Remembrance Of Things Past: Writing Memoirs XII

Joe Medlicott

Wednesdays, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
March 24 - May 12, 2004
D.O.C. House

Ben Franklin said it: "You can't relive your life, so why not write about it?"

That's what "Remembrance" is all about: write about yourself, your experiences, your successes and failures, your triumphs and tragedies. As we grow older — and, we hope, wiser — we tend to know more and more about ourselves. What better time, then, to put ourselves on paper?

"Remembrance" is designed so that everyone will write and share his or her work with others in the class. The format is simple: writers read their material aloud. Then we all "critique" the work. That is, we evaluate what we've heard on the basis of form and content and technique. Don't worry about reading aloud. Your classmates will be supportive and helpful in their evaluations.

One inexpensive paperback memoir will be assigned for this study group, a book designed to show what memoir writers focus on and the techniques they employ to accomplish their aims.

This is the twelfth (12th) time that "Remembrance" has been offered in ILEAD. Those who have taken the class before are urged to come again, as are those who've never taken it.

Class is limited to 15 members.

Joe Medlicott is a Dartmouth graduate, with an MA from Trinity College and a Ph.D. from the University of Washington. He has taught English at several universities; prior to his retirement he was Master of English at Deerfield Academy.