McPhee Shines His Flashligiht: Stephen Ornes quotes the redoubtable John Mcphee in a December 6 blog post about how science writers can fashion their opening sentence. About how in a 2010 interview in the Paris Review McPhee says the right lead shines a flashlight into a dark well etc. etc.
McPhee has been using that metaphor for long time. I quoted him on it at least 20 years ago. It’s still about the best one around.
Princeton Comment 