Writing To Learn

图书标准信息

• 作者 William Zinsser 著
• 出版社 HarperCollins US
• 出版时间 1993-06
• ISBN 9780062720405
• 定价 126.00元
• 装帧 平装
• 开本 其他
• 纸张 其他
• 页数 272页
• 正文语种 英语

【内容简介】

ChapterOnel.HermesandthePeriodicTableAsaboyIspentfouryearsataboardingschoolinMassachusettscalledDeerfieldAcademythathadtwolegendsattachedtoit.Thefirstwasitsheadmaster,FrankL.Boyden.Whenhewasayoungmanjustoutofcollege,in1902,heacceptedapositionthatonlyateacherdesperateforafirstjobmighthavetaken:runningamoribundacademyinthetinyvillageofDeerfield.Theschoolhadsofewboysthatthenewheadmasterhadtoplayonthefootballandbaseballteamshimself.BythetimeIgotthere,inthemid-1930s,FrankBoydenhadbuiltDeerfieldintooneofthebestsecondaryschoolsinthecountry,andwhenheretired,in1968,hisplaceinAmericaneducationsecure,hehadbeenheadmasterforsixty-sixyears.Duringallthoseyearshealsocoachedthefootball,basketballandbaseballteams,continuingasanoctogenariantorapoutsharpgroundersforinfieldpracticebeforeeverygame.Hisfavoritebaseballstrategywasthesqueezeplay--amark,perhaps,ofhisYankeepracticality.HewasanunusuallysmallmanwithaplainNewEnglandface,slicked-downblackhair,andmetal-rimmedglasses;nobodywouldhavenoticedhiminacrowdorpickedhimoutasaleader.Butthreegenerationsofboyswereshapedforlifebyhisvalues,andIwasoneofthem.Thesecondlegendwashiswife,HelenChildsBoyden.Atall,bonywomanwithafaceevenplainerthanherhusband's,sheworeherblackhairtiedinabunandshepeeredoutattheworldthroughthickglasses,triumphingovereyesightsobadthatitwouldhaveimmobilizedapersonofweakerwill.HelenChildshadalsocometoDeerfieldasayoungteacher,freshoutofSmithCollegewithasciencedegree.ShemarriedFrankBoydenin1907andformorethansixtyyearswasastrengtheningpresenceinhislifeandinthelifeoftheschool.Shewasbestknown,however,forherseniorcourseinchemistry.Thelegendwasthatshecouldteachchemistrytoanybody.Asitturnedout,shecouldn'tteachittome.Thefaultwasundoubtedlymine.I'msureIdidn'twanttolearnchemistry.ProbablyIhadalsopersuadedmyselfthatIcouldn'tlearnchemistry,oranyofthehardsciences.Thosesubjectswereforallthosepeoplewhohadanaptitudeforthem--theoneswhocarriedaslideruleandcouldtakearadioapart.Iwasaliberalartssnob,illiterateaboutthephysicalworldIlivedin,incuriousabouthowthingsworked.ThecoursesIfeltmostcomfortablewithwereEnglishandlanguages,andinmyextracurricularhoursIindulgedmyothertwoloves--playingbaseballandwritingfortheschoolnewspaper.IdidwhatcameeasiestandavoidedwhatImightnotbeabletodowell.MyfavoritelanguagewasLatin.Ittransportedmebacktotheclassicalworld,andyetitwasanythingbutdead-thousandsofitsrootswerealiveandwellinEnglish;infact,nosubjecthasbeenmoreusefultomeasawriterandaneditor.ItookLatinforthreeyearsatDeerfielduntiltherewerenomorecourseslefttotake,finallygettingbeyondCaesar'sdrearywarsandCicero'sprimorationstoVirgil's"Aeneid"andHorace'sodes,finallydiscoveringthatthewonderfullanguagealsohadawonderfulliterature.Myteacherinthatliberatingthirdyearwasamansovenerablethatheseemedtobeaschoolmasterfromthenineteenthcentury.Recallinghimnow,IthinkofpicturesofDarwinasanoldman.CharlesHuntingtonSmithhadsilkywhitehair,awhitemustacheandawhitegoatee,andheworetheblacksuitandhighcollarbefittinghisageanddignity.Buthiseyeswereyoung,andsowerehispassionsforwhathetaught.HehadturnedhisclassroomintoasmallcornerofancientRome.LargeframedphotographsoftheForumandtheColosseumhungonthewalls,andhehadalsosentawayforplasterreproductionsofsomeofthegreatstatuesofantiquity.Hermesontiptoe,beckoningthegods,wasonhisdesk,andtheWingedVictorywasnearby,stillsendinghermessageaboutbeautyandlineacrossthecenturies.Mr.Smithwasobviouslyawareofthepowerexertedbytheiconsthatinhabittheclassroomsofourchildhood;whenIwasinItalyduringWorldWarII,thefirsttimeIgotafewdaysoffIhitchhikedtoRometoseetheForum,thoughthedistancewasgreatandthehoursIcouldspendtherewereshort.Inmysenioryearrealitycaughtupwithme:IhadtotakeMrs.Boyden'schemistry.IrememberherclassroomalmostasvividlyasMr.Smith's.Icanstillsmellitsacridsmells,alientomyhumanistnose.Icanstillseetheretortsandbeakersandotherstrangelyshapedvesselsdesignedformeasuringwhatevertheyweredesignedtomeasure.Buttheiconthatdominatesmymemoryisthehugechartoftheperiodictableoftheelementsthathungatthefrontoftheroom.Thosecrypticlettersandnumbers,soneatlyarrangedintheirboxesandcolumns,weretheHermesandVenusofthechemistryclass--thegodswhoselawsandwhimswouldruleourlives.Eachboxcontaineditsowntremendousstoryofnaturalforcesworkingoutanordainedpattern.Whatcouldthatstorypossiblybe?Ineverfoundout.Theperiodictablecontinuestorebukemeformyindolence.Mrs.BoydenhaddevisedateachingmethodthatIrememberasslightlycutebutthatobviouslyworkedforthreegenerationsofboys.Ithadsomethingtodowithonemoleculejoininghandswithanotherandgoingofftoformadifferentcombination.Imusthaveresistedtheselittleromances,forbyaboutAprilsomeoneinauthoritybegantothinktheunthinkable:Iwouldflunkthecollegeentranceexaminchemistry.ThiswouldnotonlyruinmychancesofgettingintoPrinceton;itwouldbesmirchDeerfield'sproudrecordofplacingitsseniorsinAmerica'sbestcolleges.

【作者简介】

WilliamZinsserhasbeenamentorforcountlesspeoplewhowanttowritewithclarityandconfidence.HiseighteenbooksincludetheclassicOnWritingWell,whichhassoldalmost1.5millioncopies.HenowteachesattheNewSchoolandattheColumbiaGraduateSchoolofJournalism.