Conundrum by Jan Morris

Book set in Criccieth, United Kingdom. Reviewed on 2019/05: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxPq-GQnsNW/

#conundrum is about one thing and one thing only and that is the life of #janmorris . This book is her #memoir from her early childhood in #wales and all the way to her #literary career and back to her #welsh countryside. What’s in between these life stages are arguably extraordinary experiences. But there are at the end of the day, her life story and not anyone else’s. This is all important to keep in mind when reading this book, because #morrisclearly does not wish to represent any group or anyone else other than herself. That is her choice and one she has ferociously defended all throughout her life. I can certainly sympathize and understand Morris’ choice not to read anything else in her story expect her own observations and reflections. Representation can be tricky: unwanted and relentless for some or inspiring and hopeful for others. Much like her #travelwriting , this book is a voyage to her past and how she looks back on it, how she remembers it. My main problem with this book is how much she seems blissfully unaware or chooses to when it comes to talk about how her own “privilege” has allowed her to make those choices at not representing. I can’t help but to compare her to the very first book I read this month for #genderqueerlit and SO adored, the one by #anastaciatomson . Unlike Morris, Tomson is not only fully aware of her privilege compared to other #transwomen within the South African society, she also uses that same space to raise awareness and lift other people up. At the end, I think the reader should read this book for what it is and what it meant when it came out in the 1970s. But there is no activism or revolutionary manifesto going on here. I think its individualistic approach somehow tames the inspirational potential of the story. #recommended #nyrb#nyrbclassics #london #transwriter#autobiography #nonfiction#historicalwriter #oxford