A few months back my book club read this great memoir called The Liar's Club by Mary Karr. In it she recounts her totally messed up childhood, but does it with humor, although not downplaying the truly bad parts, and showing that through it all, love can still be there, in a family, however dysfunctional. I really enjoyed the book, and loved the author's style of writing, so when I learned there was another memoir called Lit, I quickly borrowed it from the library. In this book Ms. Karr shares the story of her recovery from alcoholism, a stint in the looney bin, and eventually her....ta da! Conversion to Roman Catholicism!!! I couldn't believe it. My favorite kind of stories to read are conversion stories and here one fell into my lap without my even knowing it. It turns out there is a 3rd memoir, that actually covers the ground in between childhood and adulthood, called Cherry. I put that one on hold at the library just last night and I cannot wait to get my hands on it!
Mary Karr was raised with no religious background at all. In fact, her parents both had a disdain for organized religion that they handed down to their daughter. So her conversion story is less proselytizing and more just trying to explain how that could happen. She doesn't beat down the door talking about it's being the one true Church or apostolic succession or any of that kind of thing. Instead she talks about the faith of the people she saw, the way that the congregation is one body when participating in the Mass. It's just a different approach to sharing conversion, but so real and so honest and raw. Anyway, I googled her today and found this interesting interview on ABC News' Focus on Faith series. It's in 2 parts. And I highly recommend her books too - if you like memoirs and especially conversion stories. She writes in a way that shows a strength in human frailty, love in the craziness, and she never feels sorry for herself, she knows there is always someone with a worse story and she shares those stories too. Her dry wit is great too. For example she says that sharing a spiritual experience with a secular audience is like doing card tricks on the radio. Love it! I am not really a book reviewer by trade, so I am not sure I am doing this author justice, but truly these are some of the most moving books I've read in a long time. To use an overused reviewer line, but one that is so appropriate here: You'll laugh! You'll cry! You'll run to read all three! Check ou t the interview below.
Part 1:
Part 2:
No comments:
Post a Comment