|
Contemporary Memoirs & Biographies Remember that no one loses any other life than this which he now lives, nor lives any other than this which he now loses. ~ Marcus Aurelius
|
Introduction Memoirs and biographies allow readers to sample a slice of another's life. As the author recounts the thoughts and feelings involved by events in the past, readers experience a life that may be comforting familiar to or vastly different from their own. Some of the following accounts are gossipy while others are darkly poignant. The Adult Services Department at Naper Blvd. encourages you take a walk in another's shoes.
|
|
|
The Reading Promise: My Father and the Books We Shared
by Alice Ozma
Ozma, named for Lewis Carroll’s Alice and L. Frank Baum’s Ozma of Oz, recounts her childhood reminiscences and the long lasting reading challenge she had with her father, elementary school librarian Jim Brozina. Beginning when she was in third grade, she and her father committed to read aloud to each other every night for at least 10 minutes for 100 consecutive nights. Having reached that goal they strove for 1000, and ultimately continued their “streak” for 3,218 nights, up to the day she left for college. It is clear that the reading ritual had a steadying influence in her life as her mother left the family, her sister became a foreign exchange student then left for college, and her father struggles financially as a single father. This is a humorous, engaging and heartwarming memoir.-- Beth M.
|
|
|
What Shamu Taught Me about Life, Love, and Marriage: Lessons for people from animals and their trainers
by Amy Sutherland
While researching and observing animal trainers, journalist Amy Sutherland began to experiment with their training techniques on her husband Scott. She rewarded the behaviors she wanted and ignored those she didn’t, with such good results that she began to use the techniques with all of the people in her life. She found herself changing into a more optimistic and less judgmental person. This is a light-hearted and perceptive approach to human relationships. — Positive reinforcement works! -- Beth M.
|
|
|
The Last American Man
by Elizabeth Gilbert
Four years prior to writing her highly successful memoir Eat, Pray, Love, journalist Elizabeth Gilbert explored the ideal of the American Male by showcasing the life of Eustace Conway, a charismatic, fiercely independent, self-trained wilderness survivalist who shares his story in the hope that other Americans will be inspired to give up their materialistic, wasteful lives and join him in living in a simple, spare manner that is respectful of and close to nature. Eustace Conway is a determined, focused, ascetic outdoorsman who learned how to fashion his own tools, make his own clothes from animals he had killed and eaten, make his own abode in the form of a tepee, grow his own food, and essentially live a meaningful, self-reliant lifestyle in the Appalachian Mountains.This story of an idealistic, self-taught individual who finds meaning in the ability to complete tasks essential to living without succumbing to a consumer-driven, meaningless existence is inspiring to anyone who admires the ability to turn convictions into reality. -- Debra G.
|
|
|
A Tiger's Heart: The story of a modern Chinese woman
by Aisling Juanjuan Shen
This author began life in a poor rice-farming family in the Yangtze River Delta. Her family did not value education, so the author’s developing cleverness and academic abilities went unappreciated and undervalued. Despite her impoverished upbringing, she becomes the first family member to attend college and begins to have hopes for a fulfilling career. Her hopes are dashed however, when, after graduation, she finds herself assigned to teach English in a rural Chinese school located in an undesirable village. She continues to dream about a better life for herself and leaves a guaranteed-for-life teaching position and pension to pursue work in the burgeoning businesses that require English-speaking employees in a large, impersonal city. Along the way, she encounters the unwritten rules of sex roles in China where men take advantage of women’s desires to obtain employment, forcing them to submit to their whims to get promotions. Despite the odds against her, the author eventually creates a successful life for herself, educating her readers about modern China and the survival methods ordinary citizens must employ to create fulfilling lives for themselves. -- Debra G.
|
|
|
I Loved, I Lost, I Made Spaghetti
by Giulia Melucci
Melucci, who has a background in publishing, tells the story of her love-life from college through early midlife, listing the recipes she used to catch the men, sustain the relationships, then comfort herself when they fizzled out. Drawing from her Italian-American background, she starts with basic recipes like pasta and sauce and develops her culinary repertoire as time goes on, even though after a number of short- and long-lived relationships she has yet to find Mr. Right.-- Beth M.
|
|
|
Not Buying It: My year without shopping
by Judith Levine
Like many others, the idea of shopping less came to the author during holiday season. Levine enlisted her partner on a radical experiment to forgo all but the most necessary shopping. But soon she found out that it’s difficult to define what she needs and what she wants. She narrates in a journal format of the day to day decisions on what to buy and what not to buy, honestly exploring her reasoning and feeling about her own habits as a consumer. At the same time, she investigated consumerism and anti-consumerism by consulting experts, participating in local anti-consumerism movement, and, surprise! – using her local library for reading and entertainment needs. Thought provoking and definitely gave ideas of how to spend less. -- Yan X.
|
|
|
The Apprentice: My life in the kitchen
by Jacques Pepin
Well-known food personality Jacques Pépin describes his life journey from the kitchens of his mother’s small-scale restaurants in rural France to his current status as author of more than 20 cookbooks, veteran of more than a dozen PBS cooking series, and dean at the French Culinary Institute in New York City. His passion for food and cooking led to his leaving school at 13 to enter the rigorous and highly structured French apprenticeship system, followed by a series of increasingly responsible positions in rural and then Paris restaurants. Moving to New York in the early 60s, he accepted a job in product development for the Howard Johnson’s restaurant chain over a position as chef in the Kennedy White House (been there, did that for President Charles de Gaulle in France) because he enjoyed his free-wheeling NY lifestyle. Serendipitously, Pépin came to the U.S. just when a culinary culture was developing, and fell into friendships with Craig Claiborne, Pierre Franey, and Julia Child. A devastating car accident when he was 39 got him out of restaurant kitchens and into teaching and cookbook writing. He describes all of this unpretentiously, with enthusiasm and good humor. Each chapter concludes with one or two favorite recipes.-- Beth M.
|
|
|
Stitches: A Memoir
by David Small
Even readers who typically avoid graphic novels will be moved by illustrator David Small's autobiographical memoir. As a young teen, Small awoke in a hospital bed from a "minor procedure" unable to speak. Even before the procedure, Small recognized his family life was filled with secrets to which he was not privy. But the mysterious procedure compounded his inability to be heard within his family or to gain answers. The highly observant Small slowly pieced together clues that led to understanding regarding his family's dynamics, as well as discovering the reasons behind his surgery. For the time period in which Small was isolated outside of the verbal world, his wordless drawings speak more eloquently than any non-graphic text ever could. Without self-pity, Small finds a way out of the solitary confinement and into a world of beauty, comprehension, and even forgiveness. -- Karen T.
|
|
|
It's Not About the Bike: My journey back to life
by Lance Armstrong
This memoir describes Armstrong’s early life and his rise through the endurance sports world as a Texas teen competing in triathlons and national bike races. In 1996, 25 year old Armstrong was ranked the #1 cyclist in the world, but later that same year he was diagnosed with advanced testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain, leaving him with a 20% chance of survival. He explains his grueling treatment, which included aggressive and experimental chemotherapy and several surgeries. Five months later, he resumed training, ultimately winning his first Tour de France in 1999. He describes the physical, emotional and spiritual details of his recovery, and his appreciation of life lived to the fullest. The story is also filled with insider specifics about training and various competitive races. -- Beth M.
|
|
|
Here if You Need Me
by Kate Braestrup
While grieving the loss of her husband, Kate decides to pursue what had been her husband's dream of becoming a minister. She then assumes the role of chaplain for search and rescue missions in the Maine woods, giving comfort to people whose loved ones are missing and to the wardens who sometimes have to deal with dreadful outcomes. This book is about finding God through helping others. Kate's journey from grief to faith to happiness is dramatic, funny, and deeply moving. -- Beth M.
|
|
|
An Exact Replica of a Figment of my Imagination
by Elizabeth McCracken
The author relates a touching and heartfelt account of the still-birth of her first child in the ninth month of her pregnancy while she and her husband were living in France away from family and friends. The account of her loss is almost unbearable to read, except that within a year she gives birth to a healthy baby boy and is able to look back, sometimes with dark humor, on the experience of losing a child at birth and the grieving process she endured. This memoir helps readers to realize that no matter how difficult it is for family and friends to say the right thing after such a loss, it is always comforting to express care and concern as opposed to remaining silent from a loss for words. -- Beth M.
|
|
|
Howards End is on the Landing: A year of reading from home
by Susan Hill
While searching for a missing book in a household crowded with books, British novelist Susan Hill became aware of titles she had never read or didn’t know she owned and others she wanted to reread. She resolved to spend a year reading only books from her collection, and this memoir chronicles her experiences browsing and reading. As she progressed, she took on another challenge.—Which books would she keep if she were limited to only 40? Her list appears at the end. Her process and thoughts are fascinating and inspiring, whatever your taste in reading. -- Beth M.
|
|
|
Unbroken: A World War II Airman's Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption
by Laura Hillenbrand
In this second book by Seabiscuit author, Laura Hillenbrand, the story of a fun-loving, dedicated track athlete named Louis Zamporini from Torrance, California is recounted in sometimes harshly graphic, but profoundly moving detail.His youthful hope to run the fastest mile in the 1940 Olympics was waylaid by the onset of WWII and his subsequent enlistment in the Army Air Corps as a B24 crewman. After crashing into the Pacific Ocean during a search and rescue mission, he and 2 fellow airmen are cast adrift for 47 days, only to be picked up by the Japanese who starve and torture him unmercifully in a notorious POW camp.If his amazing survival in the face of daunting mental and physical anguish is not story enough, his post-war adjustment to the difficulties of living with traumatic memories and nightmares grips us with concern for this immensely likable man.His rise above incredibly difficult setbacks to remain an “unbroken” person is truly remarkable and worth telling to the world in this capable author’s compelling style. -- Debra G.
|
|
|
|
|
|