A Memoir Of My Former Self: A Life In Writing

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Hilary Mantel's final book is a captivating collection of her personal essays and reflections spanning over forty years. This memoir offers a deep dive into the life and mind of the acclaimed author behind the Wolf Hall Trilogy.

An intimate journey through Hilary Mantel's life, writing, and the stories that shaped her.

In A Memoir of My Former Self: A Life in Writing, Hilary Mantel shares a rich tapestry of writings that reveal how storytelling was central to her existence. She once said, "I breathed in stories, as soon as I breathed in air," highlighting how deeply intertwined her identity was with the written word.

This collection brings together her finest pieces from newspapers and journals, covering a wide range of topics. Mantel explores themes such as nationalism and belonging, the overlap between dreams and waking life, and the enduring myth of Princess Diana.

She also reflects on the many influences behind her novels, touching on revolutionary France, psychics, Tudor England, and literary figures from Jane Austen to V. S. Naipaul. Personal stories include poignant accounts of her father and his successor, her health struggles as a young woman, and the challenging years she spent in Saudi Arabia.

The book also features a selection of Mantel’s film reviews-ranging from When Harry Met Sally to RoboCop, and, for the first time, her remarkable Reith Lectures, which delve into how art resurrects history and the past.

From her unique childhood experiences to the intense fascination with Thomas Cromwell that inspired the Wolf Hall Trilogy, this memoir paints a vivid portrait of Hilary Mantel’s life in her own striking words, “messages from people I used to be.”

Engaging, often humorous, and always illuminating, this essential read offers a powerful glimpse into the mind of one of the most extraordinary writers of our time.

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