Thursday, September 20, 2012

Biittner's Book Reviews: Falling Backwards A Memoir by Jann Arden

Another month, another book review.

This month I had the pleasure of reading Jann Arden's memoir "Falling Backwards". I really enjoyed it. I love it when you feel like you are sitting down with a friend chatting about your past and sharing memories over a cup of tea, or maybe a couple of glasses of wine. This is because of the narrative style; her story is mostly told chronologically although she does tend to drift off topic (appropriately to provide context for who or what she is talking about). She describes her memories as snapshots and I'd have to agree. She certainly captures the concept of casually flipping through an old photo album, revisiting various points in the past.

There is something so lovely in how honestly and simply this memoir is written. This isn't to say that Jann Arden doesn't deal with some very difficult/tough, emotional, gooey things because she most certainly does. Her description of a sexual assault is just gut wrenching but illustrates how unfortunately common this type of experience is for many young women. Her experiences with addictions (of her own, of those around her) will likely resonate with many readers too. She blends the dark with the light allowing her sense of humour to shines through.

I've always loved Jann Arden's music but now I can say I really appreciate her as an author too. I'll definitely seek out her other written works. I would highly recommend this memoir.