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Not Lost: A Story About Leaving Home
At once brazen and terrified, Sarah Maria Griffin’s beautifully written memoir, opens a doorway into the interior life of the Celtic Tiger Cubs who have left Ireland to escape the recession and in search of prosperity.
Thrown into life 5,000 miles away from home, Sarah’s tale echoes that of many of her generation — forced to forge new lives and build new homes on distant shores. She describes in open, honest, detail her experience of her first year in San Francisco, a year of struggle and strife, of newness and oddness of adventure and excitement, of loneliness and despair, but also of incredible happiness and joy.
Not Lost is a book about growing up, about friendship, about love, about life and living it well. It is by turns heartbreaking, funny, tender and gutsy, it is assured but never cocky and marks Sarah Maria Griffin as one of the major voices of her generation.
About the Author:
Sarah Maria Griffin is an Irish emigrant living in San Francisco with a handsome boy and a cat called Moriarty. She writes essays and poems for lots of places and sometimes does things on the radio. Her first book of poetry & prose, Follies, was published by Lapwing Press in 2011. She makes zines under the imprint Wordfury and is co-editor of Bare Hands International Poetry Journal.
Thrown into life 5,000 miles away from home, Sarah’s tale echoes that of many of her generation — forced to forge new lives and build new homes on distant shores. She describes in open, honest, detail her experience of her first year in San Francisco, a year of struggle and strife, of newness and oddness of adventure and excitement, of loneliness and despair, but also of incredible happiness and joy.
Not Lost is a book about growing up, about friendship, about love, about life and living it well. It is by turns heartbreaking, funny, tender and gutsy, it is assured but never cocky and marks Sarah Maria Griffin as one of the major voices of her generation.
About the Author:
Sarah Maria Griffin is an Irish emigrant living in San Francisco with a handsome boy and a cat called Moriarty. She writes essays and poems for lots of places and sometimes does things on the radio. Her first book of poetry & prose, Follies, was published by Lapwing Press in 2011. She makes zines under the imprint Wordfury and is co-editor of Bare Hands International Poetry Journal.
209 pages, Kindle Edition
First published November 18, 2013
10 people are currently reading
446 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Maria Griffin
10 books426 followersSarah Maria Griffin lives in Dublin, Ireland, in a small red brick house by the sea, with her husband and cat. She writes about monsters, growing up, and everything those two things have in common. Her first book, SPARE AND FOUND PARTS, is out now.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
February 5, 2020
For a book that is about stories - the stories we tell each other, and the stories we tell ourselves - I think that it's apt that this one came into my life with a story.
Not Lost is the memoir of a Dublin girl in San Francisco - yet I crossed paths with her as a Glasgow girl in Brooklyn, where she was performing at a spoken word event for erotic literature based on Lord of the Rings. She didn't win, and we didn't meet, but her story was the best of the night and after that we struck up a very 21st century friendship on Twitter.
A few months later, she wrote an essay on feminism, and Star Wars, and Strong Female Characters in Star Wars. And I shared a quote from it on Tumblr. That went viral.
Like, 90,000 reblogs and counting viral.
And so I bought her book as something of a celebration.
Not Lost is memoir, and travel writing, the way I wish I could do it. The things I love to read the most are the stories about people who lose themselves, and find themselves, in places both familiar and unfamiliar. This is 280 pages of that, broken up almost as short stories, with a protagonist that is as familiar as the back of my hand. And she has a cat.
Sarah's first novel is out... now? Soon? If this is how she reads in the shorter form, I cannot want to lose myself in that too.
In the meantime, Not Lost deserves 90,000 reblogs.
Not Lost is the memoir of a Dublin girl in San Francisco - yet I crossed paths with her as a Glasgow girl in Brooklyn, where she was performing at a spoken word event for erotic literature based on Lord of the Rings. She didn't win, and we didn't meet, but her story was the best of the night and after that we struck up a very 21st century friendship on Twitter.
A few months later, she wrote an essay on feminism, and Star Wars, and Strong Female Characters in Star Wars. And I shared a quote from it on Tumblr. That went viral.
Like, 90,000 reblogs and counting viral.
And so I bought her book as something of a celebration.
Not Lost is memoir, and travel writing, the way I wish I could do it. The things I love to read the most are the stories about people who lose themselves, and find themselves, in places both familiar and unfamiliar. This is 280 pages of that, broken up almost as short stories, with a protagonist that is as familiar as the back of my hand. And she has a cat.
Sarah's first novel is out... now? Soon? If this is how she reads in the shorter form, I cannot want to lose myself in that too.
In the meantime, Not Lost deserves 90,000 reblogs.
November 21, 2018
Very enjoyable memoir charting the first year of the author's emigration to SF, with all of the resultant highs and lows. One of countless untold stories due to the effects of the demise of the Celtic Tiger.
December 13, 2013
There's always this small tinge of fear when you read a book written by someone you personally know, in the sense of "What if I don't like this book? How will I face them when it's over?"
However, writing a review about a book written by someone you know is really difficult so bear with me for a moment, while I try to collect my thoughts and make sense of them.
I met Sarah for the first time around three years ago, emotionally I was feeling some of the things she writes about in the book, it was the first time I was going to be away from my country for a considerable amount of time and it was a strange sensation. I recognized that strangeness in those pages and I could empathize with it because I've felt that. I'm still feeling that.
There's something about the way she writes, I wouldn't say she's good but only because it's an understatement. As I was reading it I could see everything clearly in my head and that voice (you know the voice, the one that talks inside your head when you're reading things) became her voice. And that voice made me feel sad, made me feel happy and made me feel emotional.
And it was beautiful.
However, writing a review about a book written by someone you know is really difficult so bear with me for a moment, while I try to collect my thoughts and make sense of them.
I met Sarah for the first time around three years ago, emotionally I was feeling some of the things she writes about in the book, it was the first time I was going to be away from my country for a considerable amount of time and it was a strange sensation. I recognized that strangeness in those pages and I could empathize with it because I've felt that. I'm still feeling that.
There's something about the way she writes, I wouldn't say she's good but only because it's an understatement. As I was reading it I could see everything clearly in my head and that voice (you know the voice, the one that talks inside your head when you're reading things) became her voice. And that voice made me feel sad, made me feel happy and made me feel emotional.
And it was beautiful.
February 11, 2016
A modest yet vivid account of a life in San Francisco via Dublin.
This part made me cry:
'So just an hour or four, and just a drink or six, we can kind of forget how scary adulthood is, how sad it is that friendship takes so long to build and forge and perfect, then you have to move away to try and build a life. How sad it is that friendship isn’t enough to keep anyone in one place, not these days. How strange to not know when you’ll all be on one land-mass again, who’ll be the next one in a lifeboat out into the great unknown. Who will stay to keep the light on for us, who will stay and make the place richer and more vibrant for their presence?'
This part made me cry:
'So just an hour or four, and just a drink or six, we can kind of forget how scary adulthood is, how sad it is that friendship takes so long to build and forge and perfect, then you have to move away to try and build a life. How sad it is that friendship isn’t enough to keep anyone in one place, not these days. How strange to not know when you’ll all be on one land-mass again, who’ll be the next one in a lifeboat out into the great unknown. Who will stay to keep the light on for us, who will stay and make the place richer and more vibrant for their presence?'
December 17, 2013
This is a really lovely book. I may be biased, as I knew the author and several of the people mentioned within in many moons ago.
But this story is full of tender recollections, it is joyful and very alive. I think a lot of people can really relate to elements of her story, although it will obviously resonate most with those who have experienced emigration.
But this story is full of tender recollections, it is joyful and very alive. I think a lot of people can really relate to elements of her story, although it will obviously resonate most with those who have experienced emigration.
May 6, 2015
I loved this book! I snorted with laughter and said, 'me, too,' often while reading it. Dublin and San Fran are written with new slants and from the eyes of treasure hunter. Even the Griffin's hunt for a hair dryer at the beginning of her new SF life is witty and, god, so relatable.
March 13, 2018
There is something very tender and delicate about the way Sarah's story feels so relatable and somehow universal. Sometimes it just strikes you how much you want to hear people say they've been through the same things (or,you know,similar enough things) to what you've had and made it through on the other side, often even successfully so. Though the experience of having emigrated is a little less foreign to me now and a little less fresh, there is still so much in this that is very close to heart and I cannot help but appreciate that Sarah has found the words for it all.
I had previously read and adored Sarah's fiction debut,Spare And Found Parts, which I would highly encourage everyone to read, so I already knew that her writing style was right up my alley.Needless to add,despite the lifetimes apart between the two, the way that her narrative voices was reflected is just outstanding.
God,would I buy anything this woman wants to sell.
I had previously read and adored Sarah's fiction debut,Spare And Found Parts, which I would highly encourage everyone to read, so I already knew that her writing style was right up my alley.Needless to add,despite the lifetimes apart between the two, the way that her narrative voices was reflected is just outstanding.
God,would I buy anything this woman wants to sell.
June 6, 2022
Griffin has written a beautiful account on her first year as an Irish emigrant to San Francisco in the early 2010s. It’s strange to read in now, as a new generation of young Irish pack their bags in circumstances that are different but familiar.
Griffin is only a little younger than me and we have run in extremely close, though rarely overlapping orbits. She is one of what I, in the late 2000s, came to silently call the “going away people” in counter to me, one of the “left behind people”. There was a time in my life when every leaving party that I went to was a leaving party. I was happy for my friends to be embarking on opportunities and adventures. I could stay in Dublin because I had a secure job that I fell into right out of college. These two facts did not make me feel any less left behind.
Griffin’s writing is warm and lyrical. In a series of vignettes she brings you with her, around Dublin and California. This book made me so sad
September 3, 2017
Read this book just when I moved to the US , around 2013, for two years and really empathized with the story. Must read if you are away from home or just came back :)
August 24, 2016
I'm not normally one for memoirs, mainly because I rarely read outside my own genre of fantasy and when I get stuck into an autobiography I keep looking for strangeness and dragons.
Full disclaimer - I do know the author, but we do tend to beat lumps out of each others' work when we come across it so this isn't a review for a friend, this is thoughts on the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Where it stands out is in its ability to make the normal weird and unworldly (a useful trait for a memoir of familiar sights and sounds, and even more important in a book about emigration) San Francisco mightn't seem like a huge jump - same language, Western world - but like missing a step on the stairs or finding your parents have moved your bedroom around Not Lost focuses on the little missteps you experience when moving to a new country.
It's at its best when it gets weird. The raccoon chapter is very surreal. Poetry sneaks in to make the descriptions shine and there's a warm helpless sort of wit that for the most part defuses any sort of 'bit young for a memoir' feel about the book. Occasionally there's a chapter that is a little too 'you had to be there,' but for the most part it's a journey we can all identify with - struggling with loneliness, with jealousy of others settling in quicker, with occasional triumphs and many failures. A journey, more or less.
Full disclaimer - I do know the author, but we do tend to beat lumps out of each others' work when we come across it so this isn't a review for a friend, this is thoughts on the book.
I thoroughly enjoyed it. Where it stands out is in its ability to make the normal weird and unworldly (a useful trait for a memoir of familiar sights and sounds, and even more important in a book about emigration) San Francisco mightn't seem like a huge jump - same language, Western world - but like missing a step on the stairs or finding your parents have moved your bedroom around Not Lost focuses on the little missteps you experience when moving to a new country.
It's at its best when it gets weird. The raccoon chapter is very surreal. Poetry sneaks in to make the descriptions shine and there's a warm helpless sort of wit that for the most part defuses any sort of 'bit young for a memoir' feel about the book. Occasionally there's a chapter that is a little too 'you had to be there,' but for the most part it's a journey we can all identify with - struggling with loneliness, with jealousy of others settling in quicker, with occasional triumphs and many failures. A journey, more or less.
April 6, 2014
I came across this author's writing online and enjoyed her work, so I was excited to see that she had a book coming out. Happily for me, 'Not Lost' more than fulfilled my expectations.
This memoir beautifully captures all that can occur in the life of a young woman beginning to make her way in the world. This is a story that we can all relate to- of one's first, breathless, terrifying, exciting steps into the world. It is a love-letter as well, to Dublin and to San Francisco and the messy magnetism that pulls the author between these cities of her heart. Her voice throughout feels like that of a friend that you might have bumped into unexpectedly on a night out, whispering to you through tears and laughter of all of her adventures and anxieties and realisations in her first year of living abroad. Beautiful writing, I loved it.
If I ever meet the author, I owe her a drink for giving me such an enjoyable read. Thank you.
Hoping for a sequel... ;)
This memoir beautifully captures all that can occur in the life of a young woman beginning to make her way in the world. This is a story that we can all relate to- of one's first, breathless, terrifying, exciting steps into the world. It is a love-letter as well, to Dublin and to San Francisco and the messy magnetism that pulls the author between these cities of her heart. Her voice throughout feels like that of a friend that you might have bumped into unexpectedly on a night out, whispering to you through tears and laughter of all of her adventures and anxieties and realisations in her first year of living abroad. Beautiful writing, I loved it.
If I ever meet the author, I owe her a drink for giving me such an enjoyable read. Thank you.
Hoping for a sequel... ;)
June 11, 2014
I loved this book. I do not know the author but do know a couple of the people mentioned in the book. As the parent of young people who moved from Dublin to San Francisco I got a huge insight and understanding of what it is like for young people to make the big move. I found myself cheering Sarah on when things were good and feeling sad for her when she struggled with some of the changes in her life. All in all a great read for anyone moving abroad for the first time and indeed for their parents and families left behind.
December 30, 2022
I'm about the same age as Sarah Maria Griffin and this book made me remember in great detail how uncomfortable my early twenties were when it came to finding work, figuring out who you are and what you want to do. While sometimes a little confrontational, it was a lot of fun to read and made me tear up a bunch.
February 14, 2014
Loved it!
December 16, 2017
I was really drawn to this book as I am part of the author's generation and left Ireland around the same time but while there were certain parts that I loved (including the author's unusual, poetic style) I felt I couldn't quite connect with this book, perhaps I projected too much of my own experiences on to it. The Goodreads blurb describes this as a story which : 'opens a doorway into the interior life of the Celtic Tiger cubs who have left Ireland to escape the recession in search of prosperity.' I felt it only opened the doorway into the author's life (perhaps the fault of how this book was marketed). It was like reading an interior monologue or diary, there was very little dialogue and while the author reveals intimate thoughts at times, some elements were quite superficial. Some chapters also seemed designed as essays? Nothing wrong with this at all but just very different to how it was marketed. I didn't really feel that it spoke for my generation.
However, I LOVED the chapters that I could identify with. Particularly the chapters charting her sentimental return to Dublin at Christmas time, her emotional car journey with her father and her very different Disney land wedding. Some elements of these really touched me emotionally and i did think they were very much part of the emigrant/current bridal experience.
The author has a very unique way of looking at the world using language so I think her poetry might be more for me. Dublin seemed to haunt the book and she wrote it really well, so I wonder if she will write more on this in the future. I will also keep an eye out for her upcoming YA novel, it sounds interesting.
However, I LOVED the chapters that I could identify with. Particularly the chapters charting her sentimental return to Dublin at Christmas time, her emotional car journey with her father and her very different Disney land wedding. Some elements of these really touched me emotionally and i did think they were very much part of the emigrant/current bridal experience.
The author has a very unique way of looking at the world using language so I think her poetry might be more for me. Dublin seemed to haunt the book and she wrote it really well, so I wonder if she will write more on this in the future. I will also keep an eye out for her upcoming YA novel, it sounds interesting.
July 12, 2022
This book is perfect for those who wants to jump in a new adventure in their life such as living in an entirely different place far away from your home, your comfort zone. Learning to live, studying their cultures and finding jobs in a new place, new country can really overwhelm us. But if your are one who love the challenge and the feeling of independency, then I recommend this book for you to have a glimpse of being lost in a new place and not entirely being lost in the new life you have chosen. :) Happy reading!
P.S. I'm not really good in sharing my thoughts regarding a book but I'll try from now on to give my reviews! :)
P.S. I'm not really good in sharing my thoughts regarding a book but I'll try from now on to give my reviews! :)
September 18, 2017
A gorgeous book that fills me with nostalgia and homesickness from a city I barely know, and a city I've never been to.
I can't quite describe with words the way Sarah writes. It's the kind of writing that welcomes you after a bad day - real and witty and as comforting as a blanket straight out of the dryer.
It's a story of finding yourself and tripping up along the way. Of adulthood and 6am cat alarms, it's a raw and beautiful capturing of life when you're trying to find your way.
I couldn't recommend it more.
I can't quite describe with words the way Sarah writes. It's the kind of writing that welcomes you after a bad day - real and witty and as comforting as a blanket straight out of the dryer.
It's a story of finding yourself and tripping up along the way. Of adulthood and 6am cat alarms, it's a raw and beautiful capturing of life when you're trying to find your way.
I couldn't recommend it more.
June 15, 2017
i love how unapologetically Irish this is, how it made me so nostalgic for a city that i still live in, and how much of window it opened into a place i have never been before and all of the emotions that come with it.
July 27, 2019
“Don’t be afraid of the word no. It’s just two letters. Don’t be afraid of the word go. It’s just two letters.” As someone who has also left home before, this book was especially meaningful. Come for the relatable anecdotes and stay for the poetry. A joy to read.
June 7, 2023
It was really affirming to hear the story of someone who left everything to do something different, and to recognize the streets and places in Ireland
June 13, 2024
Nay… it didn’t make me continue reading.
May 12, 2014
Emigration, the quintessential Irish story, a right of passage; of discovery; of friendship; of loss & hope. Sarah Griffin chose San Francisco as the destination for her journey: from the Wild West of Europe to THE Wild West.
The story of her 1st year is told beautifully, her style modern, engaging, conversational, poetic, honest & funny. Anyone who has left their country of birth should find much to relate to & nod along conspiratorially.
A deffo recommendation!
The story of her 1st year is told beautifully, her style modern, engaging, conversational, poetic, honest & funny. Anyone who has left their country of birth should find much to relate to & nod along conspiratorially.
A deffo recommendation!
April 10, 2014
I'm delighted to have read this book. It's quirky and weird and written for anyone living/lived or losing someone to someplace abroad. I recommend it highly.
August 13, 2014
Great memoir about being a foreigner in a strange land. Making the jump because you have to or you'll wither on the vine.
May 16, 2014
This book made me laugh and cry. It put into words the complexities of leaving home and of being home and of new homes. Highly recommended.
April 5, 2016
this book came to me/me to it at the exact perfect time/place.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews