On Memoir

A delightful compendium of musings from the master of life writing, the much-loved Blake Morrison, for those who practise the art of memoir, and those who read it.

'Hallelujah! — now is the perfect time for Morrison’s book On Memoir' THE TIMES

'Lessons in life writing from a master' THE GUARDIAN

'The critic every literary editor turns to… an essential reference book' THE SPECTATOR

'Anyone who is, like me, unquenchably thirsty for [memoirs] would do well to read this’ THE OBSERVER

ON MEMOIR is a gloriously freewheeling exploration of narrative non-fiction, its challenges, ethics and charms, and its power to move and change us.

From AI to Ethics to Politics to Sex, there is something for every reader and writer in this modern classic.

Gleaned from a lifetime as a passionate reader of others’ lives, as well as an unflinchingly honest chronicler of his own, Morrison’s A-Z is a trove of thoughtful literary exploration, amusing observations, and fascinating finds.

Reviews

'Lessons in life writing from a master' GUARDIAN

'The critic every literary editor turns to… an essential reference book' SPECTATOR

'Anyone who is, like me, unquenchably thirsty for [memoirs] would do well to read this’ OBSERVER

'Hallelujah! — now is the perfect time for Morrison’s book On Memoir' THE TIMES

‘Blake Morrison is without equal’ HOWARD JACOBSON

‘Morrison has a startling gift' LITERARY REVIEW

‘A writer of undoubted skill’ NEW STATESMAN

‘Few writers can claim to have affected the literary landscape like Blake Morrison’ MAIL ON SUNDAY

‘Morrison writes with a reckless respect for the truth' GUARDIAN

‘Fiction writing guides are ten-a-penny but useful memoir manuals are rare. This charming compendium from the author and poet Blake Morrison helps to redress the balance, offering up handy (but never stuffy) advice on how best to tackle narrative non-fiction’ THE TIMES

About the author

Blake Morrison is a poet, novelist and journalist. His non-fiction books include And When Did You Last See Your Father? (1993), which won the J. R. Ackerley Prize and the Esquire/Volvo/Waterstone's Non-Fiction Book Award, As If (1997), about the murder of the toddler James Bulger in Liverpool in 1993, and a memoir of his mother, Things My Mother Never Told Me (2002). His poetry includes the collections Dark Glasses (1984), winner of a Somerset Maugham Award, and Shingle Street (2015) He is a regular literary critic for the Guardian and the London Review of Books.