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 Amazon!

I included the National Book Award-nominated American Salvage, even though it is not a memoir, because I mentioned it in a previous post and because I am so thrilled that Kalamazoo author Bonnie Jo Campbell, who has taught me a lot about writing, won this honor this year.

Also, if you want to read my reviews, use the search function on this blog, which will take you right to a previous post if I have reviewed the book or discussed the author as memoirist.

The last two books here have not been mentioned in this blog–that’s because they are on my own list. Hope my family is reading :-)–and happy holidays to all.

These are just the books reviewed or mentioned here in the last six months.  If you want me to create another post with previous books mentioned or reviewed, just comment below!

Shirley Showalter

8 Comments

  1. Chelsea on December 11, 2009 at 4:05 am

    We're reading! 🙂

  2. shirleyhs on December 11, 2009 at 11:40 am

    🙂

  3. Gutsywriter on December 14, 2009 at 5:04 am

    What a great gift for us, to be given a list of recommended memoirs. I have to admit, I've only read four out of your list. Now I have others to read.I am looking forward to Elizabeth Gilbert's new book, “Committed.” “Mennonite in a Little Black Dress” sounds intriguing.FYI, I tried clicking on book covers, but did not get to amazon link. Perhaps it's just my computer.

  4. shirleyhs on December 16, 2009 at 5:03 pm

    Thanks for telling me that the pictures don't link back to Amazon! I'll have to ask Anthony what to do about that. Hope you find some on this list you enjoy and maybe some that serve as good models.

  5. clifh on December 23, 2009 at 1:14 pm

    I eagerly anticipate your review of “You Never Gave Me A Name” by Katie Funk Wiebe. (Pardon my blatant attempt to influence your choice of books.)

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  7. shirleyhs on December 29, 2009 at 8:36 am

    Clif, I am trying to finish up a review of The Steppes are the Color of Sepia right now by Connie Braun. I may include some reference to Katie Funk Wiebe's book in that review.

  8. shirleyhs on December 29, 2009 at 4:36 pm

    Clif, I am trying to finish up a review of The Steppes are the Color of Sepia right now by Connie Braun. I may include some reference to Katie Funk Wiebe's book in that review.

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