Page Fright: Foibles and Fetishes of Famous Writers [Hardcover]

When I read the introduction to "Page Fright", I laughed out loud, silence in the library be damned. Author Harry Bruce described how British novelist Stephen Fry's public appearances invariably included the following questions from the audience:

"Do you write in longhand or on a computer?"
"PC or Mac?"
"Which size font do you prefer?"

I laughed because as a published writer, I've gotten those questions myself. They're spawned by the misguided belief that a foolproof formula for guaranteed publication exists, and if you ask the `lucky ones' what their work habits are, you, too, shall one day find your name on a bookstore shelf among the rest of the chosen.

In "Page Fright", Harry Bruce combines this curiosity about the habits of successful writers with some truly entertaining examples of crazy rituals, destructive habits, and bizarre mindsets that afflicted Balzac, Flaubert, Hemingway, Kerouac, and other greats. In between the chapters dedicated to this dark hilarity, however, are fascinating histories of the quill pen, the pencil, the typewriter, the word processor, and other writers' tools, as well as comments from the writers who favored each one. Bruce also presents author comment on writer's block, first novel syndrome, and other career hurdles that may or may not exist depending on who you talk to.

This is by far the most unique and enjoyable history of the writing craft that I have read in a long time. Well done!

Writers are interesting people, often more interesting than the characters they create. Henry Bruce's book "Page Fright" clearly points that out with the magnitude of information he shares about the famous and infamous.

"Page Fright" begins with a historical perspective of the creation of language and, subsequently, paper and pen, and then evolves into the most interesting tidbits about writers and their works. For example, did you know that John Steinbeck wrote with a round pencil because he pushed so hard on a hexagonal one that he would cut his fingers? That James Thurber refused to write with a typewriter despite being so blind that he could only manage to write nine words at a time in crayon on a large sheet of paper? Or that Ernest Hemingway rewrote the last page of "A Farewell to Arms" 39 times because he wanted to "get it right"? This book has 316 pages containing similar tintillating information.

Bruce's book will apeal to those interested in discovering more about writers and what encouraged, discouraged, engaged or hindered them from creating internationally-recognized masterpieces. It is quite readable, enjoyable, well-researched and interesting. "Page Fright" is quite a different book, but one anyone who has a curiousity about history, or who has struggled with any form of writing will enjoy.

This is a great book. It is a book about writing and not about getting published. It is the writers' "how and why" and not a "how to". It is a joy to consume and it should be read by writers, would be writers, readers, historians and people with an interest in the curious workings of the writer's mind and life. This was a huge task as literature and writers are so diverse. It is seemingly impossible to unite them into a common theme but Harry Bruce has done this, and done it well. It is a travel through time and technology. It proceeds through papyrus to pen and it is about people and their personal peccadilloes - and much more. I agree with writer Ray Robertson's review in the Globe & Mail that it is "and admirably assembled and easily consumable compendium of choice anecdotes and most sensible reflections about all facets of the writing life." It is a superb work. It is easy to read due to the fine and fluid writing style, no doubt coming from Harry's own 50 plus years as writer and journalist. It is a pleasure to read. You can either devour just a few pages and easily pick it up at a later time, or what is usually the case, get immersed in the history and wonder of the topic through the grace of the writing and find that you have knocked off most of the book. As I did in one plane ride.

It should be noted that the Editor-in-Chief for this book is the Canadian publishing icon Douglas Gibson who only chooses a few books to personally work on each year. The editing is flawless. Even the cover art is good. On the front is a caricature of Mark Twain bashing an old style typewriter with his cane and on the back is Victor Hugo who would write would write naked standing up at his lectern. The book is filled with many well researched and juicy tidbits, such as, Voltaire using his naked mistress' back as a desk or the superstitions of Truman Capote which include refusing to fly if the plane included two nuns as passengers, allowing three cigarette butts in one ashtray or to be anywhere near yellow roses. Who knew?

Do not be misled by the sub-title as it does not do the book justice. The 351 pages is about more than "foibles and fetishes" and it does not adequately describe the depth and breadth of what is clearly one writer's passion about the lives and work of his peers. It has no less than 398 bibliographical references. One can only imagine how much research had to go into finding so much relevant, interesting and even arcane information.

Although it is about other authors, Harry's own writing is very good. In talking about papyrus he states it is a "tall reed that grew abundantly in the shallower waters of the Nile and its delta. Cyperus papyrus was a godsend to locals, and perhaps to the baby Moses." A nice play on words and biblical history. His writing allows you to imagine two fingered typists hunched over an old Underwood. "Decades later, even as tens of millions of people welcomed into their homes the low hum and blinking screen of the personal computer, countless writers stuck with either their beloved electric typewriters or the clackety-clacking, slam-banging, bell-ringing, ribbon-spinning manual antiques they'd been using all their lives."

It is too easy to fall into the trap of just trying to entice you with tidbits of the dark side of writing including suicide, depression, writers' block and substance abuse. There is lots of this in there but there is so much more. There are too many anecdotes to recount or do them justice, and of course, each one will move us differently. To show the depth of his research I choose one of national import. The great Canadian author Hugh MacLennan (a fellow Nova Scotian) and winner of five Governor General's Awards when writing his last novel, Voices in Time, suffered the set back of having his very old Underwood die. Peter Gzowski, a powerful national radio personality appealed on-air to the people of Canada to search their attics for a typewriter of a very specific vintage. Mr. Canada was able to finish and the book was declared to be "MacLennan's greatest novel". Although this was about a Canadian author, Harry literally covers the world from Papa Hemmingway to Proust and Erica Jong to Thackeray and beyond.

Harry Bruce aptly quoted Lord Byron early in the book and I will close this review with the same one. He has made fine use of the mighty instrument.

O nature's noblest gift - my grey goose-quill!
Slave of my thoughts, obedient to my will
Torn from thy parent bird to form a pen
That mighty instrument of little men!

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