A review by sarabkeller
My Autobiography of Carson McCullers: A Memoir by Jenn Shapland

5.0

Jenn Shapland had a great quote near the beginning of this book, about how feeling understood by someone does not equate to understanding that person. And how can we, when so many details of our lives are constantly being written out of the narratives by those around us? This was not as much biography (although I learned a lot about Carson McCuller’s life) nor was it exactly memoir (but I also learned a bit about Jenn Shapland’s life) - but more of something in between: Jenn constantly is questioning how her personal experiences, desires, and need to connect with her subjects interfere with her ability to effectively tell their story. Anyway I guess I should read something by Carson McCullers.

“...it is clear that empathy is a choice a person makes, moment to moment, in how they approach other people, on the page and off.”