Rebecca Solnit

Rebecca Solnit is the author of, and central figure in her memoir Recollections of My Nonexistence. As a young girl, Solnit grew up in a tumultuous family setting. Because of her father's abusive and violent behavior, Solnit was eager to leave home as soon as she could. She moved into a small apartment in the San Francisco projects when she was still a teenager. Though her new home was located in a neighborhood labeled as dangerous, Solnit felt immediately at home. She made friends with her building manager and neighborhoods. She found refuge in her small space, filling it with collected items from the streets and thrift stores. Even years after moving out, Solnit continued to dream about being back in the apartment, finding secret compartments, and evidences of former inhabitants behind layers of wallpaper. The apartment spurred her movement into adulthood and a creative life...