SKU: 48623718659

Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from Trauma

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Description

Writing Hard Stories: Celebrated Memoirists Who Shaped Art from TraumaSome of the country's most admired authors including Andre Dubus III, Mark Doty, Marianne Leone, Michael Patrick MacDonald, Richard Blanco, Abigail Thomas, Kate Bornstein, Jerald Walker, and Kyoko Mori describe their treks through dark memories and breakthrough moments and attest to the healing power of putting words to experience. What does it take to write an honest memoir? And what happens to us when we embark on that journey? Melanie Brooks sought

Some of the country's most admired authors--including Andre Dubus III, Mark Doty, Marianne Leone, Michael Patrick MacDonald, Richard Blanco, Abigail Thomas, Kate Bornstein, Jerald Walker, and Kyoko Mori--describe their treks through dark memories and breakthrough moments and attest to the healing power of putting words to experience.

What does it take to write an honest memoir? And what happens to us when we embark on that journey? Melanie Brooks sought guidance from the memoirists who most moved her to answer these questions. Called an essential book for creative writers by Poets & Writers, Writing Hard Stories is a unique compilation of authentic stories about the death of a partner, parent, or child; about violence and shunning; and about the process of writing. It will serve as a tool for teachers of writing and give readers an intimate look into the lives of the authors they love.

Authors profiled in Writing Hard Stories Andre Dubus III, Sue William Silverman, Michael Patrick MacDonald, Joan Wickersham, Kyoko Mori, Richard Hoffman, Suzanne Strempek Shea, Abigail Thomas, Monica Wood, Mark Doty, Edwidge Dantict, Marianne Leone, Jerald Walker, Kate Bornstein, Jessica Handler, Richard Blanco, Alysia Abbott, and Kim Stafford

Insights from Writing Hard Stories

"Why we endeavor collectively to write a book or paint a canvas or write a symphony...is to understand who we are as human beings, and it's that shared knowledge that somehow helps us to survive."--Richard Blanco

"Here's what you need to understand: your brothers or family or friends] are going to have their own stories to tell. You don't have to tell the family story. You have to tell your story of being in that family."--Andre Dubus III

"We all need a way to express or make something out of experiences that otherwise have no meaning. If what you want is clarity and meaning, you have to break the secrets over your knee and make something of those ingredients."--Abigail Thomas

"What we remember and how we remember it really tells us how we became who we became."--Michael Patrick MacDonald

"The reason I write memoir is to be able to see the experience itself...I hardly know what I think until I write...Writing is a way to organize your life, give it a frame, give it a structure, so that you can really see what it was that happened."--Sue William Silverman

"After a while in the process, you have some distance and you start thinking of it as a story, not as your story...It was a personal grief, but no longer personal... It's] something that has not just happened to me and my family, but something that's happened in the world."--Edwidge Danticat

"Tibetan Buddhists believe that eloquence is the telling of a truth in such a way that it eases suffering...The more suffering that is eased by your telling of the truth, the more eloquent you are. That's all you can really hope for--being eloquent in that fashion. All you have to do is respond to your story honestly, and that's the ideal."--Kate Bornstein

"You can never entirely redeem the experience. You can't make it not hurt anymore. But you can make it beautiful enough so that there's something to balance it in the other scale. And if you understand that word beautiful as not necessarily pretty, then you're getting close to recognizing the integrative power of restoring the balance, which is restoring the truth."--Richard Hoffman

Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Beacon Press
Published: 02/07/2017
ISBN: 9780807078815
Pages: 224
Weight: 0.66lbs
Size: 8.40h x 5.40w x 0.70d

Review Citations: Kirkus Reviews 11/01/2016
Publishers Weekly 10/31/2016
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SKU: 48623718659

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Book Junkie
Omaha, US
★★★★★ 5
Best dog ball in the world!
Size: Large, Pattern Name: Pack of 1, Size: Large, Pattern Name: Pack of 1
My dog is singularly obsessed with playing ball. He would drop a steak to chase a ball. (He'd return to the steak, but not without the retrieved ball. He's not an idiot.) He makes dangerous leaps, crashes into trees, and runs fast enough to catch thrown balls before they even hit the ground. Since he doesn't care about his own wellbeing, it's my job to protect him as much as I can. And a lot of balls are hard enough to cause him pain or dental damage when he mistimes a catch. Enter the ChuckIt Glow Ball! The minute Cowboy got his first Glow Ball, he no longer had any interest in the dozens of tennis balls scattered around the house and yard. If I took the Glow Ball away and instead threw a tennis ball, Cowboy would run to retrieve the ball, then return without it and begin looking all over the house for the Glow Ball. The Glow Ball is tough enough to survive Cowboy's big, sharp chompers, yet it's soft enough to do no harm when it hits him in the face. The glow feature is a huge bonus, too. Cowboy gets distracted by chipmunks and squirrels when we're playing, so he sometimes can't remember where he dropped the ball to pursue the interloper. If the ball was exposed to enough light before it was misplaced, it will be easy to find once the sun goes down. (Otherwise, Cowboy always finds it eventually.) When I'm feeling nocturnal, I'll put the ball under a light for a few minutes to activate the electrons, then treat my boy to a middle-of-the-night game of fetch. I was so happy to see these on sale, I bought a lifetime supply for my pantry. The size guide seems accurate. ChuckIt recommended the large size for a dog of Cowboy's weight and that size is perfect. Highly recommended product.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2024
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JerseyGirl
Boise, US
★★★★★ 5
Perfect toy for an active dog!
Color: Large size (7.9")
My dog absolutely loves this ball with handles! It’s quickly become one of his favorite toys, and he gets excited every time we bring it out to play. The vibrant colors are a huge plus—they make it super easy to spot in the grass, which saves a lot of time during outdoor play sessions. The handles are great for interactive play too, especially for tugging and tossing. I’m really impressed with how well it’s holding up. Even with constant pulling, tugging, and rough use, it’s remained durable and hasn’t shown any signs of wearing out. Overall, I’m very happy with this purchase—and if my dog could write reviews, it would definitely get his paw stamp of approval! 🐾
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Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2026
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ML Pearson
Charlottesville, US
★★★★★ 5
Not for strong chewers!
Color: Large size (7.9")
I have an English Springer Spaniel who is 1.5 yrs. She had this torn apart within the first 5 minutes. This is not for strong chewers!
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Reviewed in the United States on February 25, 2026
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Gail A
West Palm Beach, US
★★★★★ 5
Durable and fun
Color: Large size (7.9")
Pup loves this toy.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2026
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pat
Boise, US
★★★★★ 3
Great idea poor construction
Color: Large size (7.9"), Color: Large size (7.9")
Great for a dog that likes tug and fetch but the seams are not strong so it ripped fast not from tug but my dogs teeth. I sewed it once since we loved playing with it but it didnt last. Other seams opened. The seams opened in the ball part not by the handles. Less seams and stronger ones would make it 5 star. Im trying a different brand.
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Reviewed in the United States on May 6, 2026

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