Why people recommend it
This Boy's Life by Tobias Wolff is a classic American memoir detailing the author's tumultuous and rebellious childhood in the Pacific Northwest. On The Book Review podcast in July 2024, the book was discussed by both a featured guest and a host in relation to the craft of life-writing and genre definitions. Guest Lisa Brennan-Jobs mentioned reading Tobias Wolff's memoir during her own writing process, explaining that observing the devious, mischievous, and practically criminal behavior of young Tobias helped her learn how to write more honestly about her own personal flaws and difficult experiences. She noted that the more trouble the young protagonist caused, the more attached she felt to him as a reader and writer. Separately, on an episode discussing the life and times of Jann Wenner and Rolling Stone, the host referenced the memoir alongside Angela's Ashes when evaluating genre-defining works of biographical literature. These contributions demonstrated the lasting literary impact of Tobias Wolff's narrative, showcasing its dual utility as a masterclass in unflinching autobiographical honesty for aspiring memoirists and a benchmark for compelling life-writing within the broader literary community.
Who recommended it
- Lisa Brennan-Jobs Discussed
Lisa Brennan-Jobs — 1 mention
“during this process I read Tobias Wolf's This Boy's Life and I noticed that the more devious young Tobias was and the more mischievous and bad and practically criminal he was the more I loved him”
Mentioned on the show without a named speaker — 1
“Angela's Ashes Angela's Ashes or This Boy's Life”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
- A childhood, the biography of a place
- Angela's Ashes
- Cherry
- Dancing with Cuba
- Experience
- Fierce attachments
Other mentions (1: passing, ad reads, own books)
“um and and I'm a big fan of Tobias wolf who's probably best known still for his Memoir This Boy's Life but he's a terrific story writer”