About this Book

Now available in book-length form for the first time, the manifesto that caused a sensation when it first appeared as an excerpt in the Atlantic Monthly includes a new essay addressing the storm of controversy elicited by its initial publication. In this updated version, Myers goes beyond merely taking on such literary giants as Don DeLillo, E Annie Proulx, and Cormac McCarthy, examining the literary hierarchy that perpetuates the status quo, questioning literary review and the awarding of literary prizes, and championing clear writing, finding it in a wide range of writers, from 'pop' novelists such as Stephen King to more 'serious' literary heavyweights such as W Somerset Maugham. Ending on a humorous note, Myers offers his 'Ten Rules for 'Serious' Writers'.