A Memoir of My Former Self: A Life in Writing

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'I breathed in stories, as soon as I breathed in air. Sometimes I think I wasn't born, but I just came out of an ink blot.' Hilary Mantel, celebrated novelist and insightful journalist, reflects on her life and writing in this collection spanning four decades. Her belief that 'ink is a generative fluid' underscores her commitment to storytelling, as she explores a range of subjects. Mantel delves into nationalism and belonging, the interplay between dreams and reality, and the enduring legacy of figures like Princess Diana. She examines themes that inform her novels—revolutionary France, psychics, Tudor England—and discusses fellow writers from Jane Austen to V. S. Naipaul. Her personal narrative includes poignant reflections on her father, her struggles with health in her youth, and the challenges of living in Saudi Arabia. This collection also features her film reviews, from classics like When Harry Met Sally to RoboCop, alongside her powerful Reith Lectures, which illuminate how art resurrects history. Through her unique lens, Mantel offers a vivid portrayal of her life, filled with humor and insight, making this an essential read from one of literature's greatest voices. 'A smart, deft, meticulous, thoughtful writer, with such a grasp of the dark and spidery corners of human nature' - Margaret Atwood.