Writer's autobiography recommendations?

Julia

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Stop-time by Frank Conroy was the best book of 2012 that I read. It doesn't exactly tell how Frank came to writing, as it's about his childhood. He does write about his love of books, though. Memories come in quick images, pêle-mêle, so the memoir is told unchronologically.

Then I read Mentor by Tom Grimes who was Frank Conroy's apprentice at the Iowa Writer's Workshop. It tells about the Workshop's experience and what having a mentor is like.

Do you have other good writer's memoirs to recommend? I'd like to read more like these!
 

alleycat

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Maybe Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt.

Since you enjoyed Frank Conroy's memoir, you might also enjoy On the Road by Jack Kerouac. It tends to be a book people either love or hate.

On Writing by Stephen King isn't strictly a memoir (I think the subtitle is A Memoir of the Craft), but there is a lot about his early life and beginnings as a writer.
 
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Julia

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Thanks a lot for the recommendations!

Just finished Angela's Ashes and liked it. It might be miserable but it's also really funny.

All writers have to read On Writing by Stephen King, don't they? :) I read it years ago. I was really impressed by the recovery he made from the accident. Really amazing he survived that. As to the writing advice, well, the guy is a machine and as much as I'd emulate him, it's just not possible at this point.

Plexus not next in my reading list but will eventually get around to it.