Voice Lessons

by Eve Krakow

Voice Lessons is a collection of personal essays about a shy introvert’s struggle to find her voice—as a singer, a writer, a mother, and a human being. Using traditional narrative and hybrid forms, debut author Eve Krakow explores the early loss of her mother, her innermost anxieties as a young adult, the building of family, the push and pull of heritage and tradition, and more. Juxtaposing shyness in life with boldness on stage, these stories expose the deep-seated need for human connection and belonging.

200 pages, Paperback

Published September 1, 2024

Reviews

[Heather Diamond · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eve Krakow’s memoir Voice Lessons is a collection of essays that literally sings. Several of the essays are experimental in form and all of them explore the narrator’s search for voice from an introspective and deeply thoughtful perspective. For someone who also experienced paralyzing shyness as a child and occasionally as an adult, this book’s presentation of the agony of connecting to others and the triumphs of breaking through fear and self-limitation were painfully recognizable. Krakow’s liberation comes through singing and stage performance, and their transformative power is beautifully rendered. The theme of voice is also explored though stories of loss and discovery, like her fading memory of the mother she lost too soon but regained through family artifacts. Krakow’s style is lovely and lyrical, and her voice in this collection is quiet and resonant.

[Susan Mendelsohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Eve Krakow has written an honest and very personal collection that effectively conveys what it's like to be shy and introverted in a world that tends to value louder voices. The essays in Voice Lessons are beautifully written, thought-provoking and insightful. They include some very unique and creative forms (including a crossword puzzle and a mixed tape) and the language is always lyrical and moving, without being heavy-handed. The overall structure of the book really made me feel like I was sharing the author's journey as she finds her voice, and I was rooting for her to succeed. She may be shy, but she certainly knows how to forge a human connection through her writing. A thoroughly engaging read!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!

Each story and essay gradually builds on those before it, circling around themes of shyness, introversion, creativity, and family love. The descriptions, such as the experience of being a child exploring the countryside with no sense of time, and the feeling of not fitting into a group as a teenager, are so relatable. Many of the chapters cut back and forth between present day and memories in a way that feels intuitive and is enjoyable to read. I really liked the way these essays all came together; this book really makes the concept of a memoir in essays work well.

Highly recommend!

[Laurie Burns · Rating 4 out of 5]

Krakow is a writer, singer and parent in Montreal. This collection of essays talks about finding your voice through your shyness and reaching your full effort. It is a touching collection, with a lot of depth and emotion. Eve writes about her past with humour and pensiveness. I really enjoyed reading about Eve’s life and history and found her ponderings poetic and retrospective.

[Rachel Laverdiere · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written memoir in essays. Each of these essays is well-crafted and impactful. Highly recommended!

[Jerry Levy · Rating 5 out of 5]

See my review in the Oct edition of the Ottawa Review of Books

[B Beisner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful memoir written in a super captivating style of short stories. Highly recommended!

[Stephanie Cesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was very beautifully written. I connected to it in a very unexpected way and it has stuck with me since I finished it.