Why are memoirs so appealing to contemporary readers? What storytelling techniques can make for compelling narratives? How do journalists piece together a story rich with detail and alive with meaning through evidence and research? These are a few of the questions we will consider as we engage in a brief study of creative, contemporary nonfiction. An attempt to develop lifelong readers will impact the selection of texts and may include the opportunity to choose a text of interest within the given genre being studied. You will read and analyze texts as models to emulate in your own writing with a focus on personal narrative and literary journalism. In doing so, as readers and writers in this class, you will gain a better sense of who you are and your place in the world.