Drinking with Dead Women Writers (Drink with Dead Writers)

The premise is both fun and challenging. In a short "interview/conversation" piece try to capture some of the spirit of the subject author through bits of biography, snippets from their work repurposed as conversation, and maybe a few critical asides. For some authors this will work well, (Dorothy Parker is a good example, as is Edna St. Vincent Millay, of all people), and for some authors it's just a bridge too far, (being dead doesn't improve tedious and boring Ayn Rand).This isn't a sit down and read all afternoon sort of book, but it is a delightful read-a-few-chapters diversion. Some interviews work better than others and some are a little forced, as you might suspect. But, you'll learn a few things, you'll revisit a few favorite lines, and you'll get to second guess the authors' approaches to the different writers. (I like the Bronte sisters on a pub crawl.) I see that some reviewers have been disappointed because the conversations are brief and rather superficial. Well, if you expect absolute biographical accuracy, penetrating analysis, or profound new insights you'll be disappointed, but that's mostly because the subject women writers are actually dead and the authors had to make it all up. I salute them for both the effort and the result.

I decided to read this collection of essays about dead women writers because I've read something by each of the writers presented. I'm always interested in women literary authors and this is a good selection.Elaine Ambrose and A.K. Turner each took different authors and researched and wrote a short essay on different female authors who died, but wrote the essays as if they were interviewing the ghostly deceased writers and usually in a bar, drinking with them. They are very funny and amusing, even though there are a lot of facts given about the authors in their conversations with Ambrose and Turner. Margaret Mead was interviewed not in a bar, but in the cemetery where she is buried and she complains that after all she had done and had written, all she got was that modest tombstone. She didn't realize how famous and popular she had become posthumously.There is a lot to learn about the lives of the authors in this humorous take on drinking with the dead female writers, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. It was a good way to start off the weekend and to look forward to the next in the series from these two women who wrote this collection. They're witty and must be on their toes not to say the wrong thing at times. Of course, the mention of such a thing as a "website" brings a dull stare and a question from women who lived, wrote and died long before websites were a reality.I highly recommend this collection for reading enjoyment and also for learning.

Some of you may know that I am addicted to kindle freebies. I'm ashamed to say my digital library is flooded with titles I've downloaded at no charge. Thing is, I've found that most of these books are decent at best. I try to review them, give my honest feedback and all but I've made it a sort of personal mission to find something worth recommending. Usually, I come up short and occasionally I have to concede defeat but I have found reason to hope. Ambrose and Turner's Drinking with Dead Women Writers is amusing, creative and, in my opinion, worth the 2.99 it is now going for on Amazon.In a nutshell, the book is a compiled set of mock interviews between the Ambrose, Turner and some of the most well-known literary women of the underworld. Chapters are short, a few pages each but distinctive. I had worried Ambrose and Turner would run out of steam but this wasn't the case. I was as tickled by Margaret Mead as I was Ayn Rand. Dorothy Parker and Erma Bombeck literally had me giggling through my lunch break. Giggling I tell you! Really my only quibble is the final line of Ambrose's sit down with Margaret Mitchell. Rather than channel her own work into her dialogue as do our other interviewees, the deceased opted to advertise her appreciation for artistic license and screen legend Clark Gable. It's funny really; I never would have thought the author would prefer the film adaptation to her own work. Go figure.Engaging and revealing, but most of all, flat out funny. Will definitely be on the lookout for the next installment, Drinking with Dead Drunks, this fall.

I had fun reading this collection of shorts with well-known (deceased) female authors. I am familiar with each deceased author's works, so I feel that the authors of this book captured each woman's personality rather well. However, you do NOT have to be familiar with each writer to enjoy this novel. Each short contains accurate and amusing facts about each woman, so it's an easy way to familiarize yourself with each writer, and their works. This novel also contains a handy reference tool that lists each female writer along with all publications.My only complaint about this collection is that some of the stories are TOO short, and don't do the deceased authors justice. There are a few stories that felt rushed and lacking detail, as if the deceased writer was not properly researched or the author of the story was unsure as to how to capture their personality. Most of the shorts could have been flushed out more, and there were areas in some of the stories where the dialogue felt unintentionally awkward (I say unintentionally to clarify because there are areas where the dialogue is intended to feel that way).All in all, I enjoyed this book and the concept behind it. I learned a few more facts about some of the greatest female writers of all time, plus it's handy to be able to reference all their writings in one place. So grab a glass of wine, sit back, and enjoy the modern day 'conversations' with engaging women. It's a short, light read; perfect for a lazy afternoon.

I enjoyed this book.It is written in a light and entertaining way and I enjoyed the light humour running through the book.

ok but felt it was slow going . think you need a glass of wine before starting to read this