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3.79 AVERAGE
3.79 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
reflective
slow-paced
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
Jame Attenberg’s I Came All This Way to Meet You is a flinty, sharp-witted memoir of jumping headfirst over and over to create a life lived on her own terms, and pursue her art fearlessly, beatifically, without remorse or regret.
She was adrift and unable to settle down and settle for less, living a nomadic existence after apathy working various jobs and not following her urge to write. She was running from traumas and difficulties, but also running toward life in its rawest sense: following passion and finding purpose, even if her personal life was usually on the edge.
This is similar to Stephen King's classic On Writing because Writing Myself Home never delves into the typical writing advice that books about writing dispense. It has many nuggets of wisdom and a provides a gentle steering hand toward honing your craft, but it’s mainly about Attenberg’s life and the factors that compelled her to use her craft as medicine and an aid to experience fulfillment in her life.
The writing life and the difficulties of being a freelancer and a creator without a regimented job is never glorified, but the author never truly discourages anyone; if you’re a writer or an aspiring writer, you’ll either see yourself in here and long for the lifestyle, or you’ll be reminded of your stable luck to have chosen a conventional career.
Her memoir aids as a writing memoir because it works as a tretise to create the life you want and to not run away from or edit your dreams to serve others, no matter how much work it takes, no matter how desolating the pursuit is sometimes, because life is too short. This undercurrent of finding higher meaning from enjoying the life you desire and find validation in was written during the entirety of Attenberg’s life, but under the magnifying glass that so many people have had to examine their life under will resonate with readers.
Thanks to Ecco and to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
She was adrift and unable to settle down and settle for less, living a nomadic existence after apathy working various jobs and not following her urge to write. She was running from traumas and difficulties, but also running toward life in its rawest sense: following passion and finding purpose, even if her personal life was usually on the edge.
This is similar to Stephen King's classic On Writing because Writing Myself Home never delves into the typical writing advice that books about writing dispense. It has many nuggets of wisdom and a provides a gentle steering hand toward honing your craft, but it’s mainly about Attenberg’s life and the factors that compelled her to use her craft as medicine and an aid to experience fulfillment in her life.
The writing life and the difficulties of being a freelancer and a creator without a regimented job is never glorified, but the author never truly discourages anyone; if you’re a writer or an aspiring writer, you’ll either see yourself in here and long for the lifestyle, or you’ll be reminded of your stable luck to have chosen a conventional career.
Her memoir aids as a writing memoir because it works as a tretise to create the life you want and to not run away from or edit your dreams to serve others, no matter how much work it takes, no matter how desolating the pursuit is sometimes, because life is too short. This undercurrent of finding higher meaning from enjoying the life you desire and find validation in was written during the entirety of Attenberg’s life, but under the magnifying glass that so many people have had to examine their life under will resonate with readers.
Thanks to Ecco and to Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
Thanks to Ecco Books and Libro FM for the free advance copy of this book.
- I CAME ALL THIS WAY TO MEET YOU is less a recounting of Attenberg's life, and more a consideration of how she got here and how she became the person she is today - someone fully devoted to art and life and the joy of community.
- I appreciated the exploration of the mental effects of coming up in the art and literature world as a woman, and particularly a woman mostly doing it on her own. She looks at both the joys of going solo and choosing your own path, and the pitfalls and scary moments.
- I CAME ALL THIS WAY TO MEET YOU is less a recounting of Attenberg's life, and more a consideration of how she got here and how she became the person she is today - someone fully devoted to art and life and the joy of community.
- I appreciated the exploration of the mental effects of coming up in the art and literature world as a woman, and particularly a woman mostly doing it on her own. She looks at both the joys of going solo and choosing your own path, and the pitfalls and scary moments.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual assault, Blood, Suicide attempt, Alcohol, Sexual harassment, Injury/Injury detail
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
reflective
medium-paced
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective