To Name or Not to Name – a memoir conundrum

Harry Ricketts and Jan Jordan were well used to academic writing conventions when they broke out to write memoirs. The rules in academia said name and reference everybody, make your writing as transparent as possible. Should memoir writing be approached in the same way? Naming one’s heroes may go down well, but how about writing directly about your foes, including those who have once been close to you? How much weight should you give as a writer to how others might feel on reading your account?

In this session Harry and Jan speak about their approaches to this issue, locating this in the context of the bigger question: why write memoir? They both currently face the naming conundrum as each works on new memoirs, and look forward to interacting with audience members and hearing their thoughts on this contentious issue.

Mary McCallum will be chairing the conversation.

All welcome!

Buy the books:

Snorkeling the Abyss by Jan Jordan

First Things by Harry Ricketts