Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure (Paperback)

~ (Editor), (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Can you describe your life in six words? That's what the editors of storytelling magazine SMITH asked readers in 2006; the results, though decidedly uneven, make for compulsive reading and prove arguably as insightful as any 300+ page biography. Taken as a whole, this cascade of quotes from contributors famous and unknown creates a dizzying snowball effect of perspectives and feelings. Highlights from professional writers and artists include journalist Chuck Klosterman wondering, "Nobody cared, then they did. Why?"; pop singer-songwriter Adam Schlesinger lamenting, "We still don't hear a single"; and comic strip artist Keith Knight illustrating "I was a Michael Jackson impersonator." At their best, these nano-memoirs evoke the same kind of rich emotional responses as a good story: 9 year old Hannah Davies considers herself "Cursed with cancer. Blessed by friends"; Zak Nelson says "I still make coffee for two"; Scott Birch claims "Most successful accomplishments based on spite." Some entries read like bumper stickers (Rip Riley: "No wife. No kids. No problems"), and others are just plain weird (Amy Sedaris: "Mushrooms. Clowns. Wands. Five. Wig. Thatched"), but this compelling little book will have readers and their friends hunting for favorites and inventing six-word self-definitions of their own. This review in six words? Read. Enjoy. Pass it on. Repeat.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From School Library Journal

Adult/High School—The editors of SMITH magazine invited readers to contribute brief life stories in the vein of Hemingway's bravura tale, "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." The hundreds selected for publication include offerings from children and adults, professional writers, bereaved parents, recovering broken hearts, and people with great pride in showing off their wit. Teens will recognize some of the "memoirists," including Janet Tashjian, author of The Gospel According to Larry (Holt, 2001), Ned Vizzini of It's Kind of a Funny Story (Hyperion/Miramax, 2006), and Deepak Chopra. The six words by the latter are followed by a handsome pun penned by his son: "Soul'd out so I could prophet." Some entries include cartoons, self-portraits taken with a camera, or other artwork. The index allows access by topic, some of which are adoption (two entries), coffee (five entries), and love (28 entries). A good combination of inspired, inspiring, and entertaining, this title is eminently browsable and shareable. It's a fine book to offer reluctant readers as well as teens who are interested in creative writing.—Francisca Goldsmith, Halifax Public Libraries, Nova Scotia
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 225 pages
• Publisher: Harper Perennial (February 5, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0061374059
• ISBN-13: 978-0061374050
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 5 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (63 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #12,422 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

42 of 42 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Tell your story. Make it brief., May 21, 2008

By	Linda Bulger (Avon, Maine) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

In November 2006, Smith Magazine challenged readers to write their memoirs in six words--no more, no less. One thousand of the submissions are printed here, with more to be found on their website. Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure is not an easy book to review, so don't think of this as an actual review; think of it a challenge. Here is a sampling of six-word memoirs from the book to provide inspiration.

Some writers tell their stories with humor and self-deprecation:

>> Woman Seeks Men--High Pain Threshold.
>> My first concert: Zappa. Explains everything.
>> Aging late bloomer yearns for do-over.

As you would expect, there are many bitter or bittersweet references to relationships gone bad:

>> Girlfriend is pregnant, my husband said.
>> Just in: boyfriend's gay. Merry Christmas.
>> Let's just be friends, she said.

Some lucky people sent memoirs that radiate contentment.

>> Alone at home, cat on lap.
>> Hope my obituary spells "debonair" correctly.
>> Wasn't born a redhead; fixed that.

There is the contingent who describe themselves without judgment:

>> Gave commencement address, became sex columnist.
>> Mormon economist marries feminist. Worlds collide.
>> Still lost on road less traveled.

And last but not least, the philosophers who distill life experience into a greater truth:

>> Palindromic novels fall apart halfway through.
>> Cheese is the essence of life.
>> Wandering imagination opens doors to paradise.

We're all busy people, each with a story to tell. C'mon, what's yours?

Linda Bulger, 2008

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If I were you, I'd buy six copies., February 5, 2008

By	Joseph Ippolito (New York, NY) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

In short, I love this book.

I'd have never imagined you could get so much out of six words. I was wrong. Very, very wrong.

From clever and funny to poignant and sad, the breadth of the memoirs in this book is astounding. They truly make every word count. I should warn you, though: It's addictive. Countless times, I found myself sitting down, intending to read merely a few, only to find myself completely engrossed.

This is one of those books I think everyone should own. Whether you're on the bus in the morning or reading before bed, it provides the perfect break from the day.

It's a wonderful sampling of both established and up-and-coming talent. "Not Quite What I Was Planning" is chock-full of writers you love, writers you've never heard of, and--if six words can be considered a hint of things to come--writers you're soon going to be hearing much, much more about.

My six word review? "Buy this book. Seriously, do it."

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Addictive!, February 7, 2008

By	Susan Henderson "www.LitPark.com" (New York) - See all my reviews

Highly addictive. Hard not to read selections out loud to people sitting near you. Equally hard not to think of ways to condense your own life into six words. A bit of an emotional roller coaster, but in the best way.