True Stories

I have decided to look at autobiographies as part of my non-fiction quota of reading this year, and I have learnt the hard way (Bossypants anyone?) that not all autobiographies are interesting or even beneficial. What I mean by beneficial is that I would like to learn something from this person's experiences.  Peoples lives in general can be pretty interesting and I like to read about them.  I just need to be a little circumspect about which books to read.  Nearly twenty years ago I read most of George Orwell's books among  which are some that are from his life ( Down and Out in Paris and London,  Homage to Catalonia, The Road to Wigan Pier)  and I never enjoyed anything more than reading about those experiences.  Orwell had a talent for capturing my interest and making me feel as if I were there with him.  It's hard to explain the wealth of riches that these books added to my own life.

Fortunately for me the next autobiography that I picked up after Bossypants was Agatha Christie: An Autobiography.  She was such an interesting person.  Reading about her life helped me to enjoy, even more than I already did, her novels.  I loved being able to pick up details in her book The Mysterious Affair at Styles from her own life.  It was actually pretty funny and fun to come across them. 
I have learnt that you don't always need a classical education to become a writer.  This is the second successful writer I have come across who has not been to university (or in Agatha's case no school at all), but has learnt a great deal from their parents, and from reading a lot.  Of course, it doesn't stop me from wanting that classical education myself, but it is interesting to see how successful people can be without it.   

The Mysterious Affair at Styles

I just had to revisit this book today as I have been reading Agatha Christie's autobiography and I was ever so excited when she began talking about her attempt at writing her very first detective novel. 
I have to say that the experience was pleasurable in that I saw so much more in the book than previous readings.  I appreciated every part that refered to her actual experiences, was tickled pink by them and amused!  I couldn't help chuckling every time I encountered something that came directly from her own life.  She really was a funny old duck, with tremendous talent, and is still one of my favorite mystery writers.  I still haven't finished the autobiography, it's quite a long book, but every chapter is very interesting, and Agatha always wrote in a style that is so relaxing and enjoyable to read. 
I would recommend any day a Christie mystery... just put aside a day for reading, choose a very comfortable chair, wear your softest clothing, drink tea out of your favorite literary mug,  curl up and savor the experience.

Some Things You Can Never Get Back...

...like the morning I just spent reading this book.  My first instinct was not to read it, I'm just not interested in these kinds of things.  Books about personalities, rockstars, actors etc.,  just leaves me  bored.  It wasn't really all that bad,  I did learn one or two new things, and I laughed a few times.  It was just one morning's effort.    

             

The issue for me however, is confusion.  I am puzzled about why people now are writing such books about themselves when, to my point of view, I don't think they've done that much (be on the lookout for Justin Bieber's book coming soon...not!).  It has always been an assumption of mine that when you write an autobiography you have already lived a long and eventful life and have much wisdom to share.  The exception being I suppose that one really special noteworthy thing has already happened to you and there is so much material to write about this event that it couldn't possibly wait for years from now when you are old and grey.  Apparently not.  These days anyone with a bit of renown can churn out a book about themselves and it doesn't really have to make much sense...or have a point.  

When I read a book I expect to get somewhere at the conclusion, even if it is a series or a trilogy...whatever.   When it is a one-off non-fiction deal, shouldn't it make sense?  Where do you want to go?  What are you trying to say?  

This is a genre I have not really looked at before, because I have not really been all that interested in non-fiction, and it has been something I have wanted to change.  So with the aim of reading LibraryThing's Hot This Month list, and trying to improve myself by reading something possibly educational, I thought I would give Bossypants a whirl (at #10 on the list).  I don't know much about Tina Fey (being too tired to stay up and watch Saturday Night Live and I have never watched 30 Rock.  So it was all new information to me. 

She's funny and smart,  a person who works hard and does a good job.  She's had some success in her career, and has a nice little family.  At the end there we all know how ambivalent she is about her job and her family,  and she really can't make up her mind about having another baby. 

My question is why does it have to be in a book?  Isn't it something more appropriate for say a journal, or even a blog?  Those one off entries you can make about something that concerns you at the moment, but have no need to be decided on or to be concluded in any way?  There is just this very unfinished feeling about the book, which annoys me.  And inspires me to rant a little about how these days the world is just being flooded with every concieveable media and it all seems to be about quantity, not quality.  

Ok I promise to stop being grumpy now.  And I promise to have a look at her next book when/if she writes one  twenty nears from now (stuffed with experience and wisdom I fervently hope!)

 Also, I will not be reading #4 on the Whats Hot list... Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson.  Just reading the contents make my eyes glaze over and my stomach clench at how many pages are in there... over 700!  While I know it meets my criteria for what I think should make up an autobiography I just can't read that many pages about computers and people who make them  So I will go with my instincts on that one and give it a miss.