Mary Karr Thinks You Shouldn’t Google Yourself

it does sound a lot like you have retained for yourself some kind of 'high ground' - it needn't always be moral... However I do agree that one's lover's penis ...is not the grist for which memoirs are writ - they are, though, useful members of our tidy little group activity...

I think the quality of what we share with each other ...deserves better to be honored an respected, if we are really to bare our most inward thoughts ...because in truth we are each other or at least are so enjoined. At best we are but a mere reflection, a narcissistic representation of the dream we have of ourselves. Look into the mirror of anothers eyes - do you not see the same fool as you, yourself? ..or the pitiful tramp, so disposed to misery and ...porn.

Yet your way with words is a delight - maybe we can serve it up at the soda fountain...

My impression. Self-involvement of narcissists. Is there a difference between Memoirs & Autobiographies? From this interview, I would say that there is.

After reading the final two paragraphs of the Cox-Karr interview, I am trying, and failing, to imagine the exchange below, between two male writers, seeing the light of print in The New York Times, viz.:

"I would never talk about anybody’s vagina. You can ask me about my relationship with [Lady ... V] all you like; I’m not going to talk about her vagina.

"[Interviewer: That’s one of the least interesting things about any woman, really.]
If only they knew that."

I am surprised and fascinated to read that so many women think the least interesting thing about a man is his penis. Why? I disagree, and in fact, I am editing now a short story where the character's penis is the focal point of the story. Women are mysterious to men, I believe the reverse hold true. Men have a great deal of mystery and charm and partly located below the belt. I think it's far too flip to toss of such an important and significant part of a man's charm as boring or not of interest. Girls, for many of us at least, let's admit the truth. A man's penis is often, if not more often than not, the coolest physical thing about men. I will go further and say that female nudes are so prevalent, the female figure so exaggerated and over exposed that it is the female figure that is yawn worthy and boring. The male penis under the right circumstances is a beauty to behold.Why not be honest about it?

Obviously Mary Karr, being a celebrity author, has had occasion to meet and socialize with Lena Dunham, and perhaps they are friends or at least acquaintances. Otherwise, why would she defend the seriously unoriginal, untalented Dunham, whose own memoir is not written so much as transcribed from casual conversations (that's the way it reads to me, anyway). No one of intelligence and taste can watch more than ten minutes of Dunham's shows, and to say that she graduated from an American college as a way of proving her brightness is just ludicrous. Tell me she graduated from Harvard, Stanford, Oxford or Cambridge with honors and I might be impressed. Endorsing Dunham is just an example of the circle jerk culture of praise most celebrity authors in America indulge in.

The interviewer never mentioned David Wallace or his penis.
Seems as though Ms. Karr did want to at least mention both.

Talking about the weather is not necessarily boring. It all depends on what is said about the weather. Boring people say boring things about the weather. Take Karr, for example. All she can manage is a cliche like "The weather is boring." Yes, that's boring.

So it's never occurred to Mary Karr to Google herself, yet she states that she's never Googled herself? So really it has occurred to her, she just hasn't given in to the temptation. I can see why she's wearing boots. She's riding a pretty high horse. Perhaps narcissism is also the bacterium infecting all bad interviewees.

My Googleable footprint seems to be light.

When I Google myself, I get almost nothing, although I suppose any information available could allow a malevolent malcontent to find out more.

Mary, your writing - and consciousness - have enriched my life.

I wouldn't have been able to spell "Karr", six hours ago.

Martin Cruz Smith, Jay McInerney, Dom DeLillo, E L Doctorow, and Jonathan Franzen have been my "shortlist" - for more than a decade.

My Top-5 list is now a Top-6 list.

I'm going to buy (at least) three of your books, before midnight tonight.

Don't get too excited - I'll probably buy used, on Amazon.

I've never told anybody this before. And other whoppers.

I got to know Mary when we both lived in Syracuse and I can say she is one of the most brilliant and interesting women I ever met. Before I met her, her "The Liar's Club" bore into my bones. I used to stay awake at night worrying about that little girl. Mary Karr is fascinating and I'm so happy to see her featured in this interview.

I am reading "The Art of Memoir" now and I love it. It makes me smile and occasionally laugh out loud. Karr has a great sense of humor and a quirky way with words. The title of the book makes it seem as if it would be a ponderous, pedantic tome, but it's anything but. It reads as if Karr is sitting in a cafe talking to you personally. Or maybe it reads like she teaches. I'd love to be her student.

"I'm not going to talk about anyone's penis."

Ick. Is that what she thinks people are interested in "learning" from her? No plans here for googling her or reading her books. Though I did admire her subject/verb agreement with "bacterium."

And yet you just talked about it. What a surprise.

tie up your boot, Mary. you remind me of my grampa's saying about women,
"she was a lady. when she fell she had her boots on".

Who is David Wallace?

Seriously: the weather is not boring. At least not if you live around here.

And I've no idea who Mary Karr actually is, but will now google her myself.

"Those are all smart people. Lena Dunham went to Oberlin."

Ugh.

To summarize:
Know thyself - :)
Google thyself - :(

Great interview and I'm so glad that Ana Marie Cox has this gig.

Why does. Ms Karr ever write about her first marriage

I'll chime in and mention that IMO all three of Ms. Karr's memoirs are well worth reading. I've read all three and at least parts of them have stayed with me over the years. I would read a fourth too, perhaps her version of Frank McCourt's "Teacher Man."

Two of the brightest women on our planet. I loved this article.