Point of View

[Sheila]

I am interested to hear from anyone that has written or read a book where the narration of the story is told from the perspective of someone that is writing a memoir for another person.

[Becky, Moddess]

Not sure what you're asking for here... Recommendations or tips or...?

[Eileen]

Sort of. by H.N. Turtletaub. The story of a seriously unbalanced Byzantine emperor, Justinian II (not his more famous predecessor, Justinian I), told from the perspective of a monk recounting the man's life. It has been a few years since I read it, but it is not a favorite of mine. Can't say getting the story of a brutal and insane man is great fun.

[Abigail]

Not exactly, but Mary Stewart’s Merlin series—at least after the first volume—is in a way telling King Arthur’s story through a first-person narrative by Merlin. It’s technically Merlin’s own story, but inevitably he’s second fiddle to Arthur. The series makes nods to magic but is more historically grounded than the vast majority of writings in the Arthurian area.

[Kandice]

The Autobiography of Henry VIII: With Notes by His Fool, Will Somers may be what you mean, and if so, it is one of my all time favorite books.

[Sheila]

Thank you all! I forgot about the Merlin stories. I read those years ago.

[Sheila]

Becky wrote: "Not sure what you're asking for here... Recommendations or tips or...?"

Both.

[Bryn]

I suppose The Oblate's Confession. Memoirs written as a confession at the behest of his head monk. He alludes to what the head monk expects and doesn't expect from his narrative of events ('I'll leave that out because he won't think it to the purpose, which is meant to be confessional...').

[Pedro]

Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome is the story of Cicero, told by his household slave Tiro.

[Jerry]

Interesting question Sheila. Is this memoir "for" another person (which I interpret as while they are still alive and written with their permission), or "about" another person (perhaps after they are dead)? My impression of Imperium: A Novel of Ancient Rome was that it fell into the latter category, but it is a few years since I read it. I could probably think of a few others that fall into my second category, but none that match the first.

[Sheila]

Yes - the memoir would be written while the person is alive. The dialogue would be happening as the memoir writer is writing and the person he/she is writing about is alive.

[Darcy]

Hound likely falls into this cateogory. It also has the secondary task of how one might handle a double jepoardy situation.

[Tom]

My own book, The White Rajahis a first person account by a fictional narrator who is telling the story of the real-life James Brooke. Both men live through the events of the story, which is supposed to be written at a point towards the end of the book.

[Libbie Hawker]

Oh my gosh! Has anybody in this thread already mentioned Cleopatra Dismounts: A Novel? I loved this book. It's written (if I remember correctly) from the perspective of a translator who's translating the memoir some ancient priest-guy wrote for Cleopatra.

It's gorgeous. And kind of weird and experimental. You should definitely check it out.

[Chloe]

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran is a great one. Told from the perspective of Mutnodjmet, Nefertiti’s sister, who (although she has her own story arc) pretty much ends up telling Nefertiti’s story when she becomes second fiddle to her now-royal sister. It’s very similar to The Other Boleyn Girl which, of course, fits into that category also.

[Chloe]

Nefertiti by Michelle Moran is a great one. Told from the perspective of Mutnodjmet, Nefertiti’s sister, who (although she has her own story arc) pretty much ends up telling Nefertiti’s story when she becomes second fiddle to her now-royal sister. It’s very similar to The Other Boleyn Girl which, of course, fits into that category also.

[Chris]

There have been a number of positive comments about Nefertiti recently. Did no one find the screechiness of the character annoying?? I love reading novels set in ancient Egypt, but found the constant screaming and harping really took away from reading the substance of the story.

[Eileen]

Robert Harris' is followed by , continuing the story of Cicero as told by his secretary, Tiro.

I'm not sure he has all the historical details correct, but he certainly gives a good picture of Cicero. I like the world building elements of the story - small touches about smells, sounds, and textures that add depth and color to it.

[Pamela]

Watson's memoirs of Sherlock Holmes? And of course, the original, Bosworth's Life of Johnson