>Wise words

by Roger Sutton
Feb 09, 2006 | Filed in Articles & Opinion
>from the forthcoming Rosy Cole's Memoir Explosion by Sheila Greenwald (Kroupa/FSG):

"Writing a memoir is not the assignment," Mrs. Oliphant reminded me. She opened the dictionary on her desk and turned to the page for memoir. "'A memoir is a narrative from personal experience and memory,'" she read. Then she closed the book. "A memoir is difficult to do. It can be tempting to exaggerate the truth for a better story. That can get you into trouble. It's risky."
Roger Sutton
Roger Sutton

Editor Emeritus Roger Sutton was editor in chief of The Horn Book, Inc., from 1996-2021. He was previously editor of The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books and a children's and young adult librarian. He received his MA in library science from the University of Chicago in 1982 and a BA from Pitzer College in 1978.

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shewhousuallydoesn'tdothistypeofthing

>"Rosy, you're using archaic language again and it wasn't funny the first time," said mrs. Oliphant wearily. "And boys, take your shotguns outdoors; how many times do I have to tell you? They're registered? Well, all right then."

Posted : Feb 10, 2006 04:37

Andy Laties

>Last, Leon, especially laden. Rosy leapt from her chair. "Hast thou slain the Jabberwock?! At last something Oprah won't believe."

Posted : Feb 10, 2006 02:09

Anonymous

>The classroom door burst open and the boys, who had been out hunting while we girls memoired, burst in laden with dead animals galore.

Posted : Feb 10, 2006 12:01

shewhousuallydoesn'tdothistypeofthing

>"And furthermore," said Mrs. Oliphant, "we're having some dead animals for dinner."

Posted : Feb 09, 2006 11:16

shewhousuallydoesn'tdothistypeofthing

>"Or it can get you on Oprah and make you a million dollars. Take your pick," continued Mrs. Oliphant thoughtfully. Suddenly all the little girls's pencils were scratching away like mad. And that, was that.

Posted : Feb 09, 2006 11:14

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