#159 Writing the Body as Memoir with Nina B. Lichtenstein

What if the story of your life wasn't told chronologically, but mapped through your very body—your heart, your hands, even your nose? 

That's exactly what Nina B. Lichtenstein does in her new memoir-in-essays, Body: My Life in Parts(Vine Leaves Press, 2025). By using sixteen body parts as the framework for memory, metaphor, and meaning, Nina shows how our physical selves carry the imprints of identity, history, and transformation. In their chat, Estelle Erasmus explores with Nina how writing through the body can unlock surprising entry points to story, empathy, and connection.

Nina is a native of Oslo, Norway, now living in Maine. She holds a PhD in French literature from UCONN, an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Southern Maine, and is a "recovering academic." Her writing has appeared in Tablet Magazine, Kveller, Brevity Blog, Lilith Magazine, The Washington Post, HuffPost, and AARP, among other places. She is known for her popular blog The Viking Jewess (since 2014). Her work has been anthologized and her book, Sephardic Women's Voices: Out of North Africa was published in 2017. Nina is the founder and director of Maine Writers Studio and co-founder/co-editor of In a Flash Literary Magazine. She has three grown Viking Jew sons, all over 6'4" tall with the middle names Thor, Balder, and Odin. 

In this episode:

• How focusing on body parts can open doors to memory and metaphor [3:25]

• How structure can emerge organically when working in essays [8:10]

• Why she chose to add prompts at the end of her book as an act of generosity [12:46]

• Why senses—especially smell and music—are powerful entry points for memoir [14:44]

• The importance of empathy when writing about people in your life [16:56]

Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/scMn7hgr9zw

Connect with Nina:

Website: https://www.ninalichtenstein.com/

Learn more about Maine Writers Studio: https://www.mainewritersstudio.com/

In A Flash Literary Magazine https://inaflashlitmag.substack.com/

Nina's Substack: https://ninablichtenstein.substack.com/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=substack_profile

On Being Jewish Now Substack: Kol Nidre in a New Key

https://onbeingjewishnow.substack.com/p/kol-nidre-in-a-new-key

Connect with Estelle:

 

Get More from Estelle:

Webinar: Sign up for Estelle's webinar on October 9th in collaboration with Writer's Digest

Mapping Your Memoir: How to Find the Heart and Shape of Your Story

https://writersdigestuniversity.mykajabi.com/mapping-your-memoir

 

Register for a free online Editor-on-Call NYU event on October 29th: Inside Slate an Unfiltered Conversation with Senior Editor, Rebecca Onion.https://events.nyu.edu/event/368190-editor-on-call-inside-slate-an-unfiltered. 

 

New Substack post: Why Every Memoir Needs the "Echo Effect". https://estelleserasmus.substack.com/p/why-every-memoir-needs-the-echo-effect

🎤 TEDx Talk: How to Get Noticed in Your Writing and Beyond
Estelle blends personal storytelling with actionable strategies for standing out—starting with a chaotic moment involving Thomas the Tank Engine.
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