I Can't Keep My Own Secrets: Six-word Memoirs by Teens Famous & Obscure

Title: I Can’t Keep My Own Secrets

Edited by: Rachel Fershleiser and Larry Smith

From: Smith Magazine

Publisher: HarperTeen

Year: 2009

# Pages: 182

Category: Non-Fiction Choice

Genre: Non-Fiction

My Summary & Critique:

I Can’t Keep My Own Secrets is a collection of almost 800 six-word memoirs written by a few famous but mostly obscure teens, ages 13 to 18. It is the second volume of six word memoirs collected by Smith magazine, who challenged teens to encapsulate their lives into a few brief words. What results represents a variety of emotions— funny, sad, frightening, rebellious, regretful, disappointed, hopeful, bold, despairing. Typical teen issues such as age, growing up, drugs, death, dreams, parents, pregnancy, love, religion, and music are prevalent. Their stories, brief yet revealing, are poignant and deep.

Some of my favorites:

· I fulfilled my awkwardness quota today.

· Hair’s pink to piss you off.

· Lost myself for popular kids’ approval.

· I lost more than my innocence.

· If not through whispers, through texts.

· Eccentricity is not an exact science.

· I’m deaf, but she can’t hear.

· I needed Daddy. He needed meth.

· I’ve already turned into my mother.

· Family falls apart after mom dies.

· Love, not enough, all there is.

· Always listening, but never really heard.

I was fascinated by the depth that was achieved by these teens in only 6 words and I could see the appeal that this book would have for teens. Each memoir, each message is short and in its brevity, there is power. I was also excited by the prospect that this format could have for teachers, seeking to get their students to hone in on the power and impact of their own words.