Reviews

How To Write An Autobiographical Novel: Essays by Alexander Chee, Alexander Chee

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daumari's review against another edition

5.0

A great collection of essays- thoughtful, personal, intimate. Though many pieces appeared individually elsewhere (with some expansions here), this collection pulls together a portrait of who Alexander Chee is, in several lenses of his life: as an activist, as a teacher, as a lover, as a mixed race American. I haven't read his fiction before, but now I feel I need to, especially after reading how he worked from experiences to create [b:Edinburgh|272433|Edinburgh|Alexander Chee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1438828929l/272433._SX50_.jpg|264139] ([b:The Queen of the Night|17912498|The Queen of the Night|Alexander Chee|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1460425080l/17912498._SX50_.jpg|2923071] is on my to-reads, but probably got there because historical fiction/POC author, and isn't discussed as much except when he mentions trying to figure out the second novel after pouring so much of himself into his first). Beyond that, Chee's prose is beautiful- moving and aesthetically pleasing.

clara_reads_books's review against another edition

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challenging emotional hopeful informative inspiring reflective sad slow-paced

5.0

lesbiangrandpa's review against another edition

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5.0

Dang. I am so thankful Alexander Chee and this book exist. Chee clearly remains an activist for so many people and reasons and manages to do some exemplary work in the worlds of personal emotional labor and empathy and intelligence. Here, the reader (and writer) get answers to the question: "What is even the point?" through a writing around and connecting of the fragments, of an identity continually in the making.

youngthespian42's review against another edition

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4.0

I read this essay collection for a book club of mine. While some of the essays are interesting and hit harder than others the collection overall is strong. More impressive than the content is the structure of the collection. This book feels structured around a memoir or consistent narrative even though it is a collection of essays. Highly recommend especially to those aspiring writing or people interested in the craft.