Reviews

How to Write an Autobiographical Novel: Essays by Alexander Chee

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abasdeo's review against another edition

emotional inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

Chee, maybe unintentionally, really illuminated how self conscious I feel about writing or even thinking about my life, the stories I have, and the terror I have of sharing them. By sharing his life, the less talked about parts of money, shame, abuse, and work within the context of so many hyphenated identities- opening the words we use to describe ourselves into intimate vignettes. He shows us how to do a thing that appears easy at first, underestimating the pulping of self reflection, that peels out like the heart of a mango. I loved the taste of this book. I only wished I could have known at the beginning what I found out at the end but in a miracle of writing- isn’t that just life?

eapreske's review against another edition

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informative inspiring reflective

4.0

dinasamimi's review against another edition

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3.0

Somewhere on bookstagram someone talked about how wild an endeavor it is to write for readers, the amount of background work required, etc. Here, Chee tries to shed a little light on the writer’s experience. And I want to love it, but am left feeling conflicted. I wish I had read Edinburgh before reading this, maybe I would have savored this collection a little more. It was a mixed bag for me, mostly because of the topics explored and the lack of cohesiveness. Chee’s writing is beautiful and sentimental but we really don’t have the same interests beyond writing.

tildahlia's review against another edition

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5.0

This book is fantastic. The short essays offer vignettes into the author's life and explore a lot of issues of sexuality and identity. The stories of his LGBTI activism as well as his approach to writing were particularly interesting. The essay on his rose garden will stay with me forever. Can't wait to read more Chee.