Like many of us, I'm sure, I've read a lot of books on writing. Recently I heard George Saunders interviewed on Bookworm (which is an excellent program if you haven't listened to it: it podcasts as well), and Michael Silverblatt, the brilliant host, loved A Swim in the Pond in the Rain so much that the new saying in our house is, "May someone love your work the way Michael Silverblatt loves George's."
I bought the book and cannot recommend it enough. Best book on writing I've ever read. He walks you through seven Russian stories (reprinted in full in his book) and talks about what they are doing in them, how they were written, and along the way gives absolute pearls about how he writes, and most importantly, how he revises. AT LEAST three times I read something he wrote and walked around the house saying, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Get yourself a copy or reserve it from the library. It's well worth the read.
