Tag Archives: memoir

If Chins Could Kill by Bruce Campbell

Posted by melydia on December 12, 2008 None comments

If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor by Bruce Campbell: This is an autobiography unlike most others. Campbell, star of the Evil Dead films, starts from his surprisingly industrious childhood, through the physical tortures of his friendship with Sam Raimi (who would go on to direct the Spiderman films, among others), and into his career as a full-time actor. Not only is it a fascinating look into the making of Evil Dead and Hercules, it’s downright hilarious. Campbell writes the way he speaks, a sort of campy monologue full of entertaining anecdotes. My favorite part was the photo captions. Definitely recommended, not only to Bruce Campbell fans, but also to aspiring filmmakers. It’s amazing what Raimi and co. were able to accomplish on a meager budget, using homemade special effects. I look forward to Campbell’s other books.

Kiss Me Like a Stranger by Gene Wilder

Posted by melydia on November 29, 2008 1 comments

Kiss Me Like A Stranger by Gene Wilder: Though I enjoy his movies, I would not consider myself a Gene Wilder fan. I’m not sure I’ve ever thought about him outside the characters he’s portrayed. It was kind of a weird experience reading the life story of a complete stranger, especially one as brutally honest as this. Wilder tiptoes around nothing. Still, it was surprisingly readable, at once touching and funny. I got a little choked up reading about Gilda Radner’s final days. Wilder focuses mostly on his personal life and romantic relationships, though there is also a fair amount of information about his experiences as an actor and later writer. It’s refreshing to read a memoir written at the proper time in a person’s life: after they’ve settled down with the right person, are more or less retired from what made them famous, and have the time to sit back and reflect. While I wouldn’t recommend this to someone who hates Gene Wilder movies, you certainly don’t have to be a fanatic to enjoy this tale of self-discovery.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

We Thought You Would Be Prettier by Laurie Notaro

Posted by melydia on November 15, 2008 1 comments

We Thought You Would Be Prettier by Laurie Notaro: In this collection of humorous (and often downright hysterical) autobiographical essays, Notaro recounts episodes from her life with blunt honesty and hilarious commentary. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I did get a real kick out of her correlation between her diets and the reappearance of popcorn chicken at KFC. I laughed out loud many many times at this book, and now I’m going to be poor because I need to go out and find the rest of her books. If you like David Sedaris, you’ll probably like Laurie Notaro. Very funny.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Cancer Vixen by Marisa Acocella Marchetto

Posted by melydia on November 5, 2008 None comments

Cancer Vixen by Marisa Acocella Marchetto: This is the true story, told as a graphic novel, of a NYC cartoonist and her battle with breast cancer. She is diagnosed mere weeks before her wedding to restauranteur Silvano Marchetto, and between that, her job, and the constant nuisance of models hitting on her fiance, things start to get a little harried. The comic format lends levity when needed, but never detracts from the serious parts. Since Marchetto describes every excruciating step of her diagnosis and treatment in great detail, I learned a lot about the process. My mom had breast cancer a few years ago (she survived and is doing fine now, thank goodness), but since I was living 700 miles away at the time I didn’t really experience it first-hand. I don’t usually like reading survivor stories, but this one was pleasantly non-glurgy, even if I couldn’t always relate to her fashionista tendencies. This is something I would urge all women to read, especially those dealing with a recent diagnosis. It’s funny and touching and ultimately uplifting.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

What Do You Care What Other People Think? by Richard P. Feynman

Posted by melydia on June 16, 2008 None comments

What Do You Care What Other People Think? by Richard Feynman: This was the first Feynman book I’ve ever read, a fact which is a touch embarrassing given that I have a degree in Physics.  It was also probably not the best book to start with, since it is possibly the last book he ever wrote (it was published posthumously).  All the same, I thoroughly enjoyed it and now want to pick up everything else he’s written.  The first part is a variety of stories from his life about his childhood, his first wife, etc.  The second and longer part is about the investigation of the Challenger explosion.  Having been too young at the time to understand more than that a horrible tragedy had occurred, the descriptions of Feynman’s attempts to get to the bottom of things are riveting.  He’s funny, brilliant, and a touch egocentric, and it all makes for a delightful read.  Highly recommended.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Not a Happy Camper by Mindy Schneider

Posted by melydia on October 16, 2007 None comments

Not a Happy Camper by Mindy Schneider: This memoir about the author’s experiences at an eight-week camp in the summer of 1974 is not one I would have read had I not won it in a contest, but it was a nice story. The author spends most of her time in the woods bemoaning her unpopularity and chasing boys, which is made more interesting with a thorough sprinkling of amusing anecdotes. While I don’t expect this quick little read to appeal to anyone who was never a 13-year-old girl or a camper, it was a pleasant diversion.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers

Posted by melydia on May 21, 2007 None comments

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers: The title is a tad misleading; it’s not all that heartbreaking and the genius is not especially staggering. Still, I would be willing to classify this memoir as one of the foremost texts on the Generation X mentality. Eggers recounts his life from the sudden death of his parents through his first few years as guardian of his younger brother, living in San Francisco, and starting Might Magazine. The writing style is self-conscious, obsessive, neurotic, and prone to lengthy tangents. The naked honesty of it all draws you in, keeps you reading. I’m not sure the rambling style would work as well in fiction, but as a memoir it’s quite engrossing. Definitely recommended, especially to those who came of age in the 1990s.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

A Little Twist of Texas by Linda Raven Moore

Posted by melydia on August 19, 2006 None comments

A Little Twist of Texas by Linda Raven Moore: This is the true story of Moore’s month-long solo motorcycle trip from Silicon Valley, California, to Fort Worth, Texas. As with any adventure, things don’t turn out quite as planned but it’s a good read nonetheless, and perhaps made better for all the unexpected twists. This is different from most travel writing I’ve come across, in that Moore manages to be a tourist no matter where she goes. Her descriptions of all the Tinytowns and Nowheresvilles she encounters are as enchanting as if she were exploring Paris or Tokyo. Though there were parts where her seemingly limitless credulity got a little exasperating, it was refreshing to witness someone so enthusiastic about life and so unabashed in her wonder at the world around her. It was surprisingly inspiring and reminded me that the world is really only as mundane as you make it. It’s been a long time since a book touched me in this way. It makes me want to go on a journey of my own.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

Young Female, Traveling Alone by Anne-Marie M. Pop

Posted by melydia on July 5, 2006 None comments

Young Female, Traveling Alone by Anne-Marie M. Pop: Feeling unaccountably miserable living the life of a successful Westerner, Anna decides to leave it all behind to backpack around Asia. This book is comprised of many very short chapters, more like a series if memories than a cohesive narrative, and told in the blunt style of a personal diary. As someone who has never seen any of the places Anna visits, I would prefered a lot more detail and description, but I still learned a lot about the life of the solo backpacker.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

One Writer’s Beginnings by Eudora Welty

Posted by melydia on June 15, 2006 None comments

One Writer’s Beginnings by Eudora Welty: I confess, I have not read any of Ms. Welty’s stories. The only reason I’d even heard of this book was because some famous author listed it as required reading for all aspiring writers. Having read it, I’m not entirely sure why. Sure, it’s a lovely painting of life in early 20th century Mississippi, but besides making the point of “good writers can come from any background” there isn’t much to be gained in terms of writing advice. So while I may recommend it as a descriptive and nostalgic memoir, I would not include it in my personal list of a writer’s essential texts.

Also posted on BookCrossing.

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