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johnbittles 's review for:
I Remember
by Joe Brainard
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
slow-paced
Originally published in 1975, this reissue by Daunt Books is a beautifully constructed thing. Tbh, I had never heard of this book before, so the introductions by Olivia Laing and Paul Auster were appreciated and did a great job at setting the scene.
The book is a collection of memories, with each statement starting with the phrase 'I remember'. Rather than coming across as repetitive, I found this a brilliant conceit. I imagined the book being read aloud by the author in some 60s beatnik cafe, the crowd howling in laughter and clapping appreciativel at times. This worked well for me.
Long considered a queer classic, the passages about discovering his sexuality, fumbling with girls while fantasising about boys, are brilliant. There are also moments of laugh out loud hilarity and passages where you go 'Oh yeah. I remember that too'.
Some of the language has dated a bit now, but this is a great, fun read and a fascinating way to approach the autobiography.
The book is a collection of memories, with each statement starting with the phrase 'I remember'. Rather than coming across as repetitive, I found this a brilliant conceit. I imagined the book being read aloud by the author in some 60s beatnik cafe, the crowd howling in laughter and clapping appreciativel at times. This worked well for me.
Long considered a queer classic, the passages about discovering his sexuality, fumbling with girls while fantasising about boys, are brilliant. There are also moments of laugh out loud hilarity and passages where you go 'Oh yeah. I remember that too'.
Some of the language has dated a bit now, but this is a great, fun read and a fascinating way to approach the autobiography.