Firsthand: How I Solved a Literary Mystery and Learned to Play Kickass Tennis while Coming to Grips with the Disorder of Things

Firsthand is a research writing exploration that explores the creative process, from combing through libraries and archives to processing information that contradicts established ideas. It addresses the mysterious portion of the intellectual process and how to acquire accurate knowledge about the world, history, and oneself.

Format: Hardback
Length: 300 pages
Publication date: 31 July 2024
Publisher: The University of Michigan Press

Firsthand: An Exploration of the Creative Process in Research Writing
Firsthand is a captivating and humorous exploration of the creative process in research writing. It takes the reader on a journey through the intricacies of a specific research journey, from navigating libraries and archives to grappling with the intellectual challenges of processing information that challenges established ideas. More importantly, it delves into the mysterious and serendipitous aspects of the intellectual process, focusing on the creative and unexpected elements involved in arriving at a fruitful research question.

Keith Gandal skillfully weaves together a scholarly detective story with a personal narrative about his own midlife crisis, which inadvertently led him to write a research monograph that was met with skepticism by many in his profession. While researching how Hemingway, Fitzgerald, and Faulkner faced their forgotten crises of masculinity, Gandal discovers that his own crisis is integral to his creative process. Firsthand incorporates stories from Gandal's comedic adventures in the hyper-competitive world of middle-aged men's tennis, his experience adopting pitbulls, and his discussions of Michel Foucault, providing readers with a unique insight into the acquisition of accurate knowledge about the world, history, and oneself.

Through its engaging narrative and insightful analysis, Firsthand offers valuable insights into the creative process in research writing. It encourages readers to embrace the unexpected and to approach their research with a sense of curiosity and openness, recognizing that the most fruitful research questions often arise from unexpected sources. Whether you are a researcher, a student, or simply someone who loves to learn, Firsthand is a must-read that will inspire and inform your intellectual journey.

Dimension: 229 x 152 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780472076956