A review by huncamuncamouse
The Boys of My Youth by Jo Ann Beard
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.