If you've ever wondered whether there's a book inside of you, then you should read "The Life Writing Class." I had the good fortune of beginning to read it when I was struggling to write my own book and finishing it after I had the opportunity to enroll in one of John Patrick Grace's Life Writing classes. So I have viewed the process from the inside and the outside, and it's a remarkable thing to behold. The book gives the reader a sampling of the stories waiting to be told by people from all walks of life. In the class, I have seen such people come in with ideas of the stories they want to tell and receive the direction they need to get those stories into print. That first Life Writing class, which produced this book, has led to the publication of five other books with more on the way. One member of the class I was in already has a book in the hands of a publisher and scheduled to be in print in a matter of months. The rest of us are working on ours with a new sense of purpose. Some of us still meet on our own on a weekly basis to give each other support. Not everyone will have a chance to be a member of a Life Writing class, but reading this book will give you a better idea of what's possible.

This book is incredibly inspiring, especially if you're considering writing your own life story. Each of these 26 short pieces takes a unique approach to the task: honoring a distant ancestor/poet, a Christmas Eve that holds the last perfect moment for a family soon torn apart, a funeral procession through the streets of Chicago that rekindles boyhood memories. We see a piece of ourselves in each tale and are stimulated by the different solutions to the puzzle of autobiography: where to start, how to proceed.

The Life Writing Class is also lovingly illustrated with black and white photographs of paintings held in the collection of The Huntington Museum of Art. Clearly reproduced, achingly beautiful, they are the perfect visual metaphor for a book of autobiographical prose: not the light itself, but a reflection of the light. The Life Writing Class is a class act in content, design, and impact. It makes you want to write.

"The Life Writing Class" is a must read for anyone passionate about personal histories and autobiographies. It would be particularly helpful for someone looking for a jump-start in writing a retrospective of their own. Edited by a masterful writing coach, the book left me feeling as though I'd made 20 new friends.