Written by: Aristotle
First line: In studying the "art of poetry" our task will be to treat of: (1) the intrinsic nature of poetry, (2) its various kinds, (3) the essential "function and potentiality of each, (4) the kind of plot-construction requisite to a good poem, (5) the number and nature of a poem's constituent parts, and anything else that falls within the scope of the inquiry.
Why you should read this book: It's pretty much the first manual explaining how to write well, and while not ever line of thought is still relevant today, quite a bit of this little lecture, written well over two thousand years ago, remains relevant. What Aristotle meant by "poetry" translates more accurately to "storytelling" as we think of it in the twenty-first century, but his discussions of basic concepts such as "beginning, middle, and end" provide information that is essential to students of literature. A great many excellent pieces of advice for constructing plot, writing believable characters, and using language effectively make this book a valuable resource for writers of all levels.
Why you shouldn't read this book: Even the best translations can feel a bit dense: unless you have a special interest in Greek literature or writing stories, you may not get much out of it.
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