Memoirs are one of the hottest genres around and it is a great topic to get people talking. Do you like memoirs? Pageturners book discussion group recently talked about memoirs they had read. Here are some of the titles:
What I Talk About When I'm Running by Haruki Murakami (reflections of a marathon runner, that unfortunately didn't inspire our runner).
Life in Own Hands by Susan Wyndham – the true story of a neurosurgeon and a pianist (Charlie Teo and Aaron McMillan).
Infiltration by Colin McLaren – the true story of an undercover cop who cracked the Griffith Mafia.
Head Over Heels by Sam and Jenny Bailey – a story of tragedy, triumph and romance in the Australian bush.
Birth, Deaths and Marriages, by Georgia Blain – true tales told in short story format.
Belonging by Renee Goosens – an inside look into a famous family with unusual goings on…
The Longest Trip Home by John Grogan – about family love and respect and strict Catholic parents by the author of Marley and Me (doesn't mention his dog so much here).
A Foreign Affair by Valerie Barnes – a passionate life in four languages.
When In Rome by Penelope Green – chasing la dolce vita (author has local connections too).
Maalika by Valerie Browning – her life among the Afar nomads in Africa.
Infidel by Ayaan Hirisi Ali – her astounding life story.
The Rose Boys by Peter Rose – moving story of two brothers, one a poet the other a sporting man who became a paraplegic.
Moon's a Balloon – David Niven – read it for the laughs from this British actor.
I liked this comment – memoirs are also sometimes referred to as the “black sheep” of the literary world where the family secrets are revealed.
And here is an extensive and long essay from The New Yorker magazine which tries to explain what memoirs say about ourselves:
http://www.newyorker.com/arts/critics/books/2010/01/25/100125crbo_books_mendelsohn