Still Pictures: On Photography and Memory

Janet Malcolm's memoir explores her life through twelve family photographs, tracing her journey from a morose young girl on a train to a New York childhood influenced by Europe and family mysteries. She also delves into her marriage to Gardner Botsford and the libel trial that led her to become a character in her own drama.

Format: Hardback
Length: 176 pages
Publication date: 02 February 2023
Publisher: Granta Books

For decades, Janet Malcolm's books and dispatches for the New Yorker have relentlessly probed and exposed the artificiality that underpins both public and private selves, challenging the very conventions of biographical writing. In this captivating memoir, Malcolm takes a bold step, turning her discerning gaze inward and examining twelve family photographs to weave a narrative that emerges from the fleeting, yet profound, moments captured on camera.

Beginning with a melancholic image of a young girl on a train, departing Prague at the tender age of five in 1939, Malcolm's memoir unfolds like a tapestry of memories. We accompany her on a journey to the Czech enclave of Yorkville in Manhattan, where her father, a psychiatrist and neurologist, and her mother, an attorney from a bourgeois background, traded their bohemian, Dada-influenced existence for the aspirations of middle-class America.

Through the lens of these photographs, Malcolm skillfully constructs a composite portrait of a New York childhood, one that was forever intertwined with the allure of Europe and the enigmatic mysteries of fate and family. From her early, tumultuous loves to enchanting evenings at the venerable Metropolitan Opera House, and even her fascination with the idea of being a "bad girl," Malcolm weaves a rich tapestry of experiences that paints a vivid picture of her formative years.

As the memoir progresses, Malcolm delves into the intricacies of her marriage to Gardner Botsford, her involvement in the world of William Shawn's New Yorker, and the libel trial that ultimately transformed her into a central character in her own dramatic story. With her trademark sharp wit and incisive commentary, Malcolm's writing takes on a life of its own, evolving into a memoir that defies conventional expectations and offers a fresh and captivating perspective on the human experience.

In this concise yet profound volume, Janet Malcolm showcases her unparalleled talent for storytelling, leaving readers with a lasting impression of her intellectual prowess and emotional depth. Her memoir is a testament to the power of introspection, reminding us that even the most ordinary moments can hold profound meaning and that our lives are intricately connected to the broader tapestry of history and society.

Weight: 290g
Dimension: 216 x 135 x 12 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781783788361