My Trade Is Mystery: Seven Meditations from a Life in Writing

An invaluable companion for any writer seeking to make the writing life a more complex and cooperative venture

“Illuminating, deeply endearing essays.”—Ron Charles, Washington Post

“A lovely, loving letter to aspiring writers.”—Diego Báez, Booklist

In these intimate and eloquent meditations, the award-winning poet Carl Phillips shares lessons he has learned about the writing life, an “apprenticeship to what can never fully be mastered.” Drawing on forty years of teaching and mentoring eme...