Writing the Memoir

Rating:
Summary: a helpful and pleasant read...
Review: All in all, this book was easily digestable, and more importantly, very useful for those who want to experiment with biographical or memoir writings. Although the book is short and sweet, it also points to many other books (Bird By Bird, Writing Down The Bones, Autobiography of a Face, dozens more) that both legitimize the book and offer further reading.

The topics were thorough without bogging down the book: You will get valuable tips on how to describe things with all five senses, how to write scenes, how to move around on a timeline, how to tie your writing into "the bigger picture" and so on. There are also ethical and legal topics Barrington touches upon: when to use names, what constitutes libel, what to consider if you're writing about living people, etc.

Moreover, there are several writing exercises at the end of each chapter to help you develop ideas. The exercises are nice because they make the book flexible. If you don't do the exercises, you could read the book in about 2-4 sittings and get a good overview of the memoir. If you invested the extra time to do the exercises, you would be able to hone your craft to a much greater degree. It's really up to the reader...

Rating:
Summary: a helpful and pleasant read...
Review: All in all, this book was easily digestable, and more importantly, very useful for those who want to experiment with biographical or memoir writings. Although the book is short and sweet, it also points to many other books (Bird By Bird, Writing Down The Bones, Autobiography of a Face, dozens more) that both legitimize the book and offer further reading.

The topics were thorough without bogging down the book: You will get valuable tips on how to describe things with all five senses, how to write scenes, how to move around on a timeline, how to tie your writing into "the bigger picture" and so on. There are also ethical and legal topics Barrington touches upon: when to use names, what constitutes libel, what to consider if you're writing about living people, etc.

Moreover, there are several writing exercises at the end of each chapter to help you develop ideas. The exercises are nice because they make the book flexible. If you don't do the exercises, you could read the book in about 2-4 sittings and get a good overview of the memoir. If you invested the extra time to do the exercises, you would be able to hone your craft to a much greater degree. It's really up to the reader...

Rating:
Summary: Excellent book on writing nonfiction
Review: I finished reading "Writing the Memoir- From Truth to Art" in one day. I do applaud Judith Barrington for the way in which she has shared her knowledge about writing non-fiction. The book is very well written in format along with being easy to read. Some of the "how to" books can turn a reader off if the author can't hold the reader's interest. Believe me, this book will hold your interest. I was very impressed with the detailed writing exercises included in each chapter. The chapters on getting started, finding form, telling the truth, developing sensory detail, writing about living people and steering clear of common pitfalls were excellent. Judith Barrington is to be commended for sharing a part of her personal heartache, as well as identifying herself to the reader. After reading this book written by JB, I not only felt I knew more about writing non-fiction, I felt like I'd known the author for a long time. I now plan to purchase her book "Lifesaving: A Memoir."

Rating:
Summary: A Fine Guide, Well Written
Review: I have been telling my writing students to read this book since it first appeared. Barrington is herself a fine writer, known for her poems as well as her essays, and thus offers a model as well as solid advice/instruction for her readers. Most important for one who offers a guide not simply to writers, but specifically to those who choose to write memoir, she deals forthrightly with questions of truth, motive, ethics and responsibility - arenas often ignored or dealt with superficially, if not cavalierly. Her own recent memoir [Lifesaving] is a fine example of what writers may do when they approach both the craft and the art of memoir writing from the perspectives she offers in Writing the Memoir.

Rating:
Summary: Best book on writing memoir by far
Review: I teach memoir and have looked at nearly all the books on the subject. Writing the Memoir is by far the best (and as far as I can tell, the one most often used by classes). It's useful for a writer at any level. It's comprehensive, extremely well written, and has a kind tone. I'm a big fan of Judith Barrington's memoir, Lifesaving, and recommend that highly as well.

Rating:
Summary: Useful, Friendly, and well written
Review: I've been through this book twice, highlighting and underlining the many useful phrases and tips. The emphasis is not only on the practical but also on the artful. Some chapters cover practical topics, such as finding the desired form and the difference between memoir and autobiography. Others offer ways to make the narrative more interesting by moving around in time and making the language more vivid by using one's senses. One chapter deals with the nitty problems of telling the truth in light of other peoples' sensibilities, and, when it comes to painful subjects, the difference between "wallowing" and "bearing witness." The author has included exercises as illustrations at the end of every chapter. I intend to read the book yet again before I start my memoir.

Rating:
Summary: Barrington's WRITING THE MEMOIR Great Resource
Review: Judith Barrington's WRITING THE MEMOIR is a great resource for anyone interested in memoirs. Even if you're like me and are not into doing the exercises at the end of each chapter, you'll learn much from this well-written and researched book. There are wonderful excerpts from writers like Alice Walker, Kathleen Norris, Annie Dillard, Virginia Wolfe and especially Frank Conroy, whose stories about his family picketing his book signings put in context the question of whether to write your story as fiction or non-fiction. This is a book to read and re-read. Writers compelled to write their memoir will return to it again and again.

Rating:
Summary: Simple is not Simplistic
Review: Ms. Barrington demonstrates the clearest possible vision of how to transform the truth of a life into Art. Art is the celebration of truth, but without the artist's touch, truth remains ordinary. The title alone, Writing the Memoir, From Truth to Art", really drives the text and exercises and leads the reader whether as an individual or a member of a class or writing group to skills she will need to be a successful memoirist. Before I found this wonderful text, I struggled with this form. No longer. Thank you, Ms. Barrington!

Rating:
Summary: The Best Book on Memoir-Writing You Can Get
Review: This book sis easy to read, full of information, and gives information on subjects that others of its genre doesn't touch (such as the law and writing about abuse). It is a definite must read for anyone considering putting their life out in print.

Rating:
Summary: Useful, Friendly, and well written
Review: This book was terrifically useful to me in beginning to write a memoir. It has a welcoming feel and walked me through all the questions I had about the genre. There's a nice balance between nuts and bolts craft matters and important worries like "writing about living people." There are useful exercises that I will use with my writing group. I've read a lot of books about writing and this was clearly the best in terms of helfulness and the extensive knowledge of the author.