Author: Simon Fitzmaurice Type: Non-fiction, memoir Published: 2014 I read it: August 2018 “Every moment lived is a moment lived.” This is the kind of book you read when you want to kick yourself in the ass to get started on that next life goal, or simply to remind yourself to stop complaining. It’s about…
Editor: Rachel Kushner (introduction) Type: Fiction, non-fiction, short stories, essays, comics, poetry, memoir Published: 2016 I read it: October 2016 The primary challenge of any anthology is deciding what to pick, so in this edition of the BANR series the curators tried to be explicit about their goals for the year. Daniel Gumbiner, on behalf…
Author and artist: Cece Bell Type: Fiction, comic, memoir Published: 2014 I read it: August 2016 Our theme this year at Camp Quest Minnesota was Language and Communication, so our program directors collected books to suit the camp sessions. Our group of counselors was informed that El Deafo was a hit with the campers, so…
Editor: Adam Johnson (introduction) Type: Fiction, non-fiction, short stories, essays, comics, poetry, memoir Published: 2015 I read it: January 2016 While reading these collections, in the table of contents I put a mark next to each entry. Not only does this help me keep track of which ones I’ve read in case I want to…
Author: Cat Warren Type: Non-fiction, single subject, memoir Full title: What the Dog Knows: The Science and Wonder of Working Dogs Published: 2013 I read it: April 2015 “For him, human death is a big game.” This is the way Cat Warren introduces how her German Shepherd, Solo, views his work. (That’s him on the…
Author: Mindy Kaling Type: Non-fiction, humor, memoir Full title: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns) Published: 2011 I read it: April 2015 I’m finally catching up to this books written by comedians thing. I think I’m generally pretty slow about trying out new genres, and the biography/autobiography stuff just isn’t my thing.…
Author and artist: Ellen Forney Type: Non-fiction, comic, memoir Full title: Marbles: Mania, Depression, Michelangelo, and Me Published: 2012 I read it: December 2014 Though “mania” and “depression” are in the subtitle, this memoir is specifically about the author’s struggles with bipolar disorder. It’s quite an effective introduction to the topic, told in chronological order from…
Author: Amy Poehler Type: Non-fiction, humor, memoir Published: 2014 I read it: November 2014 Amy Poehler has written a memoir from the “middle.” Right off the bat she acknowledges that at 42 she has a lot of experience but not really enough to do a wisdom-filled autobiography. She is arguably at the peak of her career,…
Author: Jim Gaffigan Type: Fiction, non-fiction, humor, memoir Published: 2013 I read it: July 2014 Why is Jim Gaffigan an appropriate author for a comedic memoir about parenting? Because he has five children and his family lives in a two-bedroom apartment in New York. The premise fits Gaffigan’s dry style particularly well. It’s also an…
Author: Neil Young Type: Non-fiction, memoir Full title: Waging Heavy Peace: A Hippie Dream Published: 2012 I read it: April 2013 I read up on this sort of thing, and the worst thing you can have is a book that is too long. That doesn’t help the publisher. There is a lot here to cover,…
