Memoirs worth reading
I love reading about other people’s lives, living vicariously through the highs and lows of their experiences. I prefer the memoir format rather than biography which tends to be more about famous people. I like stories of ordinary folks and the crazy stuff that happens to them, written by the person themselves.
Here are some titles I’ve enjoyed recently:
DAUGHTER OF FAMILY G
By AMI MCKAY
Written by Canadian author Ami McKay, this memoir details how Ami’s family contributed to the scientific discovery of genetic mutations for certain types of cancer. Her ancestors were involved in studies going back many generations.
It’s a family history, a personal story and a medical mystery rolled into one.
McKay is the author of many beloved novels like the Birth House, Witches of New York, and The Virgin Cure. A very interesting read.
RAVENMASTER: MY LIFE WITH THE RAVENS IN THE
TOWER OF LONDON By CHRISTOPHER SKAIFE
I was attracted to this story because I love ravens!
Ravenmaster Christopher Skaife looks after the small flock of ravens that reside in the Tower of London. How does someone get that job?
He tells his own life story along with lots of fascinating legends and lore about these feathered royals and tells funny stories about his day to day life as keeper of these highly intelligent, mischievous creatures.
As a footnote: sadly one of the older matriarchs of this flock, Merlina, recently, disappeared and is presumed dead.
FROM THE ASHES: MY STORY OF BEING METIS, HOMELESS AND FINDING MY WAY
By JESSE THISTLE
This is one of those eye-opening memoirs that are almost unbelievable. Jesse has had a hard life, abandoned by his parents at an early age, entering the foster care system, then being raised by his stern grandparents.
He ends up homeless, addicted to drugs, haunted by his father, and has a horrible disabling accident.
Somehow he survives all these trials, overcomes his addiction, gets an education, reconnects with his Indigenous ancestry and thrives at last.
A great story about the resilience of the human spirit if you can stomach all the horrible things that happen to him!
TRAVEL LIGHT, MOVE FAST
By ALEXANDRA FULLER
The latest instalment in Alexandra Fuller’s wonderful series about her kooky family, growing up in Africa. (see Don’t Let’s go to the Dogs Tonight, Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness).
This one is mostly about her mom and dad’s relationship and about her dad’s sudden death.
Her dad, Tim Fuller “of no-fixed abode,” is a zany, colourful character who really jumps off the pages.
Alexandra and her family come to terms with his over-sized presence and the corresponding absence after his death.
This book is a hilarious, surprising, and ultimately heart-warming story of a mother-daughter relationship.
Lui’s mom is an eccentric, bossy, demanding lady with the nickname of The Squawking Chicken.
She dominates and controls Liu’s life, using shame and humiliation to control but the story is told in a very endearing and charming way rather than a “poor me” style.
The chicken had to survive some pretty hard times back in China so she became a tough, street-fighting (with words), get it done lady who then tries to apply this philosophy to child rearing with mixed results.
A LIFE ON OUR PLANET: MY WITNESS STATEMENT AND A VISION FOR THE FUTURE By DAVID ATTENBOROUGH You probably know David Attenborough from his various BBC nature series.
He has been a BBC broadcaster for most of his long life (he’s 94): a fascinating, eventful journey tracking plants and creatures all over the globe.
This book is about his life, his philosophy, his love for the natural world and a plea to wake up and find solutions to huge planetary problems like declining biodiversity, pollution, and climate change.