Memoirs of the Soul: Writing Your Spiritual Autobiography
Most of us have at some point mused about what it would be like to "look back into the souls of our ancestors." In her latest book, Phifer (Writing Your Life), who teaches creative writing in Eugene, OR, shows readers how to create a glimpse of their soul for future generations by writing of "the great sweep of feelings" that shape their characters rather than aiming for what is commercially successful. Highlighting the differences between autobiographical writing and memoir writing, Phifer urges amateur writers to write of the "inner life," or times of "joy or crisis or profound contentment." She offers a structured, well-organized process for writers to follow, which includes specific exercises, inspiring quotations, and examples of student work from her memoir-writing workshops. Although academic collections may prefer a more businesslike approach, such as Jane McDonnell's Living To Tell the Tale: A Guide to Writing Memoir, this how-to is highly recommended for all public libraries. Angela Weiler, SUNY at Morrisville Lib.Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.