Month: June 2025

“My feelings didn’t have enough space inside my body.”

A review of “A Little Less Broken” in 100 words by Catherine Stover

Marian Schembari’s memoir about learning she was autistic at age 34 is called a “hybrid memoir” because it combines a personal story with biomedical research. But is it stirring?  Do people love this book? Yes and … Read More

“If growing up is painful for the Southern Black girl, being aware of her displacement is the rust on the razor that threatens the throat.”

A review of “I Know the Caged Bird Sings” in 100 words by Catherine Stover

What makes a memoir great? Honesty, insight, humor, compassion? What about metaphors? Comparing a feeling to something you can see requires a lot of creativity. Look at how Angelo compares “shame” to “paper” in … Read More

“The ground suddenly seemed a long way down and escape far away.”

A review of “Five Tuesdays in Winter” in 100 words by Catherine Stover

Short stories can be more than appetizers. But the challenge of creating a world with vivid characters who do something that matters to us in a compressed format is great. The length is a trap: some writers … Read More