Non-fiction

September 2022 – book of the month (I know it’s only the 10th but still…) is a toss up. Carmen Maria Machado’s fragmentary memoir of domestic abuse, In the Dreamhouse, which uses literary genres and devices as a technique to frame her reflections and experiences on domestic abuse within a lesbian context. It’s a powerful memoir which places Machado’s own story within a continuum of other stories, including fiction and fairytale.

Dispatches from the Edge of Life by the anonymous ‘Reluctant Carer’ is also a memoir but this is centred around caregiving for eldery parents. It’s both laugh out loud funny and poignant. I did a mini-review on my blog a couple of weeks ago – so maybe it should rightfully be August’s book of the month? As a carer myself, although not as full-time as The Reluctant Carer, this book resonated with me. The frustrations, ongoing nature of care and bedrock of love and duty is beautifully detailed throughout this memoir.

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