Memoir / Autobiography
What Lurks in the Woods: Struggle and Hope in the Midst of Chronic Illness, A Memoir
by Nicole BellRating: 9.00
Plot/Idea: Unlike so many memoirs, Bell's story is not simply a chronicle of events but a gripping narrative of a complex struggle. Her story is a painful one, but also one of strength and endurance.
Prose: Bell is a talented writer. Her ability to convey complex emotions is remarkable, from Russ's frustration and anger to her own inner turmoil.
Originality: This is a highly original and deeply touching work. While others have written on the topic, Bell's chronicle highlights little-explored aspects of the disease from the caregiver's perspective.
Character Development/Execution: Bell does a superb job of bringing her family to life on the page. Honest and gut-wrenching, this exceptional work takes the reader along a frustrating and difficult journey,
Black, White, and Gray All Over: A Black Man's Odyssey in Life and Law Enforcement
by Frederick Douglass ReynoldsRating: 9.00
Idea: Told with true grit and unabashed honesty, Reynolds’s account of his police work in 80s and 90s Compton, California is an eye-opening tale that serves to change perspectives on law enforcement. This fast-paced story is full of shocking, and not-so-shocking, truths on crime and how it's combatted.
Prose: Reynolds is a gifted storyteller; his sharp diction and well-rounded descriptions make for a thoroughly enjoyable read. His memories of his past seem photographic, with details down to the cigarettes that were smoked and the music that was played, meticulously remembered.
Originality: Black, White, and Gray All Over gives readers a rare look at what it was like to be a Black police officer in one of the United States’ most crime-ridden neighborhoods. Reynolds shares honest critiques of the department, the elected officials of the period, his colleagues, and even himself.
Character/Execution: It’s clear that Reynolds is an observer at heart. Through specific physical descriptions and analytic personality details, he’s able to bring his characters to life, from the officers he spends hours working with, to the gang members he arrests. His ability to empathize adds a heartening dimension to the narrative.
Blurb: This memoir gives a glimpse behind the curtain of police work, and will serve to challenge stereotypes about officers, criminals, and the politics at play in law and order.
Plot/Idea: In The Frog Hunter, Stamper takes his readers from his carefree high school days of burgers at the drive-in to the jungles of Vietnam, where every cracking twig may mean death is lurking nearby. Traumatized by his experiences in the war, Stamper returns to the States to find he no longer fits in anywhere, and encounters a bigger fight—to regain his mental health and find a purpose in the life he was one of the lucky few among his comrades to escape the Vietnam War with.
Prose: The Frog Hunter is beautifully written. T.B. Stamper is a writer who knows how to create atmosphere, has extraordinary descriptive powers, and is able to detail an inner landscape that is absorbing, sympathetic, and fully engaging.
Originality: While there are many war memoirs, this is a memoir written by a born writer, and that makes it unusual. Stamper doesn't merely recollect his experiences—he relives them on the page, and the reader is right there with him.
Character Development/Execution: Stamper has a keen eye for the telling detail and a still keener ear for dialogue. Even the minor characters are as vivid and real to the reader as they are to the author who knew them in life.
Plot/Idea: Leigh has written an incredible historical and familial account of the interconnected experiences of her family throughout the years leading up to, including, and directly following World War II. Intertwining the lives of her relatives, she has presented a piece of living history that breathes to life hundreds of letters, books, and other forms of prose written during that time by her family members. This book not only explores the delicate ties between family, but also the experience of unrequited love, coping with homosexuality during a time it was at best considered a mental illness, along with anti-semitism, and trying to survive one of the most difficult times in history. Written with honestly, love, and a desire to reveal even ugly truths, Leigh has cemented her family's important and fascinating history through this literary gem.
Prose: Where Leigh excels is in her descriptions of feeling, especially regarding Edith's relationship with the piano. She also brings to life Ralph, a lovable, depressed, pained cynic who is trying to accept his gay identity. These two characters carry the work. The others could be more fleshed out, as the chapters devoted to them can feel more like sidebars that are distracting the reader from the main story. Sometimes the prose can be a bit confusing, and the reader may get lost at certain plot points, as there are so many locations, dates, people, and events to keep track of throughout. Overall, it is very pleasant to read and Leigh is an excellent storyteller.
Originality: Leigh has successfully taken on the daunting task of sifting through countless pieces of writing to formulate this story. She has done a wonderful job of formulating a coherent narrative from snippets of history, glueing it together with historical context. Although Holocaust narratives are not uncommon, Leigh's rings with a special uniqueness due not only to how the story came about through letters and manuscripts, but also the contents therein. Exploring an unlikely love affair between a gay man and a female pianist, Leigh looks into the confusion of love, survival, and family with an objective, gentle, and honest eye.
Character Development/Execution: Occasionally, it can be easy to get lost in the various stories, and perhaps this could be made clearer by having little summaries throughout, or more of a road map present. Also, if possible, pictures would make the book come to life even more. The reader would love to see these characters in which they have become so invested!
Plot: While memoirs about illness and marital strife are fairly common, Hayes's Always Yours, Bee stands out for its genuine and straightforward examination of becoming a partner's caregiver after an unexpected accident. Instead of focusing solely on the patient, Hayes's book delves into the trauma she experienced after her husband's wreck, leading to struggles with substance abuse, self-harm, and mental health.
Prose/Style: Clear, direct, and candid, Hayes's prose certainly comes off as sincere and heartfelt, but overall the writing style doesn't add to or detract from the memoir's success in a big way. Hayes excels at reconstructing scenes from memory, particularly through the use of realistic, precise dialogue.
Originality: Hayes's willingness to lay everything on the line about past mistakes, regrets, and flaws feels refreshing and unique in a world where women are expected to be perfect. Her firsthand discussions of mental health struggles, particularly with depression, are both authentic and conscientious.
Character Development/Execution: Hayes's forthright and honest depiction of her own faults and subsequent spiral into bipolar depression is an incredible, nuanced character study about hitting rock-bottom. The stark descriptions of James's character and personality changes after his accident are one of the text's biggest strengths—a frank and unflinching exploration of the consequences of traumatic brain injury on individuals and their relationships.
Blurb: A dauntless and boldly truthful memoir about the breakdown of a marriage and a family after a harrowing traffic collision.
Idea: Saylor is a gifted writer. Her sensory descriptions give the reader a strong sense of place, as if they are right there with her, experiencing all the joyful sights, smells, and tastes of her travels.
Prose: This memoir covers much physical and emotional ground. Braving the World illustrates what it is like to travel with a longtime partner, how to manage a disease abroad, and the pitfalls of trying to plan everything when new places are inherently unpredictable.
Originality: Braving the World is a successfully written non-traditional guidebook. Though the book has the ingredients of a truly good travel memoir, complete with tips, tricks, and even recipes, it shines in its illustrations of the many anxieties of travel planning. On top of being a chronic planner, Saylor is also a Type 1 diabetic—her descriptions of exactly how she made this trip feasible will greatly benefit readers who want to travel the world, but aren't sure if they have a condition that might prevent it.
Character Development/Execution: Saylor is careful to describe herself in an honest way, including her likes, worries, and even character flaws. Her diabetes management gives a greater sense of who she is as a person, and often mirrors how she tackles other challenges throughout her travels. Though her husband Dave could be described more at times, the reader gets a great sense of their relationship and how they move in the world together.
Blurb: A touching and helpful memoir that shows how spending a year abroad can be more accessible than most think.
Whole Heart: One Woman's Incredible and Heartbreaking Journey from Africa to America
by Michelle FelixRating: 8.50
Idea: Felix has led a complicated, painful, and tragic life - however, through her experiences, she has not given up, and has found solace in herself and her relationship with God. Her writing is delicate, thoughtful, and will leave the reader feeling raw and emotional. She does not shy away from sharing her trauma, but does so in a very matter-of-fact way, accepting that this was her reality without resenting it. One can definitely learn from Felix's stoicism, and resolute drive to move forward through pain.
Prose: This memoir is simply written, with concise, impactful verbiage. For example, when Felix describes her mother's suicide, and the effect that it had on her emotionally, the language is so to the point that it is almost startling--but it works effortlessly.
Originality: While stories of finding personal redemption through the lord are familiar, Felix has led a fascinating and difficult life, and has overcome countless obstacles.
Character/Execution: Felix's memoir is relatable, clearly presented, and ultimately inspiring.
Plot/Idea: This is a poignant yet often joyous real-life love story that will invite readers in and hold their interest until the last page. The story unfolds at an even and balanced pace, not giving away too much too soon.
Prose: Coatsworth is a clear, solid writer. She is able to tell the story in a way that not only holds the reader's interest but offers the right balance of description, action, and conversation. The author also demonstrates a thorough understanding of structure and grammar.
Originality: This work details the author's personal story, making it unique and original. While unfortunately many people undergo similar heart-wrenching circumstances, Coatsworth is able to make her work stand out through her narrative approach and the small details that distinguish it from other works.
Character Development/Execution: Coatsworth does an effective job with characterization, helping the main players in her life come alive on the page—particularly Jay, whose emotions overwhelm him but don't reduce him to a sappy lovesick fool.
Plot/Idea: The author takes her relationship between her abusive father and emotionally stagnant mother and writes a riveting, poignant book that takes her on a journey of healing through attempts at improving her relationships with her family and finding happiness in her own life.
Prose: Estill knows how to tell a good story. She knows that from the first sentence of the first chapter you need to pull a reader in, and with these first two sentences she will have readers hooked. She captures the stress and turmoil of being required to care for her brothers so well that readers can begin to ache for her that she and her siblings are in such a dysfunctional home. The author is also effective at conveying emotion in this rollercoaster of anger, laughter, sadness and more.
Originality: Readers will be thoroughly captivated by the author's tales of her family. Though the length of the book could be reconsidered, with some tightening and editing of certain stories, the book would be even more captivating and move along at a quicker pace.
Character Development/Execution: The author does a great job of not only telling her own real-life story, but weaving in her real-life siblings and parents as viable 'characters'. Their stories become just as important as her own and we learn about their own emotional trauma from the author's childhood.
Plot/Idea: While informative and relevant, this work would benefit from some clarity around genre. The author refers to this work as as a memoir, yet the focus alternates between the story of Ben Koks and the plight of the Montagu's harrier. While both are worthy topics, the work would be best served by maintaining focus on one or the other and keeping the secondary storyline second.
Prose: The author writes in a clear, even style which is very informal and sometimes meanders, addressing the reader directly, which undermines the author's authority as an expert writing on the topic. While the bones of this work are strong, it would benefit from a professional editor who can help the author smooth out narrative issues.
Originality: This work offers thoughtful insight into a topic most have never encountered. In a world where environmental conservation is in jeopardy, the work is timely, interesting, and original.
Character Development/Execution: This work centers on Ben Koks and the Montagu's harrier; both topics are presented in a clear, concise manner.
Plot/Idea: This memoir gives the reader insight into a life few people know or understand. Live the Impossible is inspiring, surprising, and immensely engaging.
Prose: The prose is above average and well-organized; there are not many noticeable errors or omissions.
Originality: This is a unique memoir about living with a severe disability and overcoming so many stereotypes many people have regarding quadriplegics' limitations and abilities.
Character Development/Execution: This author does not let her disability define her. She attempts to do as much as is physically possible, always with quite a positive attitude. However, she is often in pain, often has to have surgeries, and often is frustrated. This side of her might have been expressed a bit more to balance out her formidable resilience. However, as she writes, she is "much more of a thinker than a feeler."
Plot/Idea: Thirty years after her son Matt's death at the age of eight, Wierman finds the courage and the words to chronicle his battle with a rare form of leukemia. Throughout the battle, up to and beyond the very end, Matt and his surviving family are sustained by their immense faith in God.
Prose: With grace, dignity, and immense faith, Wierman relives the journey she and her family trod with their beloved Matt. Unsparingly, she sets forth the agony of watching her son's suffering, the ecstatic leaps of hope when the cancer briefly went into remission, the poignant gratitude for the kindness of family, friends, and strangers who helped them in ways too numerous to tell, and the steadfast faith that ultimately helped her transcend the grief of losing her only son.
Originality: Few, indeed, are those who could undergo the agony of losing a child to a protracted battle with cancer and come through with their faith in God strengthened, rather than diminished. This is the story of a family remarkable for its acceptance and unshakable belief, not least of all Matt himself.
Character Development/Execution: Wierman's purpose in writing a memoir almost as short and as brave as the life of its subject, her son Matt, was to make sure he would never be forgotten, and to bear witness to her faith that God never for a moment forgot Matt and his family. She has succeeded on both counts.
Plot/Idea: What if a father wished aloud that he could have cancer in his ailing son's place. . .and it happened? In Cotton Teeth, Glenn Rockowitz describes the agonizing year when he fought for his own life while struggling to sustain his father as they both battled cancer.
Prose: Glenn Rockowitz spares his readers nothing; Cotton Teeth vividly brings the physical, spiritual and emotional rollercoaster suffered by his father and himself to life on the page. The prose is gritty and haunting.
Originality: To undergo a battle for one's own life while trying to support a parent who is simultaneously going through the same illness is a situation that, thankfully, not many will find themselves in. Interwoven with the struggle of father and son to survive are the author's harrowing flashbacks of being molested at summer camp at a young age.
Character Development/Execution: Sometimes heroism is simply the act of survival. Rockowitz has fought hard to survive - not only cancer, but childhood sexual abuse - and the result is a harrowing memoir that will stay with its readers long past the final page.
Idea: Lost in the Reflecting Pool offers excellent pacing, and strong storytelling elements. The reader is drawn in wanting to know how Pomerantz’s partner changes from “almost perfect” to the story’s villain.
Prose: The author’s authentic storytelling invites the reader in, offering a fine balance of descriptors of scenery and fast paced events.
Originality: Lost in the Reflecting Pool is a story that many women have lived, but is full of unique experiences, descriptions, and believable suspense.
Character/Execution: The voices of the narrator, as well as her family members and friends introduced in her story, are well defined and easy to understand. The paragraph structure would benefit from a degree of additional editing to allow for greater storytelling flow.
Hear the Whistle: The Story of Jack Haley, American Entrepreneur and Railroad Pioneer
by Kathy Haley BuhrmanRating: 8.00
Idea: Buhrman starts with an homage dedicated to her late father, and ends up with a thrilling story about a man who was driven to fulfill his dreams, no matter how far-fetched they may seem. As fascinating as it is educational, Hear the Whistle is an interesting foray into the life of a man who loved trains, planes, and shooting for the moon.
Prose: Generally, the prose is easy to understand and vivid. Technical passages--particularly those relating to trains--provide texture and verisimilitude.
Originality: The subject behind this work led a fascinating and unusual life. Readers will welcome the details about Jack Haley's life and his uncommon aspirations.
Character/Execution: Buhrman writes with a loving touch and shows a knack for establishing settings, developing characters, and crafting dialogue.
Plot/Idea: Written from the perspective of her son, this well-researched memoir covers Erma Hill’s hardscrabble life as she escapes poverty, racism, and violence in rural Depression-era Georgia to ultimately become a famed “Number Hustler” in 1960s New York City. Though parts of the narrative stretch believability, it highlights the power of a woman who champions herself and her children above all else.
Prose: Roy successfully embodies his mother’s voice by creating a consistent narrative style that illustrates her inner complexity and nuances. The historical period is well-captured through attention to vernacular and style.
Originality: The life story of Erma Hill (or New York Red, as she was known in 1960s Harlem) is one of perseverance in the face of both unimaginable abuse at a young age, and the more mundane struggles of adulthood as a single parent. Her rise to neighborhood fame is a testament to her individuality, and the years leading up to her death are a riveting read.
Character Development/Execution: Erma Hill is convincingly depicted as a fierce protector and fighter, for both herself and her children. The reader is privy to her innermost thoughts and beliefs, as well as her unique code of conduct.
