Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs

Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure

Edited by Smith Magazine

Harper, 2008

256 pages

Ever since my rediscovery of the short story last year, I've noticed a growing fascination with all short literature forms. I recently marveled at Anthropology by Dan Rhodes - a collection of 101 love stories, each told in 101 words. So when Kim mention Six-Word Memoirs in a comment, I just had to check it out.

A few of my favorite six-word memoirs have already appeared in this Teaser Tuesday post. The wide range of feelings or tones that can be conveyed with only six words is amazing.

reflective:

Fifty years so far. Happened fast. (Mark Michaelson)

humorous:
Verbal hemophilia. Why can't I clot? (Scott Mebous)

sad:

Young optimist: proven wrong.

Prematurely old. (Buzzy Porter)

hopeful:

Wife died young; on the mend. (Sumit Paul-Choudhury)

apologetic:

Mom, sorry I moved to U.S. (Yuri Fukazawz)

deep:

Even the quietest sounds make noise. (Paul Boggan)

There are many, many more 'memoirs' to discover for yourself. This slim volume will make you laugh... it will make you think. You may not need to own this one, but at least borrow it from your library or leaf through it next time you visit the bookstore.