On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft is a blend of autobiography and reference manual; it discusses the childhood of the author and his intellectual development as a writer, but also offers chapters on grammar, structure, characterization, and more for would-be authors. The book examines what goes into the making of a novel, and explains concepts like subtext, theme, and the necessity of avoiding too many adjectives. Major themes include imagination, learning, and childhood.
Death Be Not Proud is a memoir written by novelist John Gunther about the death of his teenage son. Johnny, Gunther's son, is diagnosed with a massive and inoperable brain tumor that takes his life at the age of seventeen. The memoir is Gunther's attempt to cope with the loss and a portrait of a sensitive, brilliant young man. It is remarkable for the poignancy of the narrative voice and for the raw, unvarnished accounting of Johnny's death and its effects on the family.
Wieland is the story of the unfortunate Clara Wieland in the period just before the American Revolutionary War. It is an early work of American Gothic horror, chronicling Clara's struggles while enmeshed in a web of murders relating back to her dead father's mania and his strange self-created religion. Clara, helped by the mysterious vocalist Carwin, endeavors to find the murderer and put a stop to the series of brutal killings.
Rocket Boys is a memoir by Homer Hickam that tells his story of attempting to pursue a passion for building rockets while growing up in a small mining town during the late 1950s. Homer bands together with a group of boys, including Quentin, Roy, Sherman, Jimmy, and Billy, and begins to build model rockets. Their tireless efforts over the course of three years result in them winning a National Science Fair gold medal.