Rather than a traditional biography, this work is actually a compilation of autobiographical essays.

After the tragic and sudden loss of her parents during the flu epidemic, Mary McCarthy's childhood was filled with a diverse range of experiences. She lived with a variety of relatives, some loving and some not so much.

Her life was also influenced by different religious and philosophical beliefs, including Catholicism, Protestantism, Judaism, and agnosticism.

What I found particularly remarkable was her consistently excellent prose style. The way she weaved her memories together was truly captivating.

Moreover, the commentary both before and after her memories added an extra layer of depth to the work. It made me question the very nature of truth in our own recollections and created a sense of authorial distance that allowed for a more objective and nuanced exploration of her past.

Overall, this collection of essays offers a unique and fascinating glimpse into the life and mind of Mary McCarthy.

The author should firmly adhere to writing fiction.

This memoir, unfortunately, was highly repetitive. It seemed to go on and on with the same ideas and details, making it overly wordy.

Moreover, even by the author's own admission, the facts presented in it were of questionable nature.

All in all, it was a huge disappointment. One would have expected more from the author, especially considering her previous works.

Perhaps she should have focused more on creating fictional stories where she has more freedom to let her imagination run wild and create engaging and unique plots.

Instead, this memoir failed to live up to expectations and left the readers feeling let down.

It serves as a reminder that not all works by an author will be masterpieces, and sometimes, they need to go back to the drawing board and重新evaluate their approach.

Hopefully, the author will learn from this experience and come back stronger with some amazing fictional works in the future.

I saw this book on someone's Instagram story. Given that Catholicism was a significant part of my upbringing, I simply had to look it up. McCarthy was a radical in her time. She was part of the Popular Front and identified as a communist, later becoming a Trotskyist. This fact persuaded me to read this book. As I've told my friends, I've talked about how my parents' brand of American Catholicism could be the foundation for Trotskyism if one turns to Marxism. I'm grateful to have avoided that trap and then also to stumble upon evidence for my hypothesis.

Regarding the book itself, while McCarthy is an excellent writer and her very detailed personal account of a 20th-century Catholic upbringing did interest me on a personal level, I suspect she is more inclined towards fiction writing. The fixation on her own youth becomes somewhat dull after the first 50 pages. It often felt as if she was sharing old family stories in the manner of a lively older relative, which I liked. However, her childhood didn't seem as interesting as she hyped it up to be at the beginning. Maybe it was interesting to the WASPs in her life. I don't know.

Overall, the book had its moments, but it also had its drawbacks. I'm still glad I read it, as it provided some food for thought and added to my understanding of McCarthy's life and beliefs.

McCarthy's life story is an extraordinarily sad one. She casually and humorously skips through incidences of loss and abuse. At six, with her parents and three brothers, she boarded a train in Seattle to resettle in Minneapolis in 1918. A virulent influenza epidemic was sweeping the world, and the bacterium traveled with them, leading to the deaths of her father and mother.

Her mother was a convert to Catholicism, and for years, young Mary maintained the zeal of a believer. But the McCarthy children were handed over to a stingy and rigid great aunt and uncle who were unkind to them. Mary was punished constantly, and Uncle Myers favored the youngest boy. Worse, he wrongly accused Mary of theft.

McCarthy's recounting of these events is intertwined with a meditation on memory. She questions whether things happened as she remembers them, emphasizing the role of collective memory. But as an orphan, her collective reference point was a small group of traumatized boys, making it difficult to reach a shared understanding.

The book's theme is memories of a Catholic childhood, which McCarthy develops spasmodically. Her relationship with her grandmother, a "cold, grudging, disputatious old woman," and her grandfather, a nominal Protestant, are central. The child's commitment to the faith at school was intense, but by her teenage years, she announced she had "lost her faith."

Her experiences at the convent school only strengthened her newfound agnosticism. In a final essay, McCarthy ponders the promptings that led the women in her family to faith. Her grandmother was a complex character, and the Preston women's commitment to Catholicism emerged from the complex relations between the older generation.

Long after giving up on religion, McCarthy reflects on her experience. She believes that faith can both reinforce good and give bad people opportunities to be bad. This is a sound judgment, suggesting that one must follow one's own path in matters of faith, knowing that belief alone does not change one's essential nature.

I always knew that McCarthy's parents both passed away in the influenza epidemic of 1918.

However, I had never known what took place for her (and her three younger brothers) after that fateful event.

McCarthy, in her remarkable memoir, provides us with the searing details.

We learn about the horrid relatives who made them sleep with tape over their mouths to prevent "mouth breathing". (What on earth was that about?)

There was also the terrible food situation, a lack of toys, and no friends to speak of.

The unimportance of children is vividly emphasized, not only in the treatment by the aunt and uncle who were paid to raise them, but also by the other relatives and the schools.

McCarthy is indeed a wonderful writer, and this memoir is surely a classic that offers a poignant and eye-opening look into a difficult childhood.

It makes us reflect on the hardships that some children have endured and the power of storytelling to preserve and share such experiences.

In a collection of essays, there are some that are truly decent and stand out, while others may not be up to the same standard.

The decent essays possess certain qualities that make them worthy of attention. They might have well-structured arguments, clear and concise language, and a depth of thought that engages the reader.

These essays often present unique perspectives or offer valuable insights on various topics. They are well-researched and show a good understanding of the subject matter.

On the other hand, the not so decent essays may lack these qualities. They could be poorly written, with grammar and spelling mistakes, or have a disorganized flow.

However, it is important to note that even among the not so decent essays, there might be some闪光点 or interesting ideas that could be developed further.

Overall, the presence of both decent and not so decent essays in a collection provides an opportunity for readers to evaluate and learn from different writing styles and approaches.

Delightful!

It is truly a memoir of the old school. The way of telling the story and then explaining which parts of it are untrue gives a sense of being rather old-fashioned. Maybe it is not really necessary, or perhaps we feel that we have advanced beyond such a style.

Nevertheless, it is such a fascinating world to spend a little time in. The upper class life in Minneapolis and Seattle during the 1920s is vividly描绘 in this memoir.

One can almost picture the elegant parties, the fashionable attire, and the refined manners of that era.

Despite the perhaps outdated storytelling technique, the charm of this bygone world still manages to draw the reader in and make them eager to learn more about the lives and experiences of those who lived in that time and place.

It is a reminder of a different era, a time when things were perhaps a little more genteel and civilized.

Overall, this memoir offers a unique and interesting glimpse into the past, and is well worth the read for anyone interested in history, memoirs, or simply a good story.

What's most interesting about this memoir is

how McCarthy takes all the choices she makes as a memoirist and subjects them to scrutiny.

She delves deep into the temptation to fictionalize,

acknowledging the dubious reliability of memory.

She also explores the reasons for including or excluding information,

and the implications for truth-telling when shaping life events and memories into a coherent narrative.

The compromises and failures inherent in the form are also discussed,

making it a truly fascinating read.

McCarthy's honesty and self-reflection add an extra layer of depth to the memoir,

allowing readers to gain a unique perspective on the process of writing and remembering.

It makes one question the nature of truth in memoirs and

the role of the memoirist in presenting their story.

Overall, this memoir is a thought-provoking exploration of the genre.

I couldn't finish this book.

The structure was so muddled and irritating that it made it difficult for me to follow.

After reading about certain events, the author would then suddenly go back and say that it might not have actually happened that way and present an alternative view.

This constant back and forth really disrupted the flow of the story and made it hard for me to engage with the content.

I managed to get about three quarters of the way through, but then I realized that I just didn't really care anymore and decided to give up.

Despite the book's many shortcomings, I have awarded it 2* because there were some bits that were nicely written.

The author did have a certain talent for describing scenes and characters, but unfortunately, this wasn't enough to save the overall experience for me.

I would not recommend this book to others.

Well,

all I can say is thank heavens I am finally finished with this book. It has been quite a journey,

and I must admit that it was not an easy one. I'll be writing more about it later,

but for now, I just want to share my initial thoughts. I found this to be a very difficult read,

mainly because of the confirmed unreliable narrator. When you question everything that is being said,

it becomes extremely challenging to keep going. I quickly developed a lack of trust in the story and the author,

and that is not a good sign when the book is supposed to be a memoir. It makes you wonder how much of it is actually true.

Despite all the difficulties, I did manage to finish it,

and I'm curious to see what others think of it. More later.

I don't know precisely how I chanced upon this book, but it truly was remarkable.

It consists of a series of essays that, I believe, were previously published in the New Yorker. These essays delve into her early life, which was filled with interesting and captivating events.

What makes this book even more engaging is that each essay is followed by her own reflection on the piece. She shares what she is certain happened, what she thinks might have occurred, and what she is pretty sure she fabricated.

I found this aspect of the book to be just as fascinating as the detailed accounts of her life. It offers a unique perspective and adds an extra layer of depth to the narrative.

The author's honesty and willingness to explore the blurry lines between memory and imagination make this book a truly enjoyable and thought-provoking read.

This book is anything but a simple nostalgia memoir.

It delves profoundly into family dynamics. The author's parents passed away due to the Spanish flu when she was merely 6 years old.

Moreover, it explores US social history and the complex problems of memory itself.

All of this is presented with the inimitable voice of Mary McCarthy.

Surprisingly, you will also encounter your share of interesting characters such as fun nuns and intellectual nuns.

The book offers a rich and multi-faceted exploration that goes beyond the typical boundaries of a memoir.

It engages the reader in a journey through different aspects of life, history, and memory, all while maintaining McCarthy's unique writing style.

Whether you are interested in family stories, social history, or the nature of memory, this book has something to offer.

It is a captivating read that will leave you with a deeper understanding and appreciation of these various themes.