1 What is a memoir?

The authors in this section have all written a kind of essay called a memoir, which means they tell stories that come from the author’s memories. (The word is just French for “memory.”) The first unit in this textbook explores this genre. Using the readings as inspiration, you should then be able to write a memoir of your own.

Specifically, these memoirs tell stories of eating! Why eating? Food has magical superpowers. No other cultural force brings people together the way food does. Since everyone eats, everyone has food memories. That’s where memoirs come in. We’ve all enjoyed delicious pastries, salmon bakes, noodle bowls, and Thanksgiving dinners. We connect to each other through food because food is life.

Eating eases stress and helps us feel close, especially when we eat with those we care about. Food also overcomes boundaries, a helpful tool these days when culture plays a major role in our national stress. Want to learn more about someone’s background? Eat with them, but do it on their terms, with an open mind. A memoir essay is a very low-risk assignment. Everyone eats so everyone has a story to share.