Along for the Ride (My Love of Memoirs and a Review)

So when I'm not reading, I feel like I am pretty tuned in to pop culture and the sphere of entertainment in general. Which is why I really enjoy reading memoirs, I feel like I get to be there with the author and truly get a sense of who they are. Getting to see what they are really like and not just taking my perceptions about them and thinking that I know them. I didn't want to be super corny and use the title of the post, but it really feels like I get to be along for the ride.

With that I wanted to go in more depth about the memoir I just finished listening to. Today I will be talking about the Best Strangers in the World by Ari Shapiro.

Shapiro from an interview with the Providence Independent

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the author, Ari Shapiro was a radio journalist for NPR and the host of All Things Considered until recently when he chose to step away earlier this year. Funny enough though this is not where I first saw him, he was also the host for Season 2 of the Mole on Netflix which is where I was first introduced to him. Journalism was something that I had been interested in during high school and college, so when I saw his memoir as I was scrolling audiobook options on Spotify; I knew this would be a good choice for me.

The audiobook was an absolute delight as I got to listen to all parts of his life: from his time growing up in Portland, singing on stage with Pink Martini, traveling around the country with President Obama during his time on the White House Beat, and hear his own feelings on tragedies like the Pulse Nightclub shooting in 2016. Also I am a huge fan of The Traitors, so every time I heard him talk about Alan Cumming I was locked in.

Some of his stories that stuck with me, even after finishing the book, include Monzer. He was a man that Shapiro spoke with during his time in Syria. Monzer's story really tapped into the well of empathy within me as he kept in touch with Shapiro even after he had to return home to London. Shapiro keeps in touch with fellow journalists in the area as they are able to help Monzer escape the turmoil in Syria and get all the way to Germany. He had to leave his wife and daughters behind, however when Shapiro finally gets to have a reunion with the man his wife and daughters have joined him along with a newborn as well.

I think Shapiro does a great job in terms of helping everyone tap into their own empathy. When he talks about finding an undetonated bomb in the basement of his London apartment building. How for most people over in the UK finding things like that was commonplace, that even realtors would mention information like that in order to sell houses or other living spaces. It really kind of took me out of my own comfort zone to speak. That "oh well it doesn't happen over here so who cares" mindset can be dangerous so I was happy to hear that moment included.

I wanted to save the best for last, and I think he did as well based on how the book was structured. When asked if he had a favorite conversation or story, Shapiro states he does not and gives three stories in total and all of them are equally memorable. I think that resonated with me, as everyone has their own story to tell. Whether it was an interior decorator getting to work with his idol in Martha Stewart, a woman using greenery to fight back against a corrupt regime, or someone providing a sense of community and making a whole community not feel so alone anymore.

Everyone has a story to tell, and we are all important. Thank you Ari, for introducing me to the Best Strangers in the World. I truly enjoyed being along for the ride.

Final Ranking: 5/5 Stars