Comments on: Ava’s Man: A Review And A Question for You

By: Swing Trading

Swing Trading — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:11:58 +0000

Insightful read. I have stumbled and twittered this for my friends. Others no doubt will like it like I did.

By: Shirley

Shirley — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:56:57 +0000

Thanks, Chelsea. You will probably hear many stories over the years ahead, and I look forward to hearing yours also! I love your own blog and have learned a thing or two from reading it.

Shirley

By: Shirley

Shirley — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:54:41 +0000

Thanks, Betty from Paraguay. It seems that the most far-flung readers had the most to offer to my questions. You are such a warm, feeling, people-person. I can tell that from reading your blog. And it is a compliment to me that you would like more mini-memoirs. Thanks.

By: Shirley

Shirley — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:52:08 +0000

I'm blushing, Karin. And wondering what you were curious about way back in college. That kind of question might be very helpful in the construction of a memoir. And I'm fascinated by your biographer's impulse, too. If you go for a PhD, you might consider making your dissertation a biography. Assuming, your discipline allows it.

Thanks for the feedback all the way from Indonesia!

Shirley

By: Shirley

Shirley — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:48:17 +0000

Thanks, Phyllis. I will try to review one or two books/month–thoroughly enough for a reader to make a decision about whether to invest the time and money in a book. Thanks for the feedback!

By: shirleyhs

shirleyhs — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:10:28 +0000

Thanks, Eyal. It's fun having a reader in Israel. Glad you are enjoying. Keep making peace! We need you.

By: shirleyhs

shirleyhs — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:09:34 +0000

Gutsy Writer, I don't teach that many workshops. But I can think more about tips. The one from Rick Bragg to me in the last post says a lot–drama, color, and detail. You get drama from good structure, color from listening to how real people talk and thinking analogically, and detail from observing instead of just looking. Maybe I'll write a post on that. Thanks for the feedback!

By: shirleyhs

shirleyhs — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:06:36 +0000

Thanks, amishguitar, looks like you have company in the other responses below. I really appreciate the feedback.

By: shirleyhs

shirleyhs — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:05:23 +0000

Thanks, Lisa. For the benefit of other readers, I will quote from the book–assuming this is the passage you mean: “I spoke to distant cousins and tiny, frail great-aunts, to old men with no reason to lie and some, my aunts warned me, who lied with every quavering breath. They all said the same thing–that he was a damn rascal, all right, but he was their damn rascal, and they ought to stick a statue of him up smack-dab in the middle of the square in Jacksonville, Alabama, next to the Confederate soldier.”

By: Chelsea

Chelsea — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 00:19:26 +0000

I like everything, but especially the personal commentary and reflections.