Comments on: Is memoir a genre? Consider these matched pairs. http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/memoir-genre/ Hundreds of Essays and Interviews to Help You Read and Write Memoirs Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:04:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Monty http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/memoir-genre/comment-page-1/#comment-2669 Monty Fri, 18 Sep 2009 19:21:11 +0000 http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/?p=587#comment-2669 Steinbeck's biography of Ed Ricketts was indirectly autobiographical because of his close relationship with Ed. In the following quote from STEINBECK: A LIFE IN LETTERS, John reveals the struggle he had with memory... "...I had to go back in my own memory to a time I had fogotten. Many things came back--warped no doubt and changed and yet strangely whole with their feelings and colorings. I would not have them back--not any of them no matter how good. And some were very good. A year ago I saw a good deal of Carol [his first wife]. I like her but I had fogotten why we had to separate." (When John was married to Carol she had a highly public flirtation in Monterrey with Joseph Cambell, the later author who became famous for his mythology work. They'd met at one of Ricketts' famous blowout parties, while John was upstairs writing, no doubt.) Steinbeck’s biography of Ed Ricketts was indirectly autobiographical because of his close relationship with Ed. In the following quote from STEINBECK: A LIFE IN LETTERS, John reveals the struggle he had with memory…
“…I had to go back in my own memory to a time I had fogotten. Many things came back–warped no doubt and changed and yet strangely whole with their feelings and colorings. I would not have them back–not any of them no matter how good. And some were very good. A year ago I saw a good deal of Carol [his first wife]. I like her but I had fogotten why we had to separate.”
(When John was married to Carol she had a highly public flirtation in Monterrey with Joseph Cambell, the later author who became famous for his mythology work. They’d met at one of Ricketts’ famous blowout parties, while John was upstairs writing, no doubt.)

]]> By: Monty http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/memoir-genre/comment-page-1/#comment-2668 Monty Fri, 18 Sep 2009 18:24:16 +0000 http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/?p=587#comment-2668 Excellent work. I'm especially drawn to the arc of character development from the angle of how the writing, itself, can change the memoir writer's perspective on life, and especially the possibility for transformative healing. Childhood memories are laid down with the faculties of the child we were, shaping who we become as adults. As memoirists, we revisit these memories from the adult perspective and become enlightened, opening doors of fulfilling new possibility for the balance of our time on earth. THIS is what I find exciting, and it's what I look for in a memeoir. Excellent work. I’m especially drawn to the arc of character development from the angle of how the writing, itself, can change the memoir writer’s perspective on life, and especially the possibility for transformative healing.

Childhood memories are laid down with the faculties of the child we were, shaping who we become as adults. As memoirists, we revisit these memories from the adult perspective and become enlightened, opening doors of fulfilling new possibility for the balance of our time on earth. THIS is what I find exciting, and it’s what I look for in a memeoir.

]]> By: jerrywaxler http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/memoir-genre/comment-page-1/#comment-2667 jerrywaxler Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:49:48 +0000 http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/?p=587#comment-2667 I'm glad you enjoyed the post, and delighted to know my writing has encouraged you to pursue yours. Pass it on! Jerry I’m glad you enjoyed the post, and delighted to know my writing has encouraged you to pursue yours. Pass it on! Jerry

]]> By: Jewel/Pink Ink http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/memoir-genre/comment-page-1/#comment-2666 Jewel/Pink Ink Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:39:57 +0000 http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/?p=587#comment-2666 Very nice post. I read Steve Martin's memoir and enjoyed it very much. I admire him as much or more for his writing ability than his comedic roles. :-) I've begun a memoir and your post got me thinking of how I could approach my subject. It's also given me the encouragement I need. Thanks! Very nice post. I read Steve Martin’s memoir and enjoyed it very much. I admire him as much or more for his writing ability than his comedic roles. :-)

I’ve begun a memoir and your post got me thinking of how I could approach my subject. It’s also given me the encouragement I need. Thanks!

]]> By: Karen Walker http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/memoir-genre/comment-page-1/#comment-2659 Karen Walker Thu, 17 Sep 2009 14:07:14 +0000 http://memorywritersnetwork.com/blog/?p=587#comment-2659 Jerry, this is such a thoughtful way of approaching memoir--what it is, and also illustrating what it isn't. The one comment I would add, however, is that if a memoir is about a traumatic, painful subject, such as childhood sexual abuse, I was advised to sprinkle reflection from the "now" perspective in with the story in order to relieve some of the pain and tension the reader might be feeling. Karen Jerry, this is such a thoughtful way of approaching memoir–what it is, and also illustrating what it isn’t. The one comment I would add, however, is that if a memoir is about a traumatic, painful subject, such as childhood sexual abuse, I was advised to sprinkle reflection from the “now” perspective in with the story in order to relieve some of the pain and tension the reader might be feeling.
Karen

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