A review by jaclyncrupi
I Came All This Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home by Jami Attenberg

3.0

‘In fact, we receive so much from other writers when they show us how it’s done. When they position a character’s heart directly on the page for us, when they’re inventive in form or structure, or emotionally true in a way that feels radical in its familiarity. Or when their sentences are so crisp as to be nearly audible, like a piece of paper torn in two—all of this shows us how to do it ourselves, how it’s possible, but also it emboldens us, releases us from our fears about own own work. An encouragement by example. We learn from them, but also, they tell us we can. Without even knowing it. Enter here. Start here. Begin now. This is why it’s always important to be reading. This is why we must always chew on the words of others. It’s nutrition. Eat your dinner.’

I’m an Attenberg fan but this memoir surprised me. I’m in awe of her community building and all she does for the writing community. There is no better cheerleader. I’m not sure this memoir added much to her work for me. I expected there to be more about the work itself. It did though make me consider what it takes to choose to live a literary life in the US (even though advances and royalties are much higher than here). But it’s still a very tough life and she draws a line from her father’s career as a travelling salesman to her own as a writer on tour. I’m so grateful to all writers who, despite it all, put those words on the page and make them beautiful.