The Influence of Books (Memoir One)

In the first memoir of the collection, the author describes the influences of several books, or stories, on her life. What books or stories would you say had particularly formative effects on you, and why?

The Name Game (Memoirs Two and Three)

In “Call My Name,” the author explores her reaction to having the name “Melissa.” What is the relationship, do you think, between name and identity? How important is a name in defining identity – or, to look at it another way, how much is a name part of the person? Who can you think of who looks like, or behaves like, their name feels? Who can you think of who does not?

(Memoir Four – Labyrinths)

What, do you think, are the metaphoric implications of the quote from p. 58 - specifically, the comment on the choices available to the heroine of...