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A few days ago, I wrote about a neat little book ("Not what I was planning: Six Word Memoirs by Writers Famous & Obscure") coming out which revolves around the concept of trying to encapsulate your life in 6 words:
It stems from a great anecdote about Ernest Hemingway once writing a story with only six words, and coming up with an eloquent: "For sale: baby shoes, never worn."It also occurred to me that for most of our readers, the thought of already writing a memoir is kind of a daunting task, especially in light of how young (relatively speaking) many of us are. But then again, here is the perfect medium for it - a memoir with only 6 words! Should work for most of us.
Anyway, the responses I got from that post where really quite wonderful, so I'm hoping to throw a wider net here, and ask my fellow sciencebloggers to do the same, play along, ask their readers as well. If you had to write your memoirs in 6 words, what would they be?
Once again, here's mine:
Over to you.
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Comments
Two dads, five moms, six siblings.
Posted by: Cody | February 15, 2008 11:00 AM
Yeah, the 6-word story has gotten some buzz lately, as it does periodically. I like Cody's, and here's why:
I have always thought that Hemingway's original 6-word story is brilliant because it conveys a story with an incredible range and depth of emotions. When I read those words, vivid images spring to mind; the agonized countenance of the person placing the ad, a room decorated for a child (a room that may now never be used as such); the look of joy and anticipation on the parents' faces when they initially learned of the pregnancy; the unmeasurable sadness in their look now; a half knitted baby sweater lying next to a ball of wool; and so on and so forth. Then, I also realize that tragedy in that story is an assumption and the reason for sale could be any of many trivial ones. Hemingway's 6 words kept my thoughts occupied for longer than many books I've read (probably doesn't say much for my reading, but anyway).
I have read a number of efforts in the past couple of weeks, and while most are good, earnest and somewhat illustrative, few convey tremendous depth or complexity in emotion or circumstance. Cody's story achieves a measure of that.
For he record, mine is not terribly vivid or complex either:
"Trying to realize my full potential"
Posted by: Anonymoustache | February 15, 2008 12:49 PM
Hemingway over-rated, news at eleven.
Posted by: J-Dog | February 15, 2008 2:47 PM
Ping
Posted by: Dr. Free-Ride | February 15, 2008 3:56 PM
Universe Awesome. I had no idea.
Posted by: Brian | February 16, 2008 2:04 PM
Pieces converge for love and health.
Posted by: Thomas Robey | February 16, 2008 3:13 PM
From dreaming to doing, 50 years.
Posted by: DiscoveredJoys | February 17, 2008 10:08 AM
Job, house, kids, blog. No sleep.
Posted by: DianeAKelly | February 17, 2008 9:09 PM