The Situation and the Story: The Art of Personal Narrative

Why I recommend it

Gornick helps us separate what happened from the story we’re trying to tell. Through close readings of personal essays and memoirs, she shows how a narrator gives experience meaning and shape.

What stayed with me

Having an experience and understanding what to make of it on the page are different kinds of work. The question is what we’re trying to understand, and how to bring a reader into that inquiry.

Who it’s useful for

Memoirists, essayists, and anyone trying to turn personal experience into a piece of writing that reaches someone else.

A tension or limitation

This is a book to read closely. If you’re looking for prompts to get a first draft started, you may want a more exercise-driven companion.