Six-Word Memoirs

Musician for life: fries with that?

Yesterday, Talk of the Nation brought on the editors of SMITH magazine to talk about a new memoir collection they are publishing. These aren't your typical memoirs, however, as writers are limited to only six words. The idea came about in response to a legend that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in six words. His response: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."

It's an intriguing idea and one that I thought I'd bring to the Mirth and Matter pages. (FYI, I am not the marvelously witty author of the six-word memoir above - that honor goes to some guy in Phoenix who wrote in to NPR while the radio show was on the air). Those who have dabbled in writing haiku will undoubtedly sympathize with the difficulties inherent in extreme terseness. Anyone who has read my posts on this blog or glanced at my 270 page mountain of a master's thesis will understand that economy of language is not my strength. Nevertheless, I'll get the ball rolling with a couple of modest attempts. Post yours in the comments section: if you're happy with the results, you can submit them to SMITH magazine for possible inclusion in their collection. Happy mini-memoiring!

Allergic to the north? Go south.

Curiosity = too many books to schlep

Epiphany! Where'd I put my beer?