The Making of a Memoir

In English class, we recently began reading Reading Lolita in Tehran, a memoir by Azar Nafisi. Memoir is a genre that I'm largely unfamiliar with, so I was intrigued by the concept and started wondering to myself, what makes a good memoir? It's indisputable that everyone's lives feature ups and downs, highs and lows, and when you look close enough, you'll find that just about everybody's life is a struggle in one way or another. But yet, not everyone publishes a narrative of their own life, nor should they. I decided to do some research to try to nail down the distinction, to decipher the recipe for a worthwhile memoir.

I came across a blog entitled The Writer's Edge which includes an article focused on that very subject. The blog post, "What Makes a Good Memoir?", essentially argues that, to qualify as a good memoir, a story must include circumstances beyond the ordinary. According to the article, if the events of the memoir are too relatable, the reader loses interest.

The blog post also claims that a clear time frame is a crucial element of a good memoir. The memoir is not exempt from the importance of a structure involving a beginning, middle, and end. Additionally, complex characters with emotional depth are a must-have. I'd argue that this is true of any story, but the author considered it worth noting. The article also addresses the intricacies of a memoir's plot. It offers the classic love story as a recipe for success and also suggests "situations with high stakes consequences".

In the case of Reading Lolita in Tehran, it's too soon to tell whether the book incorporates all these ingredients, though it already has featured moments of both romance and suspense. Considering the book's popularity and critical acclaim, I'm sure it serves as a model of a meaningful memoir.

"What Makes a Good Memoir?" closes with the idea that the writing of memoir is almost always a rewarding experience, but not all memoirs should be published. Key ingredients to a successful memoir include a conventional narrative structure, intriguing characters, an element of risk, and the ever-popular love story. Time will tell if Reading Lolita in Tehran fits the bill.