Memoir writers who join a memoir-writing group are inspired and supported by having a ready and appreciative audience for emerging drafts. Memoir writers embark on a journey of discovery as they conjure up memories they may not have reflected upon in years. This guide emphasizes the social aspect of writing communities which provide "a little help from our friends." Writers share the sorrows and delights of life while drawing on the power and comfort of language. The assignments make this a perfect text for a class. But, even writers who choose to write in solitude will find this guide full...

For anyone who has wondered what it was like to live on the prairies of the United States in the early 1900s, here is your answer. This is not just a memoir, but a history. Phyllis Mitchell was born in Nebraska in 1921 and grew up on prairie farms where her parents were sharecroppers. Phyllis and her five siblings worked alongside her parents, as the family lived off the land without electricity or plumbing. Despite dealing with The Great Depression, The Dust Bowl, locusts, floods, illnesses, accidents, and even a frightening tornado, they all managed to not just exist but thrive. Phyllis's...