Memoir: making life real on the page

Julia Hollander writes non-fiction that originates in the lived experience, interweaving personal narratives with cutting edge research. Her first book, Indian Folk Theatres (Routledge, 2009) derived from over a decade working in India as a stage director and performer. She went on to write two memoirs about family life, When the Bough Breaks (John Murray, 2010), and Chicken Coops for the Soul (Guardian Books, 2011). More recently, she returned to her performing arts roots with Why We Sing (Atlantic, 2023), an exploration of the way in which singing benefits everyday wellbeing. She has also written plays for BBC radio including a dramatisation of When the Bough Breaks.

Seminar Convenor: Dr Clare Morgan