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Wife | Daughter | Self

A Memoir in Essays
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( 80 ratings, 21 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Wife | Daughter | Self by Beth Kephart is a deeply reflective memoir that delves into the intricate layers of a woman's identity as she navigates her roles as a wife, daughter, and individual. Through a series of poetic essays, Kephart explores the complexities, joys, and challenges of these relationships, offering insight into personal growth and self-discovery. This poignant narrative captures the essence of balancing love, duty, and self-fulfilment.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate beautifully crafted memoirs that explore the complexities of identity and relationships. Beth Kephart's reflective narrative delves into her roles as a wife, daughter, and individual, offering an intimate and insightful look into the intersections of personal growth and familial bonds. Fans of introspective and poetic storytelling will likely find this a captivating read.

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Beth Kephart is a writing teacher and the award-winning author of more than thirty books. Her many fans and students will embrace this intimate and beautiful memoir in essays.

The author's books on how to write memoir, as well as previous memoirs, have built a strong platform for Wife | Daughter | Self. Eleven of the chapters have been published in major literary journals, increasing the visibility and organic shares of the material.

This memoir in essays will appeal to fans of Ross Gay's The Book of Delights, Margaret Renkl's Late Migrations, and Maggie O'Farrell's I Am, I Am, I Am. Writers will find inspiration, craft notes, and information about the writer's life, similar to Alexander Chee's How to Write an Autobiographical Novel and Anne Lamott's classic Bird by Bird.

At a time when reading tastes are skewing to joy and escapism, this tale of a writer in her marriage to her Salvadoran artist-husband, her role as a daughter to her widowed father, and her ultimate recognition of her responsibility to herself, is wise, kind, and beautifulβ€”a later-in-life coming of age.

Those in search of books about real-life successful marriages, such as Ann Patchett's This Is the Story of a Happy Marriage, will enjoy Wife | Daughter | Self. The section on Beth Kephart's father will resonate with all who are caring for elderly parents, wanting to do their best, and worrying that it isn't enough.

Fans of the Wyeths will appreciate the essay on Henriette Wyeth for its insights, historical accuracy, and the author's deep personal connection to her life. Memoirs in essays are often marketed as memoir; this one is being called out as a memoir in essays to increase its possibilities in the classroom and coursework.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Beth Kephart's Wife | Daughter | Self is celebrated for its lyrical and incisive exploration of the complexities of human relationships and identity. The memoir is praised for its honesty and artistry, capturing how personal roles and intimate connections define our understanding of self. It is noted for its profound meditation on life’s significant roles, and Kephart’s evocative prose vividly describes her experiences, offering readers a deeply resonant emotional journey.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781942436447

Publisher: Forest Avenue Press

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 18 March 2021

Country: United States

Imprint: Forest Avenue Press

Illustration: b&w illustrations by the author's husband

Contributors:

  • Illustrated by William Sulit

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 152.0mm

Height: 228.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 264

About the Author

Beth Kephart is a National Book Award finalist, a Pew fellowship winner, an NEA grant winner, and the multi-genre author of more than thirty books that often appear on β€œbest of” lists. She is an award-winning teacher at the University of Pennsylvania, co-founder of Juncture Workshops, and a widely published essayist and critic who has written extensively about memoir and traveled the country giving workshops. Essays have appeared in Ninth Letter, the New York Times, The Normal School, North American Review online, Salon, Catapult, Literary Hub, Creative Nonfiction, The Millions, Brevity, The Rumpus, and the Chicago Tribune. Her essay β€œSet Pearls in the Dark” is a Notable Essay of 2019 (Best American Essays 2020). Beth and her husband, artist William Sulit, collaborate on picture books, middle grade novels, Juncture Workshops, and a series of memoir workbooks and illustrated journals. William Sulit is a Salvadoran-born, Yale-educated architect and visual artist. He has collaborated with his wife, Beth Kephart, on multiple book projects, including the middle-grade novels Wild Blues, Cloud Hopper, and Dr. Radway’s Sarsparilla Resolvent; the memoir Ghosts in the Garden; the corporate fable, Zenobia: The Curious Book of Business; a series of memoir workbooks; and the picture book Trini’s Big Leap. He is the co-founder, with Beth, of Juncture Workshops. Find him on Instagram at ws_studioarts.

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