# What book is this? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 11, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-is-this/321109 "2005-09-11T16:48:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 3\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-is-this/321109/1 "2005-09-11T16:48:42Z")
This was a guide to writing (not a style manual) written by a famous female author or poet. In it, she gives advice on writing, and she does it using unusual, imaginative prose (I can’t remember enough to quote, but something like “Write the words not too lightly and sparingly”). The whole book read like that. I’m sorry I can’t give more details, but it’s been 15 years since I leafed through it, and I didn’t write any details down. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![bonzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/45deac/32.png) [@bonzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bonzer)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-is-this/321109/2 "2005-09-11T17:13:57Z")
Gertrude Stein’s [_How To Write_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0486231445/qid=1126459336/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-8138786-6508166?v=glance&s=books)? ---
**Author:** ![Linty\_Fresh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Linty\_Fresh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Linty_Fresh)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2005, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-book-is-this/321109/3 "2005-09-11T17:29:33Z")
> [@bonzer](#): > > Gertrude Stein’s [_How To Write_](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0486231445/qid=1126459336/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/102-8138786-6508166?v=glance&s=books)? That’s it!! Thanks, **bonzer**!