Memories Unwound

by Ruby Dhal

Memories Unwound is a collection of free verse poems and prose that tap into the thoughts, feelings and ideas of the author. Each piece aims to go beyond just words and reveal an emotion; love, pain or happiness and by the end of it, the prospect of attaining solace. The author uses 'memories' as a title to emphasise that it is universally relatable - as readers should find at least one (or more) piece(s) that reminds them of a previous experience that they have had/ emotion that they have felt, hence becoming a 'memory' that is unwound in this book.

Each piece aims to fuel the realisation of sentiments that fabricate our very being, and by the end of the book readers are shown the possibility of hope, redemption, closing 'old chapters' and moving on to make new memories.

Genres: Poetry

194 pages, Paperback

Published March 24, 2017

About the author

Ruby Dhal is a British-Afghan Sikh writer, poet, TEDx speaker, and bestselling author of six books on self-love, healing, and personal growth. She moved to the UK at the age of three and, within a year, experienced the loss of her mother—an event that shaped her lifelong journey of healing and self-discovery. Ruby shares her wisdom on love, loss, and resilience, helping millions navigate their own paths through her writing and content.

With a social media following of nearly 1 million and millions of weekly impressions, Ruby’s words resonate with readers worldwide. Since starting her platform in 2016, she has been featured in Harper’s Bazaar India’s Writer Hotlist, NY Weekly, Times of India, Yahoo, Verve Magazine, and more. She has contributed to platforms like Thought Catalog, The Tempest, and Indian Women Blog, and has appeared on BBC Asian Network, BBC Radio London, and numerous podcasts.

Ruby was one of only seven South Asian women to be featured in the Harper’s Bazaar India Writer Hotlist in 2017, and she was included in Untwine.me’s list of ‘100 Incredible Instapoets of 2018.’ She has written extensively on self-love, heartbreak, relationships, mental health, culture, and feminism, and has appeared at events ranging from open mic nights to charity events, schools, and renowned venues like Trafalgar Square and The British Museum.

Currently, Ruby is working on her debut fiction novel and aspires to write stories that centre on POC characters, bringing diverse narratives to the forefront. She is committed to living a life of purpose and believes that through both fiction and self-help writing, she can make an impactful difference in the world.

Reviews

[Michaela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memory Unwound by Ruby Dhal is a beautiful collection of poetry to be savoured. For fans of Rupi Kaur, her and Dhal have similar writing styles. These poems are certainly not as biting or intense as Kaur's but that isn't to say they are any less meaningful or hard hitting. Instead they are understated and elegant. Dhal writes that "each piece aims to go beyond just words and reveal emotion". The title emphasises poetry that is "universally relatable" and these words are just that. Beautiful, flowery and pleasing words describing common feelings, a universal understanding that I would struggle to to put into any words let alone such beautiful poetry. Memories Unwound is life poetry, so many phrases and ideas that I can relate to in my ay to day life. This collection was highly enjoyable and is something I can pick up, flick to a random page and find words that will settle my soul. I highly recommend giving this collection a go.

[Janina Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this poetry collection, related to a lot of the poems and it had such a natural and enjoyable flow.

[Readiverse · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice relaxing read. This style of poetry leaves you with few layers to unpick but the simplicity of the language works well with universal themes of love, heartbreak, revival and healing.

[Jovana · Rating 4 out of 5]

A light, pleasant read. I enjoyed most of these poems, although I found the author's use of the dash-italics at the end of every poem was a little forced. I can appreciate it for its style, but I just didn't find it fit every poem.

[Jennifer Wiget · Rating 4 out of 5]

lovely words about loving oneself and this being the true cure for any heartbreak and misery.

[Fatemah Almezel · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘ I know you would trade a thousand tomorrows and a thousand todays to go back to just one yesterday’-Ruby Dhal

Loved the poems!

[Clarissa Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

No words can describe how beautiful this book is. Everybody has a journey and I felt every word that writer wrote. Her journey she took and came out as a beautiful butterfly. I was touched

[Brittany · Rating 4 out of 5]

I want to preface this by saying I don't read much poetry and picked this up on a whim. Therefore, please consider my review one of someone who is unexperienced with rating and reviewing poetry collections.
I really enjoyed this collection and highlighted a lot of the poems in this. It was a very fast read, a book that I finished in less than an hour and it hit me pretty deeply with some of it's poems. It's clear that Ruby Dhal dug deep into her life to write this poetry collection and poured a lot of her feelings into it. What came out was a work that would resonate with a lot of people.
Of course, everyone's experience is different and their reaction to certain poems will be different. That's the beauty of poetry, that the reader always find something different that resonates with them on each read and re-read. I'm very glad that I picked up this poetry collection and if you're looking for one that might hit close to him, I would recommend picking this up.
My favorite sections were definitely love and heal as they hit me the most.

[Mhairi McCall · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not a single ‘poem’ left a lasting impression on me and the whole book just left me wondering why there is such an obsession with this style over substance type of poetry?

Perhaps some of the pieces make a nice Instagram post but on the page I felt they were all incredibly unoriginal and quite juvenile.

I get no pleasure out of writing bad reviews but honestly I couldn’t find anything positive to say about this collection.

[Ctrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a great read. Ruby is a very talented poet. Ruby is basically Rupi lite.

[Crystal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was another short poetry book however this collection to me some time to read i actually enjoyed processing the poems and mediating on them. You can really feel the passions and soul of the writer with the collection however, i read it at a rather busy and heck time period with work and school. It was just what i needed for time I will note this collection is more so relationship with people(self) not necessarily work or school related but it still made me think.

[Jessica☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this, definitely something I needed to read right now.

[Els · Rating 4 out of 5]

Herinneringen ontward door Ruby Dhal.

Eerst en vooral een dikke merci aan Mus omdat zij de imprint Muse hebben opgericht. Onder de overkoepelende hashtag #musepoetry verschijnt er poëzie van en voor vrouwen. Allemaal om ter mooist vormgegeven, zo ook Herinneringen ontward.

Soms wordt dit soort poëzie oneerbiedig Instagram-poëzie genoemd; en ok dat is het ook maar het is zo veel meer dan dat. Voor sommige mensen kan het een opstapje zijn naar meer gedichten, die niet online verschijnen maar enkel, lekker ouderwets, op papier. Voor anderen blijft het bij poëzie op hun schermpje. Ook goed. Daar ontdek je dan misschien Ruby. Tussen haakjes: vertalingen van poëzie zijn nooit zo goed als de oorspronkelijk versie, als de vertaling je dan toch nog raakt is dat een teken dat iets echt goed is.

‘Poezië en proza als brandstof voor je hart en kalmering voor je ziel.’ Dit lees je op de binnenflap en dat maakt Dhal ook waar. Onderverdeeld in de thema’s: ervaring, liefde, pijn en helen komen zeer korte gedichten (9 woorden) tot pagina vullend proza aan bod. De ene tekst raakt je al meer dan de andere maar dat is meestal zo. Dat heb ik met Atticus en Rupi ook, om maar enkele namen te noemen waar deze bundel aan doet denken. Ik heb het trouwens ook bij Herman, Jotie en Charlotte…

Ik heb een stuk of 10 gedichten aangeduid die me echt hard hebben geraakt, waar ik er wel nog eens een paar van zal delen op mijn Instagram en die ik geregeld ga herlezen. Omdat ze me een hart onder de riem steken en een glimlach op mijn gezicht toveren. Omdat ze me doen voelen dat ik niet alleen ben. Dus dank u Ruby!

En nu ga ik zelf wat poëzie schrijven…

[Koral Vaishnav · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have not entered a start date & an end date because I finished reading this book in one straight sitting approximately an hour! Page after page you will fall in love with her words! Truth that we hold in our hearts and truth we know within but sometimes fail to remember is what this book reveals! If you have loved , failed , hurt & healed there is no chance you will not fall in love with this book! It’s like a beautiful paradise of words that build you back, lift you up & comfort you when needed the most! I can keep writing in praise of this book but how about you read it yourself & find out on your own!

[Alexandra Dav · Rating 1 out of 5]

1,5✨

E o carte de poezii și proză drăguță, dar nu e pentru mine.

Părți bune:
✅ Are câteva poezii drăguțe
✅ Mi-a adus aminte de adolescență
✅ Vine cu un vibe optimist
✅ Se citește foarte repede și e și scurtă

Părți mai puțin bune:
✅ Nu m-a atins deloc, nu mi-a provocat gândirea
✅ Textele sunt cam puerile și n-am fost de acord cu multe păreri ale autoarei
✅ Formatarea lasă de dorit
✅ Abordează aceleași teme arhicunoscute (iubire, suferință, vindecare), lucru care m-a plictisit
✅ Nu mi-a adus nimic nou

[Sanjana Argula · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great collection of poems. Ruby Dhal does an incredible job of weaving through personal experiences and relatable memories to bring out deeply meaningful poetry.

"Hand me a shovel, I will dig my way through this sorrow just like you dug your way through every heart that fell for you."

"We spend our nights dreaming about the right things, we spend our days doing the wrong ones."

Simple and eloquent words from a talented writer, this is definitely a must read.

[Maren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruby’s poetry has always been something that I’ve resonated with so very deeply throughout the years. Whether it be a poem that strikes me in a way which helps me relate to other individuals like myself more or if it shines light on a new perspective or feeling or such that helps me relate to others in a way I would have normally never ever understood. I always look forward to reading any and every words that she beautifully portrays to her readers.

[Chlo · Rating 2 out of 5]

You know how they say your taste buds change as you grow? Well, I can certainly attest to that. From 18 year old uni fresher me to adult poet now, it's a miss from me. I found this hidden on my shelves, and I can't say it's to my taste.

Poetry is incredibly personal, so I don't want to just be mean, but it's lacking in flavour and seasonings, and I found it quite repetitive. What formed a collection of poems, I feel, might have been better left as tumblr posts.

[Pajtim Ademi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ruby is a beautiful soul. Her work is exquisite and speaks to the heart of the human condition. She can weave you words that will address any feeling you're having and leave you happy to have felt them. I strongly recommend this book and any of her other books to the novice or seasoned poetry lover.

[Anika Nowar · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I helped myself.

I wiped my own tears
put balm over fresh wounds
plastered parts of myself
that were still hurting,
gave myself some time
read books that soothed my heart
heard music that calmed my nerves
watched movies that made me smile,
bit by bit and piece by piece
I put myself back together again
and I gave myself a second chance,
because I knew that if I didn't
then no one else would."

[Xiomy's Book Tales · Rating 3 out of 5]

Memories Unwound was a nice collection of free verse poems that's a quick read and one that I would recommend.

Now, while a select few poems were memorable and relatable my favorite chapter was "Experience" but there were a few from "Heal" that stood out.

[Cara Patel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really beautiful collection of poetry.

There’s a couple of poems in here written in third person which I believe are the author talking about herself, but I liked to read those as queer love poems.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Jassa Dominguez · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not really into poems but I thought this book was really deep and heart fulfilling and would recommended if you like poems and is going through heartbreak.

[Tess · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing read of loving yourself. Through forgiveness, trust, heartache and believing yourself. Beautifully written!!!

[sidheswar dalai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart touching

Lokved each single word written. I felt like as if it was meant for me only. I hv been through mental trauma and such books really help me a lot.

[Cassandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this

[oceanofstorys · Rating 4 out of 5]

forgive yourself 🤍🪐

[ArcmelaEsseleno · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes,
a thought is all it takes
to break down
every bit of courage
you had been building up.

A nice heartfelt read. 💜

[Aditi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a truly beautiful and heartwarming read. I felt the heartache, trauma, and loneliness in certain poems the same way I felt the love, healing, and self-confidence in others.

The entire collection of poems in the section Love was breathtaking. I read each poem out loud to my partner and we enjoyed every bit of the love and admiration Ruby's words made us feel.

5/5 stars and would totally recommend.