Book Review: “Not Quite What I Was Planning”

Book nine of my 2019 Reading Challenge.

Not Quite What I Was Planning

This little book is a collection of six-word memoirs published by Smith Magazine.

Ernest Hemingway famously wrote, “For Sale: baby shoes, never worn,” and proved that an entire story can be told using half a dozen words.

When I was in school we were challenged to write a story in six short words and it’s not easy but it tells so much more than what’s written on the page. The subtext and hidden meanings are what make them so interesting.

Since it’s a small culmination of very short stories it was an easy read so there’s not much to this review other than a recommendation to check it out. The book itself came to publication after a Twitter campaign from Smith Magazine so if you’d like to check that out first click here.

Since this is such a short review I’ll drop in some of my favorites from the book. Some are funny, some are serious and some just hit home.

“Now I blog and drink wine.”

“Followed rules, not dreams. Never again.”

“I was born. Some assembly required.”

“Blogging is easy. Writing is harder.”

“Lived in moment until moment sucked.”

“Life goal: maximum results, minimal effort.:

“Slightly psychotic, in a good way.”

“Can’t tonight, watching Law & Order.”

“My life’s a bunch of almosts.”

“Found great happiness in insignificant details.”

“Anything possible — but I was tired.”

“I live the perfect imperfect life.”

“Wandering imagination opens doors to paradise.”

“Perpetual work in progress, need editor.”

“So it goes, a tad askew.”

“Can my words have footnotes, please?”

“I colored outside the lines.”

“Even the quietest sounds make noise.”

“Always working on the next chapter.”

“Never could resist overachieving.”

“It’s like forever, only much shorter.”

“Put whole self in, shook about.”

“I’m the fine print; read closely.”

“I fell out of the nest.”

“Clumsy girl found adventure. Also, bruises.”

 

I challenge you to write your own six-word memoir. “Tell your story. That’s my story.”

Stay tuned for my next book review: The Magician’s Nephew book one in The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Yes, I haven’t read them yet. I have an old Scholastic book set of the series from elementary school. Better late than never right?