My Life in 100 Objects

Traces the remarkable life of a feminist poet through the items and images that have have defined her experiences

My Life in 100 Objects is a personal reflection on the events and moments that shaped
the life and work of one extraordinary woman. With a masterful, poetic voice, Margaret
Randall uses talismanic objects and photographs as launching points for her nonlinear
narrative. Through each "object," Randall uncovers another part of herself, starting in a
museum in Amman, Jordan, and ending in the Latin American Studies Association in
Boston. Interwoven throughout are her most precious relationships, her growth as an
artist, and her brave, revolutionary spirit.
As Randall's adventures often coincide with important moments in history, many of her
objects provide a transcontinental glimpse into social upheavals and transitions. She
shares memories from her years in Cuba (1969 to 1980) and Nicaragua (1980 to 1984), as
well as briefer periods in North Vietnam (immediately preceding the end of the war in
1975), and Peru (during the government of Velasco Alvarado).
In her introduction, Randall states, "objects and places have always been alive to me."
Her history too is alive, as much of a means to consider our own present as it is to
glimpse her vibrant past.