‘Two Susans’ identify selves in memoirs

Oct 28 2009 - 11:17pm | Alejandro Martinez

Renowned authors Susan Wittig Albert and Susan J. Tweit made an appearance at The Witliff Collections Wednesday, marking their first event together.

Women & Place: Two Voices-Two Perspectives features the authors’ latest memoirs. Albert’s Together, Alone: A Memoir of Marriage and Place and Tweit’s Walking Nature Home: A Life’s Journey were both published by the University of Texas Press.

“We’re so happy to have the two Susans here today,” said Connie Todd, Witliff Curator.

The two seasoned writers leaned on the table while addressing the audience, taking turns reading excerpts from their respective memoirs.

They paused to offer insights and comments to emphasize the similarities they share as women and memoirists.

Both authors eased into friendly banter as the program continued, bringing an air of light humor to the audience. Albert and Tweit spoke passionately about the presence of nature in each of their lives and belonging to what Aldo Leopold called the “community of the land.”

Tweit strives for an organic lifestyle. As a trained field ecologist and author of 12 books, Tweit describes her vocation as “bringing awareness of our kinship with nature,” according to www.susanjtweit.com.

“Science is part of my family culture,” Tweit said.

Together, Alone is Albert’s first non-fiction narrative dealing with the issues surrounding her marriage and the bonds connecting her work with nature. Albert said her journey began in 1985 when she left her administrative position at Southwest Texas State University to pursue a career as a professional novelist. Albert’s book describes her “nomadic life” and a personal “exile from traditional women’s roles.” Albert’s next memoir, An Extraordinary Year of Ordinary Days, will appear in 2010.

The authors said their memoirs chart the continuous remaking of themselves and the learning processes people must go through.

Eric Pedrosa, recreational graduate student, and Elizabeth Trevino, recreation administration senior, said they both enjoyed the authors’ views on how home is something one can create for themselves anywhere.

“We’re actually getting married,” Pedrosa said. “We have similar interests in nature and anti-materialism. … We were interested to hear different perspectives on marriage from people whose aspirations align with our own.”

Tweit said part of writing a memoir is identifying the self.

“These are journeys of triumph,” Tweit said.

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