Stories I Might Regret Telling You by Martha Wainwright
Like many great artists Martha Wainwright is a complicated person. With her new memoir Stories I Might Regret Telling You, she paints a portrait of the comforts of being tethered to her family while wanting to be recognized for her own self. Her tales move from a misspent (but not regretted) youth to motherhood and the challenges of grown-up relationships—all the while honing her craft as a singer-songwriter.
Genetics are her side, with show being the family business. Her late mother Kate McGarrigle was half of the acclaimed McGarrigle Sisters; her dad Loudon Wainwright III carved out a career as top-shelf songwriter and actor (his father was a columnist for Life magazine) and her brother Rufus’ 2009 album Milwaukee at Last!!! was recorded at the Pabst Theater.
While she does talk about her music, it is not the main focus. As a storyteller Martha’s unflinching eye focuses on complex life events, like the crossroads where her mother’s cancer diagnosis and the birth of her son meet. While often hard on herself, Martha’s conversational tone is therapeutic, and she is also wise enough to convey messages without throwing those in her circle under the bus. Her journey moves from her birthplace in NYC to Montreal, her home. With any luck Wainwright is keeping a journal for future memoir.
