I’m excited to be a part of the LBT tour for this writing manual/memoir that explores one of the most complex human emotions!
About the Book
Title: Wonder and Loss: A Practical Memoir for Writing About Grief
Author: Sam Meekings
Genre: Memoir | Self help
Pages: 216
Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
Format: eBook
Blurb
A braided memoir that interweaves the author’s personal journey through grief with a guide on how to write about it, this book is both Sam Meekings’ raw account of the death of his younger brother and a step-by-step breakdown of the memoir-writing process. With a twin focus on how to heal and preserve precious memories whilst exploring the mechanics of writing about the self, Wonder and Loss uses personal story, writing theories, useful strategies, and detailed prompts to invite the reader to write alongside Sam on a path that is both painful and profound.
One of the most straightforward approaches to writing memoir put to page, Sam Meekings breaks down the craft of personal narrative into understandable steps and considerations, and provides a sequence of actions and suggestions that are both practical and motivating. Allowing readers to take control of their own stories, this book shares references to related works as well as new theories from the worlds of neuroscience, neurology, psychology, and creative writing, translating them into processes writers can use to remember those lost and to rediscover themselves. Compellingly honest and an introspective look at the transformation through grief and loss, as it’s written, readers will learn to both honour and record the memories of those they mourn, and to rediscover the person they are and can be.
My Thoughts
When you’ve spent a lifetime reading and writing like me, you’re no stranger to fictional grief and loss. But author Sam Meekings encourages his fellow writers to dig a little deeper and consider their real-life losses. He utilizes the real-life, personal account of the death of his little brother to help make us better writers.
And his tips are great. The book, which is part memoir and part creative writing manual, is interesting. It’s not some textbook account of how to write grief or how these ten steps will sell your character’s grief. Personally, I’m a fiction writer, and this book focuses on memoirs (which maybe I’ll write one day, who knows), but I can still learn a lot from it!
And, while the author encourages you to NOT utilize this as a substitute for therapy – another solid piece of advice – many therapists recommend journaling and writing as a therapeutic device. So, if you’re unsure how to tackle writing about your grief, this is a great read! Honestly, whether you want to know how to write better or not, the memoir parts of the book are worth reading. If you’re a writer, you’re just getting some solid bonus material.
I really appreciate the opportunity to read this. It’s amazing when people are so vulnerable and real, and then use that to help others. I appreciate the author’s tutelage on writing as well. He’s got some amazing educational chops, and I could tell that before I read his list of credentials.
I’m so grateful to the author and LBT for including me on this tour!
About the Author
Sam Meekings is Assistant Professor of Creative Writing at Northwestern University in Qatar. He is the author of Under Fishbone Clouds (2011, called ‘a poetic evocation of the country and its people’ by the New York Times), The Book of Crows (2012), and The Afterlives of Dr Gachet (2018). He has a PhD in creative writing from Lancaster University, UK, and has taught writing at NYU (Global Campus) and the University of Chichester, UK. He researches issues of identity in grief narratives, and the practices and processes of digital storytelling.
Links
Amazon US: https://a.co/d/42VV0bO
Amazon UK: https://amzn.eu/d/91R9aYs
Amazon Canada: https://a.co/d/9dNiFyg
Bookshop US: https://bookshop.org/a/25511/9781350550773
Bookshop UK: https://uk.bookshop.org/p/books/wonder-and-loss-a-practical-memoir-for-writing-about-grief-dr-sam-meekings/7873347?ean=9781350550773&next=t
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/228098895-wonder-and-loss
Author’s Website: https://sammeekings.com/about
As a Bookshop.org (US) Affiliate, I may earn on qualifying purchases. Bookshop.org purchases support local, independent bookshops. My chosen affiliate bookshop is Tubby & Coo’s Traveling Bookshop, a local, queer-owned bookshop in New Orleans.
