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An Accidental Autobiography
When asked to describe this book, Harrison responds, "An autobiography in which I am not the main character." In her unconventional though never arbitrary approach, she writes about memory, and since memories tend to attach themselves to "things, " she writes about collecting and acquiring them in a marvelous chapter entitled "Loot and Lists and Lust (and Things)." And sin
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Paperback
,
396 pages
Published
May 1st 1997
by Mariner Books
(first published 1996)
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I think Barbara is an amazing writer. I only wish I could have met her, she seems an equally amazing person. Coming from a similar background, I felt as though I could relate to her and yet her life was in so many ways not similar to mine at all.
Uncle.....file this under "life is too short." This is a logorrheal memoirist deeply entranced by her own voice, her quirks, her lifestyle, and her neuroses, which are tenderly cultivated. I can't be bothered.
I found Barbara Grizzuti Harrison's life interesting, sometimes shocking, sometimes boring starting from her childhood described as deeply troubled. Her mother, who suffered from mental illness, was emotionally distant and insisted on describing herself as 'Barbara's relative,' not her mother. Near the end of her life Harrison also revealed that her father had sexually abused her. The turmoil of her childhood would have a strong influence on her writing. When Harrison was 9, she and her mother w
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Barbara had a rather sad childhood. And she wanted to talk about it. To us. On paper. Which is what writers do. I had a sadder childhood than Barbara's; and as much as I love talking on paper, I don't know what it would take to coax my unsavory past into hardcover. Don't want to write about MY sad childhood--LOVE that Barbara wrote about hers. Because her point, and boy does she have one, is that every less-than-savory experience taught her to live with exurberance,and write exuberantly.
Loved stumbling around in this woman,s life. (my computer is inserting eÈ (see)) so excuse my punctuation. Very, nice writing and steady observations. Wish we all could be this less stingy and embrace food, life, sex, and the whole damn thing. Loved her list of belongings in her bedroom near the end of this book.
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Barbara was a friend I met at Yaddo years ago. I wish she was alive so I could tell her how brilliant her prose is here--stream of consciousness personal recollections and an encyclopedic knowledge on a variety of subjects. Honest. Funny. Erotic. You see a brilliant mind at work.
I saw this on a shelf and the title and image intrigued me enough to pluck it from the shelf, turn to a random page and read a random selection. The language and style was so compelling, I practically ran to the counter to make my purchase! An amazing life; an amazing woman.
fabulous, poetic, striking, curious, insightful, heartbreaking memoir!
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Barbara Grizzuti Harrison (14 September 1934 – 24 April 2002) was an American journalist, essayist and memoirist. She is best known for her autobiographical work, particularly her account of growing up as one of Jehovah's Witnesses, and for her travel writing.
Her first book, Unlearning the Lie: Sexism in School, was published in 1969. Harrison was one of the first contributors to Ms. magazine.
Harr ...more
More about Barbara Grizzuti Harrison...
Her first book, Unlearning the Lie: Sexism in School, was published in 1969. Harrison was one of the first contributors to Ms. magazine.
Harr ...more
