Piggy-backing on my last post about my inherent curiosity about other people's lives (aka nosiness) is this post about memoirs. In no other literary form can one get quite the level of intimacy as in a memoir.
On my nightstand now is THE GLASS CASTLE by Jeannette Walls. At the moment, I don't know how to describe the memoir, except with a WOW. This book fills my craving for an inside look into other people's lives. It fills the craving, but it also includes the greatest components of fictional storytelling: I feel like I've been plopped into the various SETTINGS, the limited DIALOGUE is believable and compelling, there is a PLOT (I feel like the story is going somewhere), etc., etc.
As a writer of fiction, I think there's a lot to be learned by reading great memoirs...I strive to make my more serious fictional works as compelling and intimate as these nonfiction jewels.
5 comments:
I love Glass Castle! It reads like a noverl, don't you think?
I thought about whether it reads like a novel...in some ways I thought it would seem too self-indulgent of a fictional character, if it was a novel...on the other hand, I love Bridget Jones...BUT Bridget Jones was also funny, so I can't quite decide if I would've liked GLASS CASTLE as much if it was a novel...lots of rambling from me, I know...anyway, loooved the book.
I haven't read it but my sis "Lil Ms. J" at http://msjwrites.blogspot.com/ did. She loved it. And as a matter of fact she has just finished her own memoir. She is in the final stages of editing.
But if you like to read that type of stuff...she is ALWAYS posting little tidbits of her life. lol.
I'm going to have to check out the Glass Castle...so many people have told me it is wonderful!
The Glass Castle is phenomenal! It is arguably my favorite memoir and I fell in love with her style - very amibivalent and unaffected. She is a top notch storyteller.
ANGELA'S ASHES is great, too, but a darker than THE GLASS CASTLE. THE GLASS CASTLE is one of my top five favorite memoirs.
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