Several of slaters books deal with mental health issues and are somewhat autobiographical in nature. It is important to keep this in mind while reading the book. A metaphorical memoir was published in 2001 by psychologist and writer lauren slater. Lauren slater, lying random house, 2000 i picked up lauren slaters first book, welcome to my country, on a whim in 1997, and instantly fell in love with slaters impeccable prose. Anyone trying to understand his or her own complex behavior, or such behavior of a friend or loved one, will be engaged, encouraged, embraced by this book. Diagnosed as a child with a strange illness, brought up in a family given to fantasy.
Great psychological experiments of the twentieth century, a description of psychology experiments narrated as stories, has drawn both praise. A metaphorical memoir, love works like this, and opening. A metaphorical memoir, slater blends a comingofage story with an electrifying exploration of the nature of truth, and of whether it is ever possible to tellor to. The metaphorical memoir that she attempts is a refutation of literalminded storytelling, as well as a response to the exaggerations that color many memoirs anyhow. Her work was chosen for the best american essaysmost notable essays volumes of 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, and 1999. It is beautifully written and existentially profound. A metaphorical memoir by lauren slater books library. The problem i often have with memoir is the tendency some writers have to be overly poignant and important about their life stories.
One has good reason to be suspicious of a book that calls itself a metaphorical memoir. A metaphorical memoir, opening skinners box, and blue beyond blue, a collection of short stories. Slater herself isnt always sure which of her memories are true and which are vivid but invented. Metaphorical memoir and pathological pathography article pdf available january 2009 with 1,570 reads how we measure reads. A metaphorical memoir, lauren slater attempts to create a new kind of truth called metaphorical truth. Plus easytounderstand solutions written by experts for thousands of other textbooks. A metaphorical memoir in a memoir which refuses to be pinned down, lauren slater attempts to explain her mother and her past through events which may or may not be true. Lying by lauren slater overdrive rakuten overdrive. A metaphorical memoir by lauren slater librarything. During adolescence, lauren begins lying, stealing, and faking seizures to get attention. A metaphorical memoir, slater blends a comingofage story. As public awareness of antidepressant medication surged in the 1990s, lauren slaters prozac diary became the quintessential autopathography, documenting her life with major depression and her dramatic cure with the wonderdrug prozac. She is the author of numerous books, including welcome to my country, lying. Lauren slater is trying to challenge the readers concepts of reality and truth in her book lying.
Lauren slater born march 21, 1963 is an american psychotherapist and writer. My life with animals beacon press, 2012 and playing house. Or lauren slater doesnt have epilepsy, but epilepsy is. She is the author of nine books, including welcome to my country 1996, prozac diary 1998, and lying. In a memoir that raises that question, the author of prozac diary and welcome to my country narrates a life marked by a disease she may or may. This book is concerned with what slater calls narrative truth, as opposed to. A metaphorical memoir by lauren slater 2001, paperback, reprint at the best online prices at ebay. The beauty of lauren slaters prose is shocking, said newsday about welcome to my country, and now, in this powerful and provocative new. A metaphorical memoir literature arts medicine nyu. A metaphorical memoir is a frustrating yet beautifully written book. She has received numerous awards, including a 2004 national endowment for the arts award, multiple inclusions in more about lauren slater. Slater herself suffers from mental illness, as chronicled in several other of her books such as, more recently, prozac diary.
A postmodern book that challenges our understanding of truth, says the san francisco chronicle. A metaphorical memoir kindle edition by lauren slater. Her first seizure was when she was ten, and from there she grew into a disease she both loved and hated. A metaphorical memoir, slater blends a comingofage story with an electrifying exploration of the nature of truth, and of whether it is ever possible to tellor to knowthe facts about a self, a human being, a life.
J li u s o tind ia psychologist lauren slaters autobiography, lying, sidesteps the truth and insists on the legitimacy of metaphor. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The book presents a number of avenues for discussing plagiarism, privacy and honesty. Everyone knows that a lot of memoirs have madeup scenes. Lauren slaters latest book questions the traditional boundaries of a nonfiction memoir. The idea of the story potentially being false is first presented in the introduction, which is written by a fictional psychologist. Lauren slaters book, lying, may very well be a work of genius. Diagnosed as a child with a strange illness, brought up in a family given to fantasy and ambition, lauren slater developed seizures, auras, neurological disturbancesand an ability to lie.
Slaters autobiogra sidesteps the truth and insists on the l metaphor. If a metaphor substitutes one thing for another to which its not. A metaphorical memoir by lauren slater random house. A metaphorical memoir has 2 available editions to buy at half price books marketplace. This book is concerned with what slater calls narrative truth, as opposed to historical truth, and as such, neither fiction nor quite nonfiction, is both disconcerting, even annoying, and illuminating. A metaphorical memoir, slater blends a comingofage story with an electrifying exploration of the nature of truth, and of whether it is ever. The beauty of lauren slaters prose is shocking, said newsday about welcome to my country, and now, in this powerful and provocative new book, slater, isbn 9780375501128 buy the lying. I really enjoyed reading lauren slaters lying because of the range of experimentation within the text. She confuses fact and fiction even though it is a memoir and thus creates a convoluted tale of herself where she may or may not be epileptic. Slater insists that her book be characterized as a nonfiction memoir, despite that fact that she freely admits that her account of her epilepsy is factual, symbolic, real, and fantastical all at once. A metaphorical memoir, slater blends a comingofage story with an electrifying exploration of the nature of truth, and of whether it is ever possible to tellor to know. If only all liars were this brutally honest lauren. Its also a tricky book, difficult to pigeonhole memoir. A metaphorical memoir by lauren slater in chm, djvu, epub download e book.
A metaphorical memoir by lauren slater 9780142000069. Lauren slater s book, lying, may very well be a work of genius. In this powerful and provocative new memoir, awardwinning author lauren sla. All content included on our site, such as text, images, digital downloads and other, is the property of its content suppliers and protected by us and international laws. A psychologist and writer, lauren slater is the author of five books of. That she related case studies without descending into the smarmy selfhelp realm of. The first chapter of this memoir consists of two words. Lauren slater audio books, best sellers, author bio.
In this powerful and provocative new memoir, awardwinning author lauren slater forces readers to redraw the boundary between what we know as fact and what we believe through the creation of our own personal fictions. Diagnosed as a child with a strange illness, brought up in a family given to fantasy and ambition, lauren slater developed seizures. Mixing memoir with mendacity, slater examines memories of her youth, when after. Diagnosed as a child with a strange illness, brought up in a family given to fantasy and ambition, lauren slater developed seizures, auras, neurological disturbancesand an ability. The beauty of lauren slaters prose is shocking, said newsday about welcome to my country, and now, in this powerful and provocative new book, slater brilliantly explores a mind, a body, and a life under siege. Slater herself suffers from mental illness, as chronicled in several other of her books such as, more recently, prozac diary, published in 2011.
Some events seem obviously spurious, like the startle and shake. The book presents a number for discussing plagiarism, privacy and. A psychologist and writer, slater is the author of five books of nonfiction. Her previous book, lying, was chosen by entertainment weekly as one of the top ten nonfiction books of 2000. A metaphorical memoir is a 2001 book by lauren slater. A 1999 national magazine award nominee, lauren slater has a masters degree in psychology from harvard university and a doctorate from boston university. Title summary field provided by blackwell north america, inc.