~~ Month of Memoirs ~~
I hope that I’ve gotten your to-be-read lists pumped up with some great memoirs. If you feel that it’s a little out of hand, you may be right. At the halfway point of the month of memoirs, here’s a list of a few more that I am looking forward to reading.
The Bridge Ladies– Betsy Lerner
An adult woman returns to her childhood home to care for her mother post-surgery. Their chilly relationship thaws then warms with the encouragement of the ladies of the mother’s weekly bridge club.
Stitches– David Small
When Small was 14, he underwent a supposedly minor surgery. When he woke from the anesthesia, he found that his vocal cord had been removed and he had Frankenstein-like stitches across his throat. This graphic memoir recounts his adolescent horror and his long road to recovery.
The Most Beautiful: My Life with Prince– Mayte Garcia
Prince’s first wife shares the personal stories of her long relationship with Prince.
After the Eclipse: A Mother’s Murder, a Daughter’s Search– Sarah Perry
This memoir came on the scene around the time of last year’s eclipse, but I just didn’t get around to picking it up. Sarah Perry experienced an eclipse when she was twelve; two days later her mother was murdered in her home just outside of Perry’s childhood bedroom. It took years for the investigation to lead to the arrest and, eventual conviction of the murderer.
The Red Parts– Maggie Nelson
Similarly, The Red Parts deals with murder and the justice system. Nelson’s aunt haunted her childhood. Murdered when she was young, the killer never found, the tragedy loomed large in the family, although Nelson never met her aunt. One day the police call to say that the case has been reopened in light of DNA evidence. This story covers the trial.
The Other Wes Moore– Wes Moore
Wes Moore, Rhodes scholar and the author, one day learns that he grew up down the road from another Wes Moore who has been imprisoned for murder. Moore investigates the life of the other Wes Moore and realizes how easily his fate could have been traded for the other.
Love Life– Rob Lowe
Oh, yes, there’s more! Since I so loved Lowe’s Stories I Only Tell My Friends, of course, I had to pick up this memoir which picks up where the first ended.
Hourglass: Time, Memory, Marriage– Dani Shapiro
I cannot now remember who first recommended this memoir to me, but I’ve had it on my wishlist for a while now. This memoir details how a marriage evolves over time.
The Clancys of Queens– Tara Clancy
A family saga about Clancy’s clan and her childhood growing up in Queens. This is one that I plan to listen to on audiobook. Apparently, Clancy narrates the story herself with her natural Queens accent that makes the story come alive.
Hummmm, if I get to all of these, this August-full-of-memoirs may be an annual thing!
Well-Read Neck 