Auto-biography

Does it look sexier when I write it like that? A little, I think. The brief impression of someone choking themself while they write.

Anyway, in 2010 I read four memoirs, all good, and all written by women.

Official Book Club Selection Kathy Griffin
Are You Somebody? Nuala O'Faolain
Rat Girl Kristin Hersh
Wishful Drinking Carrie Fisher
I recomend all of them, but I suggest pairing them to balance things out. Take them two-at-a-time.

Pair the Irish ladies, O'Faolain and Griffin. The sad story of Are You Somebody? will be softened by Griffin's book. And Wishful Drinking will cheer you up and bring you back to reality after Rat Girl.

Since Fisher's and Hersh's books both deal with mental illness and feature odd, old-Hollywood actresses- Debbie Reynolds and Betty Hutton- their stories are strangly similar. Both Hersh and Fisher were diagnosed with manic depression just as it was going through its name change to bi-polar. Their mental heath workers also told them both about historical figures who were bi-polar, such as Saint Francis.

I'm looking to read another autobiography soon but I think this time I'm gonna go with a man. I just can't think of anyone yet. Any suggestions?





Note: Another similarity between Rat Girl and Wishful Drinking is the focus on the personal shame of being mentally ill. Hersh writes a lot about being ashamed of her manic behavior. And Fisher tells about the time that she went off her medication and didn't sleep for six nights- she thought everything on TV was about her and when she checked herself into the hospital she signed "Shame" instead of her name.