do any of you like to read memoirs?
i especially like to read memoirs about depressed or abused or mentally ill girls. is that wrong to admit? well, it’s true. Unbearable Lightness, The Glass Castle, Wasted, Anais Nin’s Unexpurgated Journals, and every single version of Sylvia Plath’s journals that have been released. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, but the point is i keep searching for more but i think i’ve read all the really good ones? i’ll keep looking and let you know what i find. i might have to broaden my focus to include men and drug addiction stories.
i do see these books as my equivalent to a trashy romance novel. sensationalized and dramatic and easy to read. but if i’m in a reading funk, one of these books always helps get my reading flow started again. or it works as a balance against the heavy and dense writing of the political non-fiction i’m usually chiseling away at.
this pekoe is boring.
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The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls was incredible! I really enjoy memoirs, too, usually about people who inspire me, as long as the writing is not too self indulgent; good editing can make a world of difference, I think. I would love to recommend one of my favorites: My Path Leads to Tibet by Sabriye Tenberken. Seems as though most people have never heard of her, and she is this amazing, strong visually impaired woman who helped children who are visually impaired in Tibet.
Another inspiring memoir I read not too long ago 90 Days by, oh, gosh I can’t remember the author’s name…it is about being in recovery, and it was one of those can’t put down books.
I hope your next cup of tea is as exciting and compelling as your favorite memoirs!
edit: 90 Days by Bill Clegg!
I’m obsessed with the genre too, and have read most of the ones you mentioned, but I still need to get my hands on The Glass Castle. Have you read The Quiet Room by Lori Schiller?
Serenity, i just sent a sample of 90 Days to my kindle and i bought My Path Leads to Tibet immediately because i trust my fellow tea drinkers greatly and the ebook was only $3.59. thank you thank you!!
SoftRev, i have read The Quiet Room yes. i liked it, and find myself referencing it in conversations still.
Definitely get your hands on Glass Castle. you won’t regret it. (if you have an ereader i could probably send it to you)
How was Unbearable Lightness? I’ve been contemplating picking it up.
I think I will re-read Glass Castle, now I’m remembering it…that scene with the mom with the candy bar— I can’t get over it…
So hoping you will enjoy My Path, Shmiracles, please let me know!
Looking up The Quiet Room right now…
Courtney, that was the very first e-book i ever read and i have to admit that when i started to browse it, it was just out of curiosity. i wasn’t planning on actually reading it.
but it is so well written that i immediately read the entire book!! basically if the subject matter doesn’t have any issues for you i highly recommend it. it’s a very well written and truly sincere telling of an experience. (it’s really hard to not sound cliche when describing memoirs sometimes aint it)
I have The Glass Castle at home but haven’t quite got to it yet. I also read that ‘genre’ though I focus more on mental illness and don’t do well with anything involving abuse. Most people think it’s really strange to enjoy reading the experiences of people with mental illness, but c’est la vie. There was one called Involuntary Madness where the woman (journalist?) checked herself into a few different types of institution with the same symptoms to see the different treatments offered that was really interesting. On a very different memoir note, I am reading The Fry Chronicles and it is fantastic, Stephen Fry is a wonderfully fanciful writer.
I don’t usually have a lot of time to read anymore with school. It’s all textbook reading but I think I will pick that one up. I love Portia de Rossi and I have no issues with the subject matter I find it interesting as well actually. Thanks for the recommendation :)
Uniquity, i send myself the sample of ‘Voluntary Madness: Lost and Found in the Mental Healthcare System’ thanks for the recommendation!
i love all these possibilities you guys are giving me :)
bummer the stephen fry book isn’t an e-book yet, but i’ll keep my eyes peeled. also, how can anyone not love stephen fry!!
Unbearable Lightness was pretty fantastic. She did an amazing job at explaining her ‘logic’ and actually making it seem like it made sense. It felt very honest to me.
I do have an ereader and would love it if you could send me a copy if it’s not too much trouble. I’ll pm you my email address. Thanks!
Funny that you mention Voluntary Madness, I’m reading Self Made Man by the same author right now, where she lives as a man for a year in different settings. Interesting stuff. I like ‘investigative journalism’ type books too, Nickeled and Dimed is another good one.
I didn’t realize I like investigative journalism until you pointed it out – though mostly I have been confined to AJ Jacobs. Will be sure to look up the ones you mentioned!
Stephen Fry is wonderful, I agree! I can’t wait to read his newest book. Wow, Voluntary Madness looks very absorbing.
Omg. I know I’m late to this party but yay, books!!! Path Leads to Tibet sounds delicious. Thank you, I shall be checking that out. Fist pump for the glass castle!
The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls was incredible! I really enjoy memoirs, too, usually about people who inspire me, as long as the writing is not too self indulgent; good editing can make a world of difference, I think. I would love to recommend one of my favorites: My Path Leads to Tibet by Sabriye Tenberken. Seems as though most people have never heard of her, and she is this amazing, strong visually impaired woman who helped children who are visually impaired in Tibet.
Another inspiring memoir I read not too long ago 90 Days by, oh, gosh I can’t remember the author’s name…it is about being in recovery, and it was one of those can’t put down books.
I hope your next cup of tea is as exciting and compelling as your favorite memoirs!
edit: 90 Days by Bill Clegg!
I’m obsessed with the genre too, and have read most of the ones you mentioned, but I still need to get my hands on The Glass Castle. Have you read The Quiet Room by Lori Schiller?
Serenity, i just sent a sample of 90 Days to my kindle and i bought My Path Leads to Tibet immediately because i trust my fellow tea drinkers greatly and the ebook was only $3.59. thank you thank you!!
SoftRev, i have read The Quiet Room yes. i liked it, and find myself referencing it in conversations still.
Definitely get your hands on Glass Castle. you won’t regret it. (if you have an ereader i could probably send it to you)
How was Unbearable Lightness? I’ve been contemplating picking it up.
I think I will re-read Glass Castle, now I’m remembering it…that scene with the mom with the candy bar— I can’t get over it…
So hoping you will enjoy My Path, Shmiracles, please let me know!
Looking up The Quiet Room right now…
Courtney, that was the very first e-book i ever read and i have to admit that when i started to browse it, it was just out of curiosity. i wasn’t planning on actually reading it.
but it is so well written that i immediately read the entire book!! basically if the subject matter doesn’t have any issues for you i highly recommend it. it’s a very well written and truly sincere telling of an experience. (it’s really hard to not sound cliche when describing memoirs sometimes aint it)
I have The Glass Castle at home but haven’t quite got to it yet. I also read that ‘genre’ though I focus more on mental illness and don’t do well with anything involving abuse. Most people think it’s really strange to enjoy reading the experiences of people with mental illness, but c’est la vie. There was one called Involuntary Madness where the woman (journalist?) checked herself into a few different types of institution with the same symptoms to see the different treatments offered that was really interesting. On a very different memoir note, I am reading The Fry Chronicles and it is fantastic, Stephen Fry is a wonderfully fanciful writer.
I don’t usually have a lot of time to read anymore with school. It’s all textbook reading but I think I will pick that one up. I love Portia de Rossi and I have no issues with the subject matter I find it interesting as well actually. Thanks for the recommendation :)
Uniquity, i send myself the sample of ‘Voluntary Madness: Lost and Found in the Mental Healthcare System’ thanks for the recommendation!
i love all these possibilities you guys are giving me :)
bummer the stephen fry book isn’t an e-book yet, but i’ll keep my eyes peeled. also, how can anyone not love stephen fry!!
Unbearable Lightness was pretty fantastic. She did an amazing job at explaining her ‘logic’ and actually making it seem like it made sense. It felt very honest to me.
I do have an ereader and would love it if you could send me a copy if it’s not too much trouble. I’ll pm you my email address. Thanks!
Funny that you mention Voluntary Madness, I’m reading Self Made Man by the same author right now, where she lives as a man for a year in different settings. Interesting stuff. I like ‘investigative journalism’ type books too, Nickeled and Dimed is another good one.
I didn’t realize I like investigative journalism until you pointed it out – though mostly I have been confined to AJ Jacobs. Will be sure to look up the ones you mentioned!
Stephen Fry is wonderful, I agree! I can’t wait to read his newest book. Wow, Voluntary Madness looks very absorbing.
Omg. I know I’m late to this party but yay, books!!! Path Leads to Tibet sounds delicious. Thank you, I shall be checking that out. Fist pump for the glass castle!