tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post7199073117896778950..comments2023-10-06T08:10:05.853-04:00Comments on Necromancy Never Pays: Fat Girls in Lawn ChairsJeannehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01374498643286099244noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-55236585395242797622010-04-07T09:05:58.970-04:002010-04-07T09:05:58.970-04:00I do like Bill Bryson and have read all his books,...I do like Bill Bryson and have read all his books, which I think of more as travel books, rather than autobiographical. Interesting how those two genres have so much overlap.<br /><br />Jen Lancaster is new to me. I just looked her up and think it's possible I could like her writing, but not too soon after reading Fat Girls in Lawn Chairs...Jeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01374498643286099244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-18475242838049401072010-04-07T00:40:06.546-04:002010-04-07T00:40:06.546-04:00bill bryson is always good for a laugh--he has one...bill bryson is always good for a laugh--he has one compilation of newspaper essays and the rest of his pieces are travel nonfiction. i also get a chuckle from some jen lancaster stuff...nat @book, line, and sinkerhttp://www.booklineandsinker.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-34673162913822057222010-03-31T13:06:00.079-04:002010-03-31T13:06:00.079-04:00Banality. Blech.
I was going to say, "No. ...Banality. Blech.<br /><br />I was going to say, "No. Sedaris and Lamott are it," then remembered that I enjoyed My Misspent Youth by Meghan Daum (though I don't know if it's good), and THEN I read the comments and remembered I also enjoyed Paris to the Moon. It's one of those books you read, then keep remembering all these little non-Sedaris stories about a guy in France but forgetting where you heard them.Trapuntohttp://villanegativa.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-55172510057552081312010-03-30T20:15:15.264-04:002010-03-30T20:15:15.264-04:00Karen, I've heard of that one. Since Pilgrim ...Karen, I've heard of that one. Since Pilgrim at Tinker Creek has one of my favorite openings ever, I might have to try it.<br /><br />CSchu, Maybe I should read one of the Steinbach books this weekend during the big chess tournament.Jeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01374498643286099244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-72246442336635497472010-03-30T19:49:33.344-04:002010-03-30T19:49:33.344-04:00Alice Steinbach is the woman who wrote those two t...Alice Steinbach is the woman who wrote those two travel/education memoirs that I liked. (You may have them in your stack---I think I passed them on to you.) I haven't read the Miss Dennis school one that was recommended by M-mv, but I really liked Without Reservations and Educating Alice, and I think you would, also.CSchunoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-58995142736573927772010-03-30T19:25:31.941-04:002010-03-30T19:25:31.941-04:00I'm not sure how well it fits in--it's not...I'm not sure how well it fits in--it's not a collection of essays, but then, neither is _Wait 'Til Next Year_--but I've long loved Annie Dillard's _An American Childhood_.Karenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05231614892716223391noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-80075190203447760152010-03-30T17:22:07.322-04:002010-03-30T17:22:07.322-04:00I'm tickled by the name of the author Mark Sal...I'm tickled by the name of the author Mark Salzman because one of my brother's friends has the same name.Jeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01374498643286099244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-61964552874158355832010-03-30T16:53:12.748-04:002010-03-30T16:53:12.748-04:00I second the Salzman.I second the Salzman.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-28727172232785221522010-03-30T15:09:04.765-04:002010-03-30T15:09:04.765-04:00That's right--Chabon's Manhood for Amateur...That's right--Chabon's Manhood for Amateurs does fit into this category pretty well--and I did like it! (see http://necromancyneverpays.blogspot.com/2009/10/manhood-for-amateurs.html)<br /><br />Thank you all for the suggestions. I'd never heard of Adam Gopnik before, or Doris Kearns Goodwin, either, but I'll be looking them up, along with mental multivitamin's suggestions of Steinbach, Salzman and Athill.Jeannehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01374498643286099244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-89091324149768612422010-03-30T14:17:51.097-04:002010-03-30T14:17:51.097-04:00Haven't read it, but doesn't Michael Chabo...Haven't read it, but doesn't Michael Chabon have a book of memoirs? Including one about the development in which he grew up in NJ? I heard him read something about that topic at a conference.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-31932436085474519402010-03-30T13:59:36.735-04:002010-03-30T13:59:36.735-04:00Stephen King "On Writing" is also good, ...Stephen King "On Writing" is also good, but not entirely a memoirlemminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06767103318863906140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-24867323612440093982010-03-30T13:00:13.715-04:002010-03-30T13:00:13.715-04:00Perhaps not *exactly* what you were seeking, but g...Perhaps not *exactly* what you were seeking, but give them a look, at least:<br /><br />The Miss Dennis School of Writing: And Other Lessons from a Woman's Life (Alice Steinbach)<br /><br />Manhood for Amateurs (Michael Chabon)<br /><br />Lost in Place: Growing Up Absurd in Suburbia (Mark Salzman)<br /><br />Stet (Diana Athill)<br /><br />Best regards,<br /><br />Melissa (MFS @ M-mv)Mental multivitaminhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03399560628858130962noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-52925332293070377742010-03-30T11:38:42.550-04:002010-03-30T11:38:42.550-04:00OK, that makes five of us. Read Gopnik.
Doris Kea...OK, that makes five of us. Read Gopnik.<br /><br />Doris Kearns Goodwin's memoir "Wait Until Next Year" is probably known to you already.<br /><br />Anthony Rapp "Without You" isn't entirely linear in its approach. His narrative voice has good and bad sections, but I enjoyed it. I'll see that you get my copy. :-)lemminghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06767103318863906140noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-25792589056291248212010-03-30T10:59:40.444-04:002010-03-30T10:59:40.444-04:00I third the Gopnik recommendation - and agree that...I third the Gopnik recommendation - and agree that there are damned few interesting autobiographical essay writers out there.Lasshttp://thelass.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-1815381344062801402010-03-30T09:16:12.071-04:002010-03-30T09:16:12.071-04:00Huh, well, I have no idea. I do like memoir but do...Huh, well, I have no idea. I do like memoir but don't often read a collection of anything. And this book sounds like a snooze fest.FreshHellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13051170717740487431noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-52859939481848012802010-03-30T08:13:16.041-04:002010-03-30T08:13:16.041-04:00Funny coincidence - I read your post and your fina...Funny coincidence - I read your post and your final question, and thought: well, there's always Adam Gopnik's collection of essays from when he and his family lived in Paris, which I loved. How nice of permanentquivive to provide the title so I didn't have to Google it.Unfocused Mehttp://theunfocusedlife.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6000858382516594426.post-14775790030334726912010-03-30T08:09:17.529-04:002010-03-30T08:09:17.529-04:00I'm partial to Adam Gopnik's "Paris t...I'm partial to Adam Gopnik's "Paris to the Moon". Some wonderful scenes of family life. My favorite is the birth of his second child -- "le choix du roi!"Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com