The Destiny Thief: Essays on Writing, Writers and Life

Richard Russo is back and in great form. If you are a writer, interested in writing, or interested in Russo’s process as a writer, you will find great enjoyment in this book. The title of this book comes from a conversation the author had with a peer. Russo has had great success and acclaim along with winning a Pulitzer Prize; his friend is jealous. It turns out that his friend had all the promise, but none of the success. Did Russo steal his destiny? We love Russo for his irony, his unexpected fall-through-the-ceiling laugh-out-loud occurrences. This book has that and more. He is wonderfully candid and emotional about the gender reassignment of a close friend. He finds himself in uncharted waters and he struggles to understand and be worthy of the friendship.

The best parts of this book, along with the masterful writing, are his revelations about a writer’s process. He does not boast. He recognizes his luck, his hard work, and the tricks of the trade, which are hard won. I loved this book.