Read, read and read some more!

You’ve all heard it right? At the beginning of any writing 101 course we are told: to learn to write, you need to READ!

As I began my journey to write my memoir, I realized that memoir was a genre that I had literally not spent too much time exploring. Yeah, I jumped on the bandwagon when ANGELA’S ASHES, EAT, PRAY, LOVE and JULIE & JULIA came out, but in truth, I read them as entertainment, not really registering that they were memoirs.

So, four years ago I began to read memoirs. I tried to focus on memoirs that deal with similar stories and contexts as the type of memoir I am writing: family memoirs, memoirs about fathers, memoirs about secrets, memoirs that feature unique cultural contexts and finally for a bit of fun, memoirs from celebrities’ I kind of like.

Here is a pic of some of the memoirs I have enjoyed so far – I have another pile, that I will get to soon (will post my view on those at a later stage!)

OK, so which ones have really stood out and why?

In the genre of family memoir, my absolute favorite is THE COLOR OF WATER by James McBride. I loved the story of a mixed-race boy of color brought up by a white woman in Harlem. His story telling is stunning and the way he describes his mother is beautiful. I LOVE it!!

Now, in the category of celebrity memoir, FINDING ME by Viola Davis is a standout in a category that is overdone. All you have to do is open the New York Times book review in the category of non-fiction, and all the books are celebrity or political tell-alls. But Ms Davis delivers a heart-wrenching tale of triumph of the human spirit that will bring you to tears. BRAVA Ms. Davis! I must say that Trevor Noah’s BORN A CRIME was a close second for me. As a biracial person that often did not belong, I truly felt his book to my core.

Memoirs about fathers is a particular sub-category of interest to me and there were some notable ones that I enjoyed. They shocked me, they horrified me, they inspired me to continue my journey. THE DUKE OF DECEPTION by Geoffrey Wolff really resonated as did ANOTHER BULLSHIT NIGHT IN SUCK CITY by Nick Flynn. These two authors don’t shy away from the truth, however ugly, when writing about their father’s short comings and the impacts on them and their families.

Memoirs where food plays a central role was a genre that I did not expect to like, but I was really blown away by Stanley Tucci’s TASTE and NOTES FROM A YOUNG BLACK CHEF by Kwame Onwuachi.

Finally, a surprise delight for me was graphic comic memoir, FUN HOME by Alison Bechdel. What a genius she is!! To be able to convey the depth and emotion of a family memoir through a book of comics? Insanely gifted. I really enjoyed this.

What are you favourite memoirs and why?