Writers N Authors recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jennifer Lang, author of Places We Left Behind: A Memoir-in-Miniature. Lang’s memoir is an evocative blend of prose and poetry, diving into her personal experiences of navigating identity, home, faith, and family as an “American-French-Israeli hybrid.” Her unique storytelling technique has earned her numerous accolades, including finalist positions in prestigious book awards. Here’s an insightful conversation where Jennifer Lang shares the inspiration behind her book, her journey as a writer, and the life lessons she hopes readers will take away.
Writers N Authors: Places We Left Behind intricately weaves prose and poetry to tell your story. What inspired you to blend these two forms in your memoir, and how did this choice impact how you expressed your journey?
Jennifer Lang: Thanks to years of taking different writing classes and earning my MFA, I’ve become well-versed in writing craft. Poetry has always played a role in my process, particularly in word choice. For Places We Left Behind, I approached it as playful and experimental prose, where I used the format to reflect meaning and weight. In some chapterettes, like “Between the seams” and “Distort,” I zigzag the text or use tight margins to enhance the narrative. The inspiration came from a deep desire to create something new that felt authentic to the story I was telling, and it allowed me to explore the limits of conventional prose.
Writers N Authors: Your memoir explores themes of identity, home, faith, and family. How did your own experiences as an “American-French-Israeli hybrid” shape your storytelling, and what message do you hope readers take away about navigating multiple cultural identities?
Jennifer Lang: Living in different places, I often felt overwhelmed, unsure of where I truly belonged. It wasn’t until I embraced the many layers of myself that I began to understand my hybrid identity. I hope readers take away that it’s okay to not always navigate these spaces gracefully. Our identities are complex, and that’s something to celebrate, not fear.
Writers N Authors: You examine your marriage with a close lens, focusing on commitment and compromise. How did writing about such intimate aspects of your life affect your perspective on your relationship?
Jennifer Lang: Revisiting our younger years through old letters and journals allowed me to see both the beautiful and messy parts of our relationship. I used to point fingers, blaming my husband for decisions I wasn’t comfortable with, but writing the memoir made me realize we were both equally involved in those choices. The process deepened my understanding of our journey, and ultimately, our love.
Writers N Authors: You and Philippe lived through significant historical moments, such as the First Intifada. How did these events influence your relationship, and how did you decide to incorporate them into your narrative?
Jennifer Lang: Living in Israel, history is ever-present, and these events shaped the trajectory of our lives. The personal and political are inseparable here. There was no way to write our story without acknowledging the impact of these moments on our relationship. It’s part of what makes life in Israel both challenging and meaningful.
Writers N Authors: Places We Left Behind spans two decades of moving and uprooting. How did this constant shift affect your sense of belonging, and how did writing about these experiences help you reflect on the concept of “home”?
Jennifer Lang: Growing up in the same house for 18 years, I was always grounded, but I still struggled with belonging. Moving between countries was my way of searching for a place where I felt I truly fit in. Writing about it helped me explore the character of “Home” and what it meant to me, ultimately bringing closure to that quest.
Writers N Authors: Places We Left Behind has been recognized with several awards. What do these accolades mean to you, especially as they relate to the deeply personal nature of the book?
Jennifer Lang: The recognition validates the risks I took with unconventional prose. I wanted to create something that would challenge readers, and the awards affirm that the work resonated with them in ways I’d hoped it would.
Writers N Authors: Your memoir touches on the intersection of secular and religious life. How did you approach this tension in your writing, and how do you think it resonates with readers?
Jennifer Lang: The tension between my secular lifestyle and Philippe’s observance was one of the biggest struggles in our marriage. In the memoir, I approached it carefully, trying to show the push and pull of those differences. It’s a deeply personal story, but I think many readers—regardless of their faith—can relate to navigating conflicting beliefs in relationships.
Writers N Authors: Can you share how your journey as a writer led you to tell this particular story?
Jennifer Lang: Voice is such an essential part of memoir writing. It took years of practice, rejection, and perseverance to find the voice that felt authentic to me. I’ve always admired writers who push boundaries, and through writing Places We Left Behind, I learned to trust my own voice to tell my story in a way that was true to my experiences.
Writers N Authors: Finally, what was the most challenging part of writing this memoir, and what was the most rewarding?
Jennifer Lang: The hardest part was reliving the more difficult moments of my marriage and life. It often felt lonely and heavy, but in the end, the most rewarding part was realizing that the memoir was, in a way, a love letter to my husband and an apology to my younger self. Writing it helped me let go of long-held guilt and finally feel a sense of peace.
Ready to dive into Jennifer Lang’s beautifully woven memoir-in-miniature? Places We Left Behind is available now. Buy on Amazon.
Follow Jennifer Lang:
- Facebook & Instagram: @jenlangwrites
- Goodreads: Jennifer Lang
Awards & Recognitions for Places We Left Behind:
- Finalist for Foreword Reviews Book Awards 2023
- Finalist for Next Generation Indie Book Awards 2024
- Gold Book Award Winner, Literary Titan 2023
