Spanish Peaks Library District

Discusses why we read autobiographies, the cultural assumptions that go into writing about ourselves, the difference between autobiographies of men and women, and much more.

Provides the tools and the motivation to get the stories of your life crafted and completed, based on the proven premise that your life story is really a combination of many stories, and the best way to write them is one compelling story at a time. Accessible and empowering, this book explores our ability to help, heal, and connect to others through story, reminding us of the greater need for a broader array authentic voices in the story-sharing universe....

"Ten months after her mother’s death, the narrator of The Hero of This Book takes a trip to London. The city was a favorite of her mother’s, and as the narrator wanders the streets, she finds herself reflecting on her mother’s life and their relationship. Thoughts of the past meld with questions of the future: Back in New England, the family home is now up for sale, its considerable contents already winnowed. The woman, a writer, recalls all...

"Jerry Apps, renowned author and storyteller, believes that storytelling is the key to maintaining our humanity, fostering connection, and preserving our common history. In Telling Your Story, he offers tips for people who are interested in telling their own stories. Readers will learn how to choose stories from their memories, how to journal, and find tips for writing and oral storytelling as well as Jerry's seasoned tips on speaking to a live radio...

"Everything an aspiring memoirist needs to know, in one readable volume, a follow-up to the acclaimed writers' handbook Why We Write For the many amateurs and professionals who write about themselves--bloggers, journal-keepers, aspiring essayists, and memoirists--this book offers inspiration, encouragement, and pithy, practical advice. Twenty of America's bestselling memoirists share their innermost thoughts and hard-earned tips with veteran author...

Historical figures, celebrities, mystery people in family photos, and the names of people on memorials, buildings, and products we are surrounded by people whose background and history we can research. Even the most unfamiliar person might have had a surprising life. Who was a school named after? How can you trace the story of soldiers and people who migrated from one country to another? This book will help you discover their tales for yourself. It...

Sometimes all it takes is a single word to spark a strong memory. Bicycle. Snowstorm. Washing machine. By presenting one-word prompts and simple phrases, author and writing teacher Patty Dann gives us the keys to unlock our life stories. Organized around her ten rules for writing memoir, Danns lyrical vignettes offer glimpses into her own life while, surprisingly, opening us up to our own. This book is a small but powerful guide and companion for...

Schoenbaum's study of the changing images of Shakespeare throughout history broke important new ground; but in the years since this book first appeared many scholars have followed his lead, and Shakespeare studies has progressed by leaps and bounds. Now, Schoenbaum, one of "the heroes of Shakespeare scholarship," according to Wells, has revised and up-dated this classic study of Shakespeare and his biographers, taking account of the most recent scholarship,...