Body Work

Enormously wise, generous, lucid, direct, and beautifully written, but so much more than that, this is the book that I have been waiting for, that I never knew that I wanted. The book I wish I had had at the beginning of my career and the book that will empower me still, even as I absorb it in my fifties.I began to understand that I was internalizing the male dominated values and narratives of the writing world over a decade ago but I struggled to free myself from them, as much as I longed too. I have begun, in the last few years, to understand better the ways in which these values hobble all of us, men and women, alike, in telling our stories, but this book has finally freed me, gave me my own tools to dismantle the master's house (Audre Lord). It has given me a capacious (one of my favorite words so I use it often and it's appropriate here) intellectual, emotional and psychological rationale for writing the personal narratives I have always been drawn to, even as I came of age as a writer fifteen years before the author did, when personal narratives were even less valued.But this book does even more than that. It offers perhaps some of the best advice I have ever read on subjects such as: writing about other people, writing about trauma and recovery, writing about sex, all through the lens of the author's life, a lens which she focuses so well here in teaching us these lessons. And what a generous teacher is Melissa Febos, teaching us how to be writers in the world, in relationship, and how to take hold of the reins of our own stories, because they are important, to us and to humanity. Toni Morrison famously said, the function of freedom is to free someone else. This book opens the gates for whoever reads it and so I will be championing it and using it to teach every chance I get. It is just that good.

It’s been a while since a book has held me hostage, unable to focus on the world around me, but this book had been reading until 3am in the morning. A recommended read to any creative who tells their story, or part of themselves, in their work.

Melissa Febos provided more in depth and far-reaching understanding about writing memoir than I expected. She provided powerful and positive insight into the human dimensions that are both affected and that also come together for the making of such a creative work as a personal narrative. It was right on, and clearly understandable and Inspirational. I highly recommend this book.

She is a fantastic writer, but I sometimes want to skip past much of the poetic maundering with her work (I felt the same with Girlhood). I'm never sure if the intent is filler content or if the writer is trying to convince readers or themselves of their prowess, but it loses me. I am still a fan of the author. Reading has always been a challenge with ADD—I guess it makes me the ultimate demanding audience—gotta keep me locked in.

Scientific and personal account of creating memoir and personal narrative to heal. Incredibly insightful - perspective.