Thank you to NetGalley, Ecco, and LibroFM, for providing both print and audio versions of Jami Attenberg’s memoir, I Came All This Way to Meet You: Writing Myself Home.

Author Jami Attenberg examines what it means to live a creative life, especially during times of doubt and struggle. Although previously published, Attenberg didn’t obtain commercial success until her third novel. The Middlesteins ( brilliant and worth adding to your TBR pile) was published in 2012. Attenberg details changes that she made that helped this success, such as changing agents and marketing strategies. I think in many situations, people would feel defeated if their first or second novel wasn’t a big success, but Attenberg shows that persistence and a shift in strategy can pay-off dividends.

I Came All This Way to Meet You is pitched as a book for writers, and it does give great insight into the publishing process and writer’s life, but really I think it is a great memoir to encourage anyone to keep following their dreams, no matter what they may be. Attenberg has tenacity. She has a love for writing that keeps her going even when money is scarce and times are tough. I liked reading about her travels around the United States and how different landscapes and communities inspired her imagination. I was reminded to take opportunities in whatever form they may present themselves and to focus on the present while working towards the future.