I kept the fingers of my left hand crossed all the time, while on my right-hand fingers I counted anything at allโsteps to the refrigerator, seconds on the clock, words in a sentenceโto keep my head occupied. The counting felt like something to hang on to, as if finding the right numbers might somehow crack the code on whatever system ran the slippery universe we were moving through.
Mary KarrThe failures of other genres to provide an emotional connection with some of their characters and narratives gives memoir a toehold.
Mary KarrI find a great deal of comfort and care in my faith and prayer. I'd sooner do without air than prayer.
Mary KarrThe emotional stakes a memoirist bets with could not be higher, and it's physically enervating. I nap on a daily basis like a cross-country trucker.
Mary Karr