Eloisa James/Mary Bly

The memoir’s narrator, James, is a highly successful romance novelist—and the pen name (and alter ego) of university professor Mary Bly, a noted Shakespeare expert. Tapping the commercial recognition of the James name, Bly wrote the memoir under her romance novelist moniker rather than her own name. James took a sabbatical in Paris for a year following her breast cancer diagnosis, surgery, and recovery. The entire memoir is presented through her point of view via a series of social media messages.

Considering that James’ track record of publication includes primarily romance novels and academic articles, the idea of a memoir engages. Upon further consideration that this memoir is firmly positioned in the twenty-first century, the text seems even more inviting. By the time the reader realizes that the memoir is presented entirely in social media small bites (Twitter and Facebook posts), the significance...