Frisky Friday: 9.29.23 – The Story of Your Life

Frisky Fridays is a new segment of Safe For Work! Shorter, offbeat posts in addition to regular ?thought leadership? Wednesdays.

I’m a huge reader, and one of my favorite genres is memoirs. Sometimes, a nonfiction book just feels too “heavy” for my tired brain at the end of a long workday, but fiction feels too frivolous – that’s when I often reach for a memoir.

Deeply reflective narratives have just as much to teach us as the most meticulously researched piece of nonfiction, and allow us to feel and feel as invested in story as much as fiction – and here are my 5 favorites of the genre:

1. Know My Name, by Chanel Miller

I remember exactly where I was, in my apartment in the Mission in San Francisco, when I was sent a link to the viral Buzzfeed link to what was then only known as Jane Doe’s victim statement letter in the Stanford swimmer rape case. It was such a powerful piece of writing, and Jane Doe’s courage and clarity struck a chord with me.

A few years later, Chanel came forward with a hauntingly beautiful memoir, not only about that evening on the Stanford campus, but the poignant backstory (a multicultural childhood in the pressure cooker that is Palo Alto, and being at UC Santa Barbara during a mass shooting), as well as the aftermath of the rape and the months-long torture that is our broken justice system. Overall, it’s a survivor’s story about healing, and over the years, Chanel’s story has made me feel less alone.?

2. When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi

How is a book allowed to be this beautiful?! When Breath Becomes Air is an unfinished memoir of a young doctor who eventually succumbs to disease. It’s a meditation on mortality, but also purpose, as the author raced against time to write. He chose a most noble mission for his final days, "helping people understand death and face mortality," and found a sense of purpose in reminding us what it's like to live,? and have it taken away from you suddenly.

It's a message that should be present with us always: Live and don't forget to live. Death could be just around the corner.

3. Maybe You Should Talk To Someone, by Lori Gottlieb?

A book by a therapist about going to therapy. I was just a few chapters in, when I couldn’t help but notice the author’s storytelling ability (“How is a therapist so good at this??”). She eventually reveals that she had first started a career in Hollywood – aha!?

Therapy has been an invaluable tool in my personal journey, but I’d also long been curious, since the only sessions I have access to are my own – the safety created by privacy is the point. But Maybe You Should Talk To Someone was incredibly helpful (and entertaining) for lifting the curtain, and inviting us to take a more active approach in living more authentic lives and striving for personal growth.

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4. Educated, by Tara Westover

A stunning read that takes you inside the most unusual family, a group of survivalists in the Idaho mountains, and one young woman’s extraordinary journey of self-discovery and escape. Most of us have come to take education for granted, and it takes stepping into such extreme perspectives to begin to appreciate the value of an education and coming to think for yourself. Educated also contains one of the most relatable, helpful articulations on having a complicated relationship with parents who could not take care of their children or themselves.?

5. Untamed, by Glennon Doyle

Background: Years ago, a friend had recommended Glennon Doyle’s earlier memoir Love Warrior describing it as: “It’s by a Christian mommy blogger who finds out her husband has been cheating on her.” I replied, “Uh, and what about this exactly do you think I will like…?” “Just trust me.”

I did, and now, I’m a HUGE Glennon Doyle fan (#podsquad). Her story has been truly inspiring ( it turns out the cheating husband was just the start – spoiler: she is now married to Abby Wambach, the soccer player and World Cup winner), and she’s one of my favorite writers/teachers to follow. Just trust me.?

What are your favorite memoirs you’ve ever read? I’d love to add to the list! :)

What are your favorite memoirs you’ve ever read? I’d love to add to the list!