Memories of the Future (novel)

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Memories of the Future
First edition (US)
AuthorSiri Hustvedt
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
PublisherSimon & Schuster (US)
Sceptre (UK)

Memories of the Future is a 2019 novel by American writer Siri Hustvedt. The novel concerns a narrator, known as S.H. or by her nickname, "Minnesota", who discovers her journal from 40-years prior to the novel's events.

Writing and development

Hustvedt has said she "[...] actively [hoped] to undermine" the assumption that autobiographical fiction by women tends to be less imaginative than equivalent works by men.[1]

Style and contents

The novel contains autobiographical elements.

New York Times, Judith Shulevitz referred to the novel as an example of autofiction.[2] The novel contains drawings by Hustvedt of several men, including Marcel Duchamp and Donald Trump.[1]

Reception

Critical reception

According to literary review aggregator

The Financial Times, Catherine Taylor compared the work to the "best" of the filmography of American director David Lynch.[4] Critics highlighted Hustvedt's depiction of New York City, with Sam Sacks crediting the depiction of S.H.'s relationship with a neighbor, Lucy, as accurate to the experience of living in a large city.[5] In her review for The Guardian, Sarah Crown praised the inclusion of the city, writing that Hustvedt "joyously depicts" New York as "hot, dirty and cacophonous".[6]

Writing for

Trump era", during which she writes that there "[...] appears to be a wider trend among writers and artists of all kinds in creating works that drill their themes into the minds of their audiences".[7]

Accolades

The novel was long-listed for the 2020 Andrew Carnegie Medals for Excellence in Fiction and Nonfiction.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b Williams, Holly (22 March 2019). "Siri Hustvedt: 'There is a morbid belief that women lack imagination'". inews.co.uk. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b Shulevitz, Judith (26 March 2019). "Was That Really Me? A Novelist Discovers Her Younger Self". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Book Marks reviews of Memories of the Future by Siri Hustvedt". Book Marks. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  4. ^ Taylor, Catherine (8 March 2019). "Memories of the Future by Siri Hustvedt — a sinister New York tale". Financial Times. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  5. ^ Sacks, Sam (15 March 2019). "Fiction: In the Archives of Personal History". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  6. ^ Crown, Sarah (20 March 2019). "Memories of the Future by Siri Hustvedt review – who tells the story?". the Guardian. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  7. ^ a b c Goukassian, Elena (19 March 2019). "Los Angeles Review of Books". Retrieved 6 January 2022.
  8. ^ "2020 Winners". Reference & User Services Association (RUSA). 19 October 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
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