Review: Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak

Can six words say it all? Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story using only six words. His response, "For sale: baby shoes, never worn." It is said to be one of his best works. Or at least the shortest.

The creators of the New York Times bestseller Not Quite What I Was Planning gave this same challenge to readers to submit their own six word stories in Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak by Writers Famous and Obscure.

Like its predecessor, Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak continues with the trend of Not Quite What I Was Planning by presenting the reader with a collection of six-word memoirs to represent the feelings of love and heartbreak.

The book covers topics on relationships in each stage from new love ("Offered my heart, he embraced it"), passionate love ("Never forget, I love you madly"), platonic love ("My least favorite word is platonic"), parental love ("Single by chance; mother by choice"), forbidden love ("No closet could hide this love") and unrequited love ("I never said, 'I love you'") to name just a few.

The book even covers the facet of love after the flowers have wilted and the spark extinguished: heartbreak. The relationship that shouldn't have happened ("I wasn't supposed to meet you"), the unlikely breakup ("She broke my heart by e-mail"), lost love ("He would have been my forever"), divorce ("Married by Elvis, divorced by Friday") and the weird ("He was attracted to crippled girls").

Other notable six-word memoirs that I found amusing since I could relate to them were:

"I waited. He never called back."

"No visas, no addicts, no crazies"

"I searched him on Google. Nothing"

"Romantic comedies screwed me for life"

One of my favorite things about the book is that it makes the reader think, "Can I write my own love story in six words?"

My response, "Do you dare? I just might."

Even though this book may not be a timeless classic or full of witty intellect, it is definitely worth $10 at the local Barnes and Noble. Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak is a great coffee table book to be used as a conversation starter or icebreaker or even as an easy read to relieve the mind of daily stresses and frustrations.

Readers can share their own stories by submitting their six-word memoirs at www.smithmag.net/