photo credit: Rob Gallop
A few weeks ago, my Sunday paper (Minneapolis Star Tribune) had a little feature on memoirs I found interesting. The writer was Cheri Register, who won the 2001 American Book Award for Packinghouse Daughter — a memoir about growing up in Albert Lea, Minnesota.
She limited her list to American memoirs to avoid the complications of translation. I have read only one of her selections, but loved it so much I decided to check out the others in the near future.
Here’s her list:
- The Woman Warrior by Maxine Hong Kingston (I looooved this work of “creative nonfiction” — check it out if you haven’t already).
- The Liar’s Club by Mary Karr
- Spirit Car by Diane Wilson
- Heaven’s Coast by Mark Doty (love his poetry about dogs)
- Dreams from my Father by Barack Obama.
So, anyone read any of these?
I’ve read The Liars’ Club from that list. It was OK, but there are so many better memoirs out there. Perhaps the others on the list are better choices. I’m surprised she doesn’t have The Glass Castle on the list.
Here’s my review of The Liars’ Club:
http://smallworldreads.blogspot.com/2008/08/book-review-liars-club.html
Hi Kristen, The only one on the list I’ve read is The Liar’s Club, but wow, it was really good. It’s been a long time since I’ve read it but I still think of things from that book from time to time.
So true! I really enjoyed Castle. I haven’t read The Liars’ Club, but I’ll put it on my TBR list…
I’ve read The Woman Warrior, too, and enjoyed it very much.