Different from any college textbook I have ever read, Family: American Writers Remember Their Own, is at a personal level to the reader. The individual stories about the writers' family members are written to be familiar to oneself. My favorite story was Happy Blue Crabs by Jose Raul Bernardo. Jose Raul's grandfather, Maximillo, is a chef and since his family ate meat everyday, he would only cook seafood at his restaurant. One special evening, Maximillo invited Jose Raul into the kitchen with him. As a rule, Maximillo would only cook for men, as he himself was a man's man who had a "large passionate appetite for everything important in a man's life: caiman hunting, deep-sea fishing, great sex, and, of course, great food" (p 57). As a bonding experience, Jose Raul and his grandfather prepare a meal for the men. While in the kitchen, Grandpa Maximillo tries to explain to Jose Rail about the "ahhh moment" in one's life and how it can change your entire view of the world. "sometimes a sentence goes beyond just being clear. It becomes radiant. It illuminates your life. It may even change your life for good. And when that happens, that is poetry. That experience. That moment in your life" (p 61). This story is at a personal level for readers because it describes an event in every person's life: the point where both yourself and your parents recognize you as an adult. The reader will enjoy this book not only for the interesting and humorous stories, but also because he will be able to relate to the stories.

This book portrays a lot about life through different writers perspectives. Containing sixteen different stories all by different authors, this book helps inspire young writers to dig into their own lives. After reading the book I have gained knowledge on how to write a more interesting and descriptive non-fiction paper. Each individual story is written from a different viewpoint: Grandpa's, mother;s, Sons, even the cats. It is amazing to see all the different types of viewpoints their really are.
My favorite two stories were Happy Blue Crabs by Jose Raul Bernardo, and Sympathy by Stuart Dybek. I liked Sympathy because it shows that many people can be misunderstood. Sometimes it takes the youngest relative to get in touch with a persons emotions to find out the real mystery behind them. Happy Blue Crabs was a great story because it brings back the importance of family traditions and secrets. It was really cute that very strict Maximilano let his grandson in on something that everyone always wonders about.
This book is great to share with your family or friends and I would highly recommend it to anyone. It will help writers to get inspired but can also be a great path down memory lane to some others.

When I first began to read this book, I thought of all the sweet memories these authors were having for their family. However, as I delved into the book, I realized it contained a more valuable resource. Each of these authors has a different writing style that conveys their thoughts in the best of ways. This is especially true with Alice Hoffman's "Advice from my Mother." She does not write in complete sentences, but instead, she writes whatever pops out of her mind at the time. It is unique, yet understandable. It is a very effective way to tell a story. Another story that I found very interesting was Jose Raul Bernardo's "Happy Blue Crabs." This author remembers the first time he cooked with his grandfather. The family is Cuban, and therefore Jose writes a few words in Spanish and informs his audience of how to pronounce them. This fond memory makes the reader feel exactly how Jose felt at the time, yet does not confuse them with the different language. These are just a few stories in the book that have a creative touch to them. Through this book, I have discovered new ways to write stories, but still sound interesting. I suggest this book to anyone interested in seeing different writing techniques, or even if you are just in the mood for touching family stories.