“While Davita’s Harp by Chaim Potok was a novel that read like a memoir, Jesus Land, by Julia Scheeres, is a memoir that reads like a novel. It’s filled with dialog, and I often wondered how she could remember so vividly word for word. I’ve heard it said that memoirs are often embellished for the sake of narrative effect, and I wonder if that is the case here? Hopefully not, especially to the extreme of these authors: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/04/books/04fake.html?_r=1&em&ex=1204866000&en=48ef9cfb61424187&ei=5087%0A
At any rate, her narrative is good and compelling, and she tells her story well. As a potential memoir-ist, I found this style of memoir (narrative) to be an interesting contrast to Anne Lamott’s style (essay). I see myself as more of an essayist, and after reading this narrative (with all my suspicions of reasonable memory), I’m inclined to stick with my gut.
(read my full review here: http://www.thispile.com/archives/book-review-jesus-land)”
JenZug wrote this review Tuesday, February 24 2009.
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