They Say I Say: What did you say?

As elementary as They Say I Say appears (not merely due to the bold primary colors on the cover, nor the overall pocketbook size), the book distills common sense that is vital if writing is to have any redeeming quality. Reading and writing at the academic level is so popularly viewed as something “intellectual” rather than something “human.” Graff and Birkenstein conveniently remind us of the essential elements that enable writing to be not just an intellectual exchange, but something that speaks to the human heart.

Through my own observations, the conversational component of “putting in your oar” is so urgently thrust into exchanges with others today, it is clear that our world lacks the elemental moves that the template “they say I say” implies. Graff and Birkenstein re-awaken the literary consciousness of academic writing when stating, “The central piece of advice in this book – that we listen carefully to others, including those who disagree with us, and then engage with them thoughtfully and respectfully – can help us see beyond our own pet beliefs, which may not be shared by everyone” (13).

The strategies presented in They Say I Say are so blatantly refreshing, not simply for the absent-minded academic the book is obviously aimed at, but for every writer, speaker, politician, or any human that wishes to engage and participate in the world.