Why Write Memoir? Two Debut Authors Weigh In
What is the point of memoir? And why might an author choose to process their life experiences through that particular form instead of, say, fiction or poetry? In this conversation, debut memoirists Shze-Hui Tjoa and David Martinez reflect on what the form means to them and their respective books, The Story Game, an interrogation of memory, childhood, and PTSD; and Bones Worth Breaking, a portrait of the bond between brothers and the global forces that shaped them. Together, they spoke about honesty and pretense; the risks that come with writing about one’s family or religious community; and how memoir can both preserve and resurrect the past.
