Magical Memoir Moments
A Story of Hope for Those Who Struggle with Depression
A few weeks ago Stuart and I were visited by a former student of mine, now a wife and mother who spent many years living in Indonesia, which is her husband’s home. Karin will soon move to Bangladesh, where her husband will be working for Habitat for Humanity, and she hopes to continue online work for her master’s…
A Letter to Mary Karr
When Abraham Lincoln and Harriet Beecher Stowe met for the first time, the President allegedly said, “So you’re the little lady who started this great war!” When it comes to 21’st century memoir, one can make the case that Mary Karr started the publishing phenom we now refer to as “the age of memoir.” Her The…
The Festival of Faith and Writing: A Feast of Flowers and Words
The Dutch know how to grow tulips–and writers! Every two years the good folks at Calvin College put on a Festival of Faith and Writing that attracts thousands of readers and hundreds of writers. And what a good time we have! This year’s headliners included Wally Lamb, Richard Rodriguez, Parker Palmer, Eugene Peterson, and Mary…
First Lines: What are Your Favorites?
Beginnings matter. Writers and English professors love to exchange their favorite first lines: “Call me Ishmael,” or “Happy families are all alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.” A well-crafted first line in an essay or book not only intrigues or “hooks” the reader, it also points to the theme. I had a colleague who…
Laughter and Family in Memoir Writing: Guest Blogs and an Upcoming Giveaway
“What makes us laugh out loud?” is the question I am asking as I re-read Mennonite in a Little Black Dress. Next week I will try to answer that question for a guest post I plan to send to Matilda Butler at the great website Womensmemoirs.com. If you have not discovered this website, I recommend that you…
Why Are We Here? Roger Ebert's 100 Answers to that Question in Films
Scroll slowly over this picture. Do you recognize the famous film critic Roger Ebert? I knew that Ebert had battled cancer, lost weight, and kept on going. What I did not know, until I saw that picture and read the article in Esquire about him, was that he has also lost his physical voice and most of…
Ben Yagoda on NPR: Great Overview of Memoir History
Two days ago I posted an NPR story summary with my own slant on it. It got picked up on www.expectingrain.com and reached hundreds of viewers, instantly becoming my most viewed post. That was exciting. Thanks, Expectingrain.com! Come to think of it, NPR stories on the arts almost always fascinate me, and I can tell…
Why I am Loving My Kindle: And a Request for Readers to Report on Their Own E-book Experiences
A few weeks ago I posted a list of 18 books I had blogged about in the last six months. At the end of the list I included two books I have not yet read, pictured here. Today I got out my six-month-old Kindle and spent 20 seconds ordering the two books–Mary Karr’s Lit and Ben Yagoda’s Memoir:…
Rosanne Cash's "The List"–A Confirmation of the Value of the "Top 100"
Terry Gross, host of NPR’s “Fresh Air,” recently interviewed Rosanne Cash, daughter of Johnny Cash, and singer/songwriter in her own right. Here is the link to a great interview. On the radio program Cash samples 4 or 5 songs from her latest album, “The List.” Below is the story she tells of how “The List” was created as…
Memoir Holiday Presents: Just in Time for the Last Two Weeks Before Christmas
Of course you want to know which memoirs make great gifts. So here is a quick and dirty guide to what’s good from my perspective. Hope it helps you delight someone who loves to read life stories. You can make shopping really easy by clicking on the picture of the book. It takes you right to…