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A review by courtney_mcallister
House of Prayer No. 2: A Writer's Journey Home by Mark Richard
3.0
House of Prayer No. 2 follows the early life and development of Mark Richard, a Southern writer who, at times, seems to possess an almost compulsive desire to expose himself to new experiences. Although the sheer number and variety of Richard's adventures can make one's head spin, the overall effect of this account is complex and resonant. Richard's descriptions of his time spent in children's hospitals are especially harrowing and unique. Such traumatic experiences could easily produce self-obsessed autobiographies, but Richard's restraint makes these memories powerful and remarkably devoid of sentimentality.
How does one write a book about her/his experiences without being solipsistic? How do you write about the self without sounding like you fancy yourself the center of the universe? Mark Richard's memoir is not a perfect piece of writing, but he does offer a compelling response to the aforementioned pitfalls of autobiography. One of the most striking aspects of this book is the absence of first person. Adopting the second person voice while narrating his own life allows Richard to create a unique estrangement effect. Some readers might find it too alienating, but I personally enjoyed the use of distance. It also works, I feel, because of the themes Richard describes. Although he doesn't fixate on the term/diagnosis, most of the early sections of House of Prayer No. 2 have to do with his experiences as a child with autism (or perhaps Asperger's). The use of second person is more meaningful when one considers how it represents the way in which Richard's own mind functions.
I also enjoyed the lack of structural breaks or divisions in House of Prayer No. 2. The entire text flowed together, but not in a mellow, new-agey way. It actually strengthened the book's momentum.
3.5 stars
How does one write a book about her/his experiences without being solipsistic? How do you write about the self without sounding like you fancy yourself the center of the universe? Mark Richard's memoir is not a perfect piece of writing, but he does offer a compelling response to the aforementioned pitfalls of autobiography. One of the most striking aspects of this book is the absence of first person. Adopting the second person voice while narrating his own life allows Richard to create a unique estrangement effect. Some readers might find it too alienating, but I personally enjoyed the use of distance. It also works, I feel, because of the themes Richard describes. Although he doesn't fixate on the term/diagnosis, most of the early sections of House of Prayer No. 2 have to do with his experiences as a child with autism (or perhaps Asperger's). The use of second person is more meaningful when one considers how it represents the way in which Richard's own mind functions.
I also enjoyed the lack of structural breaks or divisions in House of Prayer No. 2. The entire text flowed together, but not in a mellow, new-agey way. It actually strengthened the book's momentum.
3.5 stars