Eclectic, succinct, sometimes rule-breaking memoirs

books:


	• Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure Harper Perennial, 2008 - 225 pages average customer review:based on 48 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

Quick Read, Insightful

I've read the book through twice now, and I still find fresh bits of wisdom and newly amusing memoirs. My only wish is that Smith Magazine gave a teeny bit of insight into the authors themselves (even as an Appendix). Because of the glimpse into two writers' lives during the Prologue, their memoirs have had the most impact for me...and it makes you realize how much complexity and meaning six simple words can carry.

Since 6-word memoir submissions are still being accepted at www.smithmag.net, I wait with anticipation for the next volume. Thank you for a read that will never collect dust on my book shelf.

for more information click here

Quirky, Fun, Profound

These collection of "Life Summaries" is fun, easy to pick up during a few spare minutes, and will make you think about your own life. I enjoyed it a great deal.

for more information click here

Brevity is the soul of wit

...Or genius.
For teachers, this makes a great book of instant drills. ("OK, class, here's Hemmingay's story: 'For sale: Baby shoes, never worn.' What happened?" or "Here are 6 people's autobiographies. Write yours.")

It's also a great bathroom reader, away message generator, and thought puzzle. How do you boil eveything important into 6 words?

I had no idea; still don't.

for more information click here

Great project, entertaining book

This is a great project. Sum up a life in six words. Some are funny, some poignant, some clever, all concise.

I teach a writing class and plan to give this assignment to my students. There is much to be said for a simple, well-worded story.

Eclectic, succinct, sometimes rule-breaking memoirs

The biggest flaw of Not Quite What I Was Planning is its length. Even with 1,000 entries, it can be read from intro to index in about half an hour, since qualifying memoirs are a mere six words in length. By my calculations, that's $24 dollars per hour of reading time (plus tax). Included in the book is the web address for the site from which the selections were taken. So why not just go there to read them for free? Additionally, wordsmiths may be bothered by the fact that two words connected by a hyphen are counted as one word at times. The same is allowed for contractions. And while some abbreviations (AIDS, for example) should clearly qualify as one word, others (like U.S.) should not. Writing an excellent six-word memoir is challenging. And the collection, a mixed bag, reflects it. I disliked about as many (about five percent) as I liked, and felt indifferent about the rest. Strangely, the content reminded me a bit of what can be found in the Life's Little Instruction Book series. My advice: browse the memoirs at Smith Magazine's site. Then read a proper, full-length version. Recommended: Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller, The Twelve Little Cakes by Dominika Dery, Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt and Execution by Hunger by Miron Dolot.

for more information click here

reviews: 1, 2, 3, page 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

hot

not?

What's your opinion?

Write a review and share your thoughts!

recommendations

Philadelphia Book Festival

search for books
not quite what, famous, memoirs, obscure, planning, quite, six-word, writers

Impressum / about us