New Yesterday: Not Quite What I Was Planning by Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser

While driving into the day-job this morning after spending a late-night writing; I listened to a piece about SMITH Magazine on BBC radio 4. It seems that they have released a book called Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure by Larry Smith and Rachel Fershleiser. It features people’s life-stories with one important proviso; the memoir must be six words. The book contains almost 1000 six-word memoirs, including additions from many celebrities including Stephen Colbert, Jane Goodall, Deepak Chopra and many more. It is addictive and rather moving considering how our lives unravel.

The SMITH Magazine Web site reports the genesis for these six word memoirs has a literary heritage:

Legend has it that Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in only six words. His response? “For sale: baby shoes, never worn.” Last year, SMITH Magazine re-ignited the recountre by asking our readers for their own six-word memoirs. They sent in short life stories in droves, from the bittersweet (“Cursed with cancer, blessed with friends”) and poignant (“I still make coffee for two”) to the inspirational (“Business school? Bah! Pop music? Hurrah”) and hilarious (“I like big butts, can’t lie”).

A few of the pithy memoirs as examples are:

“Sometimes God wants the dishwasher’s job” -- Ken Blackman

“Part time writer. Full time waitress” -- Erin Hicks

“Good Catholic girls graduated to suicide” –--Mary Skol

“2 kids, 2 dogs, 2 jobs” -- Loretta

“I lied, I loved, I birthed” -- Tracy

“Life too short, eat good cheese” -- Vince

Could you sum up your life in just six words? Need inspiration? Check out this video of examples culled from pithy memoirs and, as the book is released this week, SMITH Magazine will be on tour to promote their little book of memories. (Or should it be, “their book of little memories?”)