Breaking Words: Literary Confessions provides a lively discussion of the impact of books on an author’s identity. George Melnyk is an Alberta writer, who has published in various genres–essays, poetry, Alberta literature, and Canadian cinema. Why he came to be identified by certain communities of readers with one specific book and not any of his others is a mystery to be solved. He offers an engaged description of how reviews, cultural trends, and funding for writers impacts creativity. Nor is he afraid to provide the nitty-gritty of the financial results from his writing. This is the first ever literary memoir by an Alberta writer. It offers insights into the complex nature of the literary arts when practiced in western Canada.