‘All That You Leave Behind’ by Erin Lee Carr

And why you should read more memoirs

I always felt like memoirs were these dull, uninteresting tales about one’s life. Memoirs are indeed tales about one’s life, but they are far from boring. There is one that I particularly enjoyed and recommended: All That You Leave Behind by the famous documentarian Erin Lee Carr.

I received this book as part of my monthly book subscription (if I’m fully honest, this one is the only one I received AND read). The truth is, I picked it up because I didn’t know it was a memoir (even though it was written on the front page). Oops.

That being said, this book retraces the life of Erin Lee Carr, a New-York based documentary filmmaker and daughter of the late David Carr, a renowned media columnist of the New York Times.

In her book, Erin Lee Carr talks about her childhood with a single dad struggling with addiction, growing up as the “daughter of” a renowned journalist, making her debut in the Film industry, overcoming her father's death, and her own addiction.

Why you should read memoirs

Reading a memoir is like taking a glance at someone else’s life — failures, successes, losses, sorrows, and happy moments — and borrowing some of the wisdom they acquired along the way.

It teaches you how to overcome obstacles you have or have not run into and provides you with a different perspective on life.

Overcoming the death of a loved one

All That You Leave Behind is literally Erin’s journey to overcoming the death of her father, with whom she shared a very special bond. She shares memories of him, of her family, explains how her father pushed her to be more ambitious and helped her make her way through a tough industry.

Not only does the reader get to hear David Carr’s incredible advice, but also to learn from the author what the path to healing from addiction and grief looks like.

Final thoughts

This book is heartbreaking, hopeful, and educational all at once. It is well written and easy to read — I highly recommend it.