Books like Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading by Maureen Corrigan
In *Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading*, Maureen Corrigan invites readers into the full arc of her life, from her unpretentious childhood in Sunnyside, Queens, to graduate school, marriage, and the adoption of a baby overseas. Her narrative blends memoir, coming‑of‑age story, and essays on beloved books. Corrigan examines the role of reading in her personal development and in the broader cultural context, referencing authors from Richard Wright and Chekhov to Philip Roth and Charlotte Brontë. She explores what she terms “female extreme adventure novels” and her fascination with detective stories that conceal social critique. Corrigan’s tale emphasizes how books have been both a refuge and a catalyst for her identity, bridging her working‑class background, career in teaching, and professional life as a book critic for NPR’s *Fresh Air*.
First publish date: 2005
Genre: Memoir/Personal Memoir
Authors: Maureen Corrigan
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