Some books are meant to be read in one sitting. This isn't one of those. When I first picked up this book, I didn't get very far, because the pieces included are quite a bit shorter than I expected. Since then, I have started it again and am finding it much more enjoyable as long as I don't try to rush through it. I read only one or two of the short pieces in a sitting and savor his wonderful use of language. Glad I picked it back up again though reading it this way will take me a while to finish. ( )

This book is a collection of excerpts from the various works of Roger Rosenblatt. All about the writing life. This book is perfect for dipping into now and again to have a bite to savor.

This book is the first LibraryThing Early Reviewers book that I will be professionally repurposing (surprisingly, because it is the sixty-seventh title for me to receive): I will be including this book in a review essay that will be published in 2021. I'm glad I checked in to note the other reviews posted here already. I agree that some additional context might have helped the various excerpts (years of publication, if nothing else). But this book seems not to be one that is intended to be read serially, per se; it's rather tiring and repetitive to read that way. About a third of the way through (yes, I read it sequentially), I was craving some sort of structure: Couldn't the various excerpts have been organized into sections or themes or something (I wondered)? But then it hit me: This book does have a logical organizing framework, but it's subtle. Someone--either Rosenblatt or the acquiring editor who suggested this collection--worked some magic behind the scenes, and the idea is so fascinating that I really do not want to spoil it here. My sense is now that having the realization is part of the point of the book. (Once I realized what is going on in the text, my perception of the work changed completely--I never would have thought to include this book in a professional review until this discovery.) I was inspired, as a result of reading The Story I Am, to order a copy of Rosenblatt's Unless It Moves the Human Heart: The Craft and Art of Writing (Ecco, 2011). So, thanks, LibraryThing Early Reviewers--and Turtle Point Press!

There's nothing author Roger Rosenblatt likes more than writing--talking about it, admiring it, teaching it—even, unlike many other writers, actually doing it. In this collection of short pieces from his long and varied career, Rosenblatt focuses on "the writing life," and explains why it is the only one he's ever wanted.

This book consists of reprints or extracts from Rosenblatt's published and unpublished works. Some context or even just dates on the entries would have helped. Best for readers who are already fans of his work. ( )

This is a book that should never had been published. While Roger Rosenblatt is a writer I have respected through the years, The Story I Am, adds nothing to his life’s work.

The excerpts within could be considered tidbits which are disconnected from one another. If one were interest3 in exploring or revisiting Rosenblatt’s writing it is better to go to original sources.

I received this copy as a LT review copy and cannot imagine why anyone would want to pay to read this book.

Sorry to write such a bad review. ( )