Why We Write About Ourselves: Twenty Memoirists on Why They Expose Themselves (and Others) in the Name of Literature

Wow--like many other reviewers here, I really loved WHY WE WRITE ABOUT OURSELVES. It sounds strangely narcissistic, doesn't it? Cringe worthy, even to think that we writers like to write about ourselves. Why not write about someone else? Well, then...that sounds voyeuristic. Alas, we are a society fascinated with people and ourselves, but that's not what I got out of WHY WE WRITE ABOUT OURSELVES. Here's what I did get: we share our stories to make sense of the insensible, we tell our stories to give new meaning to tragedy, to shape others, and ultimately to help others. But doing all of that is a hell of a lot of work. Not only does the aspiring memorist have to delve deep into the human psyche, dust off distant (often forgotten for a reason) memories, make them shiny and new, but he or she needs to also shape them into a beautiful story with a plot, character arc, and more. Might as well give up, right? Wrong. Through twenty amazing writers, we learn the ins and outs of doing such a seemingly impossible task. I love Maran's introduction of each writer and also the "vital stats," including age, social media handles, notable notes, etc. and then...the meat of the "advice" begins as each writer shares insights that inspire the writer to push up her sleeves and get writing. Many of my pages of this title are dog-eared for future reference and inspiration. Plus, I have a much better understanding of the art and craft of memoir, one that has helped me get over the stigma of being a potential navel-gazer. For all of my reviews, including author interviews, please see: [...]

Wonderful to read the experiences and perspectives of professional writers. I also like the fact that each author's works were listed. I picked off quite a few, which are now on my bucket list.

This is a quick, wonderful and highly informative read! I love memoirs and stumbled upon this book by accident. Not only did it actually bring to light so many things I don't actually think of when I'm reading memoirs but it inspired me to look up every single memoirist I read about and I've added nearly 10 new books that I want to read to my Wish List. That's the power of a good book and excellent writing-- it allows you to want more. I recommend this book wholly for anyone who loves reading memoirs, anyone who simply loves to read and anyone who may need a little nudge as they work on their own personal memoir.

This collection is un-putdownable! As a person who loves reading--and writing--personal stories from my own life, I was fascinated to see other people's reasons for choosing to expose their deepest thoughts and inner selves. I love hearing how each one solves the dilemma of writing about other people. It's a brave book that plumbs the depths and has twenty different answers to the question: What makes writing memoir so compelling? Meredith Maran has done a wonderful job of putting this collection together!

Nothing new here, though the format was a little interesting. I could have easily predicted what people would say.

There is so much wisdom and experience reflected in the different authors interviewed for this book, many of whom are personal favorites of mine, so the book was a real treat. As a writer of memoir myself, the book is both a resource and a source of inspiration. It's well put together and the approach to the interviews elicited great responses.

This is a good overview of the introspective, creative process. -- Made me think about writing a memoir of my own.

That I was the kind of book that I was looking for. Why do we write about ourselves? The book asks the answer in many aspects.

It's a great way to peek into the minds of memoir writers. The variety of perspectives that the book provides enriches the reader's understanding of the writing process. In all, a good starting point for anyone wishing to take up writing.

Excellent livre avec un passage par Meghan Daum.

Excellent information