S8E6 Outside, the Sky is Blue: Christina Patterson on the tragedy and joy of her family memoir

“I don't think anyone could have looked at the Patterson family and said, “oh, what a conventionally successful party”. But I did want to honour them. And I realised I was actually and am proud of them because they did it. They loved, they were good, they were decent, they were kind, they were courageous.”

Though Christina Patterson’s family may not be “conventionally successful”, they are extraordinary. Despite much tragedy, Christina looks back on her family’s story with joy.

In her new memoir, ‘Outside, the Sky is Blue’, she relives the rocky history of her family, exploring issues of mental ill health, cancer and death. As she rummages through boxes of letters, papers, photos and belongings, Christina also discovers new stories she must confront.

In this episode, you will learn:

• That all stories are worth telling - everyone has a memoir in them.
• The importance of self-love.
• Why you should consider keeping a diary.

Find out more about Christina here.

Your host is inkjockey founder Mark Heywood.

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You can view the full transcript here.

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