Your Favorite Essay, Memoir, and/or Creative Non-Fiction

kennyc · 11-11-2013, 01:19 PM

Here's my current list!
(I'll try to add some links if they are online)

The Brown Wasps - Lauren Eiseley
The Dream Animal - Lauren Eiseley
The Slit - Lauren Eiseley
The Judgment of the Birds - Lauren Eiseley
The Star Thrower - Lauren Eiseley
Lives of a Cell - Lewis Thomas
Suspended - Joy Harjo -
The Deck - Yusef Komunyakaa
The Fourth State of Matter - Jo Ann Beard
Three Spheres - Lauren Slater
The White Album - Joan Didion
Moving Water, Tucson - Peggy Shumaker
Heaven and Nature - Edward Hoagland
Embalming Mom - Janet Burroway
Visitor - Michael W. Cox
Leap - Brian Doyle
Small Rooms in Time - Ted Kooser
Enough Jam for a Lifetime - Maxine Kumin
Remembering I was not there - Anne Panning
Fury and Grace - Pattiann Rogers
The Indian Dog - N. Scott Momaday
Dogged - Barrie Jean Borich
Work - Kim Barnes

What are your favorite Essays, Memoirs, or Creative Non-Fiction?

barutanseijin · 11-13-2013, 09:52 PM

What writing isn't "creative"? But anyway...

Some of Joan Didion's images from the White Album have stuck with me through the years: Jim Morrison in vinyl pants. Yikes. And Joan herself doing her grocery shopping in a bikini.

To add to your list:

Stephen J Gould's collections of essays on natural history are fun and enlightening

Bruce Chatwin's In Patagonia

Levi-Strauss' Tristes Tropiques

Alice Kaplan's French Lessons

kennyc · 11-13-2013, 09:56 PM

Reporting, is not generally creative.

and thanks for those!

meeera · 11-13-2013, 10:00 PM

I recently read Ugly, by Robert Hoge. It is well worth a read.

kennyc · 11-14-2013, 06:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meeera

I recently read Ugly, by Robert Hoge. It is well worth a read.

Sounds like a tough life!

Thanks for the recommendation!

Mike L · 11-14-2013, 11:21 AM

Some of George Orwell's work comes under this heading. Those that stick in my mind include Shooting an Elephant, Decline of the English Murder, and In Defence of P.G. Wodehouse.

Perhaps also Alistaire Cook's Letters from America. They were written as radio broadcasts, but many of them have been re-published in book form.

Mike

kennyc · 11-14-2013, 11:28 AM

Thanks Mike!

And most of the late Christopher Hitchens of course. He wrote most notably for Vanity Fair and some of his work is here:

http://www.vanityfair.com/contributo...opher-hitchens

HarryT · 11-14-2013, 12:06 PM

I recently picked up an interesting book as an Amazon UK Kindle Daily Deal: "The World As I See It", by Albert Einstein:

Quote:

In the aftermath of the First World War, Einstein writes about his hopes for the League of Nations, his feelings as a German citizen about the growing anti-Semitism and nationalism of his country, and his myriad opinions about the current affairs of his day. In addition to these political perspectives, The World As I See It reveals the idealistic, spiritual, and witty side of this great intellectual as he approaches topics including “Good and Evil,” “Religion and Science,” “Active Pacifism,” “Christianity and Judaism,” and “Minorities.”

Including letters, speeches, articles, and essays written before 1935, this collection offers a complete portrait of Einstein as a humanitarian and as a human being trying to make sense of the changing world around him.

An eclectic and fascinating collection. Well worth reading.

Amazon UK US

kennyc · 11-14-2013, 12:13 PM

Thanks Harry, that does sound interesting.

HarryT · 11-14-2013, 12:17 PM

I'm sure you'd enjoy it, Kenny. Right up your street.

bfisher · 11-14-2013, 02:38 PM

Mike L mentioned some of Orwell's excellent essays. I'd like to add some of his literary criticism, such as his essays on Rudyard Kipling and Swift, and in particular, his essay on Dickens.

Many of Camus's essays are excellent, especially "The Myth of Sisyphus"; also his autobiography The First Man (Le Premier Homme)

William Hazzlit's essays, especially The Round Table and Characters of Shakespear's Plays.

Paul Theroux's travel books.

Gerald Durrell's Corfu books (My Family and Other Animals, Birds, Beasts and Relatives, and The Garden of the Gods)

Jan Morris's travel books and essays (esp. Coronation Everest)

Xanthe · 11-14-2013, 03:25 PM

"Memoirs of W. T. Sherman" by William T. Sherman

An interesting, intriguing life and an interesting look at a time period, especially the time prior to the Civil War.

------------

"The Old Patagonian Express" by Paul Theroux

I read that when it came out in 1979 and mental images I created from his words have stuck in my brain ever since.

bfisher · 11-14-2013, 06:05 PM

My favourite of Theroux's books; love the title.

Mike L · 11-15-2013, 04:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bfisher

My favourite of Theroux's books; love the title.

I like that one as well, but I'm not sure if it comes under the heading of essays / memoir. Should we include travel books in that category? (If so, I could nominate all of Bill Bryson's travel works.)

Mike

gmw · 11-15-2013, 07:10 AM

I only recently (well, two years ago now) found this collection of essays: Not that it Matters by A. A. Milne (1920). I love his whimsical way of speaking/writing.

For a totally different mood I'd add my support for some of Orwell's essays, though I can't give you titles right now, it's been a while.

Charles Dickens has some good ones too (see for example The Uncommercial Traveller).

To try and get a bit more modern (and, as it happens, biographical), I loved A Man's Got to Have a Hobby by William McInnes. Also Stargazing: Memoirs Of A Young Lighthouse Keeper by Peter Hill.

11-11-2013, 01:19 PM	#1
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Your Favorite Essay, Memoir, and/or Creative Non-Fiction Here's my current list! (I'll try to add some links if they are online) The Brown Wasps - Lauren Eiseley The Dream Animal - Lauren Eiseley The Slit - Lauren Eiseley The Judgment of the Birds - Lauren Eiseley The Star Thrower - Lauren Eiseley Lives of a Cell - Lewis Thomas Suspended - Joy Harjo - The Deck - Yusef Komunyakaa The Fourth State of Matter - Jo Ann Beard Three Spheres - Lauren Slater The White Album - Joan Didion Moving Water, Tucson - Peggy Shumaker Heaven and Nature - Edward Hoagland Embalming Mom - Janet Burroway Visitor - Michael W. Cox Leap - Brian Doyle Small Rooms in Time - Ted Kooser Enough Jam for a Lifetime - Maxine Kumin Remembering I was not there - Anne Panning Fury and Grace - Pattiann Rogers The Indian Dog - N. Scott Momaday Dogged - Barrie Jean Borich Work - Kim Barnes What are your favorite Essays, Memoirs, or Creative Non-Fiction? Last edited by kennyc; 04-24-2014 at 09:24 AM.

11-13-2013, 09:56 PM	#3
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Reporting, is not generally creative. and thanks for those! Last edited by kennyc; 11-14-2013 at 06:23 AM.

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11-13-2013, 09:52 PM	#2
barutanseijin Nxfgrrjks Posts: 99 Karma: 925422 Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: New York, NY Device: aura hd	What writing isn't "creative"? But anyway... Some of Joan Didion's images from the White Album have stuck with me through the years: Jim Morrison in vinyl pants. Yikes. And Joan herself doing her grocery shopping in a bikini. To add to your list: Stephen J Gould's collections of essays on natural history are fun and enlightening Bruce Chatwin's In Patagonia Levi-Strauss' Tristes Tropiques Alice Kaplan's French Lessons

11-13-2013, 10:00 PM	#4
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,658 Karma: 66417824 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	I recently read Ugly, by Robert Hoge. It is well worth a read.

11-14-2013, 11:21 AM	#6
Mike L Wizard Posts: 1,479 Karma: 3846231 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh, Scotland Device: Kindle 3, Samsung Galaxy	Some of George Orwell's work comes under this heading. Those that stick in my mind include Shooting an Elephant, Decline of the English Murder, and In Defence of P.G. Wodehouse. Perhaps also Alistaire Cook's Letters from America. They were written as radio broadcasts, but many of them have been re-published in book form. Mike

11-14-2013, 11:28 AM	#7
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Thanks Mike! And most of the late Christopher Hitchens of course. He wrote most notably for Vanity Fair and some of his work is here: http://www.vanityfair.com/contributo...opher-hitchens

11-14-2013, 12:13 PM	#9
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,872 Karma: 118716293 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	Thanks Harry, that does sound interesting.

11-14-2013, 12:17 PM	#10
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I'm sure you'd enjoy it, Kenny. Right up your street.

11-14-2013, 02:38 PM	#11
bfisher Wizard Posts: 1,638 Karma: 28483498 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)	Mike L mentioned some of Orwell's excellent essays. I'd like to add some of his literary criticism, such as his essays on Rudyard Kipling and Swift, and in particular, his essay on Dickens. Many of Camus's essays are excellent, especially "The Myth of Sisyphus"; also his autobiography The First Man (Le Premier Homme) William Hazzlit's essays, especially The Round Table and Characters of Shakespear's Plays. Paul Theroux's travel books. Gerald Durrell's Corfu books (My Family and Other Animals, Birds, Beasts and Relatives, and The Garden of the Gods) Jan Morris's travel books and essays (esp. Coronation Everest)

11-14-2013, 03:25 PM	#12
Xanthe Plan B Is Now In Force Posts: 1,894 Karma: 8086979 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Surebleak Device: Aluratek,Sony 350/T1,Pandigital,eBM 911,Nook HD/HD+,Fire HDX 7/8.9,PW2	"Memoirs of W. T. Sherman" by William T. Sherman An interesting, intriguing life and an interesting look at a time period, especially the time prior to the Civil War. ------------ "The Old Patagonian Express" by Paul Theroux I read that when it came out in 1979 and mental images I created from his words have stuck in my brain ever since.

11-14-2013, 06:05 PM	#13
bfisher Wizard Posts: 1,638 Karma: 28483498 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Ottawa Canada Device: Sony PRS-T3, Galaxy (Aldiko, Kobo app)	My favourite of Theroux's books; love the title.

11-15-2013, 07:10 AM	#15
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,809 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	I only recently (well, two years ago now) found this collection of essays: Not that it Matters by A. A. Milne (1920). I love his whimsical way of speaking/writing. For a totally different mood I'd add my support for some of Orwell's essays, though I can't give you titles right now, it's been a while. Charles Dickens has some good ones too (see for example The Uncommercial Traveller). To try and get a bit more modern (and, as it happens, biographical), I loved A Man's Got to Have a Hobby by William McInnes. Also Stargazing: Memoirs Of A Young Lighthouse Keeper by Peter Hill.

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