Blog Posts by Subject: Memoirs and Diaries

This Spring, everything is coming up foodie! Here is a list of recent books on cooking and eating.

Diane von Furstenberg, when asked to describe herself in seven words, provided a resounding statement on her identity: "Woman, woman, woman, woman, woman, woman, woman."

Sally Mann comes to Books at Noon next Wednesday, May 13 to discuss her latest work, Hold Still: A Memoir With Photographs. We asked her six questions about what she likes to read.

Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor has lived and continues to live with passion, vigor, and curiosity. In her memoir My Beloved World, Sotomayor recounts her childhood living in The Bronxdale Houses, public housing since renamed the Justice Sonia Sotomayor Houses; the death of her father; and her rise through the ranks of the judiciary.

Narrative or creative nonfiction is somewhat newly recognized genre. Naturally, as librarians we have a great appreciation for the research, the primary source documents and interviews, but it is the narrative, the skillful pacing, the phrasing, and the insight that make it read like a thriller that set these books apart from other nonfiction.

Alan Cumming comes to Books at Noon next Wednesday, May 6 to discuss his latest work, Not My Father's Son. We asked him six questions about what he likes to read.

Ann Patchett and Elizabeth Gilbert are not merely both writers; they're friends and longtime pen pals. Patchett, winner of the Orange Prize and the PEN/Faulkner Award for her novel Bel Canto, has  written ten books. Gilbert has published six. And between the two of them, the insights into the work of a writer are nearly endless.

Recently, the film adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's Wild received Oscar nods for Reese Witherspoon (Best Actress) and Laura Dern's (Best Supporting Actress) performances. Wild, the story of Strayed's journey on the Pacific Crest Trail, has become a runaway hit both onscreen and off. Strayed joined NYPL to discuss the blockbuster memoir, measuring success, and good advice.

Reading nonfiction books can open your eyes to different subjects and make you see them in a new light, and I’m not just saying that because I haven’t eaten a burger from McDonald’s since I read Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. Reading nonfiction books can change your perspective in both small and profound ways.

In 1972, Susan Sontag wrote in her journal, "I want to make a New Year's prayer, not a resolution. I'm praying for courage." And intellectual courage is, indeed, one of the great legacies of the writer's career. Today, January 16, we celebrate Sontag's birthday by re-reading her journals, those intimate musings and half-musings.

Our reader asked: I'm looking for my next great read. I'm a fan of graphic novels that function as memoirs, or even semi-autobiographical fiction that's realistic. I've really enjoyed Persepolis, Marbles, This One Summer, and One Bad Rat. What should I put on my list to read next?

Like Yes Please by Amy Poehler , these humorous and engaging memoirs transform readers into the personal and professional lives of celebrities. Some titles also incorporate advice.

Memoirs with recipes: two great book categories that taste great together!

This book tells the story of how one author fell on hard times and decided to try her hand at selling valuable correspondence from prominent authors.

We talked to librarians to find out the books they are most thankful for this year.

Frank William Abagnale, Frank Williams, or any of the other aliases he gave people, cruised through life alternately as an airplane pilot, pediatrician, civil lawyer, academic professor, and finally as a researcher/writer in what he thought was the safe haven of Montpellier, France. He bought a nice cottage there, and he brought a suitcase full of cash with him.

Having arrived safely back to your everyday existence, I hope you enjoy the comfort of your own bed and convenient grocery store, but feel as if you have had a bit of retreat into nature and your own thoughts.

Welcome back for the third week of our reading and discussion of Sylvain Tesson’s The Consolations of the Forest. This week I’d like to offer a few more questions to consider and discuss while you are reading the book:

The Consolations of the Forest is Sylvain Tesson’s first title available in English and it won the Prix Médicis for nonfiction. But, he has written many other works on his travels around the world by bike and in Central Asia, including crossing the Himalayas on foot. He was born in Paris, France in 1972.