Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov

[Stephanie]

I read this book because it was the book of the month in another group I belong to. This is, by far, one of the most painful experiences I had in reading a novel cover to cover in recent years. I try so, so hard not to skim pages but by the end of this book I was so desperate to be done with it that I skimmed without guilt.

Some of the recollections in this book were so wonderfully beautiful and I want to re-read them again and again. But the other parts dragged on and on for me.

Beautiful words. Beautiful concept of how to write a memoir. I think it was just above my level of being able to cope with the wordiness made out of ordinariness.