Why We Write About Ourselves

November 2, 2015
In this helpful collection, 20 authors address the challenges of personal writing, from self-reflection to respecting the feelings of the other people in one’s life. Maran (My Lie), an accomplished memoirist herself, has selected a diverse group of contributors to speak from their personal experiences while also reflecting on memoir as a genre. Edwidge Danticat describes the year of grief that compelled her to write her first memoir, A.M. Homes grapples with her distaste for personal writing, and Cheryl Strayed ruminates on the repercussions of her runaway success. Each contributor’s section has four distinct components: Maran’s introduction to the writer’s themes and works, a biographical CV, the writer’s thoughts on memoir, and bullet-pointed items of “wisdom for memoir writers.” These writers differ greatly in their approach to a delicate and dangerous art. Meghan Daum decided to supplement what was (in her opinion) an unremarkable life story by tying it to larger themes; Ishmael Beah, a onetime child soldier from Sierra Leone, was forced to defend his memoir’s veracity. But in the end, they all agree that they write about themselves because they have to.

October 15, 2015
Memoirists reflect on why and how to write "a true-life tale." The enormous current popularity of memoirs inspired Maran (A Theory of Small Earthquakes, 2012, etc.) to ask 20 writers to share thoughts on motivation, morality, and craft. Although the editor writes that this book is aimed at readers as well as writers, the structure suggests that would-be memoirists are the intended audience. Maran prefaces each chapter with a sprightly introduction, along with "Vitals" such as birthdate, schooling, Twitter and website addresses, and bibliography. Each entry is divided into brief sections, beginning with "Why I write about myself" and ending with a boxed nugget of advice called "Wisdom for Memoir Writers." Most of the contributors are likely to be familiar to readers: Edwidge Danticat, A.M. Homes, Sue Monk Kidd, Anne Lamott, Cheryl Strayed, and Ayelet Waldman are among the women; Pat Conroy, Nick Flynn, and James McBride are among the men. Some offer opinions about the value of memoir as catharsis, therapy, or revenge. All agree that crafting a memoir is different from keeping a diary. "You still have to write scenes and be engaging," Danticat advises, "You have to edit mercilessly....Don't just put things in because 'they happened.' " Waldman echoes Danticat's advice: "Writing memoir requires the construction of story and character in the same way that writing anything does. The trick with memoir is that the story and the character have to be true." However, there's considerable disagreement about memoirists' responsibility to other people. "Memoirs hurt people," Conroy writes. "Secrets hurt people. The question to ask yourself is, if you tell your story, will it do enough good to make it worth hurting people?" Strayed cautions, "You have to think about the personal consequences of writing about others on a case-by-case basis." David Sheff declares simply, "Don't hurt people." Other contributors include Kate Christensen, Edmund White, and Jesmyn Ward. Candid revelations for readers; useful advice and encouragement for aspiring writers.

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November 15, 2015

Memoirists have long faced the same set of questions: How much truth should you tell? How many secrets can be exposed? What if the truth is not as you remember it? They're all valid questions without easy answers, because it all depends on who you ask--and Maran (Why We Write) asked some heavy hitters. Sue Monk Kidd, Pat Conroy, and Anne Lamott are among the 20 memoirists who reveal the logistical machines behind their work. Each provides varying outlooks. Conroy unveils that he lost his relationship with his sister when he wrote about her coming-out experience in The Death of Santini, explaining that he will "always choose the writer over the person who suffers because of what's written," while Meghan Daum writes that she is "conscious of which stories are mine to tell and which stories belong to other people." The memoirists reveal their greatest fears, how they react to criticism (including being called liars, in some cases), and what it means to disclose one's life to the world. VERDICT The book's varied group of authors makes for rich and diverse perspectives. Recommend to aspiring memoirists.--Erin Entrada Kelly, Philadelphia

Copyright 2015 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from January 1, 2016
Why are memoirs so popular? And why write one? Indeed, who are these tell-alls, and what makes them tell? This collection reporting why writers write about themselves hops from the fascinating to the clarifying to the downright inspirational. The 20 contributors range from Anne Lamott to Edmund White to Pat Conroy, and each section follows the same format by beginning with a brief quote from a work and then a charming gem of introduction by editor Maran, followed by personal stats ( The Vitals ) and books written ( The Collected Works ). Then the writers offer personal wisdom, speaking in their own voices under various headings that serve as tidy summations of what follows. Each writer's section closes with a bulleted list of wisdom for would-be memoirists. This is not a book to be read lightly nor to be read all at onceit is chock-full of brilliance and insight. Most contributions are so vital and exhilarating that readers will likely set the book aside to go walk, talk, think, and, perhaps, write themselves. The memoirists here are multicultural, of all genders, and from backgrounds both somewhat familiar and vastly exotic. There is more than enough for any reader of nearly any age who wants wisdom, often hard-won, from what Sandra Tsing Loh calls your tribe. A truly stellar collection and a must-read for writers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)