I have a soft spot for memoirs. Not just memoirs, but memoirs of regular people. I love to learn about the many lives that are out there and reality tv just doesn't do it. Memoirs are personal accounts of the things that people have been through. I've read a few already, but even those are mostly from people who are famous (or were by the time the memoir got into my hands). There is a lot more to the human experience than we see on a daily basis, so the next five memoirs that I've chosen to read (though they will be scattered among other reading in the coming months) are about people and experiences vastly different from my own. Here they are: 

 

1. I Have Iraq in My Shoe: Misadventures of a Soldier of Fashion - Gretchen Berg  I have had this book on my TBR list for a long time. The title just called me in the middle of the book store. I have a bit of a weakness for stories about acclimating to new areas and cultures and this seems like a fun one. 
2. In Order to Live: A North Korean Girl's Journey to Freedom - Yeonmi Park  I also saw this a little while back. It popped up in my Recommendations feed on one site or another and seemed interesting. 
3. The Argonauts - Maggie Nelson  This is another one that popped up on some feed. The reviews that I read on it were mixed but the premise is enough to put it on my list anyway. It was living and loving someone who is gender fluid that got me. 
4. Looking for Palestine: Growing Up Confused in an Arab-American Family - Najla Said  I stumbled upon this one while looking for a book about Arab-Americans. I was checking the Heritage/Diversity months and discovered that April is Arab-American month which led me to realize that I had yet to read about any real Arab-Americans. I say real because I LOVE Kamala Khan, but she is fictional. 
5. An Unquiet Mind: A Memoir of Moods and Madness - Kay Redfield Jamison I don't know about you, but mental illness scares me. It is often poorly self-diagnosed and I rarely know people who seek treatment. Even in that rare instance, sticking to a regiment can be arduous, proving illness can be tough, and it takes a toll on everyone, not just the ill person. This memoir explores manic depression from inside and outside the institution that treats it. 

 

Do you read memoirs? What are you reading next? 

MY THOUGHTSLOVED ITJust the other day, a friend asked me for a funny memoir about an American ex pat in a really foreign land. She said that France and Italy had been done to death and she wanted something exotic. Well, Gretchen Berg has the perfect book for anyone (especially those Sex and the City fans) looking for a fun read about sand in your designer shoes. Berg has a take no prisoners writing style much like Jen Lancaster and Laurie Notaro that is guaranteed to offend at least one person in every group. I adore this writing style so of course I loved it. Some of her tales really made me laugh out loud which is always a good thing. Berg goes through the steps as to how she ended up teaching English in Iraq (financial, liberal time off, frequent flyer miles). The funniest moment is when she is told she must yell at anyone to get anything done and there is no Diet Coke but an awesome representation of American Culture in the form of a grocery store. Of course, all of the products available are counterfeit and with her piles of luggage, she didn't need to bring the Turkish Towels since they had them at the store. The story leads through her time in Iraq and her side trips on her time off. She pays off her debt and makes new friends while exploring the world which is something I would rather read about then try myself.