Few memoirs have the emotional richness and literary mastery of Maya Angelou’s I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. This was the first memoir I read, long before I had any inkling that I might one day write one myself. Reading it again now, as a writer, brought many new insights, but did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of this book.
Really lovely and thoughtful write up. Not really memoir but a non-fiction book I really enjoyed was Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion. She has a journalistic eye but also weaves in some poetry and humour.
Thanks, Rimi! We read The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion for our book club a while back. It was polarizing. Some people loved it and some (like me) hated it. She does have a very unique way of blending journalism with the personal which I can appreciate, but it's just not for me.
I just picked up this book from the library and wondered why I reserved it. Now I know! It was for this book discussion. Thanks for the insight and questions to guide me as I read.
It’s the choosing that’s hard with memoir. And ensuring that each detail connects to your thematic arc but without overstating the obvious. Such a challenge!
Really lovely and thoughtful write up. Not really memoir but a non-fiction book I really enjoyed was Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion. She has a journalistic eye but also weaves in some poetry and humour.
Thanks, Rimi! We read The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion for our book club a while back. It was polarizing. Some people loved it and some (like me) hated it. She does have a very unique way of blending journalism with the personal which I can appreciate, but it's just not for me.
Goes to show that you can't please everyone! :-)
I just picked up this book from the library and wondered why I reserved it. Now I know! It was for this book discussion. Thanks for the insight and questions to guide me as I read.
It’s the choosing that’s hard with memoir. And ensuring that each detail connects to your thematic arc but without overstating the obvious. Such a challenge!