The Six-Minute Memoir: A Micro Book Review

The Six-Minute Memoir by Mary Helen Stefaniak is a collection of short pieces (about 3 pages each) that drop you into the life of the author, a Midwestern mother of three. The mini essays include humorous anecdotes about her kids and insights she’s gleaned over her years as a mom, but they are not just about parenting. They are also about her love of swimming in her community pool, friends, loss, memory, critters, aging, and house renovation.

It is a good book to pick up when you find yourself too tired or overwhelmed to read a novel. You get all the benefits of falling into a story (transporting descriptions of place, strong characters), but you don’t have to keep track of any plot points. It would also be a great read during nap time, when you want to feel like you can actually finish something before your kids wake up (or the dishes demand attention).

The first sentence of each essay is often a fantastic hook—a remedy for any kind of reading slump. I find it hard to resist reading more after a line like this: “You can learn a lot about people from what they think about squirrels.”

The Six-Minute Memoir is not only good for time-crunched days; it is also a good book to pick up when the headlines are awful and the world feels bleak (when doesn’t it?). Stefaniak’s enthusiasm, joy, and capacity to find delight in unexpected places is infectious. I wish I could join her Porridge Club (see the essay on pg. 67).