Her previous three memoirs the liars club cherry and lit all have been best sellers and now she offers us a glimpse into the world she knows so well.

Art memoir mary karr. Yes it is as disjointed as this description sounds. Mary karr regarded as the goddess of writing memoir by those of us hoping one day to write a memoir has written a book called the art of memoir harper. Karr says it is addressed primarily to general readers but it will appeal most to those hoping to write their own memoirs. In the art of memoir master memoirist mary karr synthesizes her expertise as professor and therapy patient writer and spiritual seeker recovered alcoholic and black belt sinner providing a unique window into the mechanics and art of the form that is as irreverent insightful and entertaining as her own work in the genreanchored by excerpts from her favorite memoirs and anecdotes from.

She is the author of the critically acclaimed and new york times best selling memoirs the liars club cherry and lit as well as the art of memoir and five poetry collections most recently tropic of squalor. Apparently mary karr is a messy teacher and i can understand why after reading this. Mary karr has told three stories the world wanted to hear. Mary karr is an award winning poet and best selling memoirist.

The art of memoir is more of a memoir about writing a book on how to write a memoir. The art of memoir will be the definitive book on reading and writing memoir for years to come cheryl strayed should be required reading for anyone attempting to write a memoir but anyone who loves literature will enjoy it too wall street journal full of karrs usual wit compassion and perhaps most reassuringly self doubt. Karr is also a songwriter having collaborated with rodney crowell norah jones lucinda williams and others on a country. Karr begins by warning the reader that no one aelected me the boss of the memoir and that her pronouncements on the subject should be taken.

But the art of memoir is a hodgepodge of a book. For a writer who has shared herself with the public in three memoirs mary karr is an extraordinarily elusive interview subject. Interviewed by amanda fortini issue 191 winter 2009. There were numerous reasons for.

In the art of memoir master memoirist mary karr synthesizes her expertise as professor and therapy patient writer and spiritual seeker recovered alcoholic and black belt sinner providing a unique window into the mechanics and art of the form that is as irreverent insightful and entertaining as her own work in the genreanchored by excerpts from her favorite memoirs and anecdotes from. To karrs credit in the art of memoir she reserves her greatest enthusiasm for work that recognizes just how slippery and. Nearly two years passed between our initial contact in july of 2007 and our first session.