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The Boys of My Youth
The Boys of My Youth | Jo Ann Beard
Rarely does the debut of a new writer garner such attention & acclaim. The excitement began the moment "The Fourth State of Matter," one of the fourteen extraordinary personal narratives in this book, appeared in the pages of the New Yorker. It increased when the author received a prestigious Whiting Foundation Award in November 1997, & it continued as the hardcover edition of The Boys of My Youth sold out its first printing even before publication. The author writes with perfect pitch as she takes us through one woman's life - from childhood to marriage & beyond - & memorably captures the collision of youthful longing & the hard intransigences of time & fate.
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saraegreen
The Boys of My Youth | Jo Ann Beard
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GuiltyFeat
The Boys of My Youth | Jo Ann Beard
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Pickpick

Quite the most spectacular collection of essays I have come across. The writing is outstanding, the truths manifest and unflinching. There were moments here, as the author recounts the last days of her mother, that I was reminded of Knausgaard's precision memory, but, of course, these essays predate his series by 20 years. I don't know when I will read anything this good again, but I will keep looking.

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catieohjoy
The Boys of My Youth | Jo Ann Beard
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My all time favorite nonfiction books! #augustofpages #augustphotochallenge #nonfiction (I would also include Black Ice by Lorene Cary, The Suicide Index by Joan Wickersham, and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, but those are hiding from me! #somanyshelves)

Reviewsbylola Columbine is amazing. 8y
catieohjoy @Reviewsbylola It really is! 8y
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tkmadden
The Boys of My Youth | Jo Ann Beard

Hey Litizens! I'm interested in reading more personal essays and narrative #nonfiction. Can anyone recommend some favorites? As a reference, my favorite essay collection is Jo Ann Beard's The Boys of my Youth. Thanks in advance!

Megabooks Sort of more journalism, but you might enjoy the structure 8y
TheNextBook I've got this one on my list and I've heard great things about it. I can update after this weekend. It's one of my books for #24in48. 8y
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BookishFeminist When Women Were Birds by Terry Tempest Williams, Loitering by Charles D'Ambrosio, In Cold Blood by Truman Capote if crime is your thing, Just Kids by Patti Smith, anything by Annie Dillard, Nora Ephron, or Joan Didion, & 8y
kdwinchester Since my fellow Litsy friends have taken care of it, I'm going to give you a funny rec for days when life just seems to suck. Just turn on this audiobook and let David tell you about his weird life, and everything will seem to get better instantaneously. 😆 8y
tonyfyt I like Eileen Chang's Written on Water, Jesmyn Ward's Men We Reaped, and I read Tove Jansson's Fair Play as nonfiction. 8y
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tkmadden
The Boys of My Youth | Jo Ann Beard
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Pickpick

Holiday season means promoting my favorite books to keep you company next to the fire. First up, The Boys of My Youth - a collection of essays unlike any other. Remarkable and unforgettable, you will stop breathing.

thesaurusrex I read this for a writing course- amazing story telling! 9y
annabelgraham Yesssss 9y
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