Reading Memoirs
Riding the Bus with My Sister
By Rachel Simon
Beautifully written and thoughtfully structured, this memoir is one of the best books about sisters I've ever read. Ms. Simon's emotional honesty will astound you, and her sister Beth will amuse you.
About My Sisters
By Debra Ginsberg
This memoir was painful for me to read because I missed my sister Adrienne even more. Sometimes, I put the book down for days, but I always picked it back up because I had to know more about Debra Ginsberg and her three sisters. An honest story that is guaranteed to touch your heart, Ginsburg weaves the narrative so effortlessly that I barely noticed the transitions from past to present. How she manages this feat, I'll never know.
The Nearly Departed
Or, My Family & Other Foreigners
By Brenda Cullerton
If you like sick, twisted, smart humor, you will love Brenda Cullerton's memoir about her unusual family (they make the people Augusten Burroughs stayed with seem normal). I seriously laughed out loud—read it. Now. You won't regret it.
Marley and Me
life and love with the world's worst dog
By John Grogan
I cried, I laughed, and then I thanked Winston for being such a wonderful dog compared to Marley! This memoir is not only a story about a man's relationship with his dog, but it is also about marriage, children, and everyday problems we all face ... Grogan shows us how his family faced their obstacles—with Marley at their side.
A Long Way Gone
Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
By Ishmael Beah
A fantastic title for an otherwise mediocre book, A Long Way Gone remains a powerful story, but I wish someone else had told it. Beah is not the strongest writer; the many mechanical errors throughout the text were distracting from his heart-wrenching tale of growing up as a child soldier in Africa.
Beautiful Boy
a father's journey through his son's addiction
By David Sheff
An excellent well-written memoir, David Sheff writes about his struggles with his son Nic (see below), a meth addict. Although I wanted to reach through the pages many times and shake Sheff, tell him to give up already, I have to admire his love and tenacity in the face of addiction. I could never be that forgiving.
Tweak
Growing up on Methamphetamines
By Nic Sheff
The only reason I bothered with this memoir was I wanted to compare it with David Sheff's Beautiful Boy. I thought it would be interesting to read the same story (essentially) from two different points of view. Otherwise, I don't recommend this book. The writing is weak, and it's hard to have any empathy for Nic, an addict who just won't—or can't—quit.
Funny in Farsi
By Firoozeh Dumas
In person, Ms. Dumas is a delight when she tells stories about her family's experiences in America. Unfortunately, her oral skills don't translate to the page. While her tales remain funny, her writing lacks the comedic timing her stories deserve.
The Year of Magical Thinking
By Joan Didion
I wanted so desperately to connect to Didion's grief—to feel her pain, and yet I felt cheated after reading this memoir. Not only did she withhold valuable information that might have changed any reader's opinion about her daughter, but she also withheld herself.
Angela's Ashes
A memoir by Frank McCourt
This book may have won a Pulitzer, but I couldn't wait to finish it.
Running with Scissors
A memoir by Augusten Burroughs
Out of the last ten memoirs I've read, this one is the best. Some people are horrified by Burroughs' detailed account of his dysfunctional childhood, but I find his honesty refreshing.
Reading other Nonfiction
Generations: The History of America's Future 1584 to 2069
By William Strauss and Neil Howe
This book fascinates me. The cyclical nature of America's generations will amaze you, too. By understanding our history, the authors accurately predicted America's future including the current economic crisis.
A Hundred Little Hitlers
The Death of a Black Man, the Trial of a White Racist, and the Rise of the Neo-Nazi Movement in America
By Elinor Langer
Author Elinor Langer tells the shocking story of the beating and subsequent death of an Ethiopian immigrant in Portland, Oregon, in November 1988. By helping readers understand how racism evolves over generations, Langer reveals the many facets to a complex narrative. I wouldn't say this book is an easy read due to its content, but it is a must-read.
The Diary of Frida Kahlo
An Intimate Self-Portrait
Introduction by Carlos Fuentes
I liked Frida Kahlo after seeing the film Frida; I fell in love with her after viewing her paintings at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. Her art isn't really my taste, but the passion and intensity behind her work is fantastic. This diary, which includes an English translation, reveals her inner soul as well as contains many colorful sketches that have never been shown before.
Stand up Poetry
Edited by Charles Harper Webb
This book taught me poetry comes in many forms; it also inspired to expand beyond my own comfort zone as a writer.
The Making of a Poem
A Norton Anthology of Poetic Forms
By Mark Strand and Eavan Boland
This required text helped me understand a variety of poetic forms as well as exposed me to many poets.
The Complete Poems of Emily Dickinson
By Emily Dickinson
I was thrilled when I got to read my favorite poet for my first poetry class.
The Freelance Writer’s Bible
By David Trottier
The exercises in this book are outstanding. I recommend this workbook to anyone pursuing a freelance writing career.
Guide to Literary Agents (2007)
Edited by Joanna Masterson
Want to find an agent? Then you have to read this book.
78 Reasons why your book may never get published and 14
reasons why it just might
By Pat Walsh
Literary agent Lisa Cron recommended this book to me. It's entertaining and enlightening.
Screenplay
By Syd Field
I could not have survived my first screenwriting class without this book.
Double your creative power!
By S. L. Stebel
An excellent book on writing and an easy read.
Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman
By Marjorie Shostak
I read this story to become more acquainted with the Kung people, but I was pleasantly surprised by this piece of well-written narrative nonfiction.
The Perfect Storm
By Sebastian Junger
After reading Junger's detailed description of weather and ships, I understand why the film chose to focus on one group of people—it's hard to become emotionally attached to wind.
Ben Franklin’s Almanac of Wit, Wisdom, and Practical Advice
By the editors of The Old Farmer’s Almanac
This book is great if you only have time to read a few paragraphs. I skip the recipes, but the household tips are terrific. For example, improve the smell in your refrigerator by soaking a cotton ball in vanilla extract and leaving it in the fridge overnight.
The Illustrated A Brief History of Time
By Stephen Hawking
I’m not a scientist, but I’m fascinated by the concept of quantum physics. The material in this book is dense so I only read about half a chapter at a time. I may not understand every concept, but I am always thrilled by the information.
Reading Fiction
Barrel Fever
By David Sedaris
Sedaris's first book contains mostly fictional short stories, and all of them failed to entertain me. The characters are unrealistic, and the message "I am a gay man who loves my dick" is overbearing and unnecessary. However, the four essays at the end of the book show Sedaris's real talent—telling true tales with a humorous twist.
The Collected Stories of Eudora Welty
By Eudora Welty
This book was recommended reading in my master's writing program, but I didn't start it until after I graduated. Although Ms. Welty easily establishes character through dialogue and action, I don't always find the plot of her stories interesting. In fact, I stopped reading one of the longest short stories in the collection "The Wide Net" because I was bored.
Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of Sisterhood
By Ann Brashares
I love this Young Adult series. Reading Girls in Pants reminded me that I must read more fiction. There is nothing liking losing time in a fantastic story.
Atlas Shrugged
By Ayn Rand
One survey says this book is the second most read book in the world after the Bible. I highly recommend it!
Middlesex
By Jeffrey Eugenides
One of the best novels that I've read in a long time, Middlesex is so engaging, one wonders if the book is actually disguising a deeply touching, true story.
Nine Stories
By J.D. Salinger
I liked Catcher in the Rye, but these nine short stories by the same author left me cold.
All the King's Men
By Robert Penn Warren
At first, I wasn't enthusiastic about this book. I'm not fond of required reading even though it's common in academia. After the first 200 pages, I started to appreciate the depth and scope of Warren's story, which is a loosely fictionalized account of Governor Huey Long from Louisiana. Don't watch the movies though (two were made); the book is by far better.
