Memoir Book Reviews

A no-holds-barred look at the life and mind of an unconventionally wild spirit, MMMM: and the Music that Made Me by Heather Joy is an unapologetic and lyrical memoir. Boasting thirteen M-themed chapters composed of long-form personal essays, and accompanied by essential listening material, this is a blunt and charming downpour of social observation and fearless personal reflection.

Slow-burning and clever, like a sharp standup routine stretched over a few hundred pages, these anecdotal recollections feel deeply personal and specific to the author, yet the revelations and lessons she reaches are often universally profound. There is a restless wonderment to […]

The story of a determined and principled protector who consistently chose the hard road in his dynamic life, Coincidence, You Say? by Patrick Hogan is a heartfelt memoir and a revelatory snapshot of a different time.

A mischievous child growing up in a picturesque middle-class American life, Hogan offers brief vignettes and glimpses into his youth, as well as his first encounters with coincidences. In numerous instances -often when injury or even death was imminent – he explains a strange experience of time dilation, as though the world would cinematically slow down, leaving him time to react and leave miraculously […]

A revealing and eidetic tour through the life of a perennial adventurer, Water Lust by Gerhard Pohle is a meticulously crafted and inspiring memoir for weekend warriors and veteran wanderers alike.

Bouncing from India and Madagascar to Indonesia, Germany, and more, the author’s life began as an “international vagabond,” forcing him to adapt and make connections quickly, as his father’s work took their family across the world. Navigating the troubles of high society, boarding school isolation, early romantic interests, and the emotional topography of his own family, the first half of the book takes an unflinching look at a truly […]