Magical Memoir Moments

The Sound of Rain on a Corrugated Iron Roof: Another Lanie Tankard Review

Our popular guest blogger Lanie Tankard has reviewed a pre-publication copy of One Day I Will Write About This Place: A Memoir   by Binyavanga Wainaina Minneapolis, MN: Graywolf Press (July 19, 2011) Reviewed by Lanie Tankard Binyavanga Wainaina busts clichés about Africa in his memoir, One Day I Will Write About This Place, due…

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Bird Cloud: A Memoir Reviewed by Lanie Tankard

Constructing a House, Deconstructing a Life By now you know that when Lanie Tankard pens a guest post review of a memoir, you want to read the review whether or not you read the book! Bird Cloud: A Memoir by Annie Proulx (New York: Scribner, January 2011) Reviewed by Lanie Tankard Pulitzer Prize-winning author Annie…

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Things Seen: A Review of Annie Ernaux's Book from Lanie Tankard

My thoughtful friend Lanie Tankard, knowing that I was in the midst of that wrenching process known as moving, sent me another delicious review. I loved the idea of books as food that she borrows from Annie Ernaux. Her description of this book as an amuse- bouche was perfect, don’t you think? Hope it makes…

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Patti Smith Memoir Wins National Book Award: Read Lanie Tankard's Beautiful Review

Yea, Patti Smith, winner of the National Book Award in nonfiction for her memoir, Just Kids! Yea Women’s Memoirs! Yea, Lanie Tankard! Women’s Memoirs is a great place for readers and writers of memoir. I have featured the work of Matilda Butler and Kendra Bonnett, who maintain this great site, in past posts. We share a fabulous guest reviewer–Lanie Tankard (see…

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Daisy Hickman: Interviewer and Reviewer (of Jonathan Franzen's The Discomfort Zone)

There’s an art to interviews. First of all, it helps to be a great observer and listener and to know something about the person and subject under inspection. Most of all, it helps to care. Daisy Hickman fits that bill perfectly. Last week she placed her questions and my answers on her great blog Sunny…

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The Truthiness of Fiction: A Review of Lunch Bucket Paradise: A True-Life Novel

Do you remember your father’s workbench? I can still smell the oil, paint, tools, and see the big black vise at the end of the bench. Guest blogger Lanie Tankard was moved by her own memories as she read about the father’s workbench in Fred Setterberg’s new book. Other times, she was more perplexed than…

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Terry Helwig: One Author's Adventures in Social Media Book Marketing

True or False: Marketing a book is a grueling chore. You already know this is a trick question, don’t you? The answer? True for some. False for others. Some people love to meet other people and share stories with them. They draw energy from their readers and look for innovative ways to meet more of…

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Composing a Life: Counterpoint in Memoir

If you missed Fine Arts 101, read Lanie Tankard’s review below and click on all the links. You will enjoy the ride–especially since a lot of those links take you to countries and cities in Europe. Lanie is heading off to Singapore soon. We’re all lucky she squeezed this fine review of an excellent memoir…

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Sisterhood of the Wild Rose: A Review of Moonlight on Linoleum

I met Terry Helwig when she brought her amazing Thread Project to The Fetzer Institute several years ago. I could tell then that her passion for peace comes from a deep place. Lanie Tankard’s review of Helwig’s new memoir confirms the resilient transformation that made her mature contribution to peacemaking possible. Moonlight on Linoleum: A…

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Take a Roadtrip in Your Armchair: The Road to Somewhere by James A. Reeves

Lanie Tankard, reviewer extraordinaire and world traveler, is about to set off for distant lands — again. Before she left, however, she sent in this review. Reading it is an adventure in itself. Enjoy! The Road to Somewhere: An American Memoir. New York: W.W. Norton, August 2011 (411 pages) by James A. Reeves Reviewed by Lanie…

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