Response for Fall for the Book's Mary Karr

This is the first reading that I have ever attended, and before going I already had preconceived notions about what was going to happen. I thought it was going to be an informative discussion on a book that I never read, but it was so much more than that. It was so interesting to hear Mary Karr's personal journey to becoming a writer, her thought process when writing, and certain techniques that I could possibly use for myself in the future.

I found her stories to be incredibly real, making them all the more enjoyable. One person that she had very strong feelings about, who she openly discussed to the audience, was her mother. She held nothing back when talking about her, which was refreshing. It was nice to hear someone open up and be completely honest, even if her choice of words regarding her mother were borderline disrespectful. Perhaps it's just the relationship they have between each other. I suppose one would have to live her life to understand, but then again I'm sure most of us have felt a similar way about our parents. Also as a memoirist, her job is to tell the truth-both the negative and positive aspects. I remember her saying "don't lie to your reader". I agree. Why should you lie? If a writer skims around the obstacles and confrontations in her life then it wouldn't be her life. A memoirist should be proud of the events that led up to the publishing of their book because through the struggles, they learned, triumphed,and their prize is having thousands of people read their words, their life.

There was one statement that Mary Karr discussed which really intrigued me. "This is a great age for non-fiction", she said. I sat there thinking about what she just said. Why is non-fiction becoming increasingly popular? It might be off topic, but I related the popularity of non-fiction to reality TV. Reality shows are taking over the small screen while most shows that require imagination and screenwriting are taking a backseat. Maybe, viewers are more interested with real people who have extraordinary lives. When we watch a reality show, we are lead to believe that the drama, arguments, and romance are real. There is a possibility that we might relate better or can come up with the idea that "hey, maybe something like this will happen to me". The same goes for non-fiction writing. If something goes right or wrong with the memoirists relationship with someone, the reader can say either, "yes, this happened to me and I can relate and understand" or "This is great advice and I could use it in my own life currently or in the future".