These Are My Favorite Memoirs. What Are Yours?

Last updated on: September 18, 2014 at 12:38 pm by Ellen Painter Dollar

These Are My Favorite Memoirs. What Are Yours? 2014-09-18T12:38:33-04:00 Ellen Painter Dollar

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

After reading my post on 3 Mistakes to Avoid When Writing Memoir, a colleague asked me to name some of my favorites memoirs/memoirists. Here’s my list. It’s worth noting that few of these writers’ memoirs are about freaky, strange life events. Rather, most of these memoirs are about growing up, having children, being married, working, and other fairly universal, seldom tragic or odd, experiences. More proof that what makes a great memoir isn’t an unusual or fraught story, but great writing. These are listed in no particular order. I didn’t realize until I made this list that nearly all of my favorites are by women.

Lucy Grealy – Autobiography of a Face

Ann Patchett – Truth & Beauty; This is the Story of a Happy Marriage (a collection of autobiographical essays rather than a straight memoir)

Anne Lamott – Operating Instructions; Traveling Mercies and Plan B (autobiographical essays)

Haven Kimmel – A Girl Named Zippy

Kelly Corrigan – The Middle Place

Lauren Winner – Girl Meets God; Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis

Jeannette Walls – The Glass Castle

Kate Braestrup – Here if You Need Me

Andrew Solomon – The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression; Far from the Tree. I hesitated before adding these, because they are not technically memoirs. They are masterworks of journalism, exploring depression and difference by telling many people’s stories. However, in both books, Solomon includes his own story (of having depression in The Noonday Demon, and of being a gay man exploring his identity in relation to his family and embarking on parenthood in Far from the Tree). He is such a skilled, thoughtful writer, and so expertly tells his own story alongside other people’s stories, that I had to include him on my list.

What are some of your favorite memoirs and memoirists? What do you love about them?

Uncategorized

memoir

writing

Previous Post

September 16, 2014

Don't Sweat the Big Stuff?

Next Post

September 24, 2014 The Good and Bad of the Ice Bucket Challenge

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category disability ethics parenthood Uncategorized

Select a Month September 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

How many times does the word "Christian" appear in the Bible?

Select your answer to see how you score.

12 7 3 10