The Liar’s Club, by Mary KarrRead about the other entries on the list.
Poet and memoirist Mary Karr is one of America’s sharpest and most honest writers. Many credit The Liar’s Club for reawakening reader interest in the memoir. The story revolves around Karr’s childhood in an East Texas refinery town. She lovingly renders her crazy family — charismatic and sometimes violent father, artistic and clinically insane mother, whip-smart sister — so that by the end, you’ll feel you’ve met them in real life. Despite some seriously traumatic incidents, Karr renders growing up with wisdom and an irreverence that will keep you turning the pages.
The Liars’ Club is among Calvin Trillin's five favorite memoirs and Rebecca Ford's favorite five non-fiction books.
--Marshal Zeringue