Memories of the Future, Siri Hustvedt, Simon & Schuster, 2019, 315 pp
This is the fourth Siri Hustvedt novel I have read. It sounds hyperbolic but I pretty much worship this author for her intelligence and her well formed feminist views. My top two favorites are What I Loved and The Blazing World. I think Memories of the Future is her most tricky and complex novel yet and don't expect everyone to like it. In fact, possibly many readers I know would not like it at all.
What she has done is created a fictional memoir. In the process she examines memory, the female in the arts, a #MeToo incident, and the power of imagination, anger and rebellion to lead a woman to freedom despite all.
Since I am trying, and mostly failing, to write an account of my own life, I found gems in Hustvedt's novel as to how it can be done. I have thought of taking a class in memoir writing but have a horror of someone else telling me how to do it before I have made all my own mistakes first.
I have been reading through a self-created syllabus of actual memoirs and autobiographies. Each time I read one I am given illuminations. Probably not the most efficient way to go about getting the project done but I learn the most about writing by reading.
Here in Siri Hustvedt's ficitonal memoir is another clue: writing memoir is a dialogue among one's various selves over the decades. I was beginning to realize that on my own but I got a brilliant example of how to do it.
Her books always sound so interesting, but I haven't gotten around to them yet...I will have to finally pick her up one of these days!
ReplyDeleteI hope you like her when you do!
Deletedoes "The Blazing World" mention Margaret Cavendish? (she wrote the book in the 17th C.... i did a post on it once...)
ReplyDeleteActually yes. The main character, Harriet (Harry) Burden refers to Margaret Cavendish as a source of inspiration to her as an artist and a woman. Is your post about M Cavendish's book The Blazing World? If so, could you send me a link to your post, please?
Deletei'd be glad to but i don't know how to do that... if you go to mudpuddlesoup@wordpress.com, you should be able to scroll down and find it w/o too much trouble... i hope....
DeleteI did find it and left a comment. The way to send a link to one of your posts is to go to it on your blog. The URL for that post will show up at the top of your browser, you copy it and paste it wherever you wish. Hope that helps and makes sense.
Deletei'll write that down for future use and hope i don't lose the note... tx...
DeleteYou can always ask again if you need.
DeleteThe book sounds interesting and a little different. Oddly, I find it appealing that you describe the book as something that not everyone would like. I love your description of a memoir as something of a dialogue between oneself.
ReplyDeleteI am glad I piqued your interest, Brian. I wish I could claim that description but I paraphrased it from something Siri wrote. It works for me though.
DeleteI've only read What I Loved (pre blog I think) but liked it. Her books all seem a bit modern & different. A dialogue with one's former selves would help if you could change some of the decisions & actions past, but if not then perhaps it'd be a bit frustrating. hmm.
ReplyDeleteHa! I can tell you I have been beyond frustrated with my former selves as I write!!
Delete"Writing a memoir is a dialogue among one's various selves over the decades," You know.... I never thought of it that way but it's so freaking true!
ReplyDeleteIt made sense to me!
Delete"Writing memoir is a dialogue among one's various selves over the decades" - what an excellent way to describe the process.
ReplyDeleteI thought so too.
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