Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner Eudora Welty's autobiography contains some truly brilliant moments and profound insights. However, it also has its fair share of rather dull sections.

The book is divided into three parts: Listening, Learning to See, and Finding a Voice. As the title suggests, this autobiography is almost exclusively centered around her early life and, for the most part, on the reasons why and the ways in which she became a writer.

She provides details including her thought process regarding writing and life. Nevertheless, the "Beginnings" in the first two parts of the book scarcely reach her teenage years and lack significant interest. It is in the final third that Welty truly shines. She is older, having gone through college and beyond, and writes with great beauty and perceptiveness. The conclusion of this early autobiography is pure five-star material.

Overall, while the beginning may not be as engaging, the latter part of the book offers valuable and captivating insights into the life and mind of this remarkable author.

This was a truly lovely introduction to Eudora Welty.

I found it extremely fascinating to read about her literary rich childhood. The description of how her parents influenced her was truly captivating.

It made me realize the significant role that family can play in shaping a person's literary journey.

Now that I have this wonderful introduction, I am faced with the decision of where to begin with her works of fiction.

There are so many to choose from, and each one seems to hold the promise of a unique and engaging story.

I am filled with excitement as I look forward to delving deeper into Eudora Welty's literary world and exploring her fictional works.

I can't wait to see what adventures and insights await me as I read more of her books.

I'm sure that each new story will add to my understanding and appreciation of this remarkable author.

I'm eager to embark on this literary exploration and discover the magic that Eudora Welty has to offer.

The writing is truly outstanding.

The prose is of an excellent caliber, and this memoir chronicling the early years of a writer's life is replete with numerous evocative details.

It is narrated in a style that is both extremely welcoming and highly expressive.

If you have a penchant for reading memoirs or possess any interest whatsoever in the development and growth of a writer, then this work is highly recommended.

It offers a fascinating glimpse into the formative experiences that shaped the writer, and the vivid descriptions and engaging narrative make it a truly captivating read.

Whether you are an aspiring writer yourself or simply a lover of good literature, this memoir is sure to leave a lasting impression.

It is a testament to the power of words and the ability of a talented writer to bring their story to life in a way that engages and inspires the reader.

So, don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to explore the world of a writer's early years and discover the magic that lies within these pages.

The audiobook is an amazing experience as it features her reading in front of a live audience.

She is extremely charming and funny, which makes the listening even more enjoyable.

Although I got a little lost during her last lecture, it didn't overshadow the overall pleasure of listening to her stories.

Her voice is engaging and she has a great ability to bring the stories to life.

The live audience adds an extra dimension to the audiobook, creating a sense of energy and connection.

It's like being in the same room with her, listening to her share her tales.

I would highly recommend this audiobook to anyone who enjoys a good storyteller and wants to be entertained.

Whether you're driving, doing chores, or just relaxing, this audiobook is the perfect companion.

It will transport you to another world and make you forget about your daily worries.

So, give it a try and let her charming voice and funny stories brighten up your day.

Reading the first pages of How I Became a Writer, one is a bit astonished because, instead of a writing manual, it is “simply” the life of Eudora Welty. But it doesn't take long to enter her philosophy and understand that in the title there is already the first hint: writers are made. Writing is about discovering “the sequentiality of experience” and the book contains the cause-and-effect relationships that made her a writer. Eudora tells that as a child she would listen intently to stories. Listening intently, she specifies, is different from just hearing: it means feeling like an active part of a narration, having the need to grasp the connection between one thing and another to discover how that matter connects to the flow of life. By listening to the gossip of the maid, the stories of her mother's friends, the whispers of her brothers, Eudora learns that a story is made up of a series of scenes and each scene is full of “clues, signals, suggestions and promises”; loving stories means learning to read the signals, seeking the truth behind the lie.

And then there is photography: Eudora Welty and the oblique gaze.

Memorias literarias de Eudora Welty is a remarkable work that offers a brilliant and emotive exploration of the author's writing secrets. In three captivating chapters - 1. Escuchar (Listen); 2. Aprender a ver (Learn to See); and 3. Encontrar una voz (Find a Voice) - Welty reveals the inner workings of her creative process.

Moreover, this text is deeply emotive as Welty shares her memories and dreams, and shows how they intertwined from the very beginning in her stories. Her vivid descriptions and personal insights make it a truly engaging read.

For anyone interested in the art of writing or in getting a glimpse into the mind of a master storyteller, Memorias literarias de Eudora Welty is an essential read. It offers valuable lessons and inspiration that can enhance one's own writing and understanding of the literary world.

Hands down, this is the worst book I have ever read.

This was the first book we read in my English honors class and I firmly believe it was not a good way to commence that class.

I was the only one who actually bothered to read the entire book. Why? Because everyone else found it so excruciatingly boring that they didn't want to waste their time on it.

This particular book is the autobiography of the author Eudora Welty, detailing how she became a writer. At first glance, it might seem interesting, right? Well, wrong!

I truly feel that Welty has a rather dated sense of writing. Granted, she lived during the time of the Great Depression, but there are numerous other books from that era that can still resonate with a modern audience.

Heck, take Shakespeare for example. He wrote way back in the past, yet Romeo and Juliet remains highly relatable and relevant even in today's times.

I'm cutting this review short. In conclusion, I would highly recommend not reading this book unless it's absolutely necessary for a school project.

Endearing.

Few writers can build character with such economy of language and yet achieve the deep complexity that Welty does. Her works are truly remarkable in this regard.

The contextualisation of early XX century America in her writing is quite extraordinary. She brings to life the social, cultural, and economic landscapes of that time, allowing readers to immerse themselves in a bygone era.

Welty's characters are vivid and believable, each with their own unique personalities and struggles. Through her spare yet powerful prose, she is able to convey the subtleties of human nature and the challenges of living in a changing world.

Her work not only entertains but also enlightens, offering valuable insights into the human condition and the history of America. It is no wonder that her writing has endured and continues to be cherished by readers today.

This brief, but charming, book is a series of reminiscences gleaned from a series of three lectures Ms. Welty delivered in 1983 at Harvard University.

Her recollections are poignant, wise, and humorous. She has great powers of observation and attention to detail. This shows up in her fiction writing as well.

She is humble and her work overflows with affection toward her parents and other members of her family. This piece gives profound insight into "what made her tick."

I look forward to reading more of her work now that I have a better understanding of her as a person.

The book offers a unique window into the life and mind of Ms. Welty. Through her reminiscences, we get to know her as a person with deep emotions, sharp intellect, and a great sense of humor.

Her powers of observation and attention to detail are truly remarkable, and it is no wonder that her fiction writing is so highly regarded.

The affection she has for her family is palpable, and it adds a warm and personal touch to the book. Overall, this is a wonderful read that provides valuable insights into the life and work of a great writer.

I'm a long-time fan of Eudora Welty. "Why I Live at the P.O." is truly one of my all-time favorite short stories. This concise book about Welty's life and childhood is multifaceted.

It serves as a beautiful love letter to her parents, grandparents, and siblings. It also offers a wise reflection on how she embarked on her journey as a writer and the valuable lessons she learned along the way. Additionally, it even includes a brief literary analysis, zeroing in on a couple of characters in some of her short stories. Just like most of Welty's fictional tales, this autobiography achieves a perfect balance between sharp observations about human nature and a touch of humor and generosity.

My favorite segment is when she describes the times when she and her brothers would visit their dad in his office. He would let them type letters to their mother on the company letterhead for amusement. She mentioned that her mother kept one of the letters from her youngest brother, Walter. It simply read, "Dear Mrs. C.W. Welty. I think you know me. I think you like me."

This simple yet endearing letter showcases the innocence and charm of childhood, and it adds a personal and heartwarming touch to the overall narrative of Welty's life.

I had a profound love for Welty's Delta Wedding, which naturally led me to have a strong desire to read about her writing process in her very own words.

"Learning Latin nourished my love for an abundance of words, words in a continuous and modified manner, and the beautiful, solemn accretion of a sentence." That's precisely what I'm referring to! Welty expounded on the story writing process in a series of three lectures held at Harvard in April 1983, and this book is based upon them.

Welty was extremely enthusiastic about her love for storytelling, particularly as a means of astonishing herself. "Writing a story or a novel is one way of uncovering sequence within the experience, or happening upon cause and effect in the events of a writer's own life. This has been the case for me. Connections gradually come to light. Like distant landmarks that one is approaching, cause and effect start to align themselves and draw closer together."

What a captivating way to regard writing. It came as a surprise to me to learn about the powerful connection between her real story and her book, The Optimist's Daughter. If you recall my review of Optimist's, I didn't have a great affection for that story, and I surely didn't detect any optimism within it. However, in these lectures, Welty describes her own father as the ultimate glass-half-full kind of person, and I recognized him immediately. “…he the optimist was the one who was prepared for the worst, and she the pessimist was the daredevil: he the one who on our trip carried chains and a coil of rope and an ax all upstairs to our hotel bedroom every night in case of fire…”

I thoroughly enjoyed all the interconnections that Welty made between her own life and the stories she ultimately disclosed in her work. It was especially fascinating as she was doing so in hindsight, at the age of 74 in 1983. "Writing fiction has cultivated in me an abiding respect for the unknown in a human lifetime and a sense of where to search for the threads, how to follow them, how to connect, and find in the thick of the tangle what clear line endures. The strands are all there; to the memory nothing is ever truly lost."

A book to put in your treasure chest.

This remarkable book is based on a series of lectures (three) delivered at Harvard in 1983, when Welty was 74 years old. The three sections are titled: LISTENING, LEARNING TO SEE, and FINDING A VOICE. Here's a captivating snippet from the opening paragraph: When I was young enough to still spend a long time buttoning my shoes in the morning, I'd listen toward the hall; Daddy upstairs was shaving in the bathroom and Mother downstairs was frying the bacon. They would begin whistling back and forth to each other up and down the stairwell. Can you imagine?!?!? She had me hooked right at the get-go.

Nowadays, we often hear of people having their house "staged" when preparing to put it on the market. The concept is that you present the house in a way that a potential buyer can envision themselves living in it. Well, Ms Welty has the amazing ability to "stage" a book. Although her world was as distant from mine as the man-in-the-moon, reading this book made me long to be there with her, in Jackson, Mississippi (pre WW I). I could picture her mother reading to her in a rocking chair where they shared seating, riding on the train with her father, watching the flying countryside, and visiting Jackson's Carnagie Library where Mrs. Calloway, the librarian, guarded the library with a dragon's eye.

I understand that there is an audio version of this book, read by the author herself. I am extremely anxious to find it and experience the story in yet another wonderful way.