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Minda Honey's avatar

I had no idea people were saying a memoir can’t be judged without judging a person’s life!! I think the most simplistic, basic readers are unable to distinguish between the two but it’s an insult to memoir writers and our entire craft to say there’s no artistry to what we do. Shaping a narrative from your personal experience is very different than just vomiting about your life at a party!!

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Traci Thomas's avatar

It really and truly is. I see it all the time in online spaces though. Lots of people won’t review a memoir because of this with a very “who am I to judge” attitude.

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Minda Honey's avatar

🙃

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CP's avatar

Thanks so much for this! I've been teaching a class dedicated to Memoir in a large public high school in the Midwest for over 20 years. Your points are very aligned with how learn about and assess memoir in class. But because students are still learning about the craft of writing, we spend a lot of time on theme, tone, voice, reflection, and change. It's stunning how many crap memoirs are missing not just one but SEVERAL of those elements.

The best thing is when students who aren't that much into reading or writing find a memoirist they jive with, even though they may not completely understand the writer's choices or history.

I also appreciate your memoir examples here as well--almost all of those titles are in my classroom library and I consider them among the very best, too. Add in Roxane Gay's "Hunger" and Coate's "Between the World and Me". We've got yours too, Minda Honey! And Neko Case's new one, which is just gorgeous.

My brightest moment this week was the serendipitous moment where I wrapped up my own personal reading of Wendy Ortiz's "Excavation" (holy shit so so good), noting a chapter to excerpt for class where she describes her bedroom. At the same time, a student turned in a rough draft for a writing where she does the exact same thing...what a joy to hand the student Ortiz's work and have her do a compare/contrast. LOVED IT.

Anyway, sorry so long. I get REALLY into memoir discussions and I appreciate it so much when others I respect get involved too!

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Traci Thomas's avatar

What a cool class. I love that. I think so many memoirs (from celebs and normies) alike are very very bad. Poorly written, lacking in vision, pacing and structure issues. So glad you feel that way too.

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Tricia's avatar

I’m happy that Excavation is getting republished

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Traci Thomas's avatar

Ohhh I didn’t know that.

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Aimz Rushton's avatar

Thank you for writing this! Hard agree on the memoirs by Saeed Jones and Jesmyn Ward being standout examples of the genre.

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Traci Thomas's avatar

So good!!!

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Kim Baldwin's avatar

Love the way you break this down, Traci. I read a ton of memoirs and sometimes struggle with articulating why some of them don’t do it for me. Your distinction between what makes a memoir interesting vs entertaining is soooooo helpful.

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Traci Thomas's avatar

So glad you liked this one. I think we’re not really taught how to discuss nonfiction work in the same way we are fictional ones (even in other mediums) and so people panic over being mean or judgey and really miss the artistry.

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Kim Baldwin's avatar

100%

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Christi Hegstad, PhD, PCC's avatar

One of my criteria for a book, whether fiction or nonfiction, involves whether it changed or challenged my thinking in some way. Did it help me view a situation or issue from a new perspective? Did I have an 'I never thought about it that way before' moment? Am I still pondering it long after I closed the book? I find that memoirs (including several of the ones pictured in your post!) allow for this just as much as other genres and types of books. Thanks for sharing your insights here - such an interesting conversation!

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Traci Thomas's avatar

What about books you read just for fun? How would judge a book that’s more “fluff”. Can that be held in high esteem based on your criteria? I think about like a rom-com. It could be great as a rom-com but might not change or challenge my thinking (and likely wasn’t trying to). What do you do with those?

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Christi Hegstad, PhD, PCC's avatar

We are probably mining the depths of my nerdiness here :-), but I'd say the 'made me think' aspect still applies for me. I don't tend to read a lot of light/fluffy books (though I am actively trying to do this more!), but even when I do, I seem to veer toward those with multiple story lines, characters who are also navigating other challenges, etc.

This isn't my *only* criteria, however, and I do feel I can appreciate a book for what it was and share thoughts on who - or what mood - might enjoy it even if it wasn't a winner for me. (I am also a mood reader, so I recognize this plays a role, too.) But when I look back at my yearly top ten lists, both fiction and nonfiction ones, the 'made me think' books do seem to rise to the surface for me.

I so appreciate the various criteria you've outlined here - and isn't it just a thrill when a memoir meets all of them?!

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Traci Thomas's avatar

I see this is more what makes a book really rise to the top for you. That makes sense.

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Tsahai Makeda's avatar

This feels like a book like Yaa Gyasi's 'Homegoing' would be a good 'make you think' one for you.

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Christi Hegstad, PhD, PCC's avatar

Thank you for the rec! I loved Transcendent Kingdom by her but haven't read this one yet - I appreciate the suggestion!

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Abigail Paxton's avatar

This rubric is super helpful because it IS hard sometimes to sort through my own experience reading someone else’s experience! Thanks, Traci!

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Traci Thomas's avatar

So glad you found it helpful. And thank you for calling it a rubric. I truly love that word.

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Katy Callie's avatar

Great post! I love memoirs and have read some great ones over the years, and also some stinkers. For example, years ago I DNFed a book called The Sexual Life of Catherine M. by Catherine Millet because it was so dry. How anyone could make an orgy in the Bois de Boulogne boring as hell is beyond me!

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Traci Thomas's avatar

NO! That should be a sin, not the orgy, making it boring!

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Maria Bertrand's avatar

I'm loving this series! Something I was reflecting on while driving to work is that many non-fiction books, although not necessarily memoirs, often stay with me the longest and give me the most food for thought, yet they are also the most difficult for me to understand. I wonder if it's because I'm trying so hard to hold onto all of the facts, or maybe it's because some of the political intricacies go over my head. While "Say Nothing" was an incredible read, I found myself struggling through paragraphs about the various political parties of Northern Ireland.

Have you heard others express similar difficulties? Any reason why you think that might be?

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Traci Thomas's avatar

I haven’t heard this before but it makes total sense. Lots to digest and process.

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Tsahai Makeda's avatar

This post is RIGHT ON TIME!! Your criteria is spot on; these are some of the questions I've asked myself about my book to make sure it is ready for the reader! Thanks for giving this post and your thoughts on memoir.

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Traci Thomas's avatar

I love this so much. I can’t wait for your book whenever it’s ready.

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Marissa Klymkiw's avatar

Huge thanks. You are giving me the tools to help me define what I think is good and articulate it.

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Traci Thomas's avatar

I’m so glad this is useful to you’

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Holly Dyer's avatar

For me, a big pet peeve for memoirs is when they feel like a "public diary". Particularly ones that are primarily describing their lives or an event that happened to them, but don't offer much reflection, takeaways, or a clear idea of the story they're trying to tell. I notice this a lot from memoirs by authors in their 20s or 30s, but that's not always the case.

Loving this nonfiction series!

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Traci Thomas's avatar

Yes totally. That’s what I meant with self-aware for sure.

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Rebecca Baillie Stumme's avatar

I am to right in the middle of a memoir that is bad! West By West by Jerry West. It’s so badly written and unfocused BUT it’s juicy and West is SUPER vulnerable so I’m still kind of enjoying it?? What’s weird to me is that he has a co-writer but I think that guy just did interviews with former players which are then just dumped verbatim into the text as pages-long quotes.

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Traci Thomas's avatar

Yes I think some can hit certain marks but miss overall. Juicy can do a lot to help a memoir as I read it but after the fact the failures remain.

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Rebecca Baillie Stumme's avatar

Also I randomly got to meet Byron Scott yesterday almost immediately after reading the section in the book about him.

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Traci Thomas's avatar

That’s very cool!

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Rebecca Baillie Stumme's avatar

I will loop back when I’m finished reading to see if the juiciness outweighs the abysmal writing!

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