Tanya Hochschild spent her childhood in Johannesburg, South Africa. Johannesburg was a beautiful place, filled with the wonders of nature, wildlife, and family. Yet Hochschild's young life was not always filled with beauty and joy; some days were rife with sorrows, much too difficult for a small child to bear alone. Since that time, Hochschild has found a way to channel both her joys and her sorrows into the written word, as collected in "Memories: A Collection of Poems and Essays." Separated into Books I and II, the first section consists of Hochschild's poetry, encompassing moments experienced and wonders unveiled; the second section is a memoir of her childhood in South Africa. Hochschild goes back to a foggy morning by the Namib Desert in "A Drop of Fog." She daydreams about the owners of a silver spoon on the side of the African road in "Running Away with the Spoon." She recalls childhood piano lessons and even her first infatuation, and she does it with humility and poise. "Memories" offers a recollection of a life passed in a faraway, faded place, bringing the past into the present.