewer than the book!).

Would highly recommend and best to read with a notepad, pen and highlighter handy.

Comprehensive listings guide - but the Writers' and Artists' Yearbook is better, 23 Oct 2007
There are two books on the market which are widely touted as 'must-haves' for any writer looking to get into publication. One is this book, "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan. Its rival, the "Writers' and Artists' Yearbook" (W&AY), is published by A&C Black. Both contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, TV/radio producers, festivals, writing courses etc. You only really need one of them - but which one?

In truth there's little to choose between them. Much will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the two books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better. However, to me the W&AY appears the more polished product, with a clearer table of contents and a more easily navigable structure.

What the TWH really lacks compared to the W&AY is the latter's many detailed and informative articles written by publishers, agents and successful writers (J.K. Rowling, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell, Joanna Trollope, to name a few). The W&AY has about 170 pages' worth of these in total (100 on books alone), discussing different genres and aspects of the writing process, as well as covering diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing, writing for TV, radio and theatre, and e-publishing. TWH, by comparison, has only about 30 pages of such articles. This in my opinion sets the W&AY apart and makes it far more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing.

This is not to say that there is anything particularly wrong with TWH - it is perfectly adequate for what it is. To be certain, buyers interested mainly in the listings (perhaps those already looking for an agent or publisher) will not be disappointed. All in all, however, my recommendation has to go to the "Writer's & Artist's Yearbook", for the added value of the sheer wealth of information and advice it contains.

If you're looking for a book to help with creative writing, buy this first, 25 Aug 2008
I was one of those people who said for years that they wanted to write, but never quite got round to it. In January of this year, I decided to stop procrastinating and DO something about it. I bought lots and lots of books on writing, and I have to say that of the seven or eight I bought, ''Your Writing Coach'' is by far the best (with Stephen King's ''On Writing'' coming a close second.)

First of all, it's immensely readable. Like one of the other reviewers of this book, I read it from cover to cover, rather than just dipping into it, though now I am writing regularly, I refer to sections of it again and again.

It is very well laid out, with an overview of each chapter, and a summary of the key points, along with exercises to help you. There are also bonus features, in the form of an internet link, at the end of each section. These links will take you to interviews and advice from writing and marketing experts.

If you are planning on writing for publication, this book is an invaluable guide which will answer most of your questions. I cannot recommend it highly enough!

Amanda Barry-Hirst, 19 Aug 2007
I found Jurgen Wolff's book absorbing and inspiring. Your Writing Coach is destined to become an instant classic. Jurgen's treasure trove of advice and insider secrets I'm sure will prove to be an indispensable friend to all those who aspire to the writing life.

Clear, practical, inspiring, 19 Aug 2007
So many "help" books are little or no help, meandering about, but giving no real practical advice, just dangling carrots. Jurgen's book gives clear, inspiring, encouraging advice. His web link is invaluable - often I find I am reading books he has recommended, or following ideas he has suggested. And if you can get along to one of his workshops, in person he is just as friendly and helpful and encouraging. For beginners, get reading. And for every other writer this book offers new ideas, new ways of thinking. A jolly good read!

What I was looking for, 06 Aug 2007
Being a great believer in coaching techniques and NLP, I was delighted to find a book that encompasses these with a focus on writing, along with many many practical hints and tips to get this flowing and focused.

I've attended two of Jurgen's workshops and this book is a great summary of his techniques and style.

Highly recommended, particularly for those just starting out like me!

Much More Than A How To Write Book, 20 May 2007
Your Writing Coach is a cut above other writing books because it not only guides you to writing successfully but also to being a successful writer.

I've used the practical and holistic strategies from the book/website to turn a niche teen novel into the basis of a mulit-media project. More importantly I know that I will continue to use it as that project develops or mutates into something different.

It came as no surprise that Your Writing Coach delivers on a great concept. I used Wolff's (with Kerry Cox) Successful Screenwriting book to shape a project that was subsequently accepted by a prestigious EU Media Training Programme.

Your Writing Coach is also a good read (with a couple of laugh out loud moments) and the concept is both creative and generous.

Horrible, 19 Nov 2008
The book might be cheap but it isn't worth the amount of money asked. I thought I would get an idea how to write a novel, just some insight and advise, and instead I get nothing. The author with great care, talks about ancient books, that are probably very important books, but are of no relevance really to anyone trying to write for fun and in our current century.
I don't need to know who or why someone wrote something in 100 years ago and while Jane Astin was an excellent writer, I don't want to know about her style or what it is called.
I had been looking for some qualified advise what to do in writing a story and what not to do, what techniques to apply and how certain sentence structurs could be used, I do not care to know how ancient English worked.
Therefore, while the book is most certainly well researched and if there is an interest in how or why some writers from a long time ago chose to write in a certain way, then I would recommend it but otherwise, it is a waste of money.
No valid points I can use for myself, just grief that I have wasted my money on it.
And I never leave any comments like this but this time, I felt I really had to.

Indispensable for the novelist, 14 Dec 2007
Terms are bandied around for different forms of novel writing, and you dismiss them as 'jargon', or perhaps 'gobbledegook', and move on. It's only when you've actually written a novel that doesn't fit the standard genre - historical, fantasy, adventure, thriller, etc - that you wish you'd paid more attention. If you've completed writing such a book without having recourse to the Art of Fiction, you'll need it at this point, otherwise you might be excused for thinking you've ploughed a completely new literary furrow. So, before you start preparing your witty acceptance speech on winning the Booker, do read David Lodge and you'll learn that someone famous has been there before you and that, in some cases, they have been lauded and slated by the critics in equal proportions.

You'll learn about Magic Realism, Stream of Consciousness, The Reader in the Text, Teenage Skaz etc etc. There's much in the Art of Fiction for the more orthodox writer, too. His essays are beautifully written, very clear and he uses well-known illustrative texts. I can thoroughly recommend this one for the discerning writer and reader.

Interesting and insightful, 09 Jul 2007
"The Art of Fiction" is divided into 50 chapters, each devoted to a different aspect or theme in fiction (in this case primarily novel-writing). Some of these themes are standard topics: 'Beginning', 'Point of View', 'Introducing a Character', 'Chapters' and 'Ending' for example. Others are more unusual: including 'Suspense', 'Symbolism', 'Epiphany', 'The Telephone' as well as more technical-sounding topics such as 'Aporia' and 'Intertextuality'. Through these themes Lodge explores the construction of the novel and underlines the sheer variety of approaches taken by different writers over the course of time.

Each chapter is drawn from an article in Lodge's own newspaper column, which means that the subject matter is easily accessible and digestible for the casual reader. Lodge's style is easy to read and follow and he occasionally intersperses his analysis with his own anecdotes. This is 'a book to browse in, and dip into', as Lodge himself explains, which assumes very little prior knowledge of the texts concerned. Indeed his subjects are very diverse, ranging from Henry Fielding in the 18th century, and Victorian writers such as Brontë and Dickens, all the way to 20th-century authors including, among many others, George Orwell and Kazuo Ishiguro. However, it is not necessary to have read all - or even any - of these texts, as Lodge begins each chapter with a relevant passage quoted in full to illustrate his point.

The goal of "The Art of Fiction" is to enhance the reader's understanding of modern literature, and not explicitly to teach lessons in composition to aspiring authors. Nevertheless, for any writer it is always instructive to dissect those works which have gone before, and this book would therefore be of tremendous use.

Everything considered, "The Art of Fiction" is a worthy addition to the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in deconstructing how modern fiction works - either the casual reader or the student. Recommended.

Interesting and insightful, 23 Jun 2007
"The Art of Fiction" is divided into 50 chapters, each devoted to a different aspect or theme in fiction (in this case primarily novel-writing). Some of these themes are standard topics: 'Beginning', 'Point of View', 'Introducing a Character', 'Chapters' and 'Ending' for example. Others are more unusual: including 'Suspense', 'Symbolism', 'Epiphany', 'The Telephone' as well as more technical-sounding topics such as 'Aporia' and 'Intertextuality'. Through these themes Lodge explores the construction of the novel and underlines the sheer variety of approaches taken by different writers over the course of time.

Each chapter is drawn from an article in Lodge's own newspaper column, which means that the subject matter is easily accessible and digestible for the casual reader. Lodge's style is easy to read and follow and he occasionally intersperses his analysis with his own anecdotes. This is 'a book to browse in, and dip into', as Lodge himself explains, which assumes very little prior knowledge of the texts concerned. Indeed his subjects are very diverse, ranging from Henry Fielding in the 18th century, and Victorian writers such as Brontë and Dickens, all the way to 20th-century authors including, among many others, George Orwell and Kazuo Ishiguro. However, it is not necessary to have read all - or even any - of these texts, as Lodge begins each chapter with a relevant passage quoted in full to illustrate his point.

The goal of "The Art of Fiction" is to enhance the reader's understanding of modern literature, and not explicitly to teach lessons in composition to aspiring authors. Nevertheless, for any writer it is always instructive to dissect those works which have gone before, and this book would therefore be of tremendous use.

Everything considered, "The Art of Fiction" is a worthy addition to the bookshelf of anyone with an interest in deconstructing how modern fiction works - either the casual reader or the student. Recommended.

Modest and magisterial, 25 Sep 2006
This must surely be one of the most astute crossover books ever: originally conceived as a series of newspaper articles, these fifty chapters make the sometimes forbidding and austere discipline of literary criticism accessible to the general reader.
David Lodge is no stranger to negotiating such crossovers: his comic novels have reached a wide readership while fitting perfectly into the tradition of the English comic novel, about which Lodge, for many years a professor of modern literature, knows more than most people. In "The Art of Fiction", he draws on a wider range of examples than in his other, more academically slanted, works of literary criticism. Each of the fifty chapters begins with an extract [occasionally more than one] from novels, or, occasionally, short stories. The majority of his choices are from twentieth-century British fiction [Kingsley Amis, Virginia Woolf, Muriel Spark, Evelyn Waugh...], but there are also incursions into the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and into American and Irish literature. The extracts serve as introductions to aspects of fiction as varied as: symbolism, allegory, time-shift, motivation, irony, and the author is always at pains to link his extract to other literary works.
The overall result is both modest and magisterial. As David Lodge points out in his introduction, "this is a book for people who prefer to take their Lit.Crit. in small doses, a book to browse in, and dip into". His approach works brilliantly: this book is an invaluable source of inspiration. Most important of all, it doesn't matter if you haven't read the novels from which Lodge has chosen his illustrations; the whole point is that in many cases you almost certainly will want to read them soon.
A modern classic in a category all of its own.

Excellent guide - informative and comprehensive, 14 Oct 2008
"The Writers' and Artist's Yearbook" (W&AY), published by A&C Black, has a long-standing reputation as a 'must-have' for any writer looking to get into publication. While a number of similar books now exist - including "The Writer's Handbook" (TWH), published by Macmillan, and "Writer's Market" (WM), published by David & Charles Ltd - W&AY remains the original font of knowledge, and for me, the premier choice.

All of these books contain roughly the same extensive listings of publishers, agents, print media, producers etc, and in truth there is little to choose between them. Indeed the competition is gradually catching up, and it is notable that TWH has undergone a major facelift for this year. Of course a lot will come down to personal preference regarding the layout of the different books, and so if you can get the chance to compare them before you buy, all the better.

What makes the W&AY stand out is the wealth of advice it contains (nearly 200 pages' worth) from professional writers, publishers, agents and producers. In separate articles, famous authors such as Joanna Trollope, Terry Pratchett, Bernard Cornwell and J.K. Rowling address various aspects of the writing process and discuss a wide variety of genres. Many other highly informative pieces cover diverse issues such as self-publishing, marketing your book, writing for TV, radio and theatre, the electronic world of websites and e-publishing, and financial aspects such as tax. This makes the W&AY more than simply a listings book - it is, in effect, an introduction to the entire world of writing. Much overlooked is of course the fact that this is a yearbook for artists too. Correspondingly there are sections for the budding illustrator and photographer in the W&AY which are not to be found in the other guides.

There is much that is new for 2009, too. Although a couple of articles have been dropped, 7 new ones have been added, as well as a fresh foreword by Kate Mosse (author of 'Labyrinth' and 'Sepulchre', among other works). These new articles cover a range of topics, including: mind, body and spirit writing; e-books; and books published from blogs. There are also new pieces from Neil Gaiman, celebrated poet Benjamin Zephaniah, and Radio 4's The Archers scriptwriter Mary Cutler. Is it worth upgrading to the 2009 edition, then? For the articles alone - fascinating though they are - probably not. On the other hand, the advantage of having fully up-to-date listings counts for a great deal, especially if you are already looking for an agent or publisher. And at the price it is currently being offered by Amazon, it is surely a worthwhile investment.

All in all, this is an excellent and comprehensive guide. Definitely recommended for the aspiring writer or artist.

A must have book, 30 Aug 2007
I love it! The children in my class love it!

It is full of literacy starters and games to get children thinking. It fits really well with the Ros Wilson 2020 / Big Writing and the Literacy Hour.

I wouldn't be without it.

A must for any teacher!, 23 Jun 2007
I have Jumpstart for over 3 years now and it has been invaluable in my Literacy planning. The games are split into sections, some are quick, others need more time - but all of the games are wonderful. My class has several firm favourites, and I have been particularly happy with the spelling games, of which many are now being played at the children's home whilst learning their spellings for the week. Jumpstart games can be applied to any year group and I would recommend it to any Teacher.

A good starting point, 03 Apr 2007
I've used a few of the activities in this book 'as they stand' and they have worked very well with my Y7-Y8 classes who are about Level 2 - Level 4.

I don't feel it is something you could refer to as an emergency 10 minutes before the lesson starts. I have to either incorporate the activities into schemes of work or refer to it the night before/morning.

Covers all range of literacy activities and is an excellent resource in that respect.

Handy for the classroom, 28 Nov 2006
This has been a great classroom tool. It is easy read and has some great ideas. Some of them you may have already thought of, but on those rainy days when your brain just isn't working, it's great to be able to flip through the pages and find an inspiring starter. Or, in some cases the inspiration for a greta lessons; there are some lovely writing workshop ideas included. Great for 7-14's. A must have for every teachers tool box.

Thoroughly Useful!, 22 Feb 2005
Suitable for upper KS2 and secondary level, this is a great collection of literacy starters and warm-up activites. Many of the activities and games could be adapted for KS1 and lower junior. Corbett covers virtually every aspect of sentence structure and language use in this gem. He is an inspiring writer and his ideas have really livened up the start of literacy lessons in my year 5 class.
Highly recommended!

An entertaining explanation of the reading process, 28 Jun 2008
In Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain, Maryanne Wolf, an expert on the reading brain, describes how our brains manage to read. Reading is not an innate activity, but it is an invention, and only a few thousand years old at that. It does not come naturally to humans in the way that walking or eating does and on the first page of this book, we learn that it is only because of the remarkable "plasticity" of our brains that we are able to achieve an understanding of the written word.

The book is divided into three parts. Firstly the history of how humans learned to read, secondly how reading is learned and how it develops, and thirdly what happens when in cases like dyslexia, something goes wrong in the "learning to read" process.

The reference to Proust in the title refers to passages from Proust's writings in which he describes the pleasure of reading, the memories that are evoked by thinking back to special books from childhood (how Proustian!), and the "reading sanctuary", that place of escape, a refuge from the world and its troubles. If Proust is a metaphor for a particular approach to reading, so the squid in the title refers to early neruo-scientific investigations of that creature which found how neurons fire and transmit to each other, adapting when things go wrong, repairing and compensating along the way. The squid analogy refers to the way reading