Magical Memoir Moments
What Makes a Memoir "Too Personal"? What Makes it Good?
Richard Gilbert asks and answers an intriguing question today: What gives memoirists the right to share their stories? As you read it, I invite you to compare your own experience as a reader and writer and then to comment at the end. What gives memoirists the right to share their stories? By Richard Gilbert For,…
A Pork 'n Sauerkraut New Year: Happy Birthday, Stuart!
At our house, the holiday season begins with Christmas and ends on January 11. Why January 11? That’s my husband Stuart’s birthday. We don’t clear out the wrapping paper and bows until Jan. 12. Our serious efforts to go back to low-carb eating only starts after that date also. This year, Stuart discovered a tradition…
A Perfect September Day
Corn fields ready for harvest along the Kal-Haven Trail What is more beautiful than a day in September? Today the answer was, “nothing!” I am looking out the window in my office right now as the sun is setting in the west, lighting up the weeping willow tree that has doubled in size since we…
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…
Sarah Palin's Independence Day
You don’t have to be a seer to recognize material for political celebrity memoir these days. Everyone knew that Sarah Palin would ink a book deal (even though she would not ink the memoir herself). Sure enough, HarperCollins signed her. The August issue of Vanity Fair includes an in-depth portrait of Palin by Todd S….
The Rule of Life: What Saint Benedict Is Teaching Me
What makes a good day in your life? It’s a question we’ve examined on this blog more than once, starting with my mission statement: To prepare for the hour of my death. One good day at a time. And to help others do the same. Now that I’m enjoying all the benefits of living next…
Reviewing 2013 and Setting Goals for 2014: Continuing the Search for Simplicity, Legacy
On January 1 of each year, I try to reflect on the good news of the past year, forgive the pain, and gaze upon the blank slate of the new with great anticipation. As I get older, I think of each new year as an amazing gift. A friend once wished me a happy birthday,…
57 Varieties of Wisdom: Sooner or Later, We All Quote Our Mothers (and Fathers)
As I intimated in my last post, the response to my Facebook query asking for examples of sayings from parents was amazing. Fifty-seven responses in all, counting multiple entries and conversations about entries. Then my Facebook friend Linda Hoye posted a Mary Englebreit painting featuring these words: “Sooner or Later, We All Quote Our Mothers.”…
How to Balance Writing with Facebook, Blogging, and Twitter
While I draft memoir chapters about growing up Mennonite, I am also writing to you, the friends of this blog, and to others on my facebook page and twitter feed. Is it worth it to spend my time this way? Sometimes I wonder. A few weeks ago, I was asked by a friend of this…
Ukrainian Grandma Star
The war in Ukraine has touched the hearts of millions around the world. Many people have found ways to show their concern. For two years in a row, a group of friends in our community has made comforters to ship to Ukraine. But one reader has a more personal connection. Let me introduce you to Lisa…