Tag: memoir

TCL’s #6Degrees of Separation for June 3, 2023.

From “Friendaholic” by Elizabeth Day to “The Phantom's Apprentice” by Heather Webb. This is a monthly link-up hosted by KateW at Books Are My Favourite and Best. Each month a book is chosen as a starting point and linked to six other books to form a chain. A book doesn’t need to be connected to … Continue reading TCL’s #6Degrees of Separation for June 3, 2023. →

To Soothe a Ravaged Soul.

Book Review for “Keys to Harmony: Memoir of Depression, Daring, and Creativity” by Margalit Jakob. Summary: "A pianist/therapist loses access to a crucial memory. Neither able to play, nor to relinquish her dream, she finds herself in an agonizing limbo. Filled with piercing insights, this is a thrilling book about overcoming depression and reclaiming one's … Continue reading To Soothe a Ravaged Soul. →

Intimate Essays.

Book Review for “Conversations with My Body: Essays on My Life as a Jewish Woman” by Elana Sztokman. Summary: “Elana Sztokman arrived in Israel in 1993 as a young religious mother wearing a long skirt and a hat covering her hair. Today, nearly 30 years later, after spending years fighting for women’s rights in Orthodoxy, … Continue reading Intimate Essays. →

A Sheepishly Pseudo Autobiography.

Book Review for “The Lost Diary of M” by Paul Wolfe. This book is written as if it is the diary of Mary Pinchot, an American painter who was murdered October 12, 1964, shot twice at close range, and whose death remains an unsolved mystery to this day. What makes her murder so significant is … Continue reading A Sheepishly Pseudo Autobiography. →

Fatherhood and its Flaws.

Book Review for “Things My Son Needs to Know about the World” by Fredrik Backman. As a change of pace for Backman, this is not a book of fiction, but rather a type of memoir, which is also something that could be considered an advice book. The publisher calls this a collection of “personal dispatches … Continue reading Fatherhood and its Flaws. →

Continuing to be

Book review of "I am, I am, I am: Seventeen Brushes with Death" by Maggie O’Farrell Goodreads calls this book a “memoire with a difference - the unputdownable story of an extraordinary woman's life in near-death experiences.” They also say it is “Shocking, electric, unforgettable,” and comment that “It is a book to make you question … Continue reading Continuing to be →

Q&A with Eric Houston, author of The Lost Artist: Love Passion War (Part 1)

I recently heard about Eric Houston's memoir "The Lost Artist: Love Passion War (Part 1)" and was immediately intrigued. While I couldn't fit this book into my reading list, I decided instead to feature this work here, by asking him one question. Here's his answer to: What was one of the most interesting experiences you … Continue reading Q&A with Eric Houston, author of The Lost Artist: Love Passion War (Part 1) →

The Guestbook Spy

Book Review of "Not Quite Lost: Travels without a Sense of Direction" by Roz Morris It isn't often that I read non-fiction, but when I do, I often find travel books to be the most pleasurable way to remain within the realm of reality. However, sometimes these can be filled with long, drawn-out descriptions of … Continue reading The Guestbook Spy →

Now You’re an Immigrant!

Book Review of "Chutzpah & High Heels: The Search for Love and Identity in the Holy Land" by Jessica Fishman. In this memoir, Jessica Fishman details the trials and tribulations of making what we call "Aliyah" - literally meaning to "go up" to Israel. This reminds me of an old, old joke, which goes something … Continue reading Now You’re an Immigrant! →

The Scale of a Family

Book Review of "Moonglow by Michael Chabon. Readers of Michael Chabon's novels know that he has a wonderful way of mixing reality and fiction, to the extent that the lines can feel very blurred. I noticed this in his "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay," which won him the Pulitzer. Although that novel, (which … Continue reading The Scale of a Family →