Comments on: 10 More Brief Book Reviews for Memoir Readers and Writers

By: jerrywaxler

jerrywaxler — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 11:06:01 +0000

Thanks for the compliment Dee. I heard Bartok interviewed and the book does sound interesting, although the situation sounds a bit terrifying. Do I really want to read about this daughter’s terrifying relationship with her schizophrenic mother? It’s easy to pass by, but in the end, the answer is a resounding yes. I do want to understand, and I want to experience what life was like for her. Memoirs for me are far more than entertainment. They are an opportunity to become personally immersed for a couple of hundred pages with the amazing variety of human experience, participate, turning personal challenge into community enlightenment. Thanks for the recommendation. I have to update that list. I recently finished an interesting one by Jeanne Denault “Sucking up Yellow Jackets” about raising three kids, one of whom was emotionally disturbed. Jerry

By: Dee Philips

Dee Philips — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 16:21:23 +0000

Great site, Jerry! And your list of recommended memoirs is excellent. Might I suggest a recently published memoir that is getting a lot of attention. The Memory Palace by Mira Bartok.

By: jerrywaxler

jerrywaxler — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:38:03 +0000

Thanks for the comment, Beverly and good wishes on your writing. That’s a great topic. Another memoir writer passionately interested in climate and environment is Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg, author of Sky Begins at my Feet – http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/memoir-spirituality-cancer/

Best wishes,
Jerry

By: Beverly Maisey

Beverly Maisey — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:27:36 +0000

Thanks for this comprehensive and well organized list. I have never really been tremendously interested in memoir writing until recently when I realized I needed to write one myself about my life and climate change.

By: Cherie Henderson

Cherie Henderson — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:29:21 +0000

Nice list! I would also add A. Manette Ansay’s LIMBO: A MEMOIR, and, for a different spin on the genre, Joan Didion’s THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING.

By the way, for those of us who have written a memoir (or narrative nonfiction book) and are looking for an agent, this contest might be of interest:

http://www.guidetoliteraryagents.com/blog/Dear+Lucky+Agent+Contest+Memoir+And+Narrative+Nonfiction.aspx

Good luck to all!

By: jerrywaxler

jerrywaxler — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 16:15:29 +0000

Thanks to both of you for your appreciation. Shirley, I love the statement in your blog that you are writing about memoirs in order to research your own. Me too! And the same time, we are building community and sharing what we’ve learned. Marie, thanks for sharing your inspiration. These are wonderful benefits of living in the Internet Age. Jerry

By: Marie E. LaConte

Marie E. LaConte — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 15:04:50 +0000

I, too, love these short and tantalizing reviews. They not only encourage me to read, but also to get busy on my own memoir.

By: Shirley

Shirley — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 21:41:42 +0000

I love these brief reviews and super easy-to-read format. Thanks, Jerry. If you have not yet seen the 11 memoirs Mary Karr ticked off as her favorites during an interview with Barbara DeMarco-Barrett, you can find them here: http://www.100memoirs.com/2010/01/top-ten-memoir-list-from-mary-karr/

Shirley

By: Bob

Bob — Wed, 13 Jan 2010 01:09:42 +0000

Nice work, Jerry–as always!!