“William Zinsser turns his zest, warmth and curiosity—his sharp but forgiving eye—on his own story. The result is lively, funny and moving, especially for anyone who cares about art and the business of writing well.”

—Evan Thomas, Newsweek

In Writing Places, William Zinsser—the author of On Writing Well, the bestseller that has inspired two generations of writers, journalists, and students—recalls the many colorful and instructive places where he has worked and taught. Gay Talese, author of A Writer’s Life, calls Writing Places, “Wonderful,” while the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette praises this unique memoir for possessing “all the qualities that Zinsser believes matter most in good writing—clarity, brevity, simplicity and humanity.”

Go behind the scenes of a legendary writing life and discover:

• The Craft of Writing: Go beyond the rules of On Writing Well and see how Zinsser’s principles of clarity, brevity, and humanity were forged through decades of practice.
• Journalism History: Step into the smoke-filled city room of the legendary New York Herald Tribune and meet the unforgettable characters who shaped American journalism in the postwar era.
• The Freelance Writer: Travel with Zinsser and his trusty Olivetti typewriter, from London and the South Seas to a solitary billiard house, and learn what it takes to survive life outside the newsroom.
• Teaching Writing: Sit in on Zinsser’s celebrated nonfiction workshop at Yale, where he mentored a new generation of writers and discovered what it truly means to be a teacher.