Photo/Illutration A bookstore clerk displays “Spare,” Prince Harry’s memoir, in London on Jan. 10. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)

I bought an electronic edition of “Spare,” a memoir written by Prince Harry, who is 38 and the second son of Britain’s King Charles. It was published on Jan. 10.

I read through the more than 400 pages in one sitting, from the first passage, “The past is never dead. It’s not even past,” to the last, “Thank you for wanting to know my story in my words. I am so grateful to be able to share it thus far.”

A stream of strong negative emotions runs through the book--from a sense of inferiority stemming from the perception that he is nothing but the spare to his brother, Prince William, the heir apparent to the British throne, to hatred toward the paparazzi, who also pestered his mother, Princess Diana.

I found the description of the enemy combatants he killed during his military service in Afghanistan as “chess pieces removed from the board” to be unacceptably cynical.

Despite feeling disturbed from time to time, I kept reading the book probably because the author astutely weaves juicy stories into decent descriptions.

While a Japanese version is not yet available, the book has been translated into 15 languages.

More than 1.4 million copies of the original English version were reportedly sold on the first day.

Meanwhile, Harry’s popularity among Britons has slumped to a record low.

As an avid reader of autobiographies and memoirs, I feel a new trend has emerged in recent years regarding books of this genre published in the West.

My impression is that a growing number of books focus more on personal stories than on historical perspectives.

For example, Margaret Thatcher’s memoir “The Downing Street Years” published 30 years ago depicted historical moments she witnessed in a calm, no-nonsense style, with her emotions only occasionally described.

Michelle Obama, in contrast, included many stories of failure and openly expressed emotions in “Becoming,” her memoir that came out five years ago.

Readers in this internet age are accustomed to peeking into the private lives of celebrities.

Memoirs and autobiographies these days offer detailed and provocative life stories in a more entertaining style than social media, with Harry’s memoir being a typical example.

Still, I feel somewhat nostalgic for memoirs published decades ago that gave me a sense of depth and substance.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Jan. 15

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Vox Populi, Vox Dei is a popular daily column that takes up a wide range of topics, including culture, arts and social trends and developments. Written by veteran Asahi Shimbun writers, the column provides useful perspectives on and insights into contemporary Japan and its culture.

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