Posted by: STORM in Craft, Reviews
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I just finished reading Naomi Wolf’s book, “The Treehouse: Eccentric Wisdom from My Father on How to Live, Love, and See.” I had never read anything by Wolf before, although I knew that she wrote the bestseller “The Beauty Myth” in 1991. Thanks to Kirsten Baldock for lending it to me. This book is part memoir and part how to guide. It’s for anyone trying to invoke change in their lives, but especially for writers.
In this book, Wolf recounts how her father, Leonard Wolf, was an inspiration for her. She gives the reader very personal glimpses into their relationship and family history. It’s a cozy book. You can almost feel the admiration that Wolf has for her father drip off the pages. For the first three chapters, I had a hard time with the narrative voice of the book. I didn’t yet feel connected to the sage-like figure that Wolf was building up her father to be. In chapter four, entitled “Speak in Your Own Voice,” I felt a narrative shift. All the cutesy descriptions of what Leonard wore and how Wolf’s children acted started to feel more grounded, more relevant. All the threads about Wolf’s childhood, her adult responsibilities and worries about her future started to weave together. By page 90, Wolf’s literary education really shines. Check out this passage:
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