Magical Memoir Moments
Reposting a Tribute to My Mother-in-Law: A Mini-Memoir
Note to Readers: My first blog was created on the Santa Barbara Writer’s Conference site. When the site closed, I lost the web connection for this post written in 2008. I am reposting it so that others can appreciate the woman I considered a second mother–and so that one small piece of her legacy is…
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…
Let Us Now Praise Independent Bookstores, Public Libraries, and Local Newspapers
If it weren’t for independent bookstores and my local newspaper I would not be writing this blog. So this post is all about thanks and praise. There’s a role for you to play too, so keep reading! I got the idea to praise these outstanding local institutions by reading this delightful Ann Patchett essay in…
Toy Story 3: A Memoir Stimulus Package
When Stuart and I saw Toy Story 3, I remembered one of our more delightful experiences while in Prague last year–a trip to the Toy Museum at the base of the huge castle in Prague, Czech Republic. At the time we visited, the museum displayed an amazing collection of Barbie dolls in honor of her…
3 Things That Could Make a Difference, for Michigan, and for You
I love where I live. You may have read about my neighborhood here and about one special neighbor Priya, who moved to Texas, much to our sorrow. Michigan Public Radio stations have been running a regular series called “3 Things” since January of this year. Lots of people have offered suggestions for a way to fix Michigan,…
Two Wedding Blessings for Our Daughter and Her Husband
Yesterday our only daughter became a bride and wife. Today is Mother’s Day. Need I tell you that my heart was full this morning, even before Stuart placed a handwritten card and a cup of Starbucks coffee on the bedstand and even before the last event of the wedding–brunch with the two families and the wedding…
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…
Ben Yagoda's Memoir: A History on the Kindle–A Double Review
Ben Yagoda’s history of the memoir genre should make any other survey redundant. He’s performed a great service, not only to readers and writers but also to the new field of nonfiction/memoir studies. As promised previously, I will describe not only what I learned from reading the book but also from reading it on the Kindle. First,…