His name was never again spoken in our presence he just abruptly disappeared from our lives. That was when my grandfather banished my father from our lives forever for some transgression that was not to be disclosed to us children, though we overheard whispered references to bankruptcy, bootlegging, and jail time. “Any way I tell this story is a lie, so I ask you to disconnect the device in your head that repeats at intervals how ancient and addled I am.My childhood came to a virtual halt when I was around five years old. “Having just died, I shouldn’t be starting my afterlife with a chicken sandwich, no matter what, especially one served up by nuns.”Learning to Die in Miami, Carlos Eire My childhood came to a virtual halt when I was around five years old.Little Heathens by Mildred Armstrong Kalish “Early childhood memories don’t always remain in the right order or come back the moment they’re called, preferring to remain stubbornly locked in secret compartments deep in the filing cabinets of my mind.The Little Prisoner” by Jane Elliott, Andrew Croftsįamily should be the source of your strength, courage, and pride…not the thing that holds you down.Climbing the Broken Stairs” by Frieda Annette Adkins (Introduction)The Kids Are All Right by Diana, Liz, Amanda, and Dan Welch I was sitting in a taxi, wondering if I had overdressed for the evening, when I looked out the window and saw Mom rooting through the dumpster.The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls My mother’s hand was open like a bisque cup, all porcelain, and Christ Jesus’ fingers were tentacles entangled around her palm.Daughter of the Queen of Sheba” by Jacki Lyden
“At the age of three my grand aunt proclaimed her independence by categorically refusing to having her feet bound, resolutely tearing off the bandages as fast as they were applied.Falling Leaves: The Memoir of an Unwanted Child by Adeline Yen Mah “My sharpest memory is of a single instant surrounded by dark.The Liar’s Club by Mary Karr “The blood is still rolling off my flak jacket from the hole in my shoulder and there are bullets cracking into the sand all around me.Born on the Fourth of July, Ron Kovic “The first time Daddy found out about me, it was from behind glass during a routine visit to prison, when Ma lifted her shirt, teary-eyed, exposing her belly for emphasis.Breaking Night” by Liz Murray Mother spooned the poisoned corn and beans into her mouth, ravenously, eyes closed, hands shaking.Change Me into Zeus’s Daughter,”by Barbara Robinette Moss Do you have a favourite one? Share it in the comments below
Here are some strong openers for memoirs that kick the reader straight into the story.
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