Writing in an Age of Silence (ISBN: 971-84467-122-9, Publication Date 2007) provides insight into the life and mind of author Sara Paretsky. Interwoven in Paretsky’s life story are her writing influences and her efforts to address societal issues the United States has faced.
Paretsky’s Life
Paretsky’s description of her upbringing in a Midwestern family in Kansas is unguardedly honest even when unpleasant. Her honesty is an inspiration for others to be as open about their pasts. Paretsky describes her family life and talks in depth about the limits places on females in her youth and young adulthood including her time in college. While she describes her writing life, she doesn’t advise other writers how to live.
Paretsky’s Writing Influences
Paretsky discusses various influences on her writing throughout her life. She points to her early home life as a motivation for her to write. She describes in detail the influence particular books and authors had on her. She talks about how her summer working in the south side of Chicago influenced the creation of her series character, VI Warshawski. Paretsky reminds her readers that writers are influenced by the lives they lead, the things they read, and the causes they find seek to influence.
Societal Issues
Throughout Writing in an Age of Silence, Paretsky addresses the social issues she’s confronted during her life. She talks in depth about women’s continuing struggle for equal rights and equal treatment. She exposes the prejudice against women writers that lead to the creation of Sisters in Crime. She talks about working on the south side of Chicago during the Civil Rights movement. She describes her vision of America. She talks in depth about the erosion of those rights and the dangers she sees in things like the PATRIOT Act. She confronts each issue with humbleness and strength. She never proposes to have all the answers only to the need to express that the discussion can’t end now.
Readers may not always agree with Paretsky’s point of view on the issues she brings to the forefront, but she presents her arguments in a well written way that’s sure to provoke discussion. Her openness and honesty are touching throughout the book. Paretsky always ties in how each part of her life has affected her writing career. Writing in a n Age of Silence is not a how to writing guide. Instead, it’s a beautiful insight into one writer’s mind that will resonate with many writers and devout readers as well.
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