Can any of you tell me why you read memoir? What is it you get out of reading other people's stories? Is it helpful? Is it just voyeuristic? What memoirs have you enjoyed the most and why?
I appreciate your input.
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It's the voyeristic thing, mostly. It's comparing and contrasting my own life to others. It's just so interesting. ;)
...and I guess I should've spell checked the word voyeuristic before I put it in a comment. ;)
I read memoir because for the most part this genre fascinates me. I don't know if it's partly because I am working on my own or knew I would always write one. I like to know stuff. I like to know about people. I like to understand what individuals come from-what shaped them. I appreciate the emotions that are brought forward when I read an honest and baring story. Of course how it's told is what 'makes' me want to read one over another.......
I'm just much more interested in the story, when I know it's true. If it's inspirational? Even better.
I read two kinds of memoirs. First, I like to read about people from the headlines and history, like Reagan and Obama. But, my favorite memoirs are those of survivors, people who overcome abuse, illness, tragedy. I want (NEED) to be inspired. I want to try to learn a little bit from those who, for whatever reason, could have given up but didn't. What is it about them that didn't allow them to give up? What is their inspiration? How can I be more like that?
Hope the helps. :)
I read a memoir because it's about something that interests me. It's a bit like talking to my neighbour, he used to work in the Arctic rescuing scientists when they got lost. He had to breed his own husky packs etc
I read memoirs and love them. it is like reading someone's diary but edited for content and flow. I also love to read blogs, i think for the same reason. Every memoir/blog that I read, I get to know these people and their lives and feel like we could be friends. It can be a little strange to actually run into that person because you have read their private thoughts but it makes me feel like I truly understand them. I stray from memoir every once in a while because sometimes it can be so heavy(I mean it would be a boring memoir if there wasn't some kind of a struggle, right?) Favorites include, Jennifer Lauck's-all of them!, Detour by Lizzie Simon, Lucky by Alice Seabold, Comeback.
Currently reading Drinking, A love story. (really good so far!)
Love your blog. Check it everyday!
-Wendy
Hi Wendy! Thanks for stopping. I looked at your profile and your family is too cute!
Supergirls!
I'm really NOT a stalker. LOL. I just cannot find your blog-following button. Is I blind???
I don't have a blog following button. Those buttons are new fangled, and I have not been up to date. I'm observing, seeing how I like them on other people's blogs.
The jury's still out.
: )
I hate to sound so stupid, but I like to get ideas of things I can do in my own life. Ever since I realized I was the creator of my own reality, I felt the need to know what other people did with theirs. Maybe that's voyeuristic. I can get these ideas from fiction novels too (if they are good). An example: a child character in Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible liked to spell and read words backwards. Now I think it is fun to do as well. I also love when a writer can laugh at their folly, like Augusten Burroughs in Dry. Hysterical. I still hear him say over and over in my head- "ooh- smells are molecules" (i have an oversensitive smeller)
I love to hear / read peoples stories - I think it is me being nosey - I love telling mine too! That is being someone who likes to talk ALL the time.
I'm with Carrie. A story is so much more moving if it is true.
Also, like anything, we look for ourselves, our experiences in a memoir. I want to relate my experieces, compare, contrast...and ultimately...get hope.
I enjoyed reading through your whole week of wonderful posts. You are such a good mother and you bring such wisdom to nurturing your children and to your own experience of life. It's a delight to read. I'm not much of a biography reader myself. I've read a few over 60 years I guess because I was curious about or really liked the person and it was a way to know them better. On occasion, I think I read a memoir because the story was a message of how to weather the sometimes difficult journey through life.
because it is some of the most moving, inspiring, best-written work I have ever read; because sometimes I write it; and because it makes me feel like I'm "friends" with the authors, in a way
What a great question.
I guess I read them because I seek to understand life. And people. And how people live and survive and think and feel.
One of my favs is "Come Back". And, "Blackbird", ect.
:)
I dont have the attention span to read a whole book. Sad I know. BUT I read Look me in The Eye from cover to cover, including the cover. And I read a lot of blogs (much shorter than a book! lol) which is basically the same thing. I do enjoy true stories. (Much more inspiring though there is a lot of fiction that is inspiring too.)
For me I think I enjoy reading them because it helps me realize that a lot of people think and feel the same way I do, which doesn't make me feel so weird at times (or I'll think they are weird too). Then also I can see how differently people think and react to the same things.
feel both validated and challenged.
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