Memoir Basics 2: Using memory to tell a story

Here are some of the books we used in this lesson.

The Lightless Sky: My Journey to Safety as a Child Refugee, by Gulwali Passarlay, with Nadene Ghouri

A sometimes harrowing, sometimes inspiring tale of Gulwali who fled Afghanistan at twelve and endured a terrifying journey in the hands of people smugglers.

I am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and was Shot by the Taliban, by Malala Yousafzai, with Christina Lamb

The title says it all—it’s the story of Malala’s survival and how she became an international symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest person ever to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

Teen Angst? Naaah…, by Ned Vizzini

Ned Vizzini presents the weird, funny, and sometimes mortifying moments that made up his teen years.

Mo’ Meta Blues, by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson, with Ben Greenman

Questlove writes about his musical journey as a drummer, producer, arranger and band leader, as well as his thoughts about the music industry.

A Child of Hitler, by Alfons Heck 

Alfons was indoctrinated into the Hitler Youth as a young boy, and talks about his experiences growing up in that time. World War II from a German boy’s viewpoint.

Boy, by Roald Dahl

Roald Dahl's memoirs are full of anecdotes about his childhood and school days, including dead rats in sweet shops, holidays in fishing boats, school bullies and nose-threatening accidents.

See you next time!