Beginner's Guide to MemoirsLike this list

20 items

• Crying in H Mart

  a Memoir

  Zauner, Michelle,

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  A stunning memoir about a mother-daughter relationship and the way food connects the author to her Korean heritage. Have the tissues close by for this poignant exploration of grief and loss. Suggested by Brenna.

• Solito

  a Memoir

  Zamora, Javier,

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  Javier Zamora may be an award-winning poet, but he tells the story of the weeks he spent between El Salvador and the United States as the nine-year-old boy he was. He writes of the odd makeshift family that formed during the journey and the many…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Poet Warrior

  a Memoir

  Harjo, Joy,

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  Don’t miss this memoir from three-term U.S. Poet Laureate Joy Harjo, a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and the first Native American to hold this post. While reading her gorgeous, fluid prose, poetry, and song lyrics, I was struck by the…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• How to Say Babylon

  a Memoir

  Sinclair, Safiya,

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  Growing up in Jamaica with an extremely strict father, Safiya Sinclair was isolated in many ways from the outside world. Her candid, eloquent writing style makes reading this coming-of-age story an emotional experience. Suggested by Brenna.

• In the Dream House

  a Memoir

  Machado, Carmen Maria,

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  Carmen Maria Machado's innovative memoir of her relationship with an abusive woman is a beautiful, harrowing second-person literary experiment. Each chapter is written through the lens of a different genre or trope, including bildungsroman,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Better Living Through Birding

  Notes From a Black Man in the Natural World

  Cooper, Christian,

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  Christian Cooper describes himself as a nerdy, Black, gay, activist birder. He also worked as a trailblazing writer/editor at Marvel Comics and is a sci-fi enthusiast. In 2020, his Central Park video—showing an encounter with a woman who didn't want…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• They Called Us Enemy

  Takei, George, 1937-

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  As a child, George Takei was imprisoned in an American concentration camp during World War II along with thousands of other Japanese Americans. This heartbreaking graphic memoir is his account of being treated as the enemy by the government of his…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Pageboy

  a Memoir

  Page, Elliot, 1987-

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  A candid and vulnerable memoir highlighting Elliot Page's journey of self acceptance. The nonlinear approach to the narrative reflects how our exploration of sexuality and gender is not necessarily linear, either. I really appreciated how he…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Between Two Kingdoms

  a Memoir of a Life Interrupted

  Jaouad, Suleika,

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  This inspiring memoir was one of those books that left a lasting impact on me.  It chronicles Suleika Jaouad's journey through four years of cancer treatment, but then shifts to her life after. This is where the memoir really shines. How do we start…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Sitting Pretty

  the View From My Ordinary Resilient Disabled Body

  Taussig, Rebekah,

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  This memoir is accessible, informative, and a great primer to begin to understand ableism from a disabled perspective. The essays are concise and written in a conversational, reflective tone that made me pause and think. Suggested by Rummanah.

• Gender Queer

  a Memoir

  Kobabe, Maia,

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  A gorgeous and moving graphic memoir in which Maia Kobabe explores both eir gender identity and sexual orientation. E shares anecdotes from eir journey, including conversations with family and friends and coming-of-age milestones, with openness and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Finding Me

  Davis, Viola, 1965-

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  This is not your ordinary celebrity memoir. A heart-wrenching, raw, candid, yet uplifting book about how Viola Davis found her voice and ultimately herself through the pain and the trauma of her childhood. It is also a commentary of poverty and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• There's Always This Year

  on Basketball and Ascension

  Abdurraqib, Hanif, 1983-

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  If you already like basketball, read this book. If you don't like basketball, read this book. Hanif Abdurraqib deploys beautifully crafted, lyrical prose to turn a memoir about growing up with basketball in Ohio to a reflection on hometowns, heroes,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Taste

  My Life Through Food

  Tucci, Stanley,

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  Stanley Tucci finds the perfect balance between personal memoir and food writing in this book. Heartfelt, informative, and humorous, this is a great choice for anyone who loves food or celebrity memoirs. Suggested by Paul.

• Clothes, Clothes, Clothes

  Music, Music, Music : Boys, Boys, Boys

  Albertine, Viv, 1954-

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  My all time favorite memoir by the guitar player for the seminal UK punk band The Slits. She talks about being a woman musician in punk with no role models and hardly anyone willing to show her anything, so she had to forge her own sound. She also…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Becoming

  Obama, Michelle, 1964-

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  Becoming was all I ever needed, and possibly more. I adored hearing about Michelle Obama’s youth and how Chicago was changing quickly, both politically and demographically. Her growth and determination was an inspiration, and I saw a lot of myself…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls

  a Memoir

  Madden, T Kira,

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  Kira Madden recounts her turbulent childhood in Florida and Hawai’i, navigating her parents’ substance abuse issues and discovering her queer identity. A brutally honest and deeply resonant memoir. Suggested by Brenna.

• Born a Crime

  Stories From a South African Childhood

  Noah, Trevor, 1984-

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  Born to a Black mother and white father during apartheid, Trevor Noah's very existence was considered a crime by the South African government. This memoir of his childhood and young adult years is moving, honest, and laugh-out-loud funny. After…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Whiskey Tender

  a Memoir

  Taffa, Deborah Jackson, 1969-

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  A candid and compelling coming-of-age memoir about growing up between Quechan and Navajo territories. Deborah Jackson Taffa shares stories from her childhood while looking at how her ancestors’ history and experiences have shaped her life. Suggested…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• What I Talk About When I Talk About Running

  a Memoir

  Murakami, Haruki, 1949-

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  This book was memorable because Haruki Murakami shares his approach to writing, the road that brought him to writing, his daily routine, and how running and writing work together for him. Suggested by Paul.