alexblackreads's review
4.0
This is a fantastic collection of essays. I adored reading it. Beard's writing style is gorgeous as well as funny.
My favorite part is how she ties two different stories together. There will be the main story that takes up most of the pages of the essay, but then a secondary story that's the more important story. They tie together well and work off each other, and the secondary story becomes somehow more meaningful than it would have if she'd just written the essay about that. I dunno how to describe that well, but it was so well done.
A few of the essays dragged a bit. I didn't connect emotionally with all of them and for a couple I couldn't figure out why it existed. Not sure if I missed the point or if they just weren't as well done, but the majority of the essays were fantastic. The Fourth State of Matter, Out There, and The Boys of my Youth were all standouts.
Highly recommend if you like creative nonfiction. It's a wonderful collection and Beard is a great writer.
My favorite part is how she ties two different stories together. There will be the main story that takes up most of the pages of the essay, but then a secondary story that's the more important story. They tie together well and work off each other, and the secondary story becomes somehow more meaningful than it would have if she'd just written the essay about that. I dunno how to describe that well, but it was so well done.
A few of the essays dragged a bit. I didn't connect emotionally with all of them and for a couple I couldn't figure out why it existed. Not sure if I missed the point or if they just weren't as well done, but the majority of the essays were fantastic. The Fourth State of Matter, Out There, and The Boys of my Youth were all standouts.
Highly recommend if you like creative nonfiction. It's a wonderful collection and Beard is a great writer.
huncamuncamouse's review
5.0
I really do think this is the best essay collection I've ever read. I first encountered it when I was senior in college and beginning to write my own personal essays--many of which deal with the same themes Beard explores. While I've gone on to read individual essays from this book dozens of times, I haven't actually reread it from start to finish since the first time, and the experience was immersive. I decided to revisit it because I noticed Beard is publishing her long-awaited second collection later this month, and I can't wait to read it.
I'm struck by how thoughtfully arranged these essays are; how they serve as a master class on form, scene, navigating point of view (balancing the adult narrative reflection with a child's ), and voice; and how nonfiction can incorporate imagined material and make use of composite events. In short, as a writer I was once again thrilled to learn about craft from this book.
Everyone rightly highlights "The Fourth State of Matter" as a truly great essay--and it is. But every essay in the Boys of my Youth is terrific, especially "Cousins" and the title essay. Easily in my top 10 favorite books, I can never recommend this book enough.
I'm struck by how thoughtfully arranged these essays are; how they serve as a master class on form, scene, navigating point of view (balancing the adult narrative reflection with a child's ), and voice; and how nonfiction can incorporate imagined material and make use of composite events. In short, as a writer I was once again thrilled to learn about craft from this book.
Everyone rightly highlights "The Fourth State of Matter" as a truly great essay--and it is. But every essay in the Boys of my Youth is terrific, especially "Cousins" and the title essay. Easily in my top 10 favorite books, I can never recommend this book enough.
beatrice_k's review
5.0
A cohesive and enjoyable collection of nonfiction stories that does what all of these kinds of collections aspires to: it accordions small and big moments in a singular life to tell a larger story about life for all of us. Jo Ann Beard’s voice and style is singular. I only want to read this for the rest of my life.
kasiabrenna's review
4.0
I found these essays to be rather uneven, but when they were good they were amazing. A few of them, especially ones focused on her childhood, seemed rather vague and unformed. There were several that just gut-punched me, though, especially the one about the Physics shooting in 1991 and some of the ones about her mother and her marriage. I'm looking forward to reading her new novel, In Zanesville, when it comes out.
carolynlynlyn's review
3.0
The book was okay. There were some really great moments, but they always came with boring moments as well. A few laugh-out-loud occurances. A quick read...I read it in about 5 hours.
jodyjsperling's review
5.0
Clear prose. Poetic. Beard picks the exact details that matter whether the story is mundane, everyday, life or a once-in-a-lifetime occurance.