Real Life Stories

Being a Single Mom, Carrie Elliott
Description: Available on the VALUE website Subjects: Parenting; Memoir; Learner Writings

VALUE Website, date unknown, http://literacynet.org/value/writers/misc.html#Being a Single Mom, Internet, $---Internet.

Beryl's Lot, Maria G. Edwards
Description: From the catalog...Maria Edwards tells of her working life as a young sewing machinist, first as a trainee and later as a worker. This story gives insight into some of the social aspects of work. Accompanying cassette available Subjects: Memoir; Learner Writings; Work / Career

Peppercorn / Avanti-Gatehouse, 1996, 0-906253-51-9, Paperback, 24 pgs, $7.50.

Breast Cancer As I Lived It, Mary Scanlon
Description: from the website...This true story was written by Mary Scanlon, a former student at Somerville Community Adult Learning Experiences (S.C.A.L.E.) in Joyce Ralph's class. It was adapted for students with limited English literacy by Loren McGrail. Illustrations are by Rosa Aimée González. Includes a glossary and a Spanish version. Subjects: Health; Memoir; Learner Writings; Bilingual

World Education, date unknown, http://www.worlded.org/us/health/docs/MScanlon2/index.htm, Internet, $---Internet. Level: 3-5.

La Cocina de Vida: The Kitchen of Life, Anson Green (coordinator)
Description: Curriculum developed by and for women making the transistion into the workplace from public assistance, oppressive relationships, or with low expectations of what work can offer them. Subjects: Learning Center Publication; Learner Writings; Community Involvement; Memoir

Texas Education Agency, 1999, http://members.aol.com/lacocina99/cocina.html, Internet.

Daycare and Diplomas: Teen Mothers Who Stayed in School, Students at South Vista Education Center
Description: In this book, students from South Vista Education Center in Minnesota share their views on pregnancy, parenthood, and staying in school. South Vista provides teen mothers with the assets they need to stay in school, be effective parents, and succeed in life. Subjects: Parenting; Teens; Memoir; Education

Fairview Press, 2001, 1-57749-098-3, Paperback, 89 pgs, 6 x 9, $9.95. Level: 5-8.

First Time Barmaid, Louise Tonner
Description: From the catalog...Louise describes her feelings on her first night working in a pub-- nervous at the start but ending up on top of the world! Accompanying cassette available. Subjects: Memoir; Learner Writings; Work / Career

Peppercorn / Avanti-Gatehouse, 1995, 0-906253-45-4, Paperback, 20 pgs, $7.50.

Four Stories: Oral Histories From the Open Book, Stephanie Lawson and John Gordon, eds.
Description: These four memoirs were true stories told by students and recorded on tape and typed by the editors (their teachers). Subjects: Memoir; Learner Writings; Learning Center Publication

Open Book, 1990, no isbn, Staple Bound, 69 pgs, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, $---Contact Source. Level: 5-8.

From East to West: Our Lives Series, Linh Hoa
Description: From the catalog...Linh Hoa is a Chinese women who lived in Vietnam until she was forced to flee with her family, first to Hong Kong then to England. Linh tells her story from the days in Vietnam to her progress through the refugee camp in Hampshire to her married life in London where she is now happily settled with a family of her own. Subjects: Memoir; International; Learner Writings

Peppercorn / Avanti-Croydon, 1987, 0-9516066-3-8, Paperback, 42 pgs, $6.00. Level: 8+.

From Sound to Silence: Our Lives Series, Asha Mohamed
Description: From the catalog... This is the story of Rashida Abedi who came to Britain from Pakistan in 1985 to find a cure for her profound deafness. Only after a long campaign by her friends was she allowed to stay. Her writing shows a remarkable degree of optimism for the future. Also available in Urdu Subjects: Memoir; International; Disability; International

Peppercorn / Avanti-Croydon, 2000, 0-9516066-5-4, Paperback, 45 pgs, $6.00.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou
Description: The moving and beautiful autobiography of a talented black woman. ". . . I have no words for this achievement, but I know that not since the days of my childhood . . . have I found myself so moved . . . Her portrait is a Biblical study of life in the midst of death".--James Baldwin. Subjects: Memoir; African American
Bantam Books, 1971/1993, 0-553-27937-8, Paperback, 291 pgs, 4 x 7, $5.99. Level: 5-8.

I See a Part of Myself: Voices from the Community, Edami Roa, Basemah Jaber and Ivan Ramirez
Description: Longer memoir writings by learners living in New York City. Subjects: Learner Writings; Memoir; Learning Center Publication

Open Book, (date unk), no isbn, Paperback, 99 pgs, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, $---Contact Source. Level: 5-8

I Told Myself I Am Going to Learn, Elizabeth Ndaba
Description: from the catalog... Elizabeth wanted to be a good mother. But she knew she must make time to learn to read. In 'I told Myself' she tells how she struggled to got to a literacy class. She tells how she found the courage to tell her family that she could not read, and how she stood up to her husband who did not want her to succeed. It is a personal story that many people will understand. Subjects: Memoir; Education; Learner Writings; Family

Peppercorn / ViVa Books, 2001, 1-874932-93-X, Paperback, 25 pgs, $7.00. Level: 2-3.

Listen to Me: Talking Survival, Fay
Description: from the catalog... A heart-wrenching account of a woman's struggle to survive childhood sexual abuse and the long-term pain it caused her. The author hopes to send a message to other survivors that they are not alone. Subjects: Violence; Memoir; Learner Writings

Peppercorn / Avanti-Gatehouse, 1989, 0-906253-30-6, Trade Paperback, 23 pgs, $7.50.

Looking Forward: Our Lives Series, Inma Suarez
Description: From the catalog... Inma Suarez came to England as an au pair, speaking only Spanish. She went to English classes and there met her future husband. Her story tells of how she married and after having a baby, discovered she had leukemia. The rest of the book deals with her battle against the disease. Subjects: Memoir; Health; International; Learner Writings

Peppercorn / Avanti-Croydon, 1994, 0-9516066-4-6, Paperback, 40 pgs, $6.00. Level: 8+.

Make Way for August: New Writer's Voices Series, Mamie Moore
Description: August is the pet guinea pig of Mamie and her daughter, Takeenah. It is the story of a mother's love and the joys of living with a pet. Includes photographs. Subjects: Memoir; Learner Writings
New Readers Press, 1991, 0-929631-36-6, Paperback, 61 pgs, 4 x 7, $5.00. Level: 3-5.

My Deaf Son, Umtul Nisa
Description: from the catalog... Umtul writes about her first born son Ahdil, born two months after she arrived from Pakistan to live in England, and of how she and her family coped when they discovered that he was profoundly deaf. The story is one of heartbreaking discovery, challenge and triumph. It will give new hope and encouragement to the mothers of severely disabled children. Illustrated with line drawings, the text is in both English and Urdu. Subjects: Memoir; Bilingual; Disability; Learner Writings

Peppercorn / Avanti-Gatehouse, 1998, 0-906253-57-8, Paperback, 34 pgs, $6.00. Level: 2-3.

My Life Story with Cancer, Mary Walker
Description: My Life Story with Cancer is a story written by Mary Walker, a former student at Somerville Center for Adult Learning Experiences (S.C.A.L.E.) in Joyce Ralph's class. The story was adapted for students with limited English literacy by Kathy Brucker. Illustrated by Joane Wheeler.
Subjects: Memoir; Health; Learner Writings
World Education, date unknown, http://www.worlded.org/us/health/docs/Mary/introduction.html, Internet, $---Internet. Level: 3-5.

My Name's Not Susie: A Life Transformed by Literacy, Sharon Jean Hamilton
Description: As a child she lived in foster care and was abused. Literacy changed and saved her life. Subjects: Memoir; Education; Violence
Heinemann, 1997, 0867094044, Paperback, 176 pgs, 6 x 9, $13.95. Level: 8+.

New Home, Hard Work, Naznin Monaf
Description: From the catalog... Naznin writes about her arrival in England from Bangladesh. Cold, pregnant and unsure of what lay ahead, she was about to experience some of the hardest days of her life. This autobiographical account was written during ESOL classes and has an introduction in both English and Bengali. Cassette available. Subjects: Memoir; Bilingual; Immigration Issues; Learner Writings

Peppercorn / Avanti-Gatehouse, 1994, 0-906253-38-1, Paperback, 51 pgs, $6.00. Level: 1-2.

Nobody Is Stupid, Marie Fierros
Description: Available on the VALUE website Subjects: Education; Memoir; Learner Writings
VALUE Website, date unknown, http://literacynet.org/value/writers/oak2.html#fierros, Internet, $---Internet.

Nomads of a Desert City, Barbara Seyda
Description: This book includes oral histories of people who are homeless. These people talk about their lives, their despair and fears, their hopes and dreams. Seven of the 13 stories are of women. Subjects: Housing Issues; Memoir

Univ. of Arizona Press, , 0-8165-2079-8, Paperback, 102 pgs, 6 x 9, $16.95. Level: mixed.

Oceans Apart, Kohinoor Akter
Description: From the catalog... The author, aged 13 when she married in Bangladesh, traveled to England before giving birth to her third child. Her first two children and her husband had to remain in Bangladesh. This is a vivid and heartrending account of the stresses placed on families when they become separated on account of immigration laws. Illustrated with line drawings, the text is in both English and Bengali. Subjects: Memoir; Bilingual; Immigration Issues

Peppercorn / Avanti-Gatehouse, 1998, 0-906253-62-4, Paperback, 34 pgs, $6.00. Level: 1-2.

Our Experience: Women from Somalia, Tanzania, Bangladesh and Pakistan Write about Their Lives, Stella Fitzpatrick and Fatima Mumin, editors.
Description: From the catalog... Women from Somalia, Tanzania, Bangladesh and Pakistan write about their lives and experiences in their home countries, and in Britain. We gain an insight into their home cultures through lullabies, children's games, recipes and reminiscences. Some sections of the book are translated into Somali, Ki-Swahili, Bengali and Urdu. Photographs and drawings. Subjects: Memoir; Learner Writings; International; Bilingual

Peppercorn / Avanti-Gatehouse, 1996, 0-906253-53-5, Paperback, 91 pgs, 6 x 8 1/4, $11.50.

Outer Limits, The Literacy Project (ed)
Description: Learner writings from literacy centers located in Western Massachusetts. Subjects: Poetry; Memoir; Learner Writings

Literacy Project, Periodical, no isbn, Staple Bound, Various pgs, $---Contact Source. Level: mixed.

Positive Women: Voices of Women Living with AIDS, Andrea Rudd and Darien Taylor, editors.
Description: This book is about women who shatter myths, take control and find their own power in the challenge of living with AIDS. This is an insightful and emotionally moving book which informs and inspires. Subjects: Health; Memoir

Sumach Press, 1992, 0-929005-30-9, Paperback, 267 pgs, 6 x 9, $14.95 (Canadian). Level: 5+.

Proclamation of Independence: Women of Oakland / Life Stories Told by Women Students, Second Start Program
Description: Subjects: Learner Writings; Learning Center Publication; Memoir; Women's Issues

Oakland Public Library, (Distributed by: Peppercorn Books & Press Inc.) 2000, 1-928836-06-2, Paperback, 59 pgs, 8 1/2 x 11, $10.00. Level: 3-5.

Quest for Life: Women of Oakland / Life Stories Told by Women Students, Second Start Program
Description: Subjects: Learner Writings; Learning Center Publication; Memoir; Women's Issues

Oakland Public Library, (Distributed by: Peppercorn Books & Press Inc.) 2000, 1-928836-05-4, Paperback, 48 pgs, 8 1/2 x 11, $10.00. Level: 1-2.

Reading Changed My Life: Three True Stories, Beth Johnson (editor)
Description: After a lifetime of abuse, Maria Cárdenas was finally living in peace with her daughter. But soon, that little girl would be able to read better than her mother. What could Maria do? School was a nightmare for Daisy Russell. She couldn’t wait to get away from a place where she felt stupid and worthless. But once she dropped out, she discovered a burning desire to learn to read. Was it too late? As a child, Julia Burney escaped from the poverty and violence of her home into a world of books. As an adult, she saw children growing up without that escape available to them. How could she help? In Reading Changed My Life! Three True Stories, you’ll learn what happened to Maria, Daisy, and Julia. They are three courageous women whose stories will touch and inspire you. Subjects: Memoir; Reading; Learner Writings
Townsend Press, 2003, 1-59194-012-5, Paperback, 94 pgs, 6 x 9, $2.00 ($1.00 if you order from the website). Level: 5+.

So Many Things I Could Have Written: Our Lives Series, Asha Mohamed
Description: Advanced level learners. Asha Mohamed arrived in Britain as a refugee from Somalia in 1985. Although she had been a business woman in Somalia, she was now completely at a loss due to lack of language and little knowledge of a foreign culture. That she managed to sort out her problems and care for her two young daughters is a tribute to her courage. Subjects: Memoir; Learner Writings

Peppercorn / Avanti-Croydon, 1987, 0-9516066-2-X, Paperback, 25 pgs, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, $5.00. Level: 5-8.

Standing on My Own Two Feet: Our Lives Series, Faizia Zaman
Description: From the catalog...Faizia Zaman, an immigrant from Bangladesh, was left a widow with five children when her husband died suddenly.She enrolled for English classes which helped her develop the confidence to cope with life on her own. Subjects: Memoir; Learner Writings; International; Education

Peppercorn / Avanti-Croydon, 1990, 0-9516066-1-1, Paperback, 47 pgs, $6.00. Level: 8+.

To Open Your Mind: A Collection of Writings by Adult Learners in Minnesota, MLC Staff (ed)
Description: from website: "To Open Your Mind is a publication featuring the writings and artwork of Minnesota adult learners and students. It is published periodically by the Minnesota Literacy Council, but learners are invited to submit their works at any time. In between publications, selected writings may be posted on this Web page with the author's permission."
http://www.themlc.org/To_Open_Your_Mind.htm Subjects: Learner Writings; Fiction; Memoir; Poetry

Minnesota Literacy Council, Annual, (no isbn), Staple Bound, various pgs, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, $---Contact Source. Level: mixed.

Trader, Rebecca Tagoe
Description: From the catalog...Trader is Rebecca Tagoe's amazing story of buying and selling cloth in Ghana, and of emigrating to England Accompanying cassette available. Subjects: Memoir; Learner Writings; Immigration Issues; Work / Career

Peppercorn / Avanti-Gatehouse, 1995, 0-906253-46-2, Paperback, 20 pgs, $6.00.

When I Was Puerto Rican, Esmeralda Santiago
Description: A coming-of-age memoir in which the author recounts her childhood in rural Puerto Rico and her teenage years in New York City. Subjects: Memoir; Latina

Vintage Books, 1994, 0-679-75676-0, Paperback, 274 pgs, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, $12.00.

Who Am I, Women's group
Description: From the catalog...Writing about women's lives, selected by a women's writing group. Subjects: Memoir; Learner Writings; Women's Issues

Peppercorn / Avanti-Gatehouse, 1982, 0-906253-13-6, Paperback, 35 pgs, $7.50. Level: mixed.

Why Did It Happen to Me?, Carla Frenchy
Description: Carla gets bad news from her doctor. Something is wrong with the baby she is carrying. She turns to her family for help and advice. Pictures. Subjects: Pregnancy; Memoir; Learner Writings

Reading & Writing Centre, (Distributed by: Peppercorn Books & Press Inc.) 2000, 1-896886-18-3, Paperback, 14 pgs, 5 1/2 x 8 1/2, $7.00. Level: 5-8.

A Woman on Her Own, Margaret Fulcher
Description: From the catalog...A collection of five pieces in which Margaret describes her life bringing up a child on her own and learning to read and write. Subjects: Memoir; Learner Writings; Education; Parenting

Peppercorn / Avanti-Gatehouse, 1978, 0-906253-03-9, Paperback, 22 pgs, $6.00.