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“Bossypants” by Tina Fey came highly recommended by many friends, and it did not disappoint. Fey mixes memoir and comedy with her trademark intelligent and self-deprecating charm.
Tina Fey on Beauty
Fey writes candidly but comically about her memories of being a young girl, awkward in her own skin and unsure of her sense of style. Many readers, including this one, can relate to her experiences, as well as to her call to appreciate and own our unique beauties – and to work towards a society that does so, too.
Tina Fey on Improv, excerpted from “Bossypants”
Fey reminisces about her time at Second City, learning the ropes of improvisational comedy. The lessons that she shares about improv are relevant to any type of collaborative effort. Every office should hang these on the wall, every team member should live by them.
Tina Fey on Writing
As an aspiring writer, I’m inspired by Fey’s thoughts on creative work. Any type of art is a risk for the artist: sharing a piece of themselves with world. But, as Fey says, you have to do it and take courage from knowing that you’ve made the leap of faith.
Whose memoirs have inspired, encouraged or challenged you?
Amy's Inkwell 
When you wrote this, I was a little stumped by your question at the end. I didn’t think I had read any memoirs, much less autobiographies or any biography of anyone that I could point to. That was curious.
Since then, this question has been sitting in my head. And when I was researching some books for a project on which I’m working, I realize that I’ve read a biography (in short) and her major works (at length) and even enrolled in schools (teacher training) that cater especially to her philosophy: Dr. Maria Montessori.
Is this a memoir? No, I’d say maybe more of a treatise or a manifesto. 😀
Aside from that, I read 1 semi-auto biography of Louisa May Alcott, in which she describes her books that I loved as “moral pap”. A shocker but I guess a gal has got to make a living sometimes. She just wrote it so well, I never would have guessed. Just like Jo.
And I guess I did read one graphic memoir (comic book style). The medium fascinates me. The content of this particular one was whiny, entitled, self-absorbed and did not connect with me at all. Simply by being so bad, it did give me a strong inclination of what a memoir should NOT be. There is help, even in that.
Bossypants, The Funny Thing is by Ellen Degeneres and This Star Won’t Go Out by Esther Earl!
BTW, I used one of the photos here on my blog, I hope that’s okay? I credited you and linked back to you as well! Here’s the link in case you want to see it: http://wp.me/pcZmM-iu