Blending confessional criticism and anthropological autobiography, David Shields explores the power of literature to make life endurable. How Literature Saved My Life chronicles the author's character flaws and despairs, using the crucible of self to show how confessional reading and writing are the foundation of a practice that helps us transcend sorrow, loss, and loneliness. 'I think just about everything David Shields writes is pretty much indispensable.' - Brett Easton Ellis