I also am so interested in your feelings about Boyer's book! I came to her work before my diagnosis and found the intellectual distance really satisfying and compelling; I was actually teaching The Undying to a class of Honors students at the University of Nebraska when I was first diagnosed in September 2021. I kind of gripped onto Boyer's chilly affect as a life float through the rage and heat I felt at having to deal with cancer at the same as being a new mom during the pandemic. But I can totally see what you're talking about w/r/t a lack of empathy or even respect for memoir writing. Would love to chat more about this sometime! Thanks again; hope you are having a blast at AWP!
Ooh yes. I am a little obsessed with that book, or at least with my reaction to it. Maybe you would like to sit for a Bell, Whistle interview and we can discuss??
I've been struggling so much with the very new "after" part of finishing chemo. This interview was astoundingly helpful to pull me out of bedridden grief. Thank you, Martha and Gina both, for this gift. Feeling a little hopeful for the first time in a while.
Oh I’m very glad to know this was helpful. If even one person feels seen that means I’m doing something right. The post-chemo grief is real -- what just happened?!?! What happens next??? It eases though, if slowly.
I also am so interested in your feelings about Boyer's book! I came to her work before my diagnosis and found the intellectual distance really satisfying and compelling; I was actually teaching The Undying to a class of Honors students at the University of Nebraska when I was first diagnosed in September 2021. I kind of gripped onto Boyer's chilly affect as a life float through the rage and heat I felt at having to deal with cancer at the same as being a new mom during the pandemic. But I can totally see what you're talking about w/r/t a lack of empathy or even respect for memoir writing. Would love to chat more about this sometime! Thanks again; hope you are having a blast at AWP!
Ooh yes. I am a little obsessed with that book, or at least with my reaction to it. Maybe you would like to sit for a Bell, Whistle interview and we can discuss??
I would absolutely love to!
I've been struggling so much with the very new "after" part of finishing chemo. This interview was astoundingly helpful to pull me out of bedridden grief. Thank you, Martha and Gina both, for this gift. Feeling a little hopeful for the first time in a while.
Oh I’m very glad to know this was helpful. If even one person feels seen that means I’m doing something right. The post-chemo grief is real -- what just happened?!?! What happens next??? It eases though, if slowly.