Memoirs in schools?

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I think all schools should have copies of memoirs and give them out as reading material. Thoughts from those who have read some memoirs?
 

Jamesaritchie

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Schools usually have enough to hand out already. School libraries usually do have quite a few memoirs of historical figures, and really important contemporary figures, but they generally have enough trouble just handing out textbooks.
 

benbradley

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I read "Opus 100" (not exactly a biography, but parts of it was) from the high school library and really enjoyed it. I ended up reading all the dozen or so Asimov books there.

I've read many other memoirs, and I tend to agree many are good reading material, but I don't see them as that much more special than other books, either fiction or nonfiction.
 

Friendly Frog

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Memoirs, no, not really. But some of the usual biographies can be a good fit for a school. We read a biography of Marie Curie for French in high school, which I quite enjoyed and thought really interesting.
 

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I think memoirs help with educating tough social situations, that some people have to get the hang on in school or not. If they want to succeed in life emotional intelligence as suggested as this intelligence that has been suggested to be the key concept people need to get learn if they want to succeed in school. Besides culture, and problems that involve psychology, I think they should be in demand. It might even be good to locate a publisher with a big circulation in an educational institution that works in a educational setting such and works with school publishers. I wish I could give it a try but I like some escapism. Though memoirs seem to have some magical realism in them when I see the meanings in the story's lines draw parallels with what the person's problems might be or their world they come from (if an immigrant society).
 

ConnieJ

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I'm a HS teacher librarian, and we must have at least 400 memoirs. I think my biography section is about 2,000 books. Students really enjoy reading them, and I have a couple English teachers who require students to read a biography/memoir.
 

Sloane

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I think maybe we are confusing the word "memoir" and the word "biography" and "autobiography". A "memoir" is not the same thing as an "autobiography".

I agree that memoirs, bios, and autobios can all be useful reading, along with other forms of books. A memoir is only so useful as the author's POV is useful in teaching young people. A memoir written by a narcissistic, self-centered person is not a good teaching tool, IMO. A good biography of a successful person such as a political figure or someone who overcame diversity in life, might be useful school reading. I'm not going to say it is more important than the large amount of mandatory reading kids already have.