THE ART OF MEMOIR

Mary Karr reads THE ART OF MEMOIR, her "unified field theory" of the autobiographical impulse, with the forthright delivery of the seasoned professor that she is. Karr, who teaches at Syracuse University, has written three memoirs, including the bestselling LIARS' CLUB and CHERRY, and is a passionate consumer of the genre. As a result, her book is an examination of some of the greatest twentieth-century memoirs, a mini-course on how to write one, and a prod to each reader--writer or not--to "reflect on their divided self and their past." Karr's considered and straightforward delivery sometimes sounds a bit too careful, but that doesn't damage this thoroughly listenable and interesting audiobook. A.C.S. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine [Published: SEPTEMBER 2015]