The Innocent Reader
Reflections on Reading and Writing
by Debra Adelaide
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Pub Date Sep 24 2019 | Archive Date Nov 10 2019
Pan Macmillan Australia | Picador Australia
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Description
Books are impractical companions and housemates: they are heavy when you are travelling, and in the home take up a lot of space, are hard to keep clean, and harbour insects. It is not a matter of the physical book, it is the deep emotional connection that stretches back to my early years. Living without them is unimaginable.
These collected essays share a joyous and plaintive glimpse into the reading and writing life of novelist, editor and teacher of creative writing Debra Adelaide.
Every book I have read becomes part of me, and discarding any is like tearing out a page from my own life.
With immediate wit and intimacy, Adelaide explores what shapes us as readers, how books inform, console and broaden our senses of self, and the constant conversation of authors and readers with the rest of their libraries. Drawing from her experiences in the publishing industry, the academic world, her own life and the literary and critical communities, she paints a vibrant portrait of a life lived in and by books, perfect for any student, bibliophile, editor, or simply: reader.
Advance Praise
"In an act of generosity, Adelaide offers readers a deeper understanding of how the unconscious shapes, filters and connects ideas through a lifelong love affair with books. She has given me sharper lenses through which to focus more closely on what is on the page and how it got there." CAROLINE BAUM
"The complex transaction between writer and reader unfolds, in these vivid and generous personal essays, to produce a hymn to the uncanny power of fiction." CARMEL BIRD
"A passion for books is threaded through every part of Debra Adelaide's life, as writer, teacher and mother. She's an unpretentious but discerning reader, a rigorous and amusing guide, a generous and confiding friend, a 'literary autodidact' who demonstrates that reading is both an appetite and a muscle. I devoured these essays, spiced with the detail of Debra's personal experience, and felt again the pure hunger for books I had as a child. The Innocent Reader has the power to ignite a love of stories and sentences, and is a trove of wisdom for readers, writers and students who want to sharpen their skills." SUSAN WYNDHAM
'An indispensable guide for every student of creative writing, an ideal companion for the avid reader. A book full of insights as helpful to the seasoned professional writer as to the novice starting out. The Innocent Reader is also a sort of companion to the body of work of one of our most treasured writers, wherein the author gives away more of herself than ever before, through books both read and written, with friends in the business of reading and writing. Debra Adelaide's reflections are at once warm-hearted and steely, and throw light not just on her own work, but also our literary culture as a whole.' FIONA McGREGOR
'A bounty of beautiful, profound (and useful) statements on reading and writing . . . This book is a standing ovation to the glory and wonder of books.' WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN
Marketing Plan
Part-bibliomemoir, part-user's manual, Debra Adelaide shares a life dedicated to reading and writing.
Part-bibliomemoir, part-user's manual, Debra Adelaide shares a life dedicated to reading and writing.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Ebook |
| ISBN | 9781760788568 |
| PRICE | $7.26 (USD) |
| PAGES | 300 |
Featured Reviews
Helen H, Reviewer
‘Every book I have read becomes part of me, and discarding any is like tearing out a page from my own life.’
Debra Adelaide’s book, ‘The Innocent Reader’ is a collection of essays about reading rather than a straight out story of a literary life. The range of essays are divided into three sections - reading, writing and then the two combined - in which she describes the importance of books in shaping her (and inadvertently, other avid readers) life.
‘Only in recent years have I come to understand that reading fiction is not a matter of escaping from the so-called real world: fiction for me is the real world, and when I read, what I feel, think and experience is as real as anything else in my life.’
Overall, these essays share the joy of reading and writing and from the perspective of all Debra has achieved as a reader, writer, editor and teacher of creative writing. There is much to both relate to and appreciate in her reflections and musings as Debra explores what shapes us as readers; how books achieve so much through informing, entertaining and ultimately broadening our sense of self. With essays drawn from her own life experiences and the broader literary community, Debra paints a picture for all bibliophiles to appreciate.
‘During this time, reading made sense, not because any of the books explained anything or revealed information or elucidated mysteries, but in and of itself. The process was all. I became the words, I became the book, and so escaped myself.’
Not being a writer, I found the first and third sections more enjoyable as Debra clearly portrays the life of an avid bookworm and our obsession with the fictional world and how it allows both escapism and immersion into alternate realities. If you are a writer, or desire to write, I am sure the second section will provide interesting thoughts on the writing process.
‘I invariably open a new book with no other expectation than that I will be transported to a wonderful new world. I often feel that a book I particularly admire or love is written for me alone, that the author has somehow peered straight into my heart and articulated my deepest thoughts, given voice to my most private desires, and that I am as dear to the author as she or he is to me.’
All up I found this book to be a soothing balm to a readers soul, indeed a vindication for all the many hours we have lost ourselves to the art of reading. Throughout many parts of the readings, Debra valiantly captures what it is to be in love with books and reading.
‘Retiring at night with a favourite book is the most romantic and thrilling date. Throughout the day, while in a meeting, or when waiting at the bus stop, or queuing for coffee at lunchtime, you remember that at the end of the day, when all is done that has to be done, there awaiting is your bed and your book.’
This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.
Kris B, Reviewer
I don't know how (or even if I should) review this book! Especially after the essay regarding reviewers. Why do we review books? Why should we? I have so much to think about!
The Innocent Reader is, on the whole, a mind blowing, at times touching and wonderfully fresh collection of insights into why we read, why we write, books and reading as relational tools. I've never thought about some of the concepts that Adelaide so completely theorises in this book but I will be thinking of them for ever more.
Some of the essays included are so touching and so heartfelt that I was close to tears while some of them made me ashamed to have not read more and others made me laugh out loud. I think this book delivers some really great perspectives (if not thought provoking truths) and it belongs on the shelf of every person who calls themselves a bibliophile or book collector.
I'm inspired to go through and read all of the books mentioned within The Innocent Reader, to study editing and reviewing with a proper teacher and to learn how to write better. Not because I envision myself being a published author but just because I'm inspired to do what I do, that is read, that much more proficiently. Brilliant read.
