I have a long list of memoirs to recommend. I'll begin with Abigail Thomas. She's written several and what I love about them is she's picked a theme for each and then chosen pivotal moments to write often very short vignettes. One her memoirs is Safekeeping: Some True Stories from a Life (Anchor Books, 2000).
"Uncanny Valley" by Anna Wiener was a bestseller about her experience in Silicon Valley and is a good example of a "work" memoir.
"Living to Tell the Tale" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is brilliant in every way.
Vivian Gornick led me to search out "Journey from the North." by Storm Jameson. I loved it.
I found Mary Karr's "The Liars Club" helpful for craft and how to convey that other people's memories may differ from the writer's.
Great recommendations, Elizabeth!
I have a long list of memoirs to recommend. I'll begin with Abigail Thomas. She's written several and what I love about them is she's picked a theme for each and then chosen pivotal moments to write often very short vignettes. One her memoirs is Safekeeping: Some True Stories from a Life (Anchor Books, 2000).
Thanks for these new recommendations. Loved Glass Castle. One other outstanding memoir I loved was “When Breath Becomes Air.”
A women recomends 5 memoirs by women? Maybe mix it up a bit?
Caylin Moore is a man.