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A review by painalangoisse
Recollections of My Nonexistence: A Memoir by Rebecca Solnit
5.0
I find Solnit's writing to be incomparably gorgeous. I eagerly anticipated reading this book as she was already among my favorite authors, though that description fails to even approach encompassing the feelings I have for her work. If Atwood and Sontag inspire me to be a sharper person, Solnit encourages me to be better. Some thoughts on what precisely works in her memoir, at the risk of sounding like a high school essay:
-The prose itself: it's elegant, it's consistent (with itself and its content - a wonderful example of style contributing to meaning), it's uniquely hers. It's lyrical; it pulled me in and guided me through. Solnit has a gift for extracting poetic figurative meanings from disparate quotes and ideas.
-The structure complements the ideas well. The short chapters give focus; division into sections highlights the chronology of her life and ideas. I also love the way she uses motifs in exploring what has and hasn't changed over time.
-What annoys me most in a memoir is the assumption that the author's experiences are unique, or uniquely interesting. What annoys me most in feminist thought is the assumption that the author's experiences are universal (at least among women). Solnit avoids both pitfalls beautifully and in a way I've never seen before - she has a way of inviting identification without mandating it. Through this approach, I felt encouraged to consider my experiences through different lenses. It is this quality that makes this a five-star book.
One quote that I found particularly salient was "I discovered that scathing and mocking reviews were the easiest and most fun kind to write." I've felt compelled to write most reviews I have because I felt so disappointed by the work at hand. Articulating what you love about something is difficult, and so much more personal. I felt compelled to review this book before I was even halfway done with it. I don't think I've come close to doing it justice. I highly recommend anyone read it.
-The prose itself: it's elegant, it's consistent (with itself and its content - a wonderful example of style contributing to meaning), it's uniquely hers. It's lyrical; it pulled me in and guided me through. Solnit has a gift for extracting poetic figurative meanings from disparate quotes and ideas.
-The structure complements the ideas well. The short chapters give focus; division into sections highlights the chronology of her life and ideas. I also love the way she uses motifs in exploring what has and hasn't changed over time.
-What annoys me most in a memoir is the assumption that the author's experiences are unique, or uniquely interesting. What annoys me most in feminist thought is the assumption that the author's experiences are universal (at least among women). Solnit avoids both pitfalls beautifully and in a way I've never seen before - she has a way of inviting identification without mandating it. Through this approach, I felt encouraged to consider my experiences through different lenses. It is this quality that makes this a five-star book.
One quote that I found particularly salient was "I discovered that scathing and mocking reviews were the easiest and most fun kind to write." I've felt compelled to write most reviews I have because I felt so disappointed by the work at hand. Articulating what you love about something is difficult, and so much more personal. I felt compelled to review this book before I was even halfway done with it. I don't think I've come close to doing it justice. I highly recommend anyone read it.