John Lewis and Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell
[isbn]
This incredible memoir is a masterful example of what the graphic novel format can accomplish. The emotive art and engaging storytelling work hand-in-hand to immerse the reader in Congressman John Lewis’s early life and activism, and the frame narrative of President Obama’s 2009 inauguration pulls the struggles, efforts, and hopes of the civil rights movement into the modern day. March is an essential reminder that this history is far... (read more)
Recommended by Madeline S.
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Melissa L Sevigny
[isbn]
I really loved this story. Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter were passionate botanists, and in 1938 they took a harrowing, exhilarating, life-changing journey through the Grand Canyon to map and collect the flora they found there. At the time, it may have felt like their journey was for nothing... companions didn't take them seriously, books of pressed plants were lost, journalists dismissed their work. But their work was recovered and documented,... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Curtis Chin
[isbn]
Curtis Chin’s memoir of growing up in his family’s Detroit Chinese restaurant is by turns moving and hilarious as he recounts the growing pains that come with being the third son in a large immigrant family amidst a time of national economic, racial, and health crises.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Kate Beaton
[isbn]
Captivating and devastating! With unfailing humanism, Beaton chronicles the extractions — from the environment, from minority groups, from ourselves — in which we are all complicit. She finds empathy for the lonely men of the Alberta oil sands despite her mistreatment at their hands, and moments of humor and warmth despite the bleakness of her experiences. A must-read, especially if you have student loans.
Recommended by Kai B.
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Greg Marshall
[isbn]
Reading Marshall's memoir reminded me of why I love this genre in the first place. You go into the book expecting one thing (a coming-of-age story alongside Marshall's coming-out story) and then you finish the book examining what it meant for him to have to come out twice: the second time as a gay man with cerebral palsy, which is something that his parents decided not to tell him about, instead telling him that his limp and other various... (read more)
Recommended by Katherine M.
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Jane Wong
[isbn]
Jane Wong's poetry has already established her as one of our finest writers at the intersection between food, family, and identity. Her memoir delves even more vulnerably into this vein, exploring what it means to grow up as a working-class artist swirling between depths of care (from friends, family, and sliced fruit) and carelessness (from boyfriends, family, and food bloggers). With playful free-associative prose and a multiplicity of styles... (read more)
Recommended by Kai B.
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Zaji Cox
[isbn]
Written in beautiful, poetic fragments, Plums for Months abounds with the challenges Zaji Cox faced growing up, but, more importantly, is suffused with the joy that can’t help but overflow from this unique, imaginative, thoughtful human.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Joel Warner
[isbn]
A fascinating history of the Marquis de Sade's most infamous manuscript: 120 Days of Sodom. Warner takes us from Sade's days writing the manuscript in secret in his Bastille prison cell, to its transfer among various private collectors of erotica, all the way to the present day in which the manuscript was one of many historical documents involved in a criminal investment scheme. Filled with intriguing twists and turns, by the end of this... (read more)
Recommended by Alyssa C
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Keith Richards
[isbn]
Stories from the heart of the Rolling Stones. Amazing how many great tales are in here (and that Keith remembered them). All of the musical greats get mentioned and it's all delivered with a humor and charm that's very disarming. A special mention for Charlie Watts, present throughout.
Recommended by Paul S.
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Rebecca Solnit
[isbn]
Reading this book (an analysis of the life of one of the most prolific writers and anti-fascists of the twentieth century, from a woman whom I consider to be one of the most insightful writers of the 21st), I came to understand a truth at the core of Orwell's writing, as well as that of my own disaffection: any movement, whether political or otherwise, that refuses the promise of peace and joy to its adherents, is not a movement worth struggling... (read more)
Recommended by CJ H.
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Kristen Jokinen, Cheryl Strayed
[isbn]
A remarkable and wondrous ride that feels like it never happens anymore, as if Cheryl Strayed's Wild were mixed with dreams and love and a miraculous spirit of exploration.
Recommended by Doug C.
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Haruki Murakami, Philip Gabriel
[isbn]
A meditation on the disciplines of running and writing. Murakami reflects upon what he draws on, and his motivation and passion for both. His memoir subtly intersects his development and current undertaking of these pursuits. He insightfully contemplates the synthesis of body and mind. If you like running, if you like Murakami, you should buy this book!
Recommended by Jack M
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Sebastian Junger
[isbn]
It had been a long time since I'd read Junger's short, egalitarian manifesto, but his insight never fails to stun me. A wonderful, somewhat nerve-wracking story about the intrinsic desire for freedom within all of us.
Recommended by CJ H.
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George Orwell
[isbn]
Down and Out is the book I revisit when I find myself spending a lot of time walking around the city without much more than a tote bag full of half-thought-out ideas and vehement ideals. Orwell assures you can make it if you don't have much more than that, and he was a smarter man than I am: I'll take his word for it.
Meanwhile, Homage to Catalonia is the book I revisit when I want to learn about how to drunkenly use 1930's... (read more)
Recommended by CJ H.
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Elyn Saks
[isbn]
A shining gem of a book. Elyn Saks's memoir about her experience living with schizophrenia is whip smart and delivered with such clear, brutal intelligence and humor that I could barely put it down after picking it up. While somewhat dated in its language by contemporary standards, I was most struck by what remains relevant when it comes to discourse about mental health — the need to be seen, to retain autonomy, to work with people who allow you... (read more)
Recommended by SitaraG
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Mario Vargas Llosa
[isbn]
This book may be useful to all artists, creators, thinkers, musers, wanderers, etc. Since Llosa is writing to a friend, the tone is very conversational, yet quite profound. He says that the act of creation in general comes from a desire to see something new in the world and is itself revolutionary! Who isn't curious about what a creative revolution could like?!
Recommended by Dana S.
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Julian Aguon
[isbn]
If I could, I would shelve this book in every applicable section, so as to get the maximum number of eyes on it! It is certainly welcome in the climate change section, as its overarching theme is the threat of rising seas to Guam and other Pacific Island nations. I'd also welcome it in US History, where you can learn about our government's treatment of Guam, its people, its resources. Literature Reference? Yep, the book is full of loving... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Carolyn Hays
[isbn]
I honestly have no idea how I would react to a surprise visit from a caseworker for child services, but I definitely hope I'd be as strong as Carolyn Hays. All her family was doing was loving her child enough to allow them to express their gender the way their child wanted and someone anonymously reported them to child services. Their story made me ugly cry. Every parent should read this book.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Prince Shakur
[isbn]
Prince Shakur’s riveting memoir about coming of age, coming out, and standing up to systematic oppression is a moving examination of the many ways we fail each other, and the strength required to recognize it and move forward.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Kim Stanley Robinson
[isbn]
I knew I had to read this the second I saw the title. I too, love California's High Sierra, though I have spent far less time in the Range of Light compared to Robinson. Part memoir, part history lesson, part geological survey, this is a book for those that fall in love with a magnificent sky-kissing landscape that they cannot shake from their soul. The pictures and maps — so often lacking in books that deserve them — are superb. If you or... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Casey Parks
[isbn]
In Diary of a Misfit, Casey Parks blends research and memoir to tell a complex story of queerness in her childhood, family, and hometown. Part mystery, part journalism, part personal history — Diary of a Misfit tells an important story about identity and belonging.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Eric Cervini
[isbn]
An incredibly moving and inspirational story about a veteran and government employee who was fired after being outed as gay. Follow Frank Kameny on his painstaking journey for justice as he fights for the rights of the marginalized. I really appreciated experiencing the Stonewall Uprising and legalization of gay marriage from this unique perspective.
Recommended by Parker W.
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New York Public Library, Edmund White
[isbn]
This anthology is so incredibly touching and inspiring. The New York Library has pulled together its extensive collection to bring us multiple first-hand accounts of what happened both inside and outside of the Stonewall, making you feel as if you were there. These are accounts of Stonewall that weren't a part of any documentaries that I'd seen, and I felt lucky to have stumbled upon all the different and unique points of view laid out in this... (read more)
Recommended by Parker W.
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Cookie Mueller, Olivia Laing, Chris Kraus
[isbn]
Maybe I'm just weird, or maybe it's because my mom's favorite filmmaker is John Waters, but stories like Cookie Mueller's help me to see the tragic, paradoxical beauty inherent in being human. Reading these now for the first time is a bit like meeting an old friend I never knew I had.
Recommended by Fletcher O.
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Nic Goodrick Clarke
[isbn]
A deeply important story to understand, especially for us folks here in the PNW. This lady is the unfortunate link that exists between modern environmentalist movements and literal 20th century Nazis. The mother of what we today call Esoteric Hitlerism: the religion-izing of Nazism and the deification of Hitler. Her beliefs are very very stupid and I do not like her one little bit, but they've spread like a cancer to all corners of the world.... (read more)
Recommended by CJ H.
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Mitch Albom
[isbn]
A heartfelt and honest read with great nuggets of wisdom. I loved reading Morrie's outlook on life and admired his compassion and the patience he extended to those around him. A heartfelt and inspiring read.
Recommended by Tawney E.
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Mickey Rowe
[isbn]
The best source of information on autism is Autistic adults like Mickey Rowe. Mickey's story is about the ups and downs of an Autistic actor finding his way through the ableism of theater. He becomes the first Autistic actor to play the role of Christopher Boone in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
This is a must read for folks interested in disability in theater, and for those who want to know more about Autistic... (read more)
Recommended by Rin S.
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Nicole Aschoff
[isbn]
Came for the shade to Sheryl Sandberg, stayed for the shade to Bill Gates. Overall, a very readable and enjoyable indictment of neoliberalism as a whole.
Recommended by CJ H.
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Mary Laura Philpott
[isbn]
The world is pretty anxious-making these days, so reading a book in which the author wrestles with their own anxiety might seem counterintuitive, but having read (and loved) Mary Laura Philpott’s debut essay collection, I Miss You When I Blink, I knew I was in the safest of safe hands. In Bomb Shelter, Philpott takes all the fear/messiness/worry of being a human/parent/child and makes it... not all better, necessarily, but... (read more)
Recommended by Tove H.
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Viola Davis
[isbn]
The first African-American actor to receive an Emmy, an Oscar, and a Tony award, Viola Davis has written a beautiful and inspiring memoir, beginning from her working-class upbringing in Rhode Island to her time spent at Julliard and her determination for playing the roles she wanted to play. If you’ve been enthralled by her craft in film, television, and stage, you will enjoy this wonderful memoir by an amazing actor.
Recommended by Kim T.
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Warren Ellis
[isbn]
I've often thought that nonfiction can tell you about a person, place, or thing, while fiction is more about the relationships between persons, places, and things. This is the rare book that does both. What could be a rather off footnote of a bearded violin player stealing a piece of gum transforms into an incredible meditation on humanity, collecting things, memory, and so much more.
Recommended by Fletcher O.
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Maureen Callahan
[isbn]
The modern serial killer you’ve never heard of. This isn’t your average droll retelling of the killer’s crimes, but a compelling recount of the investigation and arrest. Callahan begins with Keyes’s final kill and then goes backwards in time, making you feel like you’re part of the investigation. It’s entertaining and terribly tragic. This has quickly topped my list of true crime favorites.
Recommended by Emily C.
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Joy Harjo
[isbn]
Harjo's memoir is both gritty and glittering. Her experiences with domestic abuse, poverty, and addiction are sometimes heart-wrenching, but on the other side of her journey is poetry, music, and art. A stunningly intense and beautiful read.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Rebecca Solnit
[isbn]
A contemplation on the life of one of the 20th century's greatest essayists, journalists, and truth-tellers by one of the 21st century's greatest? I'm in! I dropped everything on my TBR with plans to fly through it in a weekend, but quickly slowed down because this is an adroit, scholarly collection that deserves to be savored with deliberative reflection.
Recommended by Emily B.
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Joy Harjo
[isbn]
Adroitly combining poetry and prose, Harjo details her journey from leaving home as a teenager to escape abuse to becoming a celebrated poet and teacher. Compassionate, wise, and lyrical, Poet Warrior details Harjo's love of words and her deep connection with the world around her.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Sarah Ruhl
[isbn]
Perhaps it’s because Sarah Ruhl is a genius playwright that the voice of her memoir about motherhood and illness is so wise and true and generous. This is such a beautiful and important book; I know it will be a tremendously helpful and profound reading experience for many.
Recommended by Keith M.
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David Sedaris
[isbn]
The voyeur in me loves to peek inside the daily life of a stranger, especially one who writes with such humor, sarcasm, and whimsy. With this second volume of diary entries, we embark on the daily adventures and observations of a more seasoned, more experienced David Sedaris. The hilarity of the everyday is still there — newspapers blowing across the street, overheard conversations in cafes or airplanes, HOA meetings in Paris — but there is also... (read more)
Recommended by McKenzie W.
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Billy Porter
[isbn]
As satisfying as celebrity memoirs can get, Porter’s story of childhood trauma and struggle slowly evolving into a rewarding and much-decorated Broadway and TV career hits all the right notes.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Andrew Roberts
[isbn]
A royalist apologia for America’s last king, or a correction for centuries of political shade? You choose, after reading Andrew Roberts’s gloriously well-researched biography of (Mad) King George III. Neither the pompous idiot of Hamilton nor the tragicomic figure of The Madness of King George, Roberts’s King George is a talented leader beset by mental illness and the machinations of the 18th-century court. An absolutely... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Dwyane Wade
[isbn]
This is a gorgeous and inspirational memoir from beloved three-time NBA Champion and Olympic gold medalist Dwyane Wade. Full of color photos, it covers his personal journey from growing up on Chicago's South Side, to his college career at Marquette, to his very successful NBA career. He also talks about the people that have supported him along the way, his focus on family life, his thinking about the legacy he is leaving behind, and his love of... (read more)
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Annabel Abbs
[isbn]
The documented history of men walking the earth for pleasure or purpose, discovery or whim, is plentiful. The women's story is far more elusive. Whether these women were by the adventuring men's sides the entire time or roaming on their own, their stories were mostly lost or never recorded for posterity. Author Annabel Abbs is bringing to light the stories of various notable women — Georgia O'Keeffe and Daphne du Maurier to name just two. These... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Doireann Ní Ghríofa
[isbn]
Ní Ghríofa’s A Ghost in the Throat is the most interesting and beautiful book I’ve read this year. Biography, memoir, and autofiction (an intoxicating blend for anyone with lit critical impulses), A Ghost explores Ní Ghríofa’s obsession with Eibhlín Dubh and her 18th-century lament “Caoineadh Airt Uí Laoghaire.” Unable to find much scholarship about Dubh, Ní Ghríofa plunges headfirst into translation and archival records,... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Carmelo Anthony
[isbn]
If you are a fan of the NBA, then you know all about Carmelo Anthony’s playing career. In this memoir, he opens up about his childhood in Red Hook, NY, and Baltimore. I enjoyed this opportunity to get to know Anthony a bit better off the court.
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Assata Shakur
[isbn]
This may be the book on this list that will have the most altered emotional valence for many — but by no means all — readers today, as opposed to when it was published. In 1977, Assata Shakur was convicted of the murder of a New Jersey State Trooper, after years of acquittals or dismissals of various charges. Perhaps her trial was fair, but her treatment surely wasn’t. In the era of COINTELPRO, Shakur was held up by the government as the face of... (read more)
Recommended by Keith M.
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John Lewis and Andrew Aydind and Nate Powell
[isbn]
First you march, then you run! That’s what John Lewis did after more than five years as a leader in the civil rights movement, after being the youngest speaker at the march on Washington, after getting beaten and arrested for his nonviolent resistance. Lewis then ran for Congress and became a powerful voice for justice from the seat of government. Run follows the great John Lewis in the years following the events of the award-winning and... (read more)
Recommended by Doug C.
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Kat Chow
[isbn]
Rarely have I been so completely sold on a book after reading just the first page. Seeing Ghosts is often doing two things at once: it is deftly guided and also meandering; it is self-possessed while self-interrogating; and, at its heart, it is grieving a loss and honoring a legacy.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Carrot Quinn
[isbn]
Jumping between her childhood in Alaska and time spent traveling across the country via hopping trains, Carrot Quinn’s book is searing, gut-wrenching, and deeply nomadic. Whether she’s writing about her mother or about how to hop a freight train, Quinn’s prose is evocative, direct, and eloquent.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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John Lewis
[isbn]
At the end of his life, Congressman John Lewis took time to explain his philosophy and give advice to a new generation of activists. In a series of succinct chapters, the "Conscience of Congress” lays out everything you need to know to make a difference and get into “good trouble.”
Recommended by Keith M.
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Jennifer Finney Boylan
[isbn]
Not only was Jennifer Finney Boylan’s story groundbreaking — one of the first works to put the transgender experience on the page and on the world stage — her writing is beautiful, honest, irreverent, and very funny to boot. When She’s Not There debuted in 2003, Boylan’s candor, determination, and outrageous wit were the perfect combination to open hearts and inspire a generation of trans folks. And now, as half our country continues to... (read more)
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Carmen Maria Machado
[isbn]
Devastatingly beautiful, In the Dream House is a work of traumatized text, made up of stunning vignettes and fragmented stories of one queer woman’s experience with an abusive lesbian relationship. It’s intermixed with literary theory and poignant observations about the nature and history of LGBTQ relationships and abuse.
Recommended by Alice G.
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David Sedaris
[isbn]
David Sedaris’s second book — and his first to be composed entirely of autobiographical essays — Naked is the rare sophomore effort that is a truer reflection of the author than the debut. Sedaris was already known for "Santaland Diaries," his essay about working as a Macy’s elf that he read aloud on NPR. His voice is so distinctive that it became inseparable from his writing before he published anything. Sedaris is now an icon of... (read more)
Recommended by Keith M.
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Elon Green
[isbn]
You can read and appreciate this book as a true crime thriller — it's got plenty of twists and turns, breakthroughs and roadblocks to the investigation at its center. But the real achievement here is capturing the lost queer New York City of the late '80s and early '90s — the bars where men who could not be themselves in public went to loosen their ties and live in the best version of a queer community available to them. Elon Green captures why... (read more)
Recommended by Tim B.
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Sweet, Victoria
[isbn]
What a lovely, compassionate, enriching book. Trained as a conventional doctor, read as Sweet is transformed by an old-style charity hospital, wherein part of the medicine is giving nurses time on-shift to knit blankets for patients and really care for them. There's a fascinating discussion of how her patients did when she began to introduce remedies and principles of medicine from Hildegard von Bingen's writings.
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Rebecca Buxton, Lisa Whiting
[isbn]
From female philosophers of ancient Greece and China to Mary Wollstonecraft and Angela Davis, prepare to be blown away by the breadth and depth of scholarship, though largely unheralded. Read about Diotima, for instance, who may well have taught Socrates what came to be known as his own method, and essentially elucidated the path of love, or what was later known as the Bhakti path to enlightenment. Women have always been active in this field —... (read more)
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Stephen Van Dyck
[isbn]
I'm blown away by how Van Dyck's unassuming diary-like vignettes can cover so much emotional and sexual terrain. It's like a memoir in list form and it beautifully/hilariously/awkwardly documents his early adulthood through the people he's met on the Internet. There's a lot of sweetness throughout, as if the author is still in love (or still boyfriends) with many of the men and women described. His descriptions of the early AOL chatrooms and... (read more)
Recommended by Kevin S.
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Paulina Bren
[isbn]
This is a fun, informative feminist history of the NYC residential hotel that connected Grace Kelly to Sylvia Plath, Joan Didion to Cybill Shepherd. Aspiring artists, writers, models, and career women of all stripes came to stay here for the safety, the glamorous sisterhood — and a room of one's own. I just know Betty Draper stayed here as a model before she married Don!
Recommended by Jennifer K.
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Jared Cohen
[isbn]
This is a great insight into some of our lesser-known presidents as well as a new look at the more famous ones. Cohen has done his research and writes great tales of transitions of power. It's very interesting to read about men who were hoping to ride out four to eight years in the lazy chair of the vice president, only to be unexpectedly be given vast amounts of responsibility they (mostly) did not want.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Casey Cep
[isbn]
This book reads like a detailed Law and Order episode. The story is actually told in 3 parts. 1) A murderer who killed for life insurance money. 2) The lawyer who defended both the murderer AND, eventually, the murderer's killer. 3) The journalist who spent years trying to tell this fascinating tale. This book is full of interesting details and courtroom drama. And I love that it shed some light on one of the most mysterious modern American... (read more)
Recommended by Rose H.
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Michelle Zauner
[isbn]
At one point in her memoir, Michelle Zauner describes the quick ascent of her band Japanese Breakfast as “suspiciously charmed.” Any reader who has made it that far knows there’s nothing suspicious about it. Crying in H Mart is a skillfully written and deeply moving portrait of Zauner’s mother and their close, and at times strained, relationship. It is also a rumination on cultural distance and the power of food to bridge the gap — it is... (read more)
Recommended by Keith M.
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Courtney Maum
[isbn]
I am so grateful to have found this INVALUABLE resource to guide me through the publication of my first book. It contains vital information for writers at all stages in their careers. With tips and advice on everything from querying agents and setting aside valuable writing time to childrearing and doing taxes (Did you know you can write off the lattes you drink while plugging away on your novel??), this book is a holy text of sorts. I feel like... (read more)
Recommended by Ariel K.
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Anna Wiener
[isbn]
Uncanny Valley is the truest thing I’ve ever read. It’s such a precise picture of the last decade in the tech industry, told in matter-of-fact prose that made me gasp and cringe and laugh. Anna Wiener takes readers on her journey from barely-scraping-by publishing assistant to well-compensated tech worker, and how she grapples with the slow burn of false promises and the unforeseen consequences of the venture-backed playground of Silicon... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Dolly Parton and Robert K. Oermann
[isbn]
It’s hard to talk about Dolly Parton without sounding like you’re describing a mythical figure, even outside of her stage presence and myriad hits. She wrote “Jolene” and “I Will Always Love You” in the same day! Her Imagination Library program has sent hundreds of millions of free books to children to help combat illiteracy! In Dolly Parton, Songteller, she shares the fascinating stories behind the lyrics of her popular songs,... (read more)
Recommended by Michelle C.
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Jon Meacham and John Lewis
[isbn]
There is no book that I would rather be reading this fall than His Truth Is Marching On. Jon Meacham is a powerful writer and his portrait of Congressman Lewis is sure to be one of the most significant books of the year.
Recommended by McKenzie W.
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Harriet Jacobs
[isbn]
A profoundly harrowing account, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girlby Harriet Jacobs, is too often overlooked in the canon of American classics. Published 16 years after the narrative of Frederick Douglass, Harriet Jacobs presented the particular horrors of female slavery to a majority white male audience for the first time. A vital piece of history, Harriet Jacobs's autobiography deserves to be read and examined by modern audiences.
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Bryan Stevenson
[isbn]
“Why do we want to kill all the broken people? What is wrong with us, that we think a thing like that can be right?” If you feel called to learn about criminal justice, but don’t necessarily have a firm understanding of how the legal system operates, Just Mercy is exactly the book to read. Not only is it totally accessible, but the stance from which Bryan Stevenson writes is so utterly compassionate that, as he sheds light on example... (read more)
Recommended by Aubrey W.
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Flea
[isbn]
Acid For the Children is a megadose of wild and crazy!
Literary, intelligent, funny and sad. Flea's writing is eloquent, at times profound.
If you are locked down, life on hold, try this awesome memoir of Flea's.
I loved this book!
Recommended by Adrienne C.
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Phil Keith, Tom Clavin
[isbn]
Are you locked down? Life on hold? Read a biography of someone who really lived their life!
Incredible and fascinating, All Blood Runs Red is immensely enjoyable journey of
Eugene Bullard, boxer, pilot, soldier, spy. Bullard was also a jazz drummer and owner of a Paris nightclub in the 1930s, who was friends with Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong, Langston Hughes, and many more. Born in Georgia in 1895, escaping the racism he hated, he... (read more)
Recommended by Adrienne C.
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Holly George-Warren
[isbn]
Locked down? Life on hold? Read a biography of someone who really lived their life!
Janis: Her Life and Music by Holly George-Warren shows her wild side as well as her
tender side. I loved this excellent biography on Janis Joplin. Oh, Janis, I'm so sorry you died so young. I only knew a handful of your songs. Didn't know how smart you were, always reading books, since childhood. That you were a talented artist, who could have gone far... (read more)
Recommended by Adrienne C.
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Chip Jones
[isbn]
In 1960s Virginia, we celebrated American superiority in the race for one of the first successful heart transplants. The reality of this success was darkened with the knowledge of what went on behind the scenes: organ collection from an African American without their permission or knowledge. The history of abuse within our health system, and how it has affected our communities of color, is a must-read for anyone trying to understand the world we... (read more)
Recommended by Corie K-B.
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Jon Krakauer
[isbn]
Krakauer's personal account of the deadliest season in Everest's climbing history is — hands down — one of the most riveting, harrowing, and thoughtfully written books I’ve ever read, and the title I recommend most to readers who assume nonfiction equals boring.
Recommended by Tove H.
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Jas M. Morgan
[isbn]
A fabulous, slim memoir that explores the complex intersections between chosen queer family and blood family through cyclical Indigenous narrative techniques, Nîtisânak is immense in its vision and breadth. Equal parts witty and powerful, Lindsay Nixon is a phenomenon.
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Noé Álvarez
[isbn]
Noé Álvarez’s impressive debut is both a travelogue of the 6,000-mile Indigenous peoples’ run that took him from Canada to Guatemala and a memoir of the path his life took before and after the run — from an isolating childhood in an immigrant community in eastern Washington, to a more winding route that took him to the East Coast as an adult. While the run was a true test of personal endurance, Spirit Run is not just about one man’s... (read more)
Recommended by Keith M.
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Andrew X. Pham
[isbn]
Gritty and emotional, this travelogue/immigration tale had me transfixed. Pham skillfully narrates his family's story both settling in the US and in leaving war-torn Vietnam. His bicycle tour through 1990s Vietnam is a fantastic (and scary!) experience no tourist could have while he seeks a deeper understanding of "home."
Recommended by Ruth J.
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Molly Wizenberg
[isbn]
Memoirist and food writer Molly Wizenberg has been married to the same man for nearly a decade, and has always thought of herself as a straight person, when a chance encounter at jury duty (of all places) develops into a crush. Deeper feelings soon emerge — feelings she is unwilling to dismiss and unable to ignore. This insightful memoir follows Molly as she realizes that gender, sexuality, and love are much more fluid and expansive than she’d... (read more)
Recommended by Adam P.
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Ross Mathews
[isbn]
If you've ever wondered what Lady Gaga thinks of while strutting the red carpet, or contemplated what happens behind the scenes on The View, you won't anymore after reading this raucous new book by Ross Mathews. Name Drop is a binge-read packed full with anecdotes featuring major celebs, and each cameo starts off with a cocktail and food "Rossipe" which adds flavor to the already delectable stories Ross shares. This is a super... (read more)
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Ian Zack
[isbn]
It’s amazing to me that there has never been a biography written for adults about the musical powerhouse and folk music activist Odetta! Ian Zack chronicles Odetta’s early life in Birmingham, AL, and her leadership in the 1960s folk revival in San Francisco, with interviews by Joan Baez, Harry Belafonte, Carly Simon, and Judy Collins. Zack reminds us of Odetta's influence on the politics and protest songs of today.
Recommended by Kim T.
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Erik Larson
[isbn]
I wouldn't have thought anyone could make me want to read a 608-page book about Churchill and the Blitz, but Larson once again sucked me in with his exhaustive research and beautiful writing. Reading this doesn't feel like a chore, but rather an immersive, nail-biting escape into a different time and place. It's stunning.
Recommended by Leah C.
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Kwame Onwuachi, Joshua David Stein
[isbn]
I loved Notes From a Young Black Chef, Kwame Onwuachi's memoir.
For such a young man, there is quite a lot of experiences packed into this book,
as he is hardworking, ambitious, and talented. If you're a foodie (I am not) or love
memoirs (I do!) this is an excellent read. Recipes included. Very impressive!
Recommended by Adrienne C.
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Paul Lisicky
[isbn]
Paul Lisicky’s memoir of his time on a writing fellowship in Provincetown during the height of the (initial stage of the ongoing) AIDS crisis does more in one paragraph than many books accomplish in their entireties; the richness of insight is evident in every passage.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Mitchell Jackson
[isbn]
Survival Math is a brilliant memoir told in a unique and powerful voice. Jackson explores his family history, the history of Portland, and the larger issues that surrounded his childhood. “Survival math” refers to the hard economic choices he and his family made in one the whitest cities in America. Jackson’s eloquent and mesmerizing prose makes this a standout read.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Joshua D Mezrich
[isbn]
When Death Becomes Life is a beautifully written tribute to science, medicine, and humanity, viewed through the capable lens of a transplant surgeon. Joshua Mezrich synthesizes over 100 years of medical history, shares extraordinary stories about his patients, and writes emotionally and joyously about his own life's work. A remarkable and inspiring memoir.
Recommended by Jill O.
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Helene Hanff
[isbn]
Hanff, a New York writer, chronicles her relationship with a London bookseller during WWII. It starts off as a request for books, but the friendship that blossoms over the years lasts a lifetime. Full of wonderful book talk, with Hanff's acerbic wit, and the charming — but struggling — booksellers at Mark's & Co., this is must-read for book lovers everywhere.
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Patrisse Khan Cullors, asha bandele
[isbn]
Patrisse Khan-Cullors's compassionate memoir is, among many things, an imperative to seek connection and build community as a countermeasure to injustice and dehumanization.
Recommended by Hayley H.
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Michelle McNamara
[isbn]
Michelle McNamara's devastating passing in 2016 was the first time I'd heard of her investigation into the criminal who would come to be known as the Golden State Killer. My curiosity was piqued when I learned that her manuscript would be published posthumously. McNamara's narrative deeply conveyed the palpable fear faced by the communities in which the GSK hunted. Paired with Chase Darkness With Me by Billy Jensen, I had an exciting and... (read more)
Recommended by Kara G.
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Damon Young
[isbn]
Damon Young’s memoir-in-essays approaches all the most difficult parts of America’s racial divide directly and — unusually for this serious subject matter — with humor. The result is compelling, insightful, and often very funny.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Jeff Tweedy
[isbn]
Jeff Tweedy's memoir is honest, informative, and very funny. If you couldn't tell from Wilco's album Star Wars, their lead singer has a fantastic sense of humor and a down-to-earth modesty that go along with a heavy devotion to his craft. This Wilco fan devoured Let's Go (So We Can Get Back) in just a few days, and it is a fantastic gift for all their other fans.
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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David W Blight
[isbn]
This timely, powerful biography by a prize-winning author draws on new information about Frederick Douglass, a man who escaped slavery and rose to become one of history's greatest orators and advocates of freedom. A book to treasure and ponder over, with great relevance today.
Recommended by Richard C.
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Frank Mccourt
[isbn]
Is there another memoir so utterly effecting as Angela's Ashes? McCourt's hilarious yet devastating recounting of his Irish Catholic childhood overwhelmed by poverty is in a league by itself. Exploring themes of alcoholism, religious hypocrisy, parenting done both well and poorly, coming of age, both the annoyance and safety of family, the power of stories, the human capacity for suffering, and a scathing condemnation of poverty, McCourt... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Saeed Jones
[isbn]
How We Fight for Our Lives might be one of the best memoirs that I've ever read, and as someone who reads a lot of memoirs, I don't say that lightly. It's obvious after reading this memoir that Jones is a poet. Each sentence appears carefully selected, poised and brimming with emotion. I would read a few pages at a time, not noticing that I was holding my breath the entire time until I exhaled. Jones is a rare talent: he is both funny... (read more)
Recommended by Katherine M.
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Amaryllis Fox
[isbn]
Amaryllis Fox’s absolutely fascinating memoir about working in the CIA is as electric and heart-stopping as the best spy movies. Seriously, one of the most captivating books I have ever read, period.
Recommended by Mary S.
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Lisa Brennan Jobs
[isbn]
You will be shocked by what you read about Steve Jobs in this beautifully rendered literary memoir by his daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs. You will be equally stunned by the author’s insight and honesty. I’m recommending Small Fry to everyone I know. Vivid, compelling, ambitious — it’s the full package.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Maxwell King
[isbn]
Maxwell King’s The Good Neighbor is a comprehensive biography of Fred Rogers, the beloved host of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood. King paints a vivid portrait of a man who was dedicated to embodying and exemplifying the very ideals he strove to instill in others — especially children.
Recommended by Jeremy G.
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Jane Leavy
[isbn]
Babe Ruth takes Manhattan, and the rest of the country, by storm in The Big Fella. Using the lens of a 21-day exhibition cash-grab, reporter Jane Leavy reveals Ruth as the man who created the celebrity/pitch-person persona that dominates modern culture. Forced from a dysfunctional home by an unfit set of parents, Ruth both bucked authority over his actions and looked for acceptance in the grandstands where his every at-bat was cherished.... (read more)
Recommended by Bill L.
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Liz Phair
[isbn]
Always integrating her life into art, Horror Stories is Liz Phair’s collection of heartfelt and candid essays. She reflects on key moments that have continued to linger in her memory: her grandmother’s death, giving birth, and others.
Recommended by Mary Jo S.
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Elton John
[isbn]
Admit it: You’ve spent at least a few deliriously happy moments belting “Tiny Dancer” while stuck in traffic or washing dishes. Elton John’s music is simply un-unlikable, no matter how highbrow you claim to be, and his candid memoir about fame, family, and recovery is equally beguiling.
Recommended by Moses M.
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Oliver Sacks
[isbn]
This collection is one of two books Sacks was working on when he passed away, and with probing essays on time, memory, creativity, and consciousness, it’s a fitting send-off. As usual, his inquiries reveal a dedication to intellectual rigor matched by an extraordinary generosity of spirit.
Recommended by Renee P.
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Carmen Maria Machado
[isbn]
Carmen Maria Machado’s beautiful, fearless memoir, In The Dream House, spins her memories in a centrifuge and examines the constituent parts. By divvying the tale into tiny, delicate fragments, Machado makes the emotional pain more vivid while also putting the reader in the same removed, dissociative viewpoint that trauma victims often experience. This is one of the smartest and most moving books of the year.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Edmund Morris
[isbn]
Thomas Edison was a colossus of American life, holding over a thousand patents when he died. The great inventor is a fitting subject for Edmund Morris’s final work, for which he spent seven years working through Edison’s voluminous archives.
Recommended by Matt K.
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Jeff Guinn
[isbn]
Guinn's biography of one of the most famous mass murderers in history brings you into the details of Charlie Manson's life. The guy was good friends with the Beach Boys' drummer Dennis Wilson and had big aspirations to not only hide out in the desert while American erupted into another civil war, but also get a recording contract to make him big and famous. Guinn's writing left me looking forward to each chapter and got me up to speed on a story... (read more)
Recommended by Jeffrey J.
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Sara Quin and Tegan Quin
[isbn]
As for so many, high school was a crucible for Sara and Tegan Quin, during which they discovered their identities and developed their voices. Alternating chapters, they share stories that are both universal and utterly unique, much like their music.
Recommended by Keith M.
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