As my initial comment on re-reading One Writer's Beginnings, I must say that I have discovered Welty's thoughts on family, especially the influences of her parents, and her personal theories of writing to be even more captivating on this second reading. So many sections seemed to leap out at me. Her relationship with her mother, in particular, and her gradually evolving thoughts on being a writer were truly fascinating.

I had just read/viewed her book, Country Churchyards. This quote from it was especially meaningful for me.

Photography taught me that to be able to capture transience, by being ready to click the shutter at the crucial moment, was the greatest need I had. Making pictures of people in all sorts of situations, I learned that every feeling waits upon its gesture; and I had to be prepared to recognize this moment when I saw it. These were things a story writer needed to know. And I felt the need to hold transient life in words--there's so much more of life that only words can convey--strongly enough to last me as long as I lived. The direction my mind took was a writer's direction from the start, not a photographer's, or a recorder's. (pp 84-85)

I highly recommend this small, yet packed book to all admirers of Welty's work. The book consists of three lectures that Welty presented in The William E. Massey Sr. Lectures in the History of American Civilization in 1983 (inaugural series).

[Initial review, June 2012 This book of three speeches by Eudora Welty makes a wonderful companion piece to The Collected Stories which I'm currently reading with friends. The influence of family and memory are significant to Welty, who provides us with vivid pictures of some of the momentous times in her life and the people who made it so. I firmly believe that I will read this again someday. It is a short book, but it is filled with her life and her beliefs about life and writing.]

I truly wish I could bottle this woman's voice and have it at my disposal whenever I am feeling under the weather. Her voice was one of the most nurturing and soothing that I have ever had the pleasure of listening to. The world is indeed fortunate to have access to this recording from a series of lectures she gave at Harvard University in 1983. Here is an excerpt from the second lecture of hers that particularly stood out for me:

"The camera was a hand-held auxiliary of wanting-to-know. It had more than just information and accuracy to impart to me. Through the act of using it, I learned how prepared I had to be. Life is in a constant state of flux and does not hold still. A good snapshot has the power to arrest a moment and prevent it from slipping away. Photography taught me that the ability to capture transience, by being ready to click the shutter at the crucial moment, was of utmost importance. By taking pictures of people in all kinds of situations, I discovered that every feeling is accompanied by a corresponding gesture, and I had to be prepared to recognize this moment when it presented itself. These were things that a story writer needed to know. And I felt an intense need to capture transient life in words - there is so much more of life that can only be conveyed through words - with enough strength to last me for a lifetime. From the very beginning, the direction my mind took was that of a writer, not that of a photographer or a recorder."

Eudora Welty, One Writer's Beginnings

Eudora Welty was born in 1909 in Jackson, Mississippi. She was the eldest of three children and remained in the home of her parents as an adult.

Growing up, family was of utmost importance to her. She had a passion for taking pictures with her box camera, which taught her that every feeling awaits a gesture.

Her writing and stories were based on memories of events and persons in her life. She had a unique ability to capture the essence of her experiences and translate them into vivid and engaging narratives.

Her numerous honors include a Pulitzer Prize, the American Book Award for Fiction, and the Gold Medal for the Novel given by the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters for her entire body of fictional work. Her contributions to literature have left a lasting impact and continue to be celebrated and studied today.

I haven't read any of Eudora Welty's works before.

So, I would say that this book wouldn't really be interesting enough to people who read books for fun or just pick something up to pass the time.

I like her writing style, and Welty seems like a person with a really nice personality.

But that's all I can get from this. Maybe if I was more accustomed to her writing, then I might have rated this higher.

However, since this is my first encounter with her work, I can't help but feel a bit detached.

The story might have its merits, but it didn't immediately draw me in.

Perhaps with more exposure to her unique literary voice, I would be able to appreciate it on a deeper level.

For now, though, I can only say that it was an okay read, but not something that would make me rush to pick up another of her books.

I have a deep passion for reading books related to writing.

Admittedly, I sometimes worry that I might be using this as a means to delay actually engaging in my own writing endeavors!

Certainly, some of these books are better than others. Many of them incorporate 'exercises' or prompts that are designed to assist you in getting started, overcoming a writer's 'block', or enhancing your overall writing skills.

This particular book is divided into three sections: Listening, Learning to See, and Finding a Voice.

In each section, one gains an understanding of what those concepts mean and how the author approaches them. It details how she listens, observes, and discovers her own voice, as well as the voices of her characters.

Her writing style is such that it compels you to pause and reread a particularly well-expressed thought, allowing it to truly sink in.

I don't recall having read her work previously, but I am now determined to do so.

This book is not just a primer on writing.

Rather, it delves into the early life of Eudora Welty in Jackson, Mississippi, and chronicles her adventures as a writer and photographer.

In those days, a train journey from Jackson to New York City was a long and arduous one, taking three days and requiring several changes of trains.

The book is written in a simple style, characteristic of Welty herself, and it provides a delightfully descriptive account of a bygone era.

It also explores the joining of two families, one from Ohio and the other from West Virginia, adding another layer of depth and interest to the narrative.

Overall, this book offers a unique and engaging look into the life and times of Eudora Welty and the people and places that influenced her.

Self-indulgent at best, dull at worst.

The writing was saturated in sentimentality to an excessive degree.

There were certain passages within it that would have made even Norman Rockwell, a renowned artist known for his sentimental works, feel queasy or disgusted.

It seemed as if the author was wallowing in their own emotions without any regard for the reader's experience.

The overabundance of sentimentality made the piece lack depth and authenticity.

Instead of evoking genuine emotions, it came across as forced and artificial.

It was a prime example of how too much of a good thing can quickly turn bad.

The reader was left feeling unengaged and unimpressed by the end.

Overall, it was a disappointment that failed to live up to any reasonable expectations.

This little book is truly a gem. It is a must-read for writers, those who aspire to be writers (like me), and lovers of Southern Fiction and the deep south, especially Jackson, MS!

Eudora Welty's autobiographical storytelling appears to be effortless. It flows in a more interesting manner than many novels I have read. I adored how she meticulously examined the little puzzle pieces, which were the poignant vignettes from her growing up years and family history. She then skillfully put them together to reveal the big picture of her life's work - her fully realized passion for writing.

I envy her perspective. She is able to look back from a position of greatness to the mundane aspects of her life that ultimately made her great. It is a remarkable achievement and a source of inspiration for all those who dream of making their mark in the world of literature.

Oh my goodness!

I am just completely and utterly loving this book. It has such a captivating charm that I often find myself lingering over certain passages.

I can't help but reread them, as if trying to soak up every single word and the beautiful narrative that unfolds within those pages.

The story seems to draw me in deeper with each read, and I am constantly amazed by the author's ability to create such a vivid and engaging world.

It's like I am transported to another place and time, experiencing all the emotions and adventures along with the characters.

This book has truly become a source of joy and inspiration for me, and I can't wait to see what else it has in store.

There are numerous highly favorable reviews of this book on Goodreads, so I don't have to include an excessive amount in this review. Eudora Welty was an outstanding Southern writer whose life endured throughout a significant portion of the 20th century. This writer's memoir, which is part autobiography and part about her life in writing, narrates the story of her blissful family life in a small town in Mississippi. It details her parents' backgrounds, her upbringing in a home filled with books and readers, libraries, primary education, and then higher education. All of that is rather typical of a Southern memoir, yet it incorporates many elements that influenced her inner life and the development of the writer as she matured.

Just as in her fiction, her writing is exquisitely beautiful. I adore the fact that she and a friend were corrected at school when her friend uttered the phrase "I might could." That very phrase can still be heard in the Upper South where I reside, and I would still be inclined to correct a child who used it.

Oh glorious Eudora! A Southern treasure indeed!

It is truly a remarkable story. One must be sure to read about the set of Charles Dickens that her mother so diligently scrimped and saved to buy.

Imagine this: when the house suddenly caught on fire, in a moment of extreme chaos and danger, while others might have thought of saving the children first, Mama had a different priority.

With unwavering determination, she ran upstairs through the thick smoke and fierce flames. Her only thought was to save those precious books.

She did so by bravely throwing them out the window to safety.

This act not only shows the great value Mama placed on those books but also gives us a glimpse into the deep love and passion for literature that ran in the family.

Eudora's story is a testament to the power of books and the lengths people will go to protect them.

It is a story that will surely touch the hearts of all who read it.

Eudora Welty commences this memoir, which had its inception in a series of lectures presented at Harvard University in 1983, with a vivid snapshot of her parents.

The scene is set in the early morning. Young Eudora is engaged in buttoning her shoes in the hallway. Meanwhile, her mother is frying bacon downstairs, and her father is shaving upstairs.

Together, they are exchanging musical phrases back and forth - one humming, and the other whistling. There is something truly enchanting about this scene - the harmony of the distinct yet complementary parts, the cosiness and warmth that pervades, and the sense of fun.

This really does set the stage for a deeply moving and heartfelt book. The memoir is dedicated to Welty's parents, and all of the most精彩的 bits are inspired by their sayings, doings, and their lives prior to settling in Jackson, Mississippi. (Her father grew up on a farm in Ohio, while her mother hailed from the mountains of West Virginia.)

Welty divides her memoir into three parts: Listening, Learning to See, and Finding a Voice. I opined that the first two parts, which predominantly dwell on childhood memories, were by far the most powerful. Welty has a unique voice - both in her writing and, no doubt, in her speaking.

I found her reminiscences an absolute delight to read. I have a highly conflicted feeling about the South, about places like Mississippi. However, Welty illuminates the culture in a truly exquisite and beautiful way.