
The Art of X-Ray Reading
How the Secrets of 25 Great Works of Literature Will Improve Your Writing
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Narrated by:
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Jefferson Mays
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By:
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Roy Peter Clark
About this listen
Roy Peter Clark, one of America's most influential writing teachers, offers writing lessons we can draw from 25 great texts.
Where do writers learn their best moves? They use a technique that Roy Peter Clark calls X-ray reading, a form of reading that lets you penetrate beyond the surface of a text to see how meaning is actually being made.
In The Art of X-Ray Reading, Clark invites you to don your X-ray reading glasses and join him on a guided tour through some of the most exquisite and masterful literary works of all time, from The Great Gatsby to Lolita to The Bluest Eye and many more. Along the way, he shows you how to mine these masterpieces for invaluable writing strategies that you can add to your arsenal and apply in your own writing. Once you've experienced X-ray reading, your writing will never be the same again.
©2016 Roy Peter Clark (P)2016 Hachette AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Roy Peter Clark
- Length: 8 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
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Early in the history of English, glamour and grammar were the same word, linked to enchantment and magical spells. Now grammar brings to mind language bullies and bored-out-of-their-skulls students. Roy Peter Clark, one of America’s most influential writing teachers, wants to change that by putting the glamour back into grammar.
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Wasteful
- By ABID on 12-05-13
By: Roy Peter Clark
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Effective Editing
- How to Take Your Writing to the Next Level
- By: Molly McCowan, The Great Courses
- Narrated by: Professor Molly McCowan
- Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins
- Original Recording
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Book coach and editor Molly McCowan takes you through the self-editing process in 13 detailed lessons, using a step-by-step method designed to reduce overwhelm and to structure the revision process in the most productive way possible. Working from the big to the little picture of your work, Molly shows you how to strengthen character development, find and fix plot holes, build stronger scenes, focus on smooth pacing and point-of-view issues, elevate your language, and much more.
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This is excellent
- By M.Biblioswine on 08-19-21
By: Molly McCowan, and others
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Pretty Mess
- By: Erika Jayne
- Narrated by: Erika Jayne
- Length: 5 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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Erika Jayne didn't make it this far by holding back. Now, in her first-ever memoir, the fan favorite star of Bravo's The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills bares her heart, mind, and soul. In Pretty Mess, Erika spills on every aspect of her life: from her rise to fame as a daring and fiery pop/dance performer and singer; to her decision to accept a role on reality television; to the ups and downs of family life (including her marriage to famed lawyer Tom Girardi, 33 years her senior). There's much more to Erika Jayne than fans see on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills.
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I wanted to like this so bad.
- By shelly arp on 03-21-18
By: Erika Jayne
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First You Write a Sentence
- The Elements of Reading, Writing...and Life
- By: Joe Moran
- Narrated by: John Lee
- Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Whether dealing with finding the ideal word, building a sentence, or constructing a paragraph, First You Write a Sentence informs by light example: much richer than a style guide, it can be listened to not only for instruction but for pleasure and delight. And along the way, it shows how good writing can help us notice the world, make ourselves known to others, and live more meaningful lives. It's an elegant gem in praise of the English sentence.
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Excellent
- By Nick Troutt on 07-04-25
By: Joe Moran
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A Life of Meaning
- Exploring Our Deepest Questions and Motivations
- By: James Hollis PhD
- Narrated by: James Hollis PhD
- Length: 8 hrs and 17 mins
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Celebrated author and Jungian psychoanalyst James Hollis explores the deep archetypal themes of our human lives - and offers questions and insights to help us access the greater meaning of our journey. Includes insights on the nature of meaning, shadow work, resilience in times of change, a psychological approach to the Seven Deadly Sins, and more.
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My Favorite Jungian
- By EdgarFriendly88 on 12-24-20
By: James Hollis PhD
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Reading Like a Writer
- By: Francine Prose
- Narrated by: Nanette Savard
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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In her entertaining and edifying New York Times bestseller, acclaimed author Francine Prose invites you to sit by her side and take a guided tour of the tools and the tricks of the masters and discover why their work has endured. Written with passion, humor, and wisdom, Reading Like a Writer will inspire listeners to return to literature with a fresh eye and an eager heart.
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Practical, literate, generous
- By Gare on 04-13-08
By: Francine Prose
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Attempted Vampirism: Publisher's Pack
- Attempted Vampirism, Books 1-2
- By: L. G. Estrella
- Narrated by: Joel Froomkin
- Length: 17 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
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Contains books one and two of the Attempted Vampirism series: Attempted Vampirism and Attempted Adventuring.
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Loved it!
- By swyrlgirl on 01-05-21
By: L. G. Estrella
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Starship Lost: Books 1-6
- By: Craig Martelle
- Narrated by: Ryan Kennard Burke
- Length: 48 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
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The ship survived, but over time the original crew died out. Their children were left to continue the fight for their home against their sworn enemy, the vicious alien Malibor. They’ve lived their whole lives in space. Their idea of heaven is open air, blue skies, and the quiet of peace. But they'll never have that if they don't take it by force.
By: Craig Martelle
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Psychological Types
- The Psychology of Individuation
- By: C. G. Jung
- Narrated by: Martyn Swain
- Length: 24 hrs and 3 mins
- Unabridged
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In the 21st century, Carl Gustav Jung (1875-1961) remains one of the key figures in the field of analytical psychology - and Psychological Types, or The Psychology of Individuation, published in 1921, is one of his most influential works. It was written during the decade after the publication of Psychology of the Unconscious (1912), which effectively ended his friendship and collaboration with Sigmund Freud.
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Psychology of Individuation is a must read!
- By Anonymous User on 01-13-21
By: C. G. Jung
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Writing Tools (10th Anniversary Edition)
- 55 Essential Strategies for Every Writer
- By: Roy Peter Clark
- Narrated by: Neil Kaplan
- Length: 9 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Ten years ago, Roy Peter Clark, America's most influential writing teacher, whittled down almost 30 years of experience in journalism, writing, and teaching into a series of 50 short essays on different aspects of writing. In the past decade, Writing Tools has become a classic guidebook for novices and experts alike and remains one of the best loved books on writing available. This new edition includes five brand-new, never-before-shared tools.
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Refreshing
- By Danielle on 06-15-21
By: Roy Peter Clark
Easy to listen to, as well.
English Teacher's Friend
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Inspired
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Clear. Concise. Great examples.
Dan Janal
Author, “Write Your Book in a Flash”
I’ve listened to several writing/reading courses...
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10/10 would reccomend
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What did you love best about The Art of X-Ray Reading?
The excerpts from books I haven't read that are now on my reading list- Clark brought many great passages to my attention! I also did learn to pay closer attention to certain details of good prose as promised by the book. I will give myself permission to slow down and savor good sentences a bit more. Sometimes it seems like good writing and attention to style is overlooked these days and Clark offers a remedy to this.What was one of the most memorable moments of The Art of X-Ray Reading?
The chapter in which the author treats Rachel Carson's 'The Sea Around Us.' Gorgeous excerpts, fascinating analysis.Have you listened to any of Jefferson Mays’s other performances before? How does this one compare?
The narrator did a great job. The reading is faithful to the erudite yet fun tone of the book and keeps the listener engaged with a warm, lively tone and energy.My only quibble is that sometimes the reading is a touch too fast- the format of the book is spaced out with lots of excerpts, lists, and new paragraph headings, but without more of a pause between them it isn't always immediately clear in whose voice the narrator is reading- whether it be the author's or a character or author ffrom a referenced book.
surprisingly fun and informative
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What made the experience of listening to The Art of X-Ray Reading the most enjoyable?
NARRATOR JEFFERSON MAYS SPOKE THE WORDS AS IF HE HAD FELT, THOUGHT, AND WRITTEN THEM HIMSELF. AND WHAT WORDS THEY WERE! INTELLECTUALLY INCISIVE. EMOTIONALLY MOVING. TRUE TO LIFE. NEVER A DULL. GAVE ME A DEEPER APPRECIATION OF LITERATURE -- BY MEANS AND METHODS OF "X-RAY READING."Who was your favorite character and why?
"KING LEAR" AND "THE GRAPES OF WRATH" WERE FINALLY BROUGHT HOME TO ME AS NEVER BEFORE. OPENED MY EYES, MY MIND, MY HEART.What does Jefferson Mays bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?
LIFE.Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
YES. AND I DID SO BY SKIPPING TO THE BOOKS I WAS INTERESTED IN. VERY EASY TO SIFT BACK AND FORTH. KINDA LIKE PANNING FOR GOLD AND FINDING NUGGETS APLENTY.Any additional comments?
DID I FORGET TO MENTION THE AUTHOR, ROY PETER CLARK? I DID?? GOSH. SORRY. BUT I KNOW MR. CLARK WILL UNDERSTAND. HE IS HUMANE. MR. CLARK WON ME OVER IMMEDIATELY WHEN HE DEDICATED HIS BOOK TO HIS TWO BROTHERS WHO ARE CARING FOR HIS 95-YEAR-OLD MOM. BOOKS ARE GREAT. GOTTA HAVE 'EM. BUT MOM IS SINA QUA NON.SUPERB NARRATION SHOWS HOW GREAT WORKS WORK.
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Fantastic!
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A peek inside
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Would you consider the audio edition of The Art of X-Ray Reading to be better than the print version?
I will soon know the answer to this question. I enjoyed the Audible version so much I decided to buy a print version in order to underline and notate key parts.What other book might you compare The Art of X-Ray Reading to and why?
Eats, Shoots and Leaves although this book is much better than that one.Which character – as performed by Jefferson Mays – was your favorite?
There are no real characters in this book unless you consider the books chosen to be examined. In that case, my favorite part was the section on Flannery O'Connor, a wonderful short story writer. After hearing that section I was even more impressed by O'Connor's skill.Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
This is a very entertaining book even though it is actually a book about reading in order to improve your writing. Great writing coupled with an excellent narrator have made this a most entertaining book. I appreciate favorite authors even more than before as the nuances of their skill is uncovered.So Good I Bought the Print Version
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Entertainin and INsightful
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