autobiography books worth reading

24 best autobiographies you have to read in 2024

Whether you're a long-time lover of non-fiction or you're new to the world of autobiographies, this is our list of the 24 best autobiographies you've got to read in 2024.

• Imogen Hope
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Are you dreaming of a summer holiday? Perhaps you're fantasising of afternoons spent lying on the beach or by the pool — chilly January days just a mere memory... And there's nothing that says holiday quite like a new book.

Autobiographical writing is a skill that is hard to master. Done well, it can give you a behind the scenes peek into the world of your favourite star, or give you an insight into historical events and cultural context that would otherwise be near impossible to understand.

While books can make some of the best gifts for others they also can be a great gift for yourself — especially if you're looking to take a break from the screens that surround us in modern life. We love the experience of going into a bookshop, looking at all the covers and picking out a few new titles. But life can get busy, and it can be tricky to find the time to continue to support your local bookshop. Shopping from a site like Bookshop.org also lets you support independent bookshops from home.

Having said that, reading a physical book isn't the only way to enjoy these amazing stories.

Getting a Kindle can be a great way to carry lots of books round with you if you're travelling, and you can often download books for a much lower cost. Listening to audiobooks is also a great way to stay on top of your reading when you're on the go. Amazon Audible lets you download books onto your phone and listen as you go, and it's also running a 30-day UK free trial right now.

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Here's our list of the best autobiographies that you should read in your lifetime.

Looking for better ways to experience your favourite audiobook? Check out guides to the best wireless earbuds , best AirPod alternatives , and the best smart speakers . For more on audio, take a look at the best DAB radios .

Best autobiographies at a glance:

• Open, Andre Agassi | £10.99
• Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton | £10.99
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou | from £4.99
• Wild Swans, Jung Chang | from £4.49
• The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion | from £6.99
• The Princess Diarist, Carrie Fisher | £10.99
• The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank | from £9.49
• All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot | from £9.49
• This is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay | from £5.99
• Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela | from £6.99
• I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy | from £11.99
• Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama | £9.99
• Becoming, Michelle Obama | from £7.99
• Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman, Alan Rickman | from £7.50
• Just Kids, Patti Smith | £12.34
• Wild, Cheryl Strayed | £8.99
• Taste, Stanley Tucci | from £1.99
• Educated, Tara Westover | £10.99
• I Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai | from £8.54
• Crying In H Mart, Michelle Zauner | £9.99
• Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew Perry | £20.99
• The Woman in Me, Britney Spears | £12.50
• Love, Pamela, Pamela Anderson | from £10.99
• Finding Me, Viola Davis | from £5.99

Best autobiographies to read in 2024

Open, andre agassi.

Written in 2009, this is the autobiography of the American former World No.1 tennis player, Andre Agassi. Written in collaboration with JR Moehringer from a collection of hundreds of hours of tapes, this memoir gives top insight into the life of a professional sportsperson.

Agassi's was a career of fierce rivalries and it's fascinating to hear these from the perspective of an insider. Like many high-performing careers, in sport children are singled out for their talent at a young age, and Agassi describes the intensity of training for himself and his fellow tennis players in their collective pursuit of excellence.

This book would make a great present for any tennis fan, and gives an interesting insight into the man behind the nickname 'The Punisher'.

Buy Open by Andre Agassi for £10.99 at Waterstones

Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton

Everything I Know About Love follows Times columnist Dolly Alderton through her early life and 20s. It tackles themes of dating, love, friendship as Alderton comes of age and grows into herself. Dispersed with recipes in the style of Nora Ephron's Heartburn, the book gained a cult following since it was published in 2018 and won a National Book Award (UK) for best autobiography of the year.

Alderton's memoir has also now been turned into a BBC TV show which follows a fictionalised version of Alderton and her friends as they navigate life in London.

Buy Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton for £10.99 at Foyles

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is the first of seven autobiographies Angelou wrote about her life. It follows her childhood, beginning when she's just three years old and spanning to when she is 16 — from her time as a child to when she had a child herself. The book follows the young Maya as she and her brother Bailey are moved between family members following the separation of her parents.

Discussing themes of racism, sexual assault and displacement, the expertly crafted narrative is widely taught in schools here and in the US. Written in the aftermath of the death of Martin Luther King Jr in 1968, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings became an instant classic and is a must-read.

Buy I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou from £4.99 at Amazon

Wild Swans, Jung Chang

Slightly different from traditional first person autobiographies, in this book Jung Chang tells the stories of three generations of women in her own family — her grandmother, her mother and herself. At a time when China is becoming increasingly isolated from the rest of the world, this book provides vital context into the 20th century history of the country.

Through the stories of her grandmother who was given to a warlord as a concubine, and her mother who was a young idealist during the rise of Communism, she captures moments of bravery, fear, and ultimately survival.

The book, which is banned in China, has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide and is as beautifully written as it is educationally fascinating.

Buy Wild Swans by Jung Chang from £4.49 at Amazon

The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion

Published in 2005 when it went on to win Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography, this book follows Didion in the year after her the death of her husband of nearly 40 years, John Gregory Dunne. In this harrowing depiction of grief, love and loss, Didion turns her personal experience into one that is universally relatable.

Didion and Donne's adopted daughter Quintana fell ill days before his death and was still in hospital when he died. Didion recounts her experience caring for her throughout the book, all while going through her own grief.

While not an easy read, this is an incredibly powerful one.

Buy The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion from £6.99 at Amazon

The Princess Diarist, Carrie Fisher

This might be an obvious choice for any Star Wars fan, but we think the appeal of this book stretches far beyond just that. Made up of the diaries Fisher wrote when she was 19 years old and first started playing Princess Leia, the book was released shortly before her death in 2016.

Any peak behind the scenes of such a well-known franchise is bound to be popular, and this examines her experience as a young adult thrust into the world of fame and sex. Unlike her deeply person earlier memoir Wishful Drinking, in which Fisher described her struggles with mental illness, The Princess Diarist is full of bombshell revelations and funny punchlines, making for an enjoyable read.

Buy The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher for £10.99 at Foyles

The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank

The title of this book is clever because in so many ways, Anne Frank's diary is just that — the diary of a young girl. But it is also a vital account of history.

Starting on her 13th birthday, Anne writes about her life with her family living in Amsterdam from 1942 to 1944. Alongside other Jews, Anne and her family go into hiding to escape persecution from the Nazis. She deals with all the feeling teenagers experience growing up, but also grapples with her isolation, lack of freedom, and trying to understand what is happening in the world around her.

Important reading for young people and adults alike, Anne's writing brings home the realities of human suffering levelled upon the Jewish people by the Nazis. Anne's father Otto Frank was the only member of her family to survive the Holocaust, and he published his daughter's diary in line with her wishes.

Buy The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank from £9.49 at Bookshop.org

All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot

This book would make a great gift for the animal lover in your life, or any fan of the great outdoors. In it, James Herriot recounts his experiences as a newly qualified vet working in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s.

The first in his series of memoirs, All Creatures Great and Small finds Herriot in situations where there are high stakes, and more often than not some hilarity (think escaped pigs!). In the years since their first publication, the books have become classics.

If you want more of All Creatures Great and Small, there is also a TV adaptation to get stuck into.

Buy All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot from £8.54 at Bookshop.org

This is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay

This autobiography follows Adam Kay through his years as a junior doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology and working within the NHS. It will have you crying of laughter and sorrow as the young doctor finds himself helping people from all walks of life, all while his own personal life falls into disarray.

Kay's debut publication was the bestselling non-fiction title of 2018 in the UK and stayed at the top of the charts for weeks.

This is Going to Hurt was adapted into a limited drama series by the BBC earlier this year starring Ben Whishaw, which used elements of the book to explore wider themes around health and the NHS.

Buy This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay from £5.99 at Amazon

Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela

This autobiography hardly needs an introduction. It tells the life story of former South African President and antiapartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela, covering his childhood, education and the 27 years he spent in prison.

Mandela is internationally praised for overcoming enormous persecution and struggle, rebuilding South Africa's society as President. The film adaptation of his autobiography stars Idris Elba as Mandela, and was released shortly after his death.

The Kindle edition and paperback copy of this book starts from just £6.99.

Buy Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela from 99p at Amazon

I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy's memoir has been one of the most talked about books of 2022. A former child star best know for her role on Nickelodeon's iCarly in the USA, McCurdy's memoir describes her experience growing up in the limelight with an abusive parent.

The book's title has, unsurprisingly, been a big talking point, but it addresses an issue faced by many who write about their life experiences — how do you write about your true experience without damaging your relationships? In this frank and often funny book, McCurdy describes the emotional complexity of receiving abuse from someone you love.

Buy I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy from £11.99 at Amazon

Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama

Published nearly 15 years before he became President of the United States, Barack Obama's first memoir is a deep exploration into identity and belonging. In this book which begins with him learning about his father's death, Obama explores his own relationship with race as the son of a Black Kenyan father and a white American mother.

Written with his recognisable voice, Obama travels back to Kansas where his mother's family is from (they later moved to Hawaii where Obama spent most of his childhood) before making the journey to Kenya.

This makes an interesting read not only to learn more about the background of a man who holds such an important place in America's history, but also in shedding light on how we all relate to our own parentage and what makes us who we are.

Buy Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama for £9.99 at Waterstones

Becoming, Michelle Obama

America's former First Lady Michelle Obama recounts experiences of her life in this record breaking autobiography, from growing up on the south side of Chicago with her parents and brother, to attending Princeton University and Harvard Law School before returning to Chicago as a qualified lawyer. It was whilst working at a law firm in the city that she met her husband Barack Obama.

Obama uses her elegant story telling to take us along on the incredible journey she went on, as an accomplished lawyer, daughter, wife and mother to becoming First Lady. This is an autobiography that lets you see history from the insider's perspective and is definitely a must read.

Buy Becoming by Michelle Obama from £7.99 at Amazon

Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman, Alan Rickman

Alan Rickman was much loved for his roles in fan favourite films, such as Hans Gruber in Die Hard and Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. This collection of diary entries, written with the intention of being made public and published after his death, give his witty insights into his day-to-day life but also his take on world events.

The book is filled not only with delightful showbiz gossip, but also with snippets of hidden moments — from his disbelief and grief at the sudden death of actor and friend Natasha Richardson, to the relief he feels that the costume for Severus Snape still fits.

Buy Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman from £7.79 at Amazon

Just Kids, Patti Smith

On its release in 2010, Patti Smith's memoir won the US National Book Award for Nonfiction. In many ways it is a love letter to her life long friend, the artist Robert Mapplethorpe. In Just Kids, she recounts their meeting, romance and how they continued to inspire and encourage each other in their artistic pursuits for the rest of their lives.

This story which so vividly depicts life is, however, overshadowed by Mapplethorpe's death. Read for a vivid description of the New York art scene in the late '60s.

Buy Just Kids by Patti Smith for £12.34 at Bookshop.org

Wild, Cheryl Strayed

In this autobiography, Cheryl Strayed writes about hiking the Pacific Coast Trail, from the Mojave Desert in California to Washington State in the Pacific North West. In total, Strayed walks over a thousand miles on her own and in the process, she walked back to herself.

This memoir is beautifully written, moving between stories from the trail to those about Strayed's childhood, her struggles with heroin use and the sudden death of her mother — the main motivation for her walk. Full of suspense, warmth and humour, this book will make you think about your life and your family, and probably make you want to go on a walk.

Wild was adapted into a film in 2014, produced by and starring Reese Witherspoon.

Buy Wild by Cheryl Strayed for £8.99 at Waterstones

Taste, Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci has long been beloved for his nuanced and charming acting performances, but in the last few years has gained popularity for his true love — food. Between his CNN series Searching for Italy making us all cross eyed with food envy, and his cookbook The Tucci Table written with wife Felicity Blunt, there's no getting away from the fact that Stanley Tucci is giving Italian food an even better name than it had already.

But there's a good reason for Tucci's renewed love of food and his devotion to these passion projects. He was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2018 which left him unable to eat for several months, and even after he was able to eat again, his sense of taste was changed. In this memoir, he recounts his early relationship with food in his grandparent's kitchen and at his parent's table, and how his relationship with food has shaped all the loves of his life.

We recommend having a bowl of pasta in front of you while you read this!

Buy Taste by Stanley Tucci from £6.99 at Amazon

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Educated, Tara Westover

This is a frankly astonishing memoir in which Tara Westover recounts how she came from a Mormon fundamentalist background without a birth certificate or any schooling, and ended up studying for her PhD at the University of Cambridge.

Westover gives readers a peak behind the curtain into the lifestyle of a group who do everything they can to stay away from the outside world. She recounts the experience of herself and her siblings as they grew up in an environment where they were often injured and didn't have access to medical help.

The juxtaposition of loving her family and yet needing to escape is acutely described, and she writes so cleverly about the complex subject matter, often admitting that her version of events may not be the correct one. Westover expertly uses her own story to examine themes of religion, love and above all education - and we promise you won't be able to put it down.

Buy Educated by Tara Westover for £10.99 at Foyles

I Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai's story is undeniably an incredible one. After the Taliban took over in Swat Valley in Pakistan where she was born, Yousafzai was prevented from going to school. Despite being just a child herself, she became outspoken on girls' right to learn and in 2012, she was shot in the head by a masked gunman while on the bus to school.

After the attack Yousafzai moved to the UK with her family. In this autobiography, she describes the importance of female education, starting the Malala Fund, and receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. This book will leave you inspired.

Buy I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai from £8.54 at Bookshop.org

Crying In H Mart, Michelle Zauner

Michelle Zauner is an Asian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist best known as lead of the band Japanese Breakfast. In this memoir, Zauner explores her relationship with her Korean heritage and how her mother's death forced her to reckon with the side of herself she had all but lost.

At the heart of this book about love, loss and grief is food. It acts as a constant dialogue between Zauner and her mother, as well as an enduring connection with her Korean heritage. This makes for a highly emotional and thought-provoking read.

Buy Crying In H Mart by Michelle Zauner for £9.99 at Waterstones

Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew Perry

Last year, we were saddened by the news that Friends actor Matthew Perry had sadly passed away, his autobiography, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing had become a bestseller the year before.

In Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry takes the reader behind the scenes of the most successful sitcom of all time (Friends), and he opens up about his private struggles with addiction. The book is honest and moving, with plenty of Perry's trademark humour, too.

Buy Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry for £20.99 at Waterstones

The Woman in Me, Britney Spears

If the reviews of Britney Spears's autobiography are anything to go by — "The easiest 5 stars I've given" — The Woman in Me is sure to be a hit with Spears fans.

For the first time in a book, Spears is sharing her truth with the world: The Woman in Me tackles themes of fame, motherhood, survival and freedom, and Spears doesn't shy away from speaking about her journey as one of the world's biggest pop stars.

Buy The Woman in Me by Britney Spears for £12.50 at Waterstones

Love, Pamela, Pamela Anderson

We might think we know Pamela Anderson as the bombshell in Baywatch, Playboy's favourite cover girl, and, more recently, making makeup-free appearances on red carpets – looking beautiful as she does so; she's an icon and an activist, and now we can read all about her in her own words for the first time.

Anderson uses a mixture of poetry and prose to speak about her childhood, career, and how she lost control of her own narrative.

Buy Love, Pamela by Pamela Anderson from £10.99 at Amazon

Finding Me, Viola Davis

Naturally, we're big Viola Davis fans over on RadioTimes.com — we've loved her in everything from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes to The Woman King and The Help, so her autobiography Finding Me is right up our street.

In this book, we meet Davis when she's a little girl in an apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, and we journey with her to her stage career in New York City and beyond.

Buy Finding Me by Viola Davis from £5.99 at Amazon

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Best Autobiographies

These are the top autobiographies and memoirs according to the web’s most popular book blogs. ranked by how often they were featured..

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Best Autobiographies

by Michelle Obama

An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States

In a life filled with meaning and accomplishment, Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most iconic and compelling women of our era. As First Lady of the United States of America—the first African American to serve in that role—she helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, while also establishing herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls in the U.S. and around the world, dramatically changing the ways that families pursue healthier and more active lives, and standing with her husband as he led America through some of its most harrowing moments. Along the way, she showed us a few dance moves, crushed Carpool Karaoke, and raised two down-to-earth daughters under an unforgiving media glare.

In her memoir, a work of deep reflection and mesmerizing storytelling, Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and her disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms. Warm, wise, and revelatory, Becoming is the deeply personal reckoning of a woman of soul and substance who has steadily defied expectations—and whose story inspires us to do the same.

Our favourite quote from Becoming

Now I think it’s one of the most useless questions an adult can ask a child—What do you want to be when you grow up? As if growing up is finite. As if at some point you become something and that’s the end.

Bird by Bird

By anne lamott.

For a quarter century, more than a million readers—scribes and scribblers of all ages and abilities—have been inspired by Anne Lamott’s hilarious, big-hearted, homespun advice. Advice that begins with the simple words of wisdom passed down from Anne’s father—also a writer—in the iconic passage that gives the book its title:

“Thirty years ago my older brother, who was ten years old at the time, was trying to get a report on birds written that he’d had three months to write. It was due the next day. We were out at our family cabin in Bolinas, and he was at the kitchen table close to tears, surrounded by binder paper and pencils and unopened books on birds, immobilized by the hugeness of the task ahead. Then my father sat down beside him, put his arm around my brother’s shoulder, and said, ‘Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird.’”

An essential volume for generations of writers young and old, Bird by Bird is a modern classic. This twenty-fifth anniversary edition will continue to spark creative minds for years to come.

Our favourite quote from Bird by Bird

For some of us, books are as important as almost anything else on earth. What a miracle it is that out of these small, flat, rigid squares of paper unfolds world after world after world, worlds that sing to you, comfort and quiet or excite you. Books help us understand who we are and how we are to behave. They show us what community and friendship mean; they show us how to live and die.

by Stephen King

This special edition of Stephen King's highly acclaimed, million-copy blockbuster exposes the experiences, habits, and convictions that have influenced him and his writing, and is very instructive and informative to any aspiring writer.

After the release of Stephen King's On Writing, Entertainment Weekly said, "Long live the King." This superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. Part memoir, part master class by one of the best-selling authors of all time, this superb volume is a revealing and practical view of the writer's craft, comprising the basic tools of the trade every writer must have. King's counsel is based on his vivid experiences from infancy through his emergence as a writer, from his early struggles to his well publicized near-fatal accident in 1999—and how the inextricable link between writing and living aided his recovery. On Writing will inspire and excite everyone who reads it—fans, authors, and anybody who enjoys a well-told narrative. It is brilliantly constructed, accessible, and encouraging.

Our favourite quote from On Writing

Books are a uniquely portable magic.

When Breath Becomes Air

By paul kalanithi.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER.

This inspiring, exquisitely observed memoir finds hope and beauty in the face of insurmountable odds as an idealistic young neurosurgeon attempts to answer the question What makes a life worth living?

At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s worth of training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with stage IV lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, and the next he was a patient struggling to live. And just like that, the future he and his wife had imagined evaporated. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a naïve medical student “possessed,” as he wrote, “by the question of what, given that all organisms die, makes a virtuous and meaningful life” into a neurosurgeon at Stanford working in the brain, the most critical place for human identity, and finally into a patient and new father confronting his own mortality.

What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when the future, no longer a ladder toward your goals in life, flattens out into a perpetual present? What does it mean to have a child, to nurture a new life as another fades away? These are some of the questions Kalanithi wrestles with in this profoundly moving, exquisitely observed memoir.

Paul Kalanithi died in March 2015, while working on this book, yet his words live on as a guide and a gift to us all. “I began to realize that coming face to face with my own mortality, in a sense, had changed nothing and everything,” he wrote. “Seven words from Samuel Beckett began to repeat in my head: ‘I can’t go on. I’ll go on.’” When Breath Becomes Air is an unforgettable, life-affirming reflection on the challenge of facing death and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a brilliant writer who became both.

Our favourite quote from When Breath Becomes Air

You can’t ever reach perfection, but you can believe in an asymptote toward which you are ceaselessly striving.

by Tara Westover

An unforgettable memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University Born to survivalists in the mountains of Idaho, Tara Westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. Her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of Tara’s older brothers became violent. When another brother got himself into college, Tara decided to try a new kind of life. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge University. Only then would she wonder if she’d traveled too far, if there was still a way home.

“Beautiful and propulsive . . . Despite the singularity of [Tara Westover’s] childhood, the questions her book poses are universal: How much of ourselves should we give to those we love? And how much must we betray them to grow up?”—Vogue

“Westover has somehow managed not only to capture her unsurpassably exceptional upbringing, but to make her current situation seem not so exceptional at all, and resonant for many others.”—The New York Times Book Review

Our favourite quote from Educated

You can love someone and still choose to say goodbye to them,” she says now. “You can miss a person every day, and still be glad that they are no longer in your life.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

By maya angelou.

Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide. Her life story is told in the documentary film And Still I Rise, as seen on PBS’s American Masters.

Here is a book as joyous and painful, as mysterious and memorable, as childhood itself. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide.

Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local “powhitetrash.” At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age—and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors (“I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare”) will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned.

Poetic and powerful, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read.

“I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity.”—James Baldwin

Our favourite quote from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.

Autobiography of a Yogi

By paramahansa yogada.

Autobiography of a Yogi is at once a beautifully written account of an exceptional life and a profound introduction to the ancient science of Yoga and its time-honored tradition of meditation. Profoundly inspiring, it is at the same time vastly entertaining, warmly humorous and filled with extraordinary personages. Self-Realization Fellowship's editions, and none others, include extensive material added by the author after the first edition was published, including a final chapter on the closing years of his life.

Selected as "One of the 100 Best Spiritual Books of the Twentieth Century", Autobiography of a Yogi has been translated into more than 50 languages, and is regarded worldwide as a classic of religious literature. Several million copies have been sold, and it continues to appear on best-seller lists after more than sixty consecutive years in print.

Our favourite quote from Autobiography of a Yogi

Live quietly in the moment and see the beauty of all before you. The future will take care of itself...

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

By malcolm x.

In the searing pages of this classic autobiography, originally published in 1964, Malcolm X, the Muslim leader, firebrand, and anti-integrationist, tells the extraordinary story of his life and the growth of the Black Muslim movement. His fascinating perspective on the lies and limitations of the American Dream, and the inherent racism in a society that denies its nonwhite citizens the opportunity to dream, gives extraordinary insight into the most urgent issues of our own time. The Autobiography of Malcolm X stands as the definitive statement of a movement and a man whose work was never completed but whose message is timeless. It is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand America.

Our favourite quote from The Autobiography of Malcolm X

So early in my life, I had learned that if you want something, you had better make some noise.

Long Walk to Freedom

By nelson mandela.

The autobiography of global human rights icon Nelson Mandela is "riveting...both a brilliant description of a diabolical system and a testament to the power of the spirit to transcend it" (Washington Post).

Nelson Mandela was one of the great moral and political leaders of his time: an international hero whose lifelong dedication to the fight against racial oppression in South Africa won him the Nobel Peace Prize and the presidency of his country. After his triumphant release in 1990 from more than a quarter-century of imprisonment, Mandela was at the center of the most compelling and inspiring political drama in the world. As president of the African National Congress and head of South Africa's antiapartheid movement, he was instrumental in moving the nation toward multiracial government and majority rule. He is still revered everywhere as a vital force in the fight for human rights and racial equality.

Long Walk to Freedom is his moving and exhilarating autobiography, destined to take its place among the finest memoirs of history's greatest figures. Here for the first time, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela told the extraordinary story of his life -- an epic of struggle, setback, renewed hope, and ultimate triumph.

The book that inspired the major motion picture Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.

Our favourite quote from Long Walk to Freedom

No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.

Sam Walton: Made in America

By sam walton.

Meet Sam Walton, a genuine American folk hero cut from the homespun fabric of America's heartland, who transformed a single dime store in a hardscrabble cotton town into Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer. Sam, the unchallenged merchant king of the late twentieth century, never lost contact with the average man.

Finally, some unforgettable words. Genuinely humble, but self-assured in his objectives and accomplishments. Sam expresses his thoughts in an honest, off-the-shoulder manner. Sam Walton chronicles the inspiration, heart, and optimism that propelled him to lasso the American Dream in a storey rich with anecdotes and the "rules of the road" of both Main Street and Wall Street.

Our favourite quote from Sam Walton: Made in America

Great ideas come from everywhere if you just listen and look for them. You never know who’s going to have a great idea.

Born a Crime

By trevor noah.

Trevor Noah’s unlikely path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Trevor was born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents’ indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the earliest years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, steal him away. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white rule, Trevor and his mother set forth on a grand adventure, living openly and freely and embracing the opportunities won by a centuries-long struggle.

Born a Crime is the story of a mischievous young boy who grows into a restless young man as he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist. It is also the story of that young man’s relationship with his fearless, rebellious, and fervently religious mother—his teammate, a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.

The stories collected here are by turns hilarious, dramatic, and deeply affecting. Whether subsisting on caterpillars for dinner during hard times, being thrown from a moving car during an attempted kidnapping, or just trying to survive the life-and-death pitfalls of dating in high school, Trevor illuminates his curious world with an incisive wit and unflinching honesty. His stories weave together to form a moving and searingly funny portrait of a boy making his way through a damaged world in a dangerous time, armed only with a keen sense of humor and a mother’s unconventional, unconditional love.

Our favourite quote from Born a Crime

We tell people to follow their dreams, but you can only dream of what you can imagine, and, depending on where you come from, your imagination can be quite limited.

The Diary of a Young Girl

By anne frank.

Discovered in the attic in which she spent the last years of her life, Anne Frank’s remarkable diary has since become a world classic—a powerful reminder of the horrors of war and an eloquent testament to the human spirit.

In 1942, with Nazis occupying Holland, a thirteen-year-old Jewish girl and her family fled their home in Amsterdam and went into hiding. For the next two years, until their whereabouts were betrayed to the Gestapo, they and another family lived cloistered in the “Secret Annex” of an old office building. Cut off from the outside world, they faced hunger, boredom, the constant cruelties of living in confined quarters, and the ever-present threat of discovery and death. In her diary Anne Frank recorded vivid impressions of her experiences during this period. By turns thoughtful, moving, and amusing, her account offers a fascinating commentary on human courage and frailty and a compelling self-portrait of a sensitive and spirited young woman whose promise was tragically cut short.

Our favourite quote from The Diary of a Young Girl

How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.

by Patti Smith

It was the summer Coltrane died, the summer of love and riots, and the summer when a chance encounter in Brooklyn led two young people on a path of art, devotion, and initiation.

Patti Smith would evolve as a poet and performer, and Robert Mapplethorpe would direct his highly provocative style toward photography. Bound in innocence and enthusiasm, they traversed the city from Coney Island to Forty-Second Street, and eventually to the celebrated round table of Max’s Kansas City, where the Andy Warhol contingent held court. In 1969, the pair set up camp at the Hotel Chelsea and soon entered a community of the famous and infamous, the influential artists of the day and the colorful fringe. It was a time of heightened awareness, when the worlds of poetry, rock and roll, art, and sexual politics were colliding and exploding. In this milieu, two kids made a pact to take care of each other. Scrappy, romantic, committed to create, and fueled by their mutual dreams and drives, they would prod and provide for one another during the hungry years.

Just Kids begins as a love story and ends as an elegy. It serves as a salute to New York City during the late sixties and seventies and to its rich and poor, its hustlers and hellions. A true fable, it is a portrait of two young artists’ ascent, a prelude to fame.

Our favourite quote from Just Kids

No one expected me. Everything awaited me.

by Cheryl Strayed

At twenty-two, Cheryl Strayed thought she had lost everything. In the wake of her mother’s death, her family scattered and her own marriage was soon destroyed. Four years later, with nothing more to lose, she made the most impulsive decision of her life. With no experience or training, driven only by blind will, she would hike more than a thousand miles of the Pacific Crest Trail from the Mojave Desert through California and Oregon to Washington State—and she would do it alone.

Told with suspense and style, sparkling with warmth and humor, Wild powerfully captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.One of the Best Books of the Year: NPR, The Boston Globe, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue, St. Louis Dispatch

Our favourite quote from Wild

The universe, I'd learned, was never, ever kidding. It would take whatever it wanted and it would never give it back.

Let My People Go Surfing

By yvon chouinard.

In his long-awaited memoir, Yvon Chouinard-legendary climber, businessman, environmentalist, and founder of Patagonia, Inc.-shares the persistence and courage that have gone into being head of one of the most respected and environmentally responsible companies on earth. From his youth as the son of a French Canadian blacksmith to the thrilling, ambitious climbing expeditions that inspired his innovative designs for the sport's equipment, Let My People Go Surfing is the story of a man who brought doing good and having grand adventures into the heart of his business life-a book that will deeply affect entrepreneurs and outdoor enthusiasts alike.

Our favourite quote from Let My People Go Surfing

The more you know, the less you need.

by Phil Knight

In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and board chairman Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.

Young, searching, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed fifty dollars from his father and launched a company with one simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost running shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the trunk of his Plymouth Valiant, Knight grossed eight thousand dollars that first year, 1963. Today, Nike’s annual sales top $30 billion. In this age of start-ups, Knight’s Nike is the gold standard, and its swoosh is more than a logo. A symbol of grace and greatness, it’s one of the few icons instantly recognized in every corner of the world.

But Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always been a mystery. Now, in a memoir that’s surprising, humble, unfiltered, funny, and beautifully crafted, he tells his story at last. It all begins with a classic crossroads moment. Twenty-four years old, backpacking through Asia and Europe and Africa, wrestling with life’s Great Questions, Knight decides the unconventional path is the only one for him. Rather than work for a big corporation, he will create something all his own, something new, dynamic, different. Knight details the many terrifying risks he encountered along the way, the crushing setbacks, the ruthless competitors, the countless doubters and haters and hostile bankers—as well as his many thrilling triumphs and narrow escapes. Above all, he recalls the foundational relationships that formed the heart and soul of Nike, with his former track coach, the irascible and charismatic Bill Bowerman, and with his first employees, a ragtag group of misfits and savants who quickly became a band of swoosh-crazed brothers.

Together, harnessing the electrifying power of a bold vision and a shared belief in the redemptive, transformative power of sports, they created a brand, and a culture, that changed everything.

Our favourite quote from Shoe Dog

Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results.

Kitchen Confidential

By anthony bourdain.

A deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade from Chef Anthony Bourdain, laying out his more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute cuisine—now with all-new, never-before-published material.

New York Chef Tony Bourdain gives away secrets of the trade in his wickedly funny, inspiring memoir/expose. Kitchen Confidential reveals what Bourdain calls "twenty-five years of sex, drugs, bad behavior and haute cuisine."

Our favourite quote from Kitchen Confidential

Your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride.

by Lee Iacocca

“Vintage Iacocca . . . He is fast-talking, blunt, boastful, and unabashedly patriotic. Lee Iacocca is also a genuine folk hero. . . . His career is breathtaking.”—Business Week

He’s an American legend, a straight-shooting businessman who brought Chrysler back from the brink and in the process became a media celebrity, newsmaker, and a man many had urged to run for president.

The son of Italian immigrants, Lee Iacocca rose spectacularly through the ranks of Ford Motor Company to become its president, only to be toppled eight years later in a power play that should have shattered him. But Lee Iacocca didn’t get mad, he got even. He led a battle for Chrysler’s survival that made his name a symbol of integrity, know-how, and guts for millions of Americans.

In his classic hard-hitting style, he tells us how he changed the automobile industry in the 1960s by creating the phenomenal Mustang. He goes behind the scenes for a look at Henry Ford’s reign of intimidation and manipulation. He recounts the miraculous rebirth of Chrysler from near bankruptcy to repayment of its $1.2 billion government loan so early that Washington didn’t know how to cash the check.

Our favourite quote from Iacocca

Get all the education you can then go out and do something - do anything.

The Story of My Experiments with Truth

By mahatma gandhi.

"My purpose," Mahatma Gandhi writes of this book, "is to describe experiments in the science of Satyagraha, not to say how good I am." Satyagraha, Gandhi's nonviolent protest movement (satya = true, agraha = firmness), came to stand, like its creator, as a moral principle and a rallying cry; the principle was truth and the cry freedom. The life of Gandhi has given fire and fiber to freedom fighters and to the untouchables of the world: hagiographers and patriots have capitalized on Mahatma myths. Yet Gandhi writes: "Often the title [Mahatma, Great Soul] has deeply pained me. . . . But I should certainly like to narrate my experiments in the spiritual field which are known only to myself, and from which I have derived such power as I possess for working in the political field."

Clearly, Gandhi never renounced the world; he was neither pacifist nor cult guru. Who was Gandhi? In the midst of resurging interest in the man who freed India, inspired the American Civil Rights Movement, and is revered, respected, and misunderstood all over the world, the time is proper to listen to Gandhi himself — in his own words, his own "confessions," his autobiography.

Gandhi made scrupulous truth-telling a religion and his Autobiography inevitably reminds one of other saints who have suffered and burned for their lapses. His simply narrated account of boyhood in Gujarat, marriage at age 13, legal studies in England, and growing desire for purity and reform has the force of a man extreme in all things. He details his gradual conversion to vegetarianism and ahimsa (non-violence) and the state of celibacy (brahmacharya, self-restraint) that became one of his more arduous spiritual trials. In the political realm he outlines the beginning of Satyagraha in South Africa and India, with accounts of the first Indian fasts and protests, his initial errors and misgivings, his jailings, and continued cordial dealings with the British overlords.

Gandhi was a fascinating, complex man, a brilliant leader and guide, a seeker of truth who died for his beliefs but had no use for martyrdom or sainthood. His story, the path to his vision of Satyagraha and human dignity, is a critical work of the twentieth century, and timeless in its courage and inspiration.

Our favourite quote from The Story of My Experiments with Truth

Remember that all through history, there have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they seem invincible. But in the end, they always fall. Always.

by Dr. Edith Eva Eger

t’s 1944 and sixteen-year-old ballerina and gymnast Edith Eger is sent to Auschwitz. Separated from her parents on arrival, she endures unimaginable experiences, including being made to dance for the infamous Josef Mengele. When the camp is finally liberated, she is pulled from a pile of bodies, barely alive.

The horrors of the Holocaust didn’t break Edith. In fact, they helped her learn to live again with a life-affirming strength and a truly remarkable resilience. The Choice is her unforgettable story.

Our favourite quote from The Choice

Our painful experiences aren’t a liability—they’re a gift. They give us perspective and meaning, an opportunity to find our unique purpose and our strength.

The Yellow House

By sarah m. broom.

Ivory Mae Broom, Sarah M. Broom's mother, acquired a shotgun house in the then-promising New Orleans East area in 1961 and constructed her world inside of it. The Space Race was in full swing, and the area was home to a large NASA facility, so postwar optimism looked inevitable. Ivory Mae remarried Sarah's father, Simon Broom, after being widowed; their united family grew to twelve children. But, six months after Sarah's birth, Simon died, and the Yellow House became Ivory Mae's thirteenth and most rambunctious child.

Sarah M. Broom's The Yellow House is a novel of tremendous ambition, telling the story of her family and their connection to home over a hundred years in a neglected part of one of America's most mythologized towns. This is the narrative of a mother's battle against entropy in her home, and of a prodigal daughter who left home only to return to face the tug of home, even after Hurricane Katrina wiped the Yellow House off the map. The Yellow House, guided skillfully by one of New Orleans' native daughters, widens the geography of the city to include the experiences of its lesser-known residents, demonstrating how persistent motivations of kin, pride, and familial love resist and defy erasure. The Yellow House is a magnificent memoir of place, class, racism, the creeping rot of injustice, and the internalized guilt that frequently follows, set in the gap between tourist guides' "Big Easy" and the New Orleans in which Broom was up. It's a powerful, transforming narrative told by an unrivalled new voice of astounding clarity, authority, and strength.

Our favourite quote from The Yellow House

Distance lends perspective, but it can also shade, misinterpret.

The White Album

By joan didion.

First published in 1979, The White Album records indelibly the upheavals and aftermaths of the 1960s. Examining key events, figures, and trends of the era―including Charles Manson, the Black Panthers, and the shopping mall―through the lens of her own spiritual confusion, Joan Didion helped to define mass culture as we now understand it. Written with a commanding sureness of tone and linguistic precision, The White Album is a central text of American reportage and a classic of American autobiography.

Our favourite quote from The White Album

We tell ourselves stories in order to live...We look for the sermon in the suicide, for the social or moral lesson in the murder of five. We interpret what we see, select the most workable of the multiple choices. We live entirely, especially if we are writers, by the imposition of a narrative line upon disparate images, by the "ideas" with which we have learned to freeze the shifting phantasmagoria which is our actual experience.

Born to Run

By bruce springsteen.

“Writing about yourself is a funny business…But in a project like this, the writer has made one promise, to show the reader his mind. In these pages, I’ve tried to do this.” —Bruce Springsteen, from the pages of Born to Run ‍

In 2009, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed at the Super Bowl’s halftime show. The experience was so exhilarating that Bruce decided to write about it. That’s how this extraordinary autobiography began.

Over the past seven years, Bruce Springsteen has privately devoted himself to writing the story of his life, bringing to these pages the same honesty, humor, and originality found in his songs.

He describes growing up Catholic in Freehold, New Jersey, amid the poetry, danger, and darkness that fueled his imagination, leading up to the moment he refers to as “The Big Bang”: seeing Elvis Presley’s debut on The Ed Sullivan Show . He vividly recounts his relentless drive to become a musician, his early days as a bar band king in Asbury Park, and the rise of the E Street Band. With disarming candor, he also tells for the first time the story of the personal struggles that inspired his best work, and shows us why the song “Born to Run” reveals more than we previously realized. ‍

Born to Run will be revelatory for anyone who has ever enjoyed Bruce Springsteen, but this book is much more than a legendary rock star’s memoir. This is a book for workers and dreamers, parents and children, lovers and loners, artists, freaks, or anyone who has ever wanted to be baptized in the holy river of rock and roll.

Rarely has a performer told his own story with such force and sweep. Like many of his songs (“Thunder Road,” “Badlands,” “Darkness on the Edge of Town,” “The River,” “Born in the U.S.A.,” “The Rising,” and “The Ghost of Tom Joad,” to name just a few), Bruce Springsteen’s autobiography is written with the lyricism of a singular songwriter and the wisdom of a man who has thought deeply about his experiences.

Our favourite quote from Born to Run

We honor our parents by carrying their best forward and laying the rest down. By fighting and taming the demons that laid them low and now reside in us.

When They Call You A Terrorist

By patrisse cullors.

A poetic and powerful memoir about what it means to be a Black woman in America—and the co-founding of a movement that demands justice for all in the land of the free.

Raised by a single mother in an impoverished neighborhood in Los Angeles, Patrisse Khan-Cullors experienced firsthand the prejudice and persecution Black Americans endure at the hands of law enforcement. For Patrisse, the most vulnerable people in the country are Black people. Deliberately and ruthlessly targeted by a criminal justice system serving a white privilege agenda, Black people are subjected to unjustifiable racial profiling and police brutality. In 2013, when Trayvon Martin’s killer went free, Patrisse’s outrage led her to co-found Black Lives Matter with Alicia Garza and Opal Tometi.

Condemned as terrorists and as a threat to America, these loving women founded a hashtag that birthed the movement to demand accountability from the authorities who continually turn a blind eye to the injustices inflicted upon people of Black and Brown skin.

Championing human rights in the face of violent racism, Patrisse is a survivor. She transformed her personal pain into political power, giving voice to a people suffering in equality and a movement fueled by her strength and love to tell the country—and the world—that Black Lives Matter. ‍

When They Call You a Terrorist is Patrisse Khan-Cullors and asha bandele’s reflection on humanity. It is an empowering account of survival, strength and resilience and a call to action to change the culture that declares innocent Black life expendable.

Our favourite quote from When They Call You A Terrorist

What is the impact of not being valued? How do you measure the loss of what a human being does not receive?

Personal History

By katharine graham.

In lieu of an unrevealing Famous-People-I-Have-Known autobiography, the owner of the Washington Post has chosen to be remarkably candid about the insecurities prompted by remote parents and a difficult marriage to the charismatic, manic-depressive Phil Graham, who ran the newspaper her father acquired. Katharine's account of her years as subservient daughter and wife is so painful that by the time she finally asserts herself at the Post following Phil's suicide in 1963 (more than halfway through the book), readers will want to cheer. After that, Watergate is practically an anticlimax.

Our favourite quote from Personal History

The nicest thing you did was to take me seriously when a lot of people wouldn’t have, but not too seriously, which was just right.

by Jack Welch

Reg Jones, the former CEO of General Electric, stepped into Jack Welch's office over 20 years ago and embraced him in a bear hug. Reg responded, "Congratulations, Mr. Chairman." It was a watershed moment in the history of American business. So starts the narrative of a self-made man and self-described renegade who prospered in one of the most tumultuous and economically prosperous periods in American history while maintaining a distinct leadership style. Jack Welch scans the landscape of his career as the CEO of one of the world's largest and most successful organizations in what is the most anticipated book on business management of our time.

Our favourite quote from Jack

Control your own Destiny or somebody else will.

by Roxane Gay

From the New York Times bestselling author of Bad Feminist : a searingly honest memoir of food, weight, self-image, and learning how to feed your hunger while taking care of yourself. ‍

“I ate and ate and ate in the hopes that if I made myself big, my body would be safe. I buried the girl I was because she ran into all kinds of trouble. I tried to erase every memory of her, but she is still there, somewhere. . . . I was trapped in my body, one that I barely recognized or understood, but at least I was safe.” ‍

In her phenomenally popular essays and long-running Tumblr blog, Roxane Gay has written with intimacy and sensitivity about food and body, using her own emotional and psychological struggles as a means of exploring our shared anxieties over pleasure, consumption, appearance, and health. As a woman who describes her own body as “wildly undisciplined,” Roxane understands the tension between desire and denial, between self-comfort and self-care. In Hunger, she explores her past—including the devastating act of violence that acted as a turning point in her young life—and brings readers along on her journey to understand and ultimately save herself.

With the bracing candor, vulnerability, and power that have made her one of the most admired writers of her generation, Roxane explores what it means to learn to take care of yourself: how to feed your hungers for delicious and satisfying food, a smaller and safer body, and a body that can love and be loved—in a time when the bigger you are, the smaller your world becomes.

Our favourite quote from Hunger

What does it say about our culture that the desire for weight loss is considered a default feature of womanhood?

by Kiese Laymon

Kiese Laymon, a genre-bending writer and novelist, investigates what the weight of a lifetime of secrets, lies, and deceit does to a black body, a black family, and a society on the verge of moral collapse in this stunning and intriguing memoir.

Kiese Laymon is an unafraid author. In his pieces, he weaves personal anecdotes with astute analysis to reflect on the status of American culture as well as his own experiences with abuse, which evoke mixed emotions of guilt, excitement, perplexity, and humiliation. Laymon asks us to contemplate the ramifications of growing up in a country preoccupied with development but uninterested in the unpleasant task of grappling with our past.

Laymon writes eloquently and honestly about growing up as a hard-headed black son in Jackson, Mississippi, to a difficult and bright black mother. Laymon chronicles his complicated connection with his mother, grandmother, anorexia, obesity, sex, writing, and eventually gambling, from his early memories of sexual assault to his suspension from college to his journey to New York as a young college lecturer. Laymon asks himself, his mother, his nation, and us to confront the terrifying possibility that few in this country know how to responsibly love, and even fewer want to live under the weight of actually becoming free, by attempting to name secrets and lies he and his mother spent a lifetime avoiding.

Heavy is a defiant yet vulnerable personal narrative that illuminates national failures. It's an insightful, often comical exploration of weight, identity, art, friendship, and family that starts with a perplexing childhood and continues through twenty-five years of haunting implosions and long reverberations.

Our favourite quote from Heavy

America seems filled with violent people who like causing people pain but hate when those people tell them that pain hurts.

The Complete Persepolis

By marjane satrapi.

Here, in one volume: Marjane Satrapi's best-selling, internationally acclaimed graphic memoir.

Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming--both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.

Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom--Persepolis is a stunning work from one of the most highly regarded, singularly talented graphic artists at work today.

Our favourite quote from The Complete Persepolis

It's fear that makes us lose our conscience. It's also what transforms us into cowards.

The Glass Castle

By jeannette walls.

‍ The perennially bestselling, extraordinary, one-of-a-kind, “nothing short of spectacular” ( Entertainment Weekly ) memoir from one of the world’s most gifted storytellers. ‍

The Glass Castle is a remarkable memoir of resilience and redemption, and a revelatory look into a family at once deeply dysfunctional and uniquely vibrant. When sober, Jeannette’s brilliant and charismatic father captured his children’s imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to embrace life fearlessly. But when he drank, he was dishonest and destructive. Her mother was a free spirit who abhorred the idea of domesticity and didn’t want the responsibility of raising a family.

The Walls children learned to take care of themselves. They fed, clothed, and protected one another, and eventually found their way to New York. Their parents followed them, choosing to be homeless even as their children prospered. ‍

The Glass Castle is truly astonishing—a memoir permeated by the intense love of a peculiar but loyal family.

Our favourite quote from The Glass Castle

You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love the person for that.

Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

By frederick douglass.

Frederick Douglass was born as a slave. After changing his owners several times, he got lucky with one of their wifes, she treated him well and taught him to read and to write.

Eventually he managed to escape and became an American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman. Frederick Douglass became a national leader of the abolitionist movement in Massachusetts and New York, gaining note for his oratory and incisive antislavery writings.

He was the most influential African American of the 19th century. In Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, one of three Autobiographies he wrote about his struggles and experiences.

Our favourite quote from Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass

I have observed this in my experience of slavery, - that whenever my condition was improved, instead of its increasing my contentment, it only increased my desire to be free, and set me to thinking of plans to gain my freedom. I have found that, to make a contented slave, it is necessary to make a thoughtless one. It is necessary to darken his moral and mental vision, and, as far as possible, to annihilate the power of reason. He must be able to detect no inconsistencies in slavery; he must be made to feel that slavery is right; and he can be brought to that only when he ceased to be a man.

Direct from Dell

By michael dell.

Michael Dell, a freshman at the University of Texas in Austin, drove away from his parents' Houston home in a BMW he had purchased by selling newspaper subscriptions. Three personal laptops sat in the backseat. He is now the chairman and CEO of Dell Computer Corporation, a $30 billion firm that is the world's second largest computer producer and marketer. Dell Computer is the envy of its competitors, having been founded on a deceptively simple premise: to offer high-performance computer systems directly to the end customer. Dell's stock has risen more than 90,000 percent in the previous decade, and the company now sells more than $35 million worth of equipment every day.

Our favourite quote from Direct from Dell

I started the business with a simple question: How can we make the process of buying a computer better?

Losing My Virginity

By richard branson.

"Oh, screw it, let's do it."

That's the philosophy that has allowed Richard Branson, in slightly more than twenty-five years, to spawn so many successful ventures. From the airline business (Virgin Atlantic Airways), to music (Virgin Records and V2), to cola (Virgin Cola), to retail (Virgin Megastores), and nearly a hundred others, ranging from financial services to bridal wear, Branson has a track record second to none.

Losing My Virginity is the unusual, frequently outrageous autobiography of one of the great business geniuses of our time. When Richard Branson started his first business, he and his friends decided that "since we're complete virgins at business, let's call it just that: Virgin." Since then, Branson has written his own "rules" for success, creating a group of companies with a global presence, but no central headquarters, no management hierarchy, and minimal bureaucracy.

Many of Richard Branson's companies--airlines, retailing, and cola are good examples--were started in the face of entrenched competition. The experts said, "Don't do it." But Branson found golden opportunities in markets in which customers have been ripped off or underserved, where confusion reigns, and the competition is complacent.

Our favourite quote from Losing My Virginity

I can honestly say that I have never gone into any business purely to make money. If that is the sole motive then I believe you are better off not doing it. A business has to be involving, it has to be fun, and it has to exercise your creative instincts.

Built from Scratch

By bernie marcus, arthur blank & bob andelman.

When a friend told Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank that, "You've just been hit in the ass by a golden horseshoe," they thought he was crazy. After all, both had just been fired. What the friend, Ken Langone, meant was that they now had the opportunity to create the kind of wide-open warehouse store that would help spark a consumer revolution through low prices, excellent customer service, and wide availability of products. ‍

Built from Scratch is the story of how two incredibly determined and creative people-and their associates-built a business from nothing to 761 stores and $30 billion in sales in a mere twenty years. ‍

Built from Scratch tells many colorful stories associated with The Home Depot's founding and meteoric rise; shows that a company can be a tough, growth-oriented competitor and still maintain a high sense of responsibility to the community; and provides great lessons useful to people in any business, from start-ups to the Fortune 500.

Our favourite quote from Built from Scratch

The key is not to make the sale. The key is to cultivate the customer.” At The Home Depot, cultivating the customer is much more important than creating a bottom line. We teach our associates that if you can save a customer money, do it. We’re not looking to fleece the customer. If I can save them $100, why not do it? That reflects one of our values: caring for the customer. Care for them today and they’ll be back tomorrow.

I Love Capitalism!: An American Story

By ken langone.

Iconoclastic entrepreneur and New York legend Ken Langone tells the compelling story of how a poor boy from Long Island became one of America's most successful businessmen. Ken Langone has seen it all on his way to a net worth beyond his wildest dreams. A pillar of corporate America for decades, he's a co-founder of Home Depot, a former director of the New York Stock Exchange, and a world-class philanthropist (including $200 million for NYU's Langone Health). In this memoir he finally tells the story of his unlikely rise and controversial career. It's also a passionate defense of the American Dream -- of preserving a country in which any hungry kid can reach the maximum potential of his or her talents and work ethic. In a series of fascinating stories, Langone shows how he struggled to get an education, break into Wall Street, and scramble for an MBA at night while competing with privileged competitors by day. He shares how he learned how to evaluate what a business is worth and apply his street smarts to 8-figure and 9-figure deals . And he's not shy about discussing, for the first time, his epic legal and PR battle with former NY Governor Eliot Spitzer. His ultimate theme is that free enterprise is the key to giving everyone a leg up. As he writes: This book is my love song to capitalism. Capitalism works! And I'm living proof -- it works for everybody. Absolutely anybody is entitled to dream big, and absolutely everybody should dream big. I did. Show me where the silver spoon was in my mouth. I've got to argue profoundly and passionately: I'm the American Dream.

Our favourite quote from I Love Capitalism!: An American Story

by Elie Wiesel

Night is Elie Wiesel's masterpiece, a candid, horrific, and deeply poignant autobiographical account of his survival as a teenager in the Nazi death camps. This new translation by Marion Wiesel, Elie's wife and frequent translator, presents this seminal memoir in the language and spirit truest to the author's original intent. And in a substantive new preface, Elie reflects on the enduring importance of Night and his lifelong, passionate dedication to ensuring that the world never forgets man's capacity for inhumanity to man.

Night offers much more than a litany of the daily terrors, everyday perversions, and rampant sadism at Auschwitz and Buchenwald; it also eloquently addresses many of the philosophical as well as personal questions implicit in any serious consideration of what the Holocaust was, what it meant, and what its legacy is and will be.

Our favourite quote from Night

Human suffering anywhere concerns men and women everywhere.

Confessions of an Advertising Man

By david ogilvy.

David Ogilvy was an advertising genius. At the age of 37, he founded the New York-based agency that later merged to form the international company known as Ogilvy & Mather. Regarded as the father of modern advertising, Ogilvy was responsible for some of the most memorable advertising campaigns ever created. Confessions of an Advertising Man is the distillation of all the Ogilvy concepts, tactics, and techniques that made this international best-seller a blueprint for sound business practice. If you aspire to be a good manager in any business, this seminal work is a must-read.

Our favourite quote from Confessions of an Advertising Man

The consumer isn't a moron. She is your wife.

I Am Malala

By malala yousafzai.

I come from a country that was created at midnight. When I almost died it was just after midday. ‍

When the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley in Pakistan, one girl spoke out. Malala Yousafzai refused to be silenced and fought for her right to an education.

On Tuesday, October 9, 2012, when she was fifteen, she almost paid the ultimate price. She was shot in the head at point-blank range while riding the bus home from school, and few expected her to survive.

Instead, Malala's miraculous recovery has taken her on an extraordinary journey from a remote valley in northern Pakistan to the halls of the United Nations in New York. At sixteen, she has become a global symbol of peaceful protest and the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize laureate .

I Am Malala is the remarkable tale of a family uprooted by global terrorism, of the fight for girls' education, of a father who, himself a school owner, championed and encouraged his daughter to write and attend school, and of brave parents who have a fierce love for their daughter in a society that prizes sons.

Our favourite quote from I Am Malala

We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.

The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant

By ulysses s. grant.

Ulysses S. Grant's Personal Memoirs is his autobiography, which focuses mostly on his military experience during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War.

Our favourite quote from The Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant

I would not have the anniversaries of our victories celebrated, nor those of our defeats made fast days and spent in humiliation and prayer; but I would like to see truthful history written. Such history will do full credit to the courage, endurance and soldierly ability of the American citizen, no matter what section of the country he hailed from, or in what ranks he fought. The justice of the cause which in the end prevailed, will, I doubt not, come to be acknowledged by every citizen of the land, in time. For the present, and so long as there are living witnesses of the great war of sections, there will be people who will not be consoled for the loss of a cause which they believed to be holy. As time passes, people, even of the South, will begin to wonder how it was possible that their ancestors ever fought for or justified institutions which acknowledged the right of property in man.

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The 30 best biographies of all time.

Biographer Richard Holmes once wrote that his work was “a kind of pursuit… writing about the pursuit of that fleeting figure, in such a way as to bring them alive in the present.”

At the risk of sounding cliché, the best biographies do exactly this: bring their subjects to life. A great biography isn’t just a laundry list of events that happened to someone. Rather, it should weave a narrative and tell a story in almost the same way a novel does. In this way, biography differs from the rest of nonfiction .

All the biographies on this list are just as captivating as excellent novels , if not more so. With that, please enjoy the 30 best biographies of all time — some historical, some recent, but all remarkable, life-giving tributes to their subjects.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great biographies out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized biography recommendation  😉

Which biography should you read next?

Discover the perfect biography for you. Takes 30 seconds!

1. A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar

This biography of esteemed mathematician John Nash was both a finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize and the basis for the award-winning film of the same name. Nasar thoroughly explores Nash’s prestigious career, from his beginnings at MIT to his work at the RAND Corporation — as well the internal battle he waged against schizophrenia, a disorder that nearly derailed his life.

2. Alan Turing: The Enigma: The Book That Inspired the Film The Imitation Game - Updated Edition by Andrew Hodges

Hodges’ 1983 biography of Alan Turing sheds light on the inner workings of this brilliant mathematician, cryptologist, and computer pioneer. Indeed, despite the title ( a nod to his work during WWII ), a great deal of the “enigmatic” Turing is laid out in this book. It covers his heroic code-breaking efforts during the war, his computer designs and contributions to mathematical biology in the years following, and of course, the vicious persecution that befell him in the 1950s — when homosexual acts were still a crime punishable by English law.

3. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton is not only the inspiration for a hit Broadway musical, but also a work of creative genius itself. This massive undertaking of over 800 pages details every knowable moment of the youngest Founding Father’s life: from his role in the Revolutionary War and early American government to his sordid (and ultimately career-destroying) affair with Maria Reynolds. He may never have been president, but he was a fascinating and unique figure in American history — plus it’s fun to get the truth behind the songs.

Prefer to read about fascinating First Ladies rather than almost-presidents? Check out this awesome list of books about First Ladies over on The Archive.

4. Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston

A prolific essayist, short story writer, and novelist, Hurston turned her hand to biographical writing in 1927 with this incredible work, kept under lock and key until it was published 2018. It’s based on Hurston’s interviews with the last remaining survivor of the Middle Passage slave trade, a man named Cudjo Lewis. Rendered in searing detail and Lewis’ highly affecting African-American vernacular, this biography of the “last black cargo” will transport you back in time to an era that, chillingly, is not nearly as far away from us as it feels.

5. Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert

Though many a biography of him has been attempted, Gilbert’s is the final authority on Winston Churchill — considered by many to be Britain’s greatest prime minister ever. A dexterous balance of in-depth research and intimately drawn details makes this biography a perfect tribute to the mercurial man who led Britain through World War II.

Just what those circumstances are occupies much of Bodanis's book, which pays homage to Einstein and, just as important, to predecessors such as Maxwell, Faraday, and Lavoisier, who are not as well known as Einstein today. Balancing writerly energy and scholarly weight, Bodanis offers a primer in modern physics and cosmology, explaining that the universe today is an expression of mass that will, in some vastly distant future, one day slide back to the energy side of the equation, replacing the \'dominion of matter\' with \'a great stillness\'--a vision that is at once lovely and profoundly frightening.

Without sliding into easy psychobiography, Bodanis explores other circumstances as well; namely, Einstein's background and character, which combined with a sterling intelligence to afford him an idiosyncratic view of the way things work--a view that would change the world. --Gregory McNamee

6. E=mc²: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation by David Bodanis

This “biography of the world’s most famous equation” is a one-of-a-kind take on the genre: rather than being the story of Einstein, it really does follow the history of the equation itself. From the origins and development of its individual elements (energy, mass, and light) to their ramifications in the twentieth century, Bodanis turns what could be an extremely dry subject into engaging fare for readers of all stripes.

7. Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

When Enrique was only five years old, his mother left Honduras for the United States, promising a quick return. Eleven years later, Enrique finally decided to take matters into his own hands in order to see her again: he would traverse Central and South America via railway, risking his life atop the “train of death” and at the hands of the immigration authorities, to reunite with his mother. This tale of Enrique’s perilous journey is not for the faint of heart, but it is an account of incredible devotion and sharp commentary on the pain of separation among immigrant families.

8. Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

Herrera’s 1983 biography of renowned painter Frida Kahlo, one of the most recognizable names in modern art, has since become the definitive account on her life. And while Kahlo no doubt endured a great deal of suffering (a horrific accident when she was eighteen, a husband who had constant affairs), the focal point of the book is not her pain. Instead, it’s her artistic brilliance and immense resolve to leave her mark on the world — a mark that will not soon be forgotten, in part thanks to Herrera’s dedicated work.

9. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Perhaps the most impressive biographical feat of the twenty-first century, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is about a woman whose cells completely changed the trajectory of modern medicine. Rebecca Skloot skillfully commemorates the previously unknown life of a poor black woman whose cancer cells were taken, without her knowledge, for medical testing — and without whom we wouldn’t have many of the critical cures we depend upon today.

10. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Christopher McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp, hitchhiked to Alaska and disappeared into the Denali wilderness in April 1992. Five months later, McCandless was found emaciated and deceased in his shelter — but of what cause? Krakauer’s biography of McCandless retraces his steps back to the beginning of the trek, attempting to suss out what the young man was looking for on his journey, and whether he fully understood what dangers lay before him.

11. Let Us Now Praise Famous Men: Three Tenant Families by James Agee

"Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us.” From this line derives the central issue of Agee and Evans’ work: who truly deserves our praise and recognition? According to this 1941 biography, it’s the barely-surviving sharecropper families who were severely impacted by the American “Dust Bowl” — hundreds of people entrenched in poverty, whose humanity Evans and Agee desperately implore their audience to see in their book.

12. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

Another mysterious explorer takes center stage in this gripping 2009 biography. Grann tells the story of Percy Fawcett, the archaeologist who vanished in the Amazon along with his son in 1925, supposedly in search of an ancient lost city. Parallel to this narrative, Grann describes his own travels in the Amazon 80 years later: discovering firsthand what threats Fawcett may have encountered, and coming to realize what the “Lost City of Z” really was.

13. Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang

Though many of us will be familiar with the name Mao Zedong, this prodigious biography sheds unprecedented light upon the power-hungry “Red Emperor.” Chang and Halliday begin with the shocking statistic that Mao was responsible for 70 million deaths during peacetime — more than any other twentieth-century world leader. From there, they unravel Mao’s complex ideologies, motivations, and missions, breaking down his long-propagated “hero” persona and thrusting forth a new, grislier image of one of China’s biggest revolutionaries.

14. Mad Girl's Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson by Andrew Wilson

Titled after one of her most evocative poems, this shimmering bio of Sylvia Plath takes an unusual approach. Instead of focusing on her years of depression and tempestuous marriage to poet Ted Hughes, it chronicles her life before she ever came to Cambridge. Wilson closely examines her early family and relationships, feelings and experiences, with information taken from her meticulous diaries — setting a strong precedent for other Plath biographers to follow.

15. The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes

What if you had twenty-four different people living inside you, and you never knew which one was going to come out? Such was the life of Billy Milligan, the subject of this haunting biography by the author of Flowers for Algernon . Keyes recounts, in a refreshingly straightforward style, the events of Billy’s life and how his psyche came to be “split”... as well as how, with Keyes’ help, he attempted to put the fragments of himself back together.

16. Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder

This gorgeously constructed biography follows Paul Farmer, a doctor who’s worked for decades to eradicate infectious diseases around the globe, particularly in underprivileged areas. Though Farmer’s humanitarian accomplishments are extraordinary in and of themselves, the true charm of this book comes from Kidder’s personal relationship with him — and the sense of fulfillment the reader sustains from reading about someone genuinely heroic, written by someone else who truly understands and admires what they do.

17. Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts

Here’s another bio that will reshape your views of a famed historical tyrant, though this time in a surprisingly favorable light. Decorated scholar Andrew Roberts delves into the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, from his near-flawless military instincts to his complex and confusing relationship with his wife. But Roberts’ attitude toward his subject is what really makes this work shine: rather than ridiculing him ( as it would undoubtedly be easy to do ), he approaches the “petty tyrant” with a healthy amount of deference.

18. The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson IV by Robert A. Caro

Lyndon Johnson might not seem as intriguing or scandalous as figures like Kennedy, Nixon, or W. Bush. But in this expertly woven biography, Robert Caro lays out the long, winding road of his political career, and it’s full of twists you wouldn’t expect. Johnson himself was a surprisingly cunning figure, gradually maneuvering his way closer and closer to power. Finally, in 1963, he got his greatest wish — but at what cost? Fans of Adam McKay’s Vice , this is the book for you.

19. Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser

Anyone who grew up reading Little House on the Prairie will surely be fascinated by this tell-all biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Caroline Fraser draws upon never-before-published historical resources to create a lush study of the author’s life — not in the gently narrated manner of the Little House series, but in raw and startling truths about her upbringing, marriage, and volatile relationship with her daughter (and alleged ghostwriter) Rose Wilder Lane.

20. Prince: A Private View by Afshin Shahidi

Compiled just after the superstar’s untimely death in 2016, this intimate snapshot of Prince’s life is actually a largely visual work — Shahidi served as his private photographer from the early 2000s until his passing. And whatever they say about pictures being worth a thousand words, Shahidi’s are worth more still: Prince’s incredible vibrance, contagious excitement, and altogether singular personality come through in every shot.

21. Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss

Could there be a more fitting title for a book about the husband-wife team who discovered radioactivity? What you may not know is that these nuclear pioneers also had a fascinating personal history. Marie Sklodowska met Pierre Curie when she came to work in his lab in 1891, and just a few years later they were married. Their passion for each other bled into their passion for their work, and vice-versa — and in almost no time at all, they were on their way to their first of their Nobel Prizes.

22. Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

She may not have been assassinated or killed in a mysterious plane crash, but Rosemary Kennedy’s fate is in many ways the worst of “the Kennedy Curse.” As if a botched lobotomy that left her almost completely incapacitated weren’t enough, her parents then hid her away from society, almost never to be seen again. Yet in this new biography, penned by devoted Kennedy scholar Kate Larson, the full truth of Rosemary’s post-lobotomy life is at last revealed.

23. Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford

This appropriately lyrical biography of brilliant Jazz Age poet and renowned feminist, Edna St. Vincent Millay, is indeed a perfect balance of savage and beautiful. While Millay’s poetic work was delicate and subtle, the woman herself was feisty and unpredictable, harboring unusual and occasionally destructive habits that Milford fervently explores.

24. Shelley: The Pursuit by Richard Holmes

Holmes’ famous philosophy of “biography as pursuit” is thoroughly proven here in his first full-length biographical work. Shelley: The Pursuit details an almost feverish tracking of Percy Shelley as a dark and cutting figure in the Romantic period — reforming many previous historical conceptions about him through Holmes’ compelling and resolute writing.

25. Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin

Another Gothic figure has been made newly known through this work, detailing the life of prolific horror and mystery writer Shirley Jackson. Author Ruth Franklin digs deep into the existence of the reclusive and mysterious Jackson, drawing penetrating comparisons between the true events of her life and the dark nature of her fiction.

26. The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel

Fans of Into the Wild and The Lost City of Z will find their next adventure fix in this 2017 book about Christopher Knight, a man who lived by himself in the Maine woods for almost thirty years. The tale of this so-called “last true hermit” will captivate readers who have always fantasized about escaping society, with vivid descriptions of Knight’s rural setup, his carefully calculated moves and how he managed to survive the deadly cold of the Maine winters.

27. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

The man, the myth, the legend: Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, is properly immortalized in Isaacson’s masterful biography. It divulges the details of Jobs’ little-known childhood and tracks his fateful path from garage engineer to leader of one of the largest tech companies in the world — not to mention his formative role in other legendary companies like Pixar, and indeed within the Silicon Valley ecosystem as a whole.

28. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Olympic runner Louis Zamperini was just twenty-six when his US Army bomber crashed and burned in the Pacific, leaving him and two other men afloat on a raft for forty-seven days — only to be captured by the Japanese Navy and tortured as a POW for the next two and a half years. In this gripping biography, Laura Hillenbrand tracks Zamperini’s story from beginning to end… including how he embraced Christian evangelism as a means of recovery, and even came to forgive his tormentors in his later years.

29. Vera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) by Stacy Schiff

Everyone knows of Vladimir Nabokov — but what about his wife, Vera, whom he called “the best-humored woman I have ever known”? According to Schiff, she was a genius in her own right, supporting Vladimir not only as his partner, but also as his all-around editor and translator. And she kept up that trademark humor throughout it all, inspiring her husband’s work and injecting some of her own creative flair into it along the way.

30. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt

William Shakespeare is a notoriously slippery historical figure — no one really knows when he was born, what he looked like, or how many plays he wrote. But that didn’t stop Stephen Greenblatt, who in 2004 turned out this magnificently detailed biography of the Bard: a series of imaginative reenactments of his writing process, and insights on how the social and political ideals of the time would have influenced him. Indeed, no one exists in a vacuum, not even Shakespeare — hence the conscious depiction of him in this book as a “will in the world,” rather than an isolated writer shut up in his own musty study.

If you're looking for more inspiring nonfiction, check out this list of 30 engaging self-help books , or this list of the last century's best memoirs !

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50 Best Autobiographies of All Time

Hannah Yang

Table of Contents

Top new autobiography books, best autobiographies of all time, most famous autobiographies, inspiring autobiographies, must-read autobiographies for athletes, top autobiographies about politics, good autobiographies about science.

Autobiographies allow us to experience other people’s lives from their own perspectives.

It can be really powerful to see the ways other people describe their own lives, especially when those people are inspiring figures or well-known celebrities.

So, what are some great autobiographies you can read?

This article will give you 50 fantastic autobiographies to add to your reading list across several categories: sports, politics, science, and more.

Let’s start our list with recent releases. Here are some great autobiographies that were published within the past five years.

1. A Promised Land by Barack Obama (2020)

In this powerful autobiography, President Barack Obama takes us on the journey that led to his presidency. He describes his time in the White House and how he handled issues like the global financial crisis and Operation Neptune’s Spear.

2. All In: An Autobiography by Billie Jean King (2021)

Billie Jean King writes about how she became the tennis legend she is today, with 39 Grand Slam titles and six years as the top-ranked female tennis player in the world. She incorporates her insights on leadership, activism, love, happiness, and more.

3. Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman (2022)

Alan Rickman, an actor famous for his roles in movies like Die Hard, Harry Potter, and many more, wrote these diaries from 1993 to 2016. These diaries are a rare peek into his inner world and all his real life stories from that time period.

4. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy (2022)

Jennette McCurdy, famous for playing Sam Puckett on the Nickelodeon show iCarly, writes about her troubled relationship with her mother and how that dictated her choices until her mom passed away. She writes about her early life, her mental health, her acting career, and her struggle for independence.

5. Finding Me by Viola Davis (2022)

Famous actress Viola Davis writes about how she built her successful career and how she grounded herself in self-love and radical honesty. Her writing is intimate, personal, and moving.

Be confident about grammar

Check every email, essay, or story for grammar mistakes. Fix them before you press send.

6. Spare by Prince Harry (2023)

Prince Harry tells the world about the loss of his mother, his time in the British Army, his relationship with Meghan Markle, and the tensions he’s faced with his older brother, the heir. Spare is raw and often heart-wrenching.

7. Easily Slip Into Another World: A Life in Music by Henry Threadgill (2023)

Henry Threadgill, a Pulitzer Prize-winning saxophonist, flutist, and composer, writes about his childhood in Chicago in the 1960s, his service in Vietnam, and his devotion to the art of jazz music.

Now it’s time to turn to the classics. Let’s look at some famous autobiographies that have truly stood the test of time.

8. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou (1969)

Maya Angelou writes about her childhood from age 3 to 16. She underwent many traumatic experiences, including racism and sexual assault, but she overcame those hardships to become one of the greatest American poets of all time. 

The Collected Autobiographies continues her story if I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings leaves you hungry for more.

9. Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A. by Luis J. Rodriguez (1993)

Luis J. Rodriguez writes about growing up immersed in L.A. gang culture. In the 1990s, Always Running was one of the most frequently banned books in the U.S. because of its graphic content and daring stance on police brutality.

10. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway (1964)

Famous American writer Ernest Hemingway describes his experiences in Paris in the 1920s. He writes about his first wife Hadley, his son Jack, and his early experiments with the craft of writing.

11. An Autobiography by Agatha Christie (1977)

Agatha Christie, the Queen of Crime, invented some of the world’s most famous detectives, such as Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple. Her autobiography, published after her death, is considered by some to be one of her greatest literary masterpieces.

12. Chronicles Volume One by Bob Dylan (2004)

Award-winning musician Bob Dylan writes about his life and music in this famous autobiography. However, it’s worth mentioning that this book has been controversial for accusations of plagiarism, so read with discretion.

13. Bare by George Michael (1990)

George Michael, the lead singer of Wham!, writes about his rise to stardom. The people who knew George describe what happened behind the scenes, providing even deeper insight into what he was really like, not just as a performer but also as a person.

Many autobiographies have topped bestseller lists and even become household names. Here are some famous autobiographies that millions of people have read.

14. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank (1947)

Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl hiding from Nazi persecution throughout the Holocaust, tells her story in this heartbreaking diary. The Diary of a Young Girl is an absolute must-read if you haven’t read it already.

15. Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1 by Mark Twain (2010)

Mark Twain completed his autobiography by 1910 but asked that it not be published for another 100 years. In 2010, when it was finally published, it became an instant New York Times bestseller that provides an intimate portrait of this famous author’s experiences.

16. The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X (1965)

Malcolm X was one of the most famous figures of the American civil rights movement. Alex Haley, an esteemed contributor to Reader’s Digest , compiled this autobiography using interviews and excerpts of Malcolm X’s writing.

17. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass (1845)

Frederick Douglass, an esteemed abolitionist and orator, chronicles his life story as a former slave in this vivid autobiographical account. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is widely considered one of the best autobiographies of all time.

18. Just Kids by Patti Smith (2010)

Artist Patti Smith writes about her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, who later passed away due to AIDS. The book addresses sexuality, politics, and artistic expression in a moving and evocative way.

19. Cash: The Autobiography by Johnny Cash (1997)

Johnny Cash is a famous American musician, known for songs like “Folsom Prison Blues.” In this definitive biography, he writes about his spirituality, memories, and relationships.

20. Iacocca: An Autobiography by Lee Iacocca (1984)

Lee Iacocca, the son of Italian immigrants, became the president of Ford Motor Company and also helped Chrysler turn its fate around. His book tells us, in his own words, how he faced obstacles with integrity and grit.

If you’re looking for inspiration to help you change your life or make a difference in the world, reading an autobiography can be a great place to start. Many people have done incredible things that are sure to motivate you.

Here are some great examples of inspiring autobiographies.

21. I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai (2013)

The Taliban shot Malala Yousafzai for defending the right for Pakistani girls to get an education. Now, she’s one of the most courageous and inspiring figures in the world, and her bestselling memoir describes her journey.

22. Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda (1946)

Paramahansa Yogananda is the man most often credited with making yoga popular in the U.S. In Autobiography of a Yogi, he writes about his life story as well as his life lessons for readers who want to learn about yoga and finding inner peace.

23. The Autobiography of Gucci Mane by Gucci Mane (2017)

Gucci Mane, a prolific trap and hip-hop artist, started writing this memoir while incarcerated. His autobiography tells us about his childhood in Alabama, living on the streets in Atlanta, and his experience making music while overcoming obstacles.

24. Living for Change: An Autobiography by Grace Lee Boggs (1998)

Grace Lee Boggs is a human rights activist who never stopped fighting for a more just society. She writes about how she dedicated her life to her beliefs and helped make the world a fairer place.

25. The Story of My Experiments With Truth by Mohandas K. Gandhi (1925)

Mahatma Gandhi, famous for his civil disobedience campaigns, wrote this autobiography in weekly installments, which he published in his journal Navjivan. Now, the completed book has been named one of the “100 Best Spiritual Books of the 20th Century.”

26. The Story of My Life by Helen Keller (1902)

As a young child who was both blind and deaf, Helen Keller had no way to communicate with the world. Her teacher, Anne Sullivan, helped her learn how to rise above her disabilities. This compassionate memoir provides hope, courage, and faith for all of us.

27. Surpassing Certainty: What My Twenties Taught Me by Janet Mock (2017)

Janet Mock is an award-winning writer, director, and producer, as well as a trans rights advocate. In this inspiring memoir, she writes about what she learned in her twenties and how she found her path.

28. Becoming by Michelle Obama (2018)

Former first lady Michelle Obama writes about her extraordinary life in this inspirational memoir. Becoming is structured in three parts: Becoming Me, Becoming Us, and Becoming More. She writes about her childhood growing up in Chicago, her relationship with her husband Barack Obama, and their experiences serving in the White House.

It’s not easy to become a record-breaking athlete. It takes a lot of training, grit, and determination.

Many world-famous athletes have written autobiographies explaining how they reached such high levels of accomplishment in their fields. Here are a few great books by successful athletes.

29. Flying Free: My Victory Over Fear to Become the First Latina Pilot on the US Aerobatic Team by Cecilia Aragon (2020)

Cecilia Aragon started out as a meek, bullied young girl, then rose to become one of the most acclaimed female aerobatic pilots of all time. She writes about her experience joining the U.S. aerobatic team and her lifelong love of math.

30. Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, a Life in Balance by Simone Biles (2016)

Simone Biles is an American gymnast who’s won seven Olympic medals. In Courage to Soar , she talks about how she overcame obstacles and trained incessantly to become the greatest in her sport.

31. Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi (2009)

Andre Agassi was raised to be a tennis champion from a young age by his exacting father. Though Agassi dominated on the court, he often resented the sport in his personal life, and Open documents his complicated feelings throughout his career.

32. The Game by Ken Dryden (1983)

The Game , which was named one of the “Top 10 Sports Books of All Time” by Sports Illustrated , tells the story of Ken Dryden, a legendary Canadian hockey player. He writes about his fellow players, his life on the road, and his worldview both on and off the ice.

33. Drive: The Story of My Life by Larry Bird (1989)

Larry Bird, who has won three NBA MVP awards, has often been viewed as one of the most private and mysterious basketball legends. In Drive, he reveals all the private feelings that he rarely shared publicly, including the story behind his failed marriage and his decision to transfer schools.

34. Barbarian Days: A Surfing Life by William Finnegan (2015)

William Finnegan started surfing as a young child and went on to chase waves around the world: Australia, Asia, Africa, and more. His autobiography reads almost like an adventure story, showing how he mastered the art of surfing.

35. I Always Wanted to Be Somebody by Althea Gibson (1958)

Althea Gibson was the first African American tennis player to win at Wimbledon. Her autobiography explains how she triumphed over a difficult childhood to achieve athletic success.

36. Strongman: My Story by Eddie Hall (2017)

Eddie “The Beast” Hall is a British strongman who won the World’s Strongest Man competition. He writes about the training, nutrition, and dedication required to make it as a professional strongman.

Many politicians write autobiographies describing the ways their leadership impacted their communities.

Here are some famous political autobiographies, which might be well worth a read.  

37. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela (1994)

Nelson Mandela, the first Black president of South Africa, tells his life story in Long Walk to Freedom. He writes about his experiences growing up, training as a lawyer, becoming an anti-apartheid activist, and getting sentenced to life in prison.

38. Madam Secretary: A Memoir by Madeleine Albright (2003)

Madam Secretary tells the story of Madeleine Albright, who served as U.S. Secretary of State during Bill Clinton’s presidency. She writes about how she approached peace in the Middle East, NATO’s interventions abroad, and many other prominent global affairs issues.

39. My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor (2013)

Sonia Sotomayor, the first Latina to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, writes about growing up in a low-income Puerto Rican immigrant family and how her childhood shaped her rise to success. This inspiring story will remind you that anyone with enough dedication can achieve their dreams.

40. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin (1909)

Benjamin Franklin wrote his autobiography in the 1770s–1790s, but it wasn’t published until 1909. Now you can read about the life of one of America’s Founding Fathers and his moral views on the society he lived in.

41. An Autobiography by Jawaharlal Nehru (1936)

Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of independent India, wrote this book while in prison from 1934–1935. He writes about his vision for modern India and his views on both history and the present.

42. Daughter of the East: An Autobiography by Benazir Bhutto (1988)

Benazir Bhutto’s father, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, was a prime minister of Pakistan who was executed in 1979. In Daughter of the East, Benazir Bhutto writes about how she took up her father’s mantle and began leading the Pakistan People’s Party.

43. The Truths We Hold by Kamala Harris (2019)

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris writes about her upbringing in an immigrant family in California, her passion for justice, and her rise to one of the highest leadership roles in the U.S. She also reckons with the truths that define her country and how we can face them.

Finally, let’s finish our list with some autobiographies written by incredible scientists. These people made discoveries that changed the world, and it’s fascinating to hear about the life events that led them to those discoveries.

44. The Double Helix: A Personal Account of the Discovery of the Structure of DNA by James D. Watson (1968)

James Watson writes about how he and his partner Francis Crick discovered the double helix structure of DNA. This tremendous breakthrough won them a Nobel Prize and revolutionized the future of biology.

45. Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman! by Richard Feynman (1985)

In this witty and lighthearted autobiography, Richard Feynman, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, recounts his life in physics. His voice shines through in this book, which is simultaneously eccentric, funny, and brilliant.

46. My Brief History by Stephen Hawking (2013)

Stephen Hawking writes about how he triumphed over Lou Gehrig’s Disease to become one of the most famous scientists of all time. He also explains his breakthrough research into black holes and quantum gravity.

47. Letters from the Field, 1925–1975 by Margaret Mead (1977)

Margaret Mead sent letters to her family and friends while she was conducting field research in Samoa, New Guinea, Bali, and more. These smart, lyrical, and insightful letters show us the inner world of a wonderful scientist.

48. Jane Goodall: 50 Years at Gombe: A Tribute to Five Decades of Wildlife Research, Education, and Conservation by Jane Goodall (2013)

Dr. Jane Goodall tells us about her groundbreaking studies of chimpanzee behavior and her philanthropic work across five decades. Photos accompany her writing to make this book come to life. 

49. An Appetite for Wonder: The Makings of a Scientist by Richard Dawkins (2013)

Richard Dawkins, a renowned evolutionary biologist, writes about his personal evolution as a scientist. An Appetite for Wonder covers his childhood in colonial Kenya, his education at Oxford, and his work championing a gene-centered perspective on evolution.

50. On the Move: A Life by Oliver Sacks (2015)

Dr. Oliver Sacks was a British neurologist who authored many bestselling books, including The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat. In On the Move , he writes about his childhood, his experience coming out as a gay man, his drug addiction, and many more personal experiences in a moving and incisive way.

There you have it—our picks for the top autobiographies of all time.

Good luck, and happy reading!

Hannah is a speculative fiction writer who loves all things strange and surreal. She holds a BA from Yale University and lives in Colorado. When she’s not busy writing, you can find her painting watercolors, playing her ukulele, or hiking in the Rockies. Follow her work on hannahyang.com or on Twitter at @hannahxyang.

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Memoirs That Changed a Generation

Personal stories, universal impact.

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In the three decades since, the memoir has become a powerful force for healing and change on both the individual and the cultural level. Here are 33 unforgettable personal narratives: the naked truth of real lives, elevated by gorgeous language, unforgettable scenes, breathtaking humor, and artful suspense. Each has the power to change your life and heal your heart.

Autobiography of a Face, by Lucy Grealy

Childhood cancer left Grealy with half her jaw removed, a disfigurement that filled her with self-loathing. A heartbreakingly wise child reborn as a brilliant writer, she puts readers in touch with a self beyond ugliness or pain.

The Liars' Club, by Mary Karr

With deadpan humor, a killer eye for detail, and a badass persona founded at age 7, Karr makes a convincing case that there's no dysfunctional childhood that can't be redeemed with a great story.

Prozac Nation, by Elizabeth Wurtzel

Wurtzel's raw emotional honesty about coming of age with a diagnosis and a bottomless pill bottle stirred up a storm of criticism and outrage but spoke straight to the hearts of the Kurt Cobain generation.

Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt

A childhood of abject poverty and brutal loss in Limerick, Ireland, becomes a luminous legend in this extraordinary account. Feeling sorry for yourself about something? Here's a sure end to that.

Fun Home, by Alison Bechdel

LGBTQIA+ hero Bechdel grew up in a small-town funeral home run by her father, a man with many secrets. This beautifully illustrated graphic memoir inspires us to rethink the mysteries of our own pasts.

Wild, by Cheryl Strayed

Strayed cut short a self-destructive spinout after her mother's death with an 1,100-mile hike up the Pacific Crest Trail, blazing a path for readers who are having trouble forgiving themselves.

Eat, Pray, Love, by Elizabeth Gilbert

Lifting up brokenhearted women since 2006, this iconic story of reinvention after divorce goes from the pits—a cold bathroom floor—to the peaks, a year of sensory delights and spiritual magic in Italy, India, and Bali.

Girl, Interrupted, by Susanna Kaysen

Kaysen's parents were so frightened by her adolescent melodrama that they hustled her into treatment and she spent over a year in a mental hospital. Her ability to recreate the mindset of a miserable 18-year-old qualifies this memoir as a self-help book for parents.

A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius, by Dave Eggers

When their parents died within weeks of each other, leaving him the caretaker of his 8-year-old brother, the 21-year-old author had just one superpower—irony. If there's a grief guide for the cool kids, this is it.

When Breath Becomes Air, by Paul Kalanithi

If you need to know what makes life worth living in the face of a terminal diagnosis, this book has an answer. The heartfelt reckoning of a 36-year-old neurosurgery resident with stage IV cancer was completed by his wife after he died.

Drinking, by Caroline Knapp

Knapp was exactly the kind of well-educated, high-powered woman nobody dreams has a drinking problem, partly because she was so good at hiding it. The gift she gained by ending the denial is one she shares.

Reading Lolita in Tehran, by Azar Nafisi

Does your book club need a reboot? Nafisi's account of gathering with her former students to read forbidden classics in the midst of the Islamist crackdown comes with the world's most powerful reading list.

Running with Scissors, by Augusten Burroughs

Burroughs's no-holds-barred account of his harrowing childhood—gross, hilarious, completely outrageous—writes a bold permission slip for anyone who worries her secrets are too much to share.

H Is for Hawk, by Helen Macdonald

Macdonald's experience of bonding with her goshawk Mabel opens a bright window into the bond between people and animals, deepening our understanding of our role as custodians of the natural world.

Just Kids, by Patti Smith

A magic carpet ride to the bohemian New York of the late ’60s and early ’70s, the future punk heroine's love letter to her friend Robert Mapplethorpe is filled with idealism, beauty, and sweetness.

Men We Reaped, by Jesmyn Ward

Ward wrote this book to understand the unjust, untimely deaths of her brother and four other beloved Black men, revealing the forces of poverty and racism in their most personal and vicious form.

First They Killed My Father, by Loung Ung

The author's survival of the violence and terror of the Cambodian Pol Pot regime is a stirring testimony to the resilience of children, a green shoot of hope and goodness in the devastation of the killing fields.

The Year of Magical Thinking, by Joan Didion

Read this book to be astonished—by the gutting nightmare of Didion's loss, and by the power of her intellect and her sentences to transform it into an immortal thing of beauty and deep humanity.

The Glass Castle, by Jeannette Walls

Without a bit of sugarcoating, Walls shows how we can love our families and our history no matter how much of a nightmare it all was. Her journey from the trailer park to the limo is an all-American success story.

Me Talk Pretty One Day, by David Sedaris

If laughter is the best medicine, Sedaris is a great big bottle of it. The avatar of dysfunctional families everywhere, his sardonic, self-deprecating storytelling is guaranteed to deliver comic relief.

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13 inspiring autobiographies everyone should read

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There are few things as inspiring as a firsthand account of greatness. While fiction can give us a glimpse into a world that may feel too perfect for our reality, stories that actually happened can be just as, if not more, amazing.

The people we now regard as masters of their craft were once just another kid with a dream — to make music, to write, to make people laugh, to change the world. And through the autobiography, we can get a glimpse into the life and struggle that took place before the world learned who they were.

These stories can be found in most every field — memoirs of businessmen, musicians, comedians, writers, and politicians — whatever you aspire to be, you can probably find an account of someone’s path toward a similar goal.

Below is a collection of autobiographies that I’ve read or had recommended to me by friends, family, and the internet. If you’re looking for a bit of inspiration to help you further your craft, or if you simply need a new book to read and are a big fan of Johnny Cash or Bryan Cranston, there’s probably something here for you.

“Kitchen Confidential: Adventures In The Culinary Underbelly” by Anthony Bourdain

Anthony Bourdain has something of a dream life today, traveling the world to explore tastes and cultures in a way very few will ever get the chance to do. But before he was a jet setter, he was a chef. In "Kitchen Confidential," readers get a window into the wild world of his restaurant days, including sex, drugs, and culinary expertise.

Buy it here >>

“Born Standing Up: A Comic’s Life” by Steve Martin

One of the first funnymen I was introduced to as a child, Steve Martin is a legendary performer of stage, screen, magic, and banjo. His memoir recounts stories of his childhood, including starting his career at Disneyland and the discipline and sacrifice it took to perform as much as he did. This one is a personal favorite, and a must-read for any aspiring performer.

“A Moveable Feast” by Ernest Hemingway

One of the greatest writers to have ever lived, Hemingway’s "A Moveable Feast" gives readers a glimpse of his life as a young, poor writer in Paris in the 1920s, and the thoughts and activities that filled his days. The book captures intimates scenes from cafes, bars, and apartments, and features cameos and conversations with James Joyce, F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, Ezra Pound, and more.

“The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told by Alex Haley” by Malcolm X

Named one of the ten most important nonfiction books of the twentieth century by TIME magazine, "Malcolm X" tells readers firsthand the story of one of the most important activists, speakers, and fighters in the struggle for change in America.

“A Life in Parts” by Bryan Cranston

Before he was Heisenberg, Bryan Cranston was a lot of things, playing roles including paperboy, farmhand, security guard, dating consultant, murder suspect, dock loader, lover, husband, and father over the course of his prolific acting career. In his memoir, he provides readers with stories of his youth, his journey as an actor, and landing the role that would change his career forever, Walter White.

“Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time” by Howard Schultz

Before it was the International Coffee Making Machine that it is today, Starbucks was a single store on the Seattle waterfront that just made good coffee. In "Pour Your Heart Into It," CEO Howard Schultz goes through the guiding philosophies and principles that have helped shape his business, and the wisdom he’s gained over the years while growing that single store into over 1,600 when the book was published back in 1999. Today, there are 21,000 Starbucks stores worldwide.

“On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft” by Stephen King

Stephen King is one of the most gifted and prolific writers in American history, creating so many works of such high-quality that it can be tough to imagine how he does it. Here, he details the habits and convictions that have helped him create the horrifying works he’s crafted for the world — essential reading for any aspiring writer.

“Losing My Virginity: How I Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way,” by Richard Branson

Richard Branson is one of the most successful entrepreneurs of his generation, with ventures in music, airlines, retail, and even soda. It happened thanks in part to his stated philosophy of "Oh, screw it, let’s do it" and a few of his other personal rules for success. For anyone out there who wants to start their own business, Branson’s book could serve you well.

“Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen

Released this past September, "Born to Run" has already been praised by critics all over. Starting with the story of when he and the E Street Band played the Super Bowl Halftime show in 2009 and weaving back in and out of his personal and musical history, this book is a great resource for any die hard fans of The Boss.

“Cash: The Autobiography” by Johnny Cash

The story of The Man in Black as he chooses to tell it. From childhood to stardom, the path for Johnny Case was never smooth, and that journey helped make his music as iconic as it is today. With stories of addiction, Elvis, and a love of his wife, this book allows readers a more detailed look at the history that inspired his work.

“Life” by Keith Richards

It’s hard to imagine a person on the planet who has lived a more interesting life than Keith Richards. A founding member of the Rolling Stones, Richards defined for many what it meant to be a rock star, and here he tells his audience about his life of drugs, music, love, and more drugs.

“Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela

The book that inspired the recent film about the man who inspired so many. Nelson Mandela was one of the most influential moral and political leaders the world has seen. In "Long Walk to Freedom," Mandela recounts the struggles that made up his life, and his journey from prison to triumph. 

“My Booky Wook” by Russell Brand

You’ll probably recognize Russell Brand as the musical sexpot Aldous Snow from "Forgetting Sarah Marshall," but before breaking big, Brand was living quite a life. In his book, the comic is strikingly candid about his relationship with heroin, and his ability to freely form words into captivating sentences translates extremely well from the microphone to the page. 

• Main content

51 Best Autobiographies Every Writer Should Read

Are you looking for the best autobiographies to add to your reading list? Take a look at a few suggestions in our guide!

If you are interested in learning about the life of a famous person, consider reading their autobiography. An autobiography is a great way to learn more about their life, some of the challenges they had to overcome, and their impact on the world. The list can be long with so many famous historical figures publishing autobiographies, but some autobiographies are better than others.

So, what are some of the top autobiographies you should consider exploring? See if you can learn some lessons from their lives that you can apply to your own. And, if you are wondering what’s the difference between autobiographies and memoirs, check out our article on the most  famous memoirs  to find out!

1. The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou, 2004

2. the diary of a young girl by anne frank, 1945, 3. becoming by michelle obama (2018), 4. the autobiography of benjamin franklin, 1909, 5. long walk to freedom by nelson mandela, 1994, 6. an autobiography by agatha christie, 1997, 7. i am malala: the girl who stood up for education and was shot by the taliban by malala yousafzai, 2013, 8. narrative of the life of frederick douglass, 1845, 9. autobiography of an androgyne by earl lind, 1918, 10. the autobiography of malcolm x by malcolm x, 1965, 11. autobiography of a yogi by paramahansa yogananda, 1946, 12. autobiography of mark twain, volume 1 by mark twain, 2010, 13. living for change: an autobiography by grace lee boggs, 1998, 14. becoming a visible man by jamison green, 2004, 15. an american life by ronald reagan, 1999, 16. chronicles volume 1 by bob dylan, 2004, 17. cash: the autobiography by johnny cash, 1997, 18. always running: la vida loca: gang days in l.a. by luis j. rodríguez, 1993, 19. flying free: my victory over fear to become the first latina pilot on the us aerobatic team by cecilia aragon, 2020, 20. a full life by jimmy carter, 2016, 21. courage to soar: a body in motion, a life in balance by simone biles, 2016, 22. dreams from my father: a story of race and inheritance by barack obama, 2004, 23. a funny life by michael mcintyre, 2021, 24. the happiest man on earth: the beautiful life of an auschwitz survivor by eddie jaku, 2021, 25. an autobiography (toward freedom) jawaharlal nehru by jawaharlal nehru, 1936, 26. open: an autobiography by andre agassi, 2009, 27. beyond the story: 10-year record of bts by bangtan sonyeondan (bts), 2023, 28. the year of magical thinking by joan didion, 2005, 29. redefining realness: my path to womanhood, identity, love, and so much more by janet mock, 2014, 30. wings of fire by a. p. j. abdul kalam and arun tiwari, 1999, 31. the story of my experiments with truth by mahatma gandhi, 1929, 32. wild swans: three daughters of china by jung chang, 1991, 33. life (richards’ book) by james fox and keith richards, 2010, 34. madly, deeply: the diaries of alan rickman, 2022, 35. here, right matters: an american story by alexander vindman, 2021, 36. bossypants by tina fey, 2011, 37. belonging: the autobiography by alun wyn jones, 2021, 38. stories i only tell my friends by rob lowe, 2012, 39. i am ozzy by ozzy osbourne, 2009, 40. american sniper: the autobiography of the most lethal sniper in us military history by chris kyle, jim defelice, and scott mcewen, 2012, 41. the autobiography of eleanor roosevelt by eleanor roosevelt, 1961, 42. love, lucy by lucille ball, 1996, 43. born to run by bruce springsteen, 2016, 44. e.a.r.l.: the autobiography of dmx by dmx and smokey fontaine, 2002, 45. yeager: an autobiography by chuck yeager, 1985, 46. total recall: my unbelievably true life story by arnold schwarzenegger and peter petre, 2012, 47. butterfly: from refugee to olympian by yusra mardini, 2018, 48. mein kampf (my struggle) by adolf hitler, 1925, 49. assata: an autobiography by assata shakur, 1987, 50. born a crime: stories from a south african childhood by trevor noah, 2016, 51. i came as a shadow: an autobiography by john thompson and jesse washington, 2020, what is the top-selling autobiography, how many pages are in the longest autobiography ever written, is autobiography or biography better.

Undoubtedly, any list of the greatest autobiographies of all time has to start with  The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou . This is one of the most famous memoirs of all time. This remarkable collection provides insight into the minds of one of the greatest authors of all time. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“She said that I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated and even more intelligent than college professors.” Maya Angelou, The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou

This is one of the greatest autobiographies of all time.  The Diary of a Young Girl  is known worldwide and is a collection of writings from Anne Frank. During the two years, she hid with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. She shares intimate details regarding the Nazi occupation, what her life was like growing up, and the heart-breaking impacts of WWII. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“I’ve found that there is always some beauty left — in nature, sunshine, freedom, in yourself; these can all help you.” Anne Frank, The Diary of a Young Girl

Some people would instead call  Becoming  by Michelle Obama a Memoir, but it is, in fact, an autobiography. This book is divided into three parts, giving people some insight into her life history and how she has tackled some of the world’s biggest challenges. It also lets people know the tremendous responsibility she shouldered over the years and what she sacrificed for others. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Now I think it’s one of the most useless questions an adult can ask a child—What do you want to be when you grow up? As if growing up is finite. As if at some point you become something and that’s the end.” Michelle Obama, Becoming

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin  was written between 1771 and 1790 but was not published until the early 1900s. It focuses on his early life and unique adulthood, particularly his role as a founding father of the United States. He also attempted to follow 13 virtues to achieve moral perfection. His suggestions for leading a viable life are as valid today as they were back then. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“If you wish information and improvement from the knowledge of others, and yet at the same time express yourself as firmly fix’d in your present opinions, modest, sensible men, who do not love disputation, will probably leave you undisturbed in the possession of your error.” Benjamin Franklin, The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin

Nelson Mandela was one of the leading activists against the apartheid movement in Africa. He was arrested numerous times and spent decades in prison, but eventually rose to become the first black president of South Africa. His autobiography gives people an inside look at what his life was like, his formal education, and what his time in prison meant to him. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” Nelson Mandela, Long Walk to Freedom

Any fan of mysteries is likely a fan of Agatha Christie. Her autobiography looks at what it takes to become one of the most prolific mystery writers ever. This autobiography accounts for her life through to the age of 75. It is more than 500 pages long but reads like a conversation with the author herself. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“It is a curious thought, but it is only when you see people looking ridiculous that you realize just how much you love them. ” Agatha Christie, Agatha Christie: An Autobiography

Never underestimate the power of one voice and how it can change the world. That is exactly what  I Am Malala  seeks to communicate. She is a rare person in society, immediately recognizable by a single name. She ignited the promise of activism among the young generation and has already driven tremendous change worldwide. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced.” Malala Yousafzai, I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

Frederick Douglass was one of the leading abolitionists, and he helped countless enslaved people escape the horrible shackles of slavery. His autobiography,  Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass , gives people a first-hand look at his harrowing childhood and adventurous adulthood. Even though it is difficult to grapple with some of the darker sides of American History, it is critical to take a closer look at his experience. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“I prefer to be true to myself, even at the hazard of incurring the ridicule of others, rather than to be false, and to incur my own abhorrence.” Frederick Douglass

This autobiography was written in 1918, and the  Autobiography of an Androgyne  is unique. It has clear prose and serves as a guide for those seeking to transcend the binary state of the world. It is considered to be a groundbreaking book in the world of transgender literature. It is also a reminder of how far the world has come and how far the world has to go. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“This should be sufficient to show that homosexuality was discussed among the Romans and Greeks, and it is well known that the Bible is not quiet about it.” Earl Lind, Autobiography of an Androgyne

The Civil Rights Movement is still alive and well to this day, and Malcolm X is widely seen as one of the most outstanding civil rights leaders in the history of the United States. This autobiography was written in conjunction with Alex Haley and contained a lot of interviews with Malcolm X and excerpts from his writing. Unfortunately, Malcolm X was tragically assassinated, but his fight for racial justice lives on in current times. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“I’m for truth, no matter who tells it. I’m for justice, no matter who it is for or against.” Malcolm X, The Autobiography

Yoga has become incredibly popular during the past few decades, but the  Autobiography of a Yogi  by Paramahansa Yogananda has been in print for over 75 years. It has been estimated that this book has been printed over four million times and has been widely credited for sparking the popularity of yoga in the United States. This autobiography guides readers on how they can cultivate their inner strength. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Live quietly in the moment and see the beauty of all before you. The future will take care of itself……” Yogananda, Autobiography of a Yogi

Samuel Clemens, better known by his pen name Mark Twain, is one of the most prolific writers ever. A master of the written word, his autobiography allows people to look at what it takes to become one of the greatest writers. His autobiography was not published until 100 years after he had passed away. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“In this Autobiography I shall keep in mind that I am speaking from the grave. I am literally speaking from the grave, because I shall be dead when the book is published.” Mark Twain, Autobiography of Mark Twain

If you want to see what life was like for someone who lived more than 100 years,  Living for Change  is an autobiography worth exploring. Grace Lee Bloggs played an integral role in numerous social movements, and this autobiography details her life as an intellectual, activist, and partner alongside some of the leading social justice warriors of the past century. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Look on yourself as a citizen in a kingdom of persons, he advised. Act always as if the maxim of your action could become a universal law, always treating mankind, as much in your own person as in that of another, as an end, never as a means.” Grace Lee Boggs, Living for Change: An Autobiography

Jamison Green is an educator, author, and civil rights activist. His autobiographical account provides an inside look at what life is like as someone who has transitioned from female to male. Becoming A Visible Man  mixes theory, activism, and personal stories to provide a riveting look at what life is like as a marginalized community member. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Being true to oneself creates the integrity and self-respect we need to have if we are to extend that respect to others.” Jamison Green, Becoming a Visible Man

Ronald Reagan is remembered as the president who brought the Cold War to an end, and his eight years serving as president of the United States caused a lot of change in the country. This autobiography,  An American Life , looks at the mindset behind his decisions and his impact on the country and the world. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“For more than five years, I’d made little progress with my efforts at quiet diplomacy—for one thing, the Soviet leaders kept dying on me.” Ronald Reagan, An American Life

Bob Dylan has won various Grammy awards for his contributions to music, but his autobiography also won a Quill Award alongside a Nobel Prize in literature. He is a gifted storyteller, which is certainly something that shines through in this autobiography. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Some people seem to fade away but then when they are truly gone, it’s like they didn’t fade away at all.” Bob Dylan, Chronicles: Volume One

Cash: The Autobiography by Johnny Cash lets people inside one of the most talented and darkest musical minds in history. It tells a story regarding some of his most pivotal musical moments, his life on stage, and his impact on pop culture. This book is a unique opportunity to dive into his mind. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“They’re powerful, those songs. At times they’ve been my only way back, the only door out of the dark, bad places the black dog calls home.” Johnny Cash, Cash

This is a classic autobiography, and it is frequently listed among banned books.  Always Running  talks about what life is like in a Los Angeles gang. It provides an inside look at his battles, what he had to do to survive, and the impact gang life had on himself, his family, and Los Angeles. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

When you win, we win; but when you go down, you go down alone.” Luis J. Rodríguez, Always Running: La Vida Loca: Gang Days in L.A.

Cecilia Aragon grew up as a shy, bullied girl. In her autobiography,  Flying Free: My Victory over Fear to Become the First Latina Pilot on the US Aerobatic Team , she talks about what she had to do to soar above it all. She had a special strength in math, and she was eventually introduced to flying. It eventually clicks everything into place for her, and she works hard to accomplish her dreams. This story lets the reader walk along her unique path with her, from a bullied girl to a triumphant success. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“This was my first real job, one that might even lead to a career, and I had to hang onto it. I wanted to hang onto it. I had to succeed at something.” Cecilia Aragon, Flying Free: My Victory over Fear to Become the First Latina Pilot on the US Aerobatic Team

Even though Jimmy Carter may not be remembered as the greatest president, he is one of the greatest people ever to hold the Oval Office. Of course, many problems marked his presidency, but his autobiography is about much more than just his career in the Oval Office. His impact on Habitat for Humanity cannot be overstated, and A Full Life looks at what he has meant to the world. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“I have one life and one chance to make it count for something… My faith demands that I do whatever I can, wherever I am, whenever I can, for as long as I can with whatever I have to try to make a difference.” Jimmy Carter

Simone Biles is widely seen as the most accomplished gymnast of all time, but she also struggled with various mental health issues. Nevertheless, her impact on society is significant, and  Courage to Soar: a Body in Motion, a Life in Balance  provides everyone with a look at her journey. The autobiography has a friendly, generous, and soothing voice as it describes all the challenges she had to overcome. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“I would hope I would inspire kids everywhere to know that you can do anything you put your mind to.” Simone Biles, Courage to Soar: A Body in Motion, a Life in Balance

Originally published in 1995 to spearhead his political campaign,  Dreams from My Father  delves into the president’s journey to learn more about his biracial identity. It also highlights how African-American literature can help answer race, class, and identity questions. The autobiography focuses on Barack Obama’s younger self in Chicago, Honolulu, and Harvard. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“My identity might begin with the fact of my race, but it didn’t, couldn’t end there. At least that’s what I would choose to believe.” Barack Obama, Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance

A Funny Life  is about Michael McIntyre’s funny but serious recounts of his steps to reach success. In the book, he shares his naivete when he started in the show industry, his desperation for success, and his desire to stay one of the most sought-after comedians. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Comedy provides an escape from the horrors of real life.” Michael McIntyre, A Funny Life

Eddie Jaku’s  The Happiest Man on Earth  tells the story of a Holocaust survivor and his search for life’s meaning. Throughout the book, he shares the wisdom he learned in the 100 years he lived. In it, he underscores the importance of striving to live life to the fullest. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Life can be beautiful if you make it beautiful. It is up to you.” Eddie Jaku, The Happiest Man on Earth

The world learned Jawaharlal Nehru as one of the most famous Asian leaders through his imprisonment during World War II. Arrested for refusing to cooperate with the British government, he stood his ground for an independent India. He was released and helped Gandhi ask the British to leave the country. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“The policy of being too cautious is the greatest risk of all.” Jawaharlal Nehru, An Autobiography

In  Open: An Autobiography , Andre Agassi shares his journey to stardom and life as a tennis prodigy. Spurred by the pressure to be the best, he talks about his successes and struggles. This includes his views of his court rivals and his battle against drugs. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“It’s no accident, I think, that tennis uses the language of life. Advantage, service, fault, break, love, the basic elements of tennis are those of everyday existence, because every match is a life in miniature.” Andre Agassi, Open: An Autobiography

Beyond the Story  records the decade-long true story of the most successful boyband, even heralded on the same status quo as The Beatles. It narrates BTS’s struggles as a group and as individuals on and off the stage. The book includes behind-the-scenes of their milestone achievements, challenges with toxic media, and their critical decisions about disbanding or continuing to work together. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“These seven strangers had come from all over the country to Seoul and become each other’s family. Inside the most commercial system of the Korean music industry, where incredible amounts of capital, human resources, marketing, and technology converge, BTS — ironically enough — found a family in each other.” BTS, Beyond the Story: 10-Year Record of BTS

The Year of Magical Thinking  details Joan Didion’s state after the death of her husband. This grief and her need to care for her ill daughter make the book an intimate and vulnerable account of one’s mourning. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“We are imperfect mortal beings, aware of that mortality even as we push it away, failed by our very complication, so wired that when we mourn our losses, we also mourn, for better or for worse, ourselves. As we were, as we no longer, as we will one day not be at all.” Joan Didion, The Year of Magical Thinking

Image caption: Janet Mock is a transgender rights activist, host, and author.

Janet Mock set down the quest for her authentic self in  Redefining Realness . Her transparent take on identity and her journey to womanhood make this book a must-read for anyone facing the same hurdles and challenges. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Those parts of yourself that you desperately want to hide and destroy will gain power over you. The best thing to do is face and own them, because they are forever a part of you.” Janet Mock, Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love, and So Much More

In  Wings of Fire , India’s Missile Man, Abdul Kalam, shares the adversities he had to conquer since his youth. In this autobiography, he highlights the importance of having a close-knit family, helpful relatives, and supportive friends to break down the walls that keep individuals from realizing their dreams. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“A big shot is a little shot who keeps on shooting, so keep trying.” A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, Wings of Fire

Recognized as one of the most important spiritual literature of the 20th century,  The Story of My Experiments with Truth  aims to expand Gandhi’s philosophy and life calling. The book begins with his boyhood and continues through 1921, where he shares his thoughts on pacifism and the desire to help the struggling Indian population. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Service without humility is selfishness and egotism.” Mahatma Gandhi, The Story of My Experiments with Truth

Wild Swans  is the captivating tale of three Chinese generations, demonstrating the years’ transformation. Jung Chang, although now living in London, proudly shares her grandmother and mother’s life alongside hers to showcase their family history. Although the book is a success, with over 10 million copies sold, it’s banned in her home country, China. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“If you have love, even plain cold water is sweet.” Jung Chang, Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China

In the award-winning bestselling book  Life , Richards recounts the prime of the Rolling Stones’ career. With James Fox’s help, he describes how the pinnacle of British rock looks and feels during their heyday. Richards did not hold back on the book, sharing intimate details of how he lived in the era of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“We age not by holding on to youth, but by letting ourselves grow and embracing whatever youthful parts remain.” Keith Richards, Life

Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman  peels back the layers of the outstanding actor. Rickman’s book is a candid retelling of his life at the height of his fame. His witty, gossipy way of narrating will make readers feel as if they’re reading the diary of a close friend. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“I hate it when my head, heart and aspirations are filled to the brim only with career. The rest of me hangs around like a jacket on the back of a doorknob.” Alan Rickman, Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman

In  Here, Right Matters: An American Story , retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel Vindman bravely unfolds his participation in the then-president’s trial and impeachment. Before witnessing this scandal, he recounts his childhood as an immigrant and how he became a part of the national service. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Resilience enables us to cope with adversity.” Alexander Vindman, Here, Right Matters: An American Story

Bossypants  is a reigning comedy-autobiography book on the New York Times Best Seller list for five weeks. Tina Fey shares her girlhood and bouts as a comedian in this book that sold millions of copies. Many describe it as hilarious, heart-warming literature that readers can relate to. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“There are no mistakes, only opportunities.” Tina Fey, Bossypants

If you want to know how the little boy from Mumbles became the most capped rugby player, read Alun Wyn Jones’  Belonging: The Autobiography . He narrates how he turned from watching the Lions play to becoming the team’s captain. Be inspired by the vulnerable account of his dedication, sacrifices, and how he builds his future. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Losing hurt, it always hurts, and it should hurt.” Alun Wyn Jones, Belonging: The Autobiography

Although Rob Lowe already lived most of his life in the public eye,  Stories I Only Tell My Friends  provides a funny yet sarcastic and poignant recollection of his life. He shares his experiences as a misunderstood teen idol. Then, a man battling alcohol addiction. In this book, Lowe is candid in his disappointments and accomplishments. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“The best part is not the biggest, it’s the one that’s most memorable.” Rob Lowe, Stories I Only Tell My Friends

I Am Ozzy  tells the story of John Michael Osbourne’s boyhood and rise to metal rock stardom. This rags-to-riches tale includes the good and the bad things he has done throughout his life, making it entertaining but motivational. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“The power of people, when they focus on something positive, never fails to amaze me.” Ozzy Osbourne, I Am Ozzy

American Sniper  is one of the non-fiction books that will leave readers in awe. It resonates with many modern-day heroes who put their lives on the line to protect their country. Chris Kyle chronicles his childhood and experiences on the battlefield and recounts his lost and living teammates in this moving book. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“I signed up to protect this country. I do not choose the wars. It happens that I love to fight. But I do not choose which battles I go to.” Chris Kyle, American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in US Military History

The longest-serving US First Lady’s work,  The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt , gives readers a peek into her outlook on life and her life mission. The book combines three past autobiographies and offers insights into her personality and fight for women and civil rights. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.” Eleanor Roosevelt, The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt

Love, Lucy  tells the real-life story of the American motion-picture entertainer Lucille Ball. It starts from her early life and her relationship with her family. The book also details her acting career, marriages, and breakups. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“You won’t be happy, whatever you do, unless you’re comfortable with your own conscience.” Lucille Ball, Love, Lucy

Bruce Springsteen explains many things in  Born to Run , including his penchant for shows that extend to up to four hours. The book also mentions his fight with depression despite being a blinding force on stage. It’s a life story told with sincerity. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“We honor our parents by carrying their best forward and laying the rest down. By fighting and taming the demons that laid them low and now reside in us.” Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run

E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX  unveils Earl Simmon’s life without holding anything back. The book includes his life as an abandoned child living in a shanty neighborhood, addicted to many vices. Despite his great disadvantage at the start of his life, rhyming became his escape, leading to a successful career as a musician. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Pain is so much easier to deal with when it’s ours, not just yours.” DMX, E.A.R.L.: The Autobiography of DMX

Chuck Yeager’s  Yeager: An Autobiography  takes readers to the edge of danger and discovery. In this book, he doesn’t only share his enthusiasm as a test pilot who dared to try the unknown. He also talks about his dog fights over Europe and the behind-the-scenes of making history. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“You don’t concentrate on risks. You concentrate on results.” Chuck Yeager, An Autobiography

Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story  is an uncensored narration of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s life. The book delves into his accomplishments and doesn’t justify the controversies he’s been caught in. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“My definition of living is to have excitement always; that’s the difference between living and existing.” Arnold Schwarzenegger, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story

Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian  reports Yusra Mardini’s fight to achieve her lifelong dream of competing in the Olympics. Her determination will not let her falter, not even when her house was wrecked in the civil war or when she was smuggled and stuck at sea. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Refugee. An empty shell, barely even human. No money, no home, no background, no history, no personality, no ambition, no path, no passion. Our past, present, future. All of it deleted and replaced by that one devastating word.” Yusra Mardini, Butterfly: From Refugee to Olympian

To read  Mein Kampf  means to show people the complex mind of Hitler that led to the atrocities of World War II. His own life, written in his own words, gives readers insights into what created his political ideology and how his mind operated. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Religion is ridiculed, ethics and morality represented as outmoded, until the last props of a nation in its struggle for existence in this world have fallen.” Adolf Hitler, Mein Kampf

In  Assata: An Autobiography , Assata Shakur, aka JoAnne Chesimard, talks about her political stance and personal life. She also mentions her publicized incarceration and her encounters as an activist. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“Only a fool lets somebody else tell him who his enemy is.” Assata Shakur, Assata: An Autobiography

Trevor Noah’s  Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood  illustrates the life of a biracial child who was born and lived during the apartheid era. The book is a coming-of-age literature with sprinkles of comedy. Many consider it one of the best books to read as it can tackle a serious topic with lighthearted wit. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“My mom did what school didn’t. She taught me how to think.” Trevor Noah, Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

John Thompson finished  I Came As a Shadow: An Autobiography  shortly before his death. His work contains his struggles with racial segregation, dealing with drug bigwigs, and, of course, his professional basketball career. Check it out on Amazon; click here .

“When people complain about affirmative action, I respond that there’s nothing more unequal than the equal treatment of unequals. “ John Thompson, I Came As a Shadow: An Autobiography

FAQs About the Best Autobiographies

It is difficult to say what the best-selling autobiography is of all time. The most recent best-selling autobiography is Becoming by Michelle Obama. One of the best-selling autobiographies of the past few hundred years is The Autobiography of Benjamin Frankli n. If you are interested in exploring more biographies, check out our round-up of best biography authors . 

The length of pages can vary depending on how it is printed, but the longest autobiography is widely considered to be Finn Kalle Päätalo . It is 26 volumes, and it is considered to be the longest autobiographical narrative in the world. 

One is not necessarily better. A biography provides a different perspective because it is not necessarily written by the main focus of the biography itself. On the other hand, an autobiography may provide you with a better perspective on the mindset of the individual. You may also want to explore essays about autobiographies to learn more. 

Looking for more reading material? Check out our round-up of the best Hemingway books !

Meet Rachael, the editor at Become a Writer Today. With years of experience in the field, she is passionate about language and dedicated to producing high-quality content that engages and informs readers. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her exploring the great outdoors, finding inspiration for her next project.

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The 31 Best Autobiographies to Read This Year

POSTED ON Oct 17, 2023

Written by Shannon Clark

Why do we find other people's lives so interesting? Maybe it's because no two lives are the same, and just when you think your life has been a roller coaster ride, you learn about someone else’s journey, and think, “Woah, no way!”.  Autobiographies and memoir books are popular because they give us a first-hand account of the inner workings of someone else's life, and for a moment in time, we get to live vicariously through them—sharing their experiences, reliving their defining moments and walking with them through the ups and downs of life. The categories of autobiography and memoir are often used interchangeably, but they are not the same. For this article, you'll find stories that fit squarely into the autobiography template — a first-person account of the writer’s life from childhood (or an early defining moment in their life) to the time of the book’s writing as well as “memoirs” that loosely fit the category.

If you're looking for an interesting life narrative with a positive spin, below I've listed some of the best autobiography books (and “ mem oir examples “) to put on your reading list this year. You’ll find a mix of new and old ones you may have missed, but all of them are worth a look. 

This guide to the best autobiographies includes:

What makes a great autobiography.

Perhaps a better question to begin with is “What makes a great book?” The answers to both questions are the same. Whether you are reading a book to be entertained, learn something new, or as an escape, a great book should grab you in the beginning, take you on a journey, and leave you with something memorable to take away. Anything else will leave you questioning how you spend your precious time. The autobiography books on this list were selected because they meet the criteria for a great book that just happens to be an autobiography. You'll find everything from authors and actors who offer a peek behind their career curtain to wounded wanderers, war-torn hearts, and those searching for the faith to believe in more. Pick a life. Learn a lesson. Carry it with you.

Best autobiographies from career authors

1. james patterson by james patterson.

Why should I read it?  

Whether you are a published author or an aspiring one, you know that successful authors spilling the “secret sauce” of how they beat the odds to become household names is not a common occurrence. Many spend so much time writing about their fictitious characters or real-world narratives, that they don’t have time to delve into their own stories—let alone share them with inquiring minds. Not the case with James Patterson. You may not get a magic formula, but he does an excellent job of sharing the sum of his parts.

2. Lit by Mary Karr

Why should I read it? Named one of the New York Times Top 10 in Book Reviews. The road that we travel in life can be paved with bad choices, but what does it look like when we take the messes we’ve made (or those made by others) and turn them into something remarkable? In Author Mary Karr's personal story, Lit—a continuation of her previous books, The Liar’s Club and Cherry — she shows that while it’s not easy to turn lemons into lemonade, our past doesn’t have to determine our future. 

3. Agatha Christie: An Autobiography by Agatha Christie

Why should I read it?

Whether you've read her books or not, Agatha Christie's name is synonymous with mystery and intrigue, and the connection is well-deserved. She penned 75 novels and other short stories over her lifetime and continues to have fans of her writing today. Her autobiography is a rare glimpse into the life of a revered storyteller.

Best autobiographies about journalists and reporters

4. natural disaster by ginger zee.

In an honest and sometimes self-deprecating fashion, television personality and meteorologist, Ginger Zee, offers readers an inside look into her life choices, her mistakes and triumphs, and how she learned to juggle all of the pieces, even when some of them came crashing down. She candidly shares the tumultuous parts of her life that often mirrored the unpredictable storms she covered on Good Morning America.

5. Going There by Katie Couric

Why should I read it? For over three decades, television viewers invited Katie Couric into their homes for updates on what was going on around the world. From her position as co-anchor of the Today's Show, an anchor on the CBS Evening News, 60 minutes correspondent, and finally a move to her own podcast, Couric has been a trailblazer. In her autobiography, she peels back the curtain to share the woman behind the name and public image.

6. Rough Draft by Katy Tur

Why should I read this book? Journalism is in her DNA. How could it not be when her parents are renowned journalists Zoey Tur and Marika Gerrardand? In Rough Draft , Katy Tur opens the door to her personal life and the legacy of writing and reporting that molded her childhood and framed her adult life.

Best autobiographies about actors

7. what are you doing here by baroness floella benjamin.

If you’re looking for inspiration mixed with a big dose of reality, then “What Are You Doing Here?” is a great place to start. Baroness Floella Benjamin’s story reminds us that what we dream for ourselves can be so much better than what we imagined, but the road to get there is not always the smoothest path. As a feisty, go-getter in her early 20s, she secured a role in the famous Broadway play Hair on a lunch break and throughout her life continued to navigate the twists and turns of the entertainment industry, notoriety, and public service on her terms.  

8. The Boys by Ron Howard and Clint Howard

Playing the beloved character Opie Taylor on The Andy Griffith Show and Richie Cunningham on Happy Days in the 60s and 70s, actor, director, producer, and philanthropist, Ron Howard is anything but a wallflower. In this narrative that he shares with his younger brother, actor Clint Howard, they trace their early beginnings in the entertainment industry, the stabilizing force of their upbringing, and their successful careers in Hollywood.

9. ‘Tis Herself by Maureen O'Hara

If the mystery of “old Hollywood” sounds intriguing, then the story of Maureen O’Hara, the “technicolor queen”, will feed your curiosity. The actress recounts the first 70 years of her life, including her rise to on-screen royalty. She opens the door to a life filled with adventure and all of the ups and downs that come with the territory. 

10. We Were Dreamers by Simu Liu

Are superheroes real? It depends on who you ask. In actor Simu Lou’s world, anything is possible. In his witty reflections on his journey from China to Hollywood, he shares how he carved out an unexpected path to become the real-life character of his dreams.

11. Thicker Than Water by Kerry Washington

Why should I read it? Even in the bright lights and career highs of Hollywood, Kerry Washington found herself facing one of her deepest fears—one she’d tried to buffer herself against since she was a little girl. In Thicker then Water , Washington chronicles her journey to a successful acting career that was often paved with broken glass and deep wounds. With vulnerability and transparency, she invites the reader to join her on her path to discovery and healing the trauma within. 

12. My Mother Was Nuts by Penny Marshall

Why should I read it? Many autobiographies and memoirs are heavy and tough on the heart, but if you’re looking for a bit of levity, My Mother Was Nuts by the late actress, director, and producer, Penny Marshall will put a smile on your face. Filled with her off-beat sense of humor and light-hearted look at life’s unexpected twists and turns, her memoir is a definite break away from the norm.

13. Paul Newman by Paul Newman

Why should I read this? What makes this book so intriguing? Intentionality. The original oral project that started in 1986 took five years to complete. Everyone who participated was given one requirement: Tell the truth—including Newman. Autobiographies are often viewed as limited in perspective since they depend on the memory of the author, but not this one. It is a three-dimensional record of a complex man and an intriguing life. If you're interested in the extensive book writing process for Newman's book , here's an excellent interview with Clea Newman Soderlund and editor David Rosenthal.

14. Managing Expectations by Minnie Driver

Why should I read it? Minnie Driver’s Managing Expectations is storytelling at its finest (the audio version of her narration is a treat). It is heartwarming, engaging, and surprisingly funny. She has a way of taking the cacophony of the best and worst parts of life and creating a beautiful melody.

Autobiographies about family

15. a living remedy by nicole chung.

Why should I read it? A Living Remedy is a moving look at a life lived, life lost, and the inexplicable pain of knowing that you can’t control either. Nicole invites the reader into her family’s journeys as she grapples with her parent’s mortality, aging, and how she fits into the puzzle.

16. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

Like many personal stories, The Glass Castle is another one that reads like fiction. The author recounts a volatile and unpredictable upbringing—a mix of excitement and dysfunction, two parents who’ve chosen to live an unrestricted life on the streets, and siblings who learn to survive and thrive on their own. It’s an unconventional love story about family that’s at times difficult to read but even harder to put down. 

17. The Pale-Faced Lie by David Crow  

When David Crow was just three years old, his dad told him “We need to get rid of your  mother.” The story is a chilling depiction of a life lived on a razor’s edge and how the author bravely found a way out and beat the odds. 

18. All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung

Why should I read this book? In this moving memoir, Nicole Chung shares her story of adoption and her search for the parents who gave her up—a familiar story that doesn’t unfold the way you expect. Chung’s writing is thoughtful and reflective as she invites you to walk alongside her into womanhood, motherhood, and her journey to fill in the missing pieces.

Autobiographies about faith

19. the barn by david hill.

The true life story of David Hill feels like a well-scripted movie plot. This heart-wrenching drama unfolds with more twists and turns than a box-office hit. From the painful to the supernatural, each descriptive scene begs the question, “But, how?” Hill shares his faith walk with candor and humility—an engaging read for anyone curious about believing in the impossible. 

20. All My Knotted Up Life by Beth Moore

Do we ever really figure life out? In All My Knotted Up Life , Bible teacher and author Beth Moore talks candidly about wrestling with life's tough questions, facing hardships, and loving her family along the way. The intimate portrait also delves into her childhood, worldwide ministry, and all the stuff in between.

Autobiographies about sports figures

21. pelé by pelé.

From humble beginnings in São Paulo where his love of football began to the World Cup stage where he showcased his talent in front of millions, the cultural icon whose career journey also included politician and sports ambassador offers a remarkable story that only he could tell. 

22. I Came as a Shadow by John Thompson

Described as a “great American story”,  coach John Thompson turns his journey into the NBA record books inside out. From the segregated 60s to today’s racial divide, readers get to strap in with him on a roller coaster ride of a lifetime. Learn how the man who always wanted to be a teacher, used basketball to teach a generation life skills on and off the court.

23. Rise by Siya Kolisi

In Rise, South African rugby star Siya Kolisi shares his thoughts on race, faith, and positivity. In this very personal story he reminds the reader that when you believe you can defy the odds, you have a better chance of your dreams coming true.

24. God and Starbucks by Vin Baker

Former NBA player Vin Baker shares candidly details his rise to the NBA and subsequent fall after a long bout with addiction. He offers a transparent hindsight look into his life, what he’s overcome, and where he now stands in light of his faith and convictions.

Autobiographies about going against the odds

25. the autobiography of eleanor roosevelt by elanor roosevelt.

In a time in history when many people in the limelight chose to avert their attention from controversial matters like racial injustices, women’s and consumer rights, and improved housing, Eleanor Roosevelt used her public position to speak up for those who couldn’t speak up for themselves. Amidst death threats and limited support, she continued to persevere. Her autobiography gives a glimpse into the many challenges she faced and overcame on the road to writing her own story. 

26. Limp Forward by Libo Meyers

Why should I read this? Despite the title, Limp Forward : A Memoir of Disability, Perseverance, and Success , is not a story just about overcoming physical challenges. Meyers offers the reader a template for viewing the challenges in life as a springboard for being the exception to the unwritten rules that society places on categories of people. The Apple engineering executive offers those who've ever felt desperate, undervalued, and hopeless a flashlight until they can see the real light at the end of the tunnel.

Autobiographies about culture, immigration, and race

27. the girl in the middle by anais granofsky.

What happens when you’re stuck in the middle of the past you knew and the future opportunities of what you could become? This is the in-between that Anais Granofsky had to learn to navigate at an early age. Born to a white father who came from wealth and a black mother who came from meager means, Anais was stuck between the two sides when her parents' marriage dissolved. In this poignant personal story of “code-switching” between racial identities, we get a deeply moving account of what it’s like to live two lives at the same time that are worlds apart. 

28. Good Morning, Hope by Argita and Detina Zalli

War-torn countries are heartbreaking and an all too familiar story. Within the pages of Good Morning Hope , we are given an intimate look into the lives of identical twins Argita and Detina Zalli when their beloved country was ripped apart along with everything they knew to be true. Follow them on their journey through devastation and heartbreak as they fight their way through a world that is no longer their own.

29. Mott Street by Ava Chin

Why should I read it? If you don’t know your family’s roots, can you really know who you are? Ava Chin goes on a revealing search of her family’s history and discovers what will put her on the path to changing how her family’s future unfolds. In this narrative about family, legacy, and the different faces of exclusion, Chin offers a deeper perspective on what it means to be human—what it means to be valued. 

30. First Gen by Alejandra Campoverdi

Why should I read it? In this empowering story about achieving the American dream, Alejandra Campoverdi shares her life journey with candor and fierce dedication to her identity as a Mexican American and first-generation trailblazer. She shows how the seemingly disparate pieces of our lives can be sewn together to create a beautiful, complex tapestry.

31. The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui

Why should I read this? It’s illustrated! We wrap up our list with a unique narrative presentation by cartoonist Thi Bui about family, immigration, escape, and the ties that connect the pieces. In his story, Bui shares the impact of the Vietnam War by contrasting what things looked like before the war, during and after their migration to the United States. The visual narrative adds an unexpected depth to the storytelling.

There’s something about reading someone else’s life story that adds perspective to your own. Although many autobiographies (and memoirs) are written by people who've achieved great notoriety in their lifetime, most of them are written by everyday people like you and me. If you’re thinking about writing a book about your life , remember that you don’t have to be rich and famous to have an engaging story to tell. It's easier to relate to someone who's walked a similar path, and everybody has a story to tell whether they think it has merit or not. Remember that a great personal story is less about the perfect ending and has everything to do with the journey. Consider sharing a part of your life with the world. You never know what kind of impact it will have. Are you ready to take the next step in writing your autobiography (with an eye-catching autobiography title ) or memoir? Our team of writing experts is ready to help you take the next step .

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41 Celebrity Memoirs That Are Actually Worth Reading

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Anyone who has glanced at a bestseller list lately can tell you that we are in the midst of (yet another?) celebrity memoir boom. From Britney Spears to Prince Harry, it seems like just about everyone is spilling their secrets via book deal —meaning ’tis the season for pages upon pages of Hollywood gossip, rock-and-roll road drama, and the darker sides of show business.

At their best, celebrity memoirs provide unusually candid portraits of the “real person” behind the public persona—and they don’t skimp on the dirty details. At worst, they can be ghostwritten fluff.

 Ahead, Vogue rounds up the best of the genre for your reading pleasure.

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

Britney Spears

“Emerging from the shadows of a past marked by paparazzi harassment and betrayal by the people she trusted, Britney Spears finally speaks her truth in this highly anticipated—and then much celebrated—memoir. With a blend of deep sincerity and good humor, Spears fearlessly asserts her autonomy, leaving no doubt about who is truly in control of her life.” —Gia Yetikyel

Spare by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

Spare by Prince Harry

“Even for those who don’t keep up with the Royal Family, the central themes of grief, love, and creating a home apart from everything you’ve known in Prince Harry ’s shockingly intimate Spare make it a story very much worth reading.” —G.Y.

Paris: The Memoir by Paris Hilton

“ Paris Hilton’s 336-page book takes an in-depth look at the many labels she’s adorned and shed over the decades. Unpacking her childhood, episodes of teenage rebellions, and experience with verbal and physical abuse, she creates a place for readers to understand the origins of her pink paradise—and the strength it took to withstand years of extraordinary public pressure.” —G.Y.

One Life by Megan Rapinoe

“Olympic medalist and two-time Women's World Cup champion Megan Rapinoe shows a whole new side of herself in this memoir, in which she recounts coming out as gay in 2011—well before ‘inclusivity in sports’ was widely discussed, let alone prioritized—as well as her experience of taking a knee alongside former NFL player Colin Kaepernick to protest racial injustice and police brutality. For those who prefer their celebrity memoirs with a side of romance, Rapinoe also dishes on her courtship with now-wife, WNBA champion Sue Bird.” —Emma Specter

Becoming by Michelle Obama

“For months after reading this, I had to stop myself from thinking of Michelle as my friend. After spending a week (or, let’s be honest, an entire weekend under a blanket) reading a celebrity’s memoir, you feel as though you’ve spent time with them. It makes them more accessible and reminds you that at the end of the day, everyone is still human. I’m coming to grips with the fact that Michelle Obama is not actually my friend Michelle, but Becoming is still one of the best books I’ve read.” —Grace Atwood, founder of TheStripe.com

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy  

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

“This bestselling memoir is hardly lighthearted fare, revolving as it does around child star McCurdy’s years of physical and emotional abuse at the hands of her fame-obsessed mother, but the rush to purchase it was no empty fanfare; it really is that good.” —E.S.

Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl

“Whether you’re a fan of food, legacy media gossip, or writer Ruth Reichl herself, you'll find plenty to dine out on in this account of Reichl’s time serving as the editor-in-chief of the now-defunct Gourmet magazine. Reichl freely admits that the glamorous world of New York publishing was a new one to her at the start of her Gourmet tenure, but I think it’s safe to say we could use a little more of her independence, irreverence and commitment to genuine creativity in the industry. (Bonus: her descriptions of meals are effortlessly mouth-watering, so make sure to eat with a delicious snack at the ready.)” —E.S.

The Vanity Fair Diaries by Tina Brown

“Perhaps more of a memoir of brushes with celebrity than actual celebrity memoir, Tina Brown’s Vanity Fair Diaries is nonetheless a phenomenal read, for the journalism nerd or anyone else who is interested in the inner workings of glossy magazine-making in its heyday. The book recounts the British editor's years as the editor in chief of the storied magazine, the feathers she unapologetically ruffled in pursuit of a more lively publication (the rates she paid Martin Amis for a single story would make a 2020s editor swoon!), the glamor of the gig, the grind of being a working mother. Brown kept meticulous notes when she occupied this role, and it shows; this is a book in which the delicious dirt is in the details.” —Chloe Schama

My Name Is Barbra by Barbra Streisand

My Name Is Barbra

“Ruminative and dishy, funny and smart, Barbra Streisand’s nearly 1,000-page memoir deftly captures the voice that first bewitched American audiences in the early 1960s—plus her weird dynamic with Marlon Brando, the nightmare of making Yentl with Mandy Patinkin, her lifelong fondness for baked potatoes, and other delicious bits.” —Marley Marius

Love, Pamela: A Memoir of Prose, Poetry, and Truth by Pamela Anderson

“With Pamela Anderson’s memoir, readers meet the woman behind the va-va-voom persona—she is, in fact, just a shy girl from Vancouver Island—through childhood memories and reflections on pursuing her dreams. Blending prose and poetry, it’s a refreshing and empowering read.” —G.Y.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

“If you haven’t read Fey’s 2011 memoir yet, you’re sleeping at the wheel. It follows her journey to stardom and is filled with amazing behind-the-scenes stories from her time on Saturday Night Live . Candid, self-deprecating, funny (duh): the perfect before-bed read.” —Christian Allaire

Just the Funny Parts by Nell Scovell

“The second female Letterman writer and creator of Sabrina the Teenage Witch , Scovell brings all the humor of Bossypants but with the added bite of coming up in the mighty sexist man’s world of TV. Scovell names names and calls it like she sees it.” —Michelle Ruiz, Vogue.com contributing editor

Fresh Off the Boat by Eddie Huang

“This memoir by the celebrity chef behind New York’s Baohaus inspired the ABC show of the same name—but the book version is far less fuzzy. Huang gives an unapologetically real look at his upbringing in a hardworking and often strict Chinese-American family. And his sumptuous descriptions of food make you really, really hungry.” —M.R.

Finding Me by Viola Davis

“A Rhode Island childhood marked by trauma and abuse gives way to an adulthood in the spotlight as one of the most recognizable actresses in Hollywood, and Davis relays the topsy-turviness of her life’s circumstances with a compelling mix of emotional honesty and grace.” —E.S.

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling

“Mindy Kaling holds a rarefied position in Hollywood these days, but the writer, actress and director's bestselling 2011 memoir proves that her ascent to the top wasn’t always an easy one. In Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? , Kaling recounts her growth from the shy, bookish child of immigrants to off-Broadway sensation to the youngest writer on the staff of the hit NBC sitcom The Office ; what’s most notable about the memoir, though, is the way Kaling's singular voice shines through, lending even the wildest of L.A. tales a crucial degree of relatability.” —E.S.

Open Book by Jessica Simpson

“I went into Open Book expecting a light, fun read from one of my favorite reality stars (remember Newlyweds ?) of all time—instead, I was blown away by an honest, funny, and touching memoir, which is so rarely the case with celebrity ‘tell-alls.’ Simpson candidly discusses her recovery journey after years of struggling with drugs and alcohol abuse; she also examines the darker side of her early-fame days as a singer, when she was constantly—and at times, brutally—compared to her counterparts like Britney Spears or Christina Aguilera. It was my favorite book of 2020, and I recommend it to any pop culture fan, Simpson fans or not.” —C.A.

This Will Only Hurt a Little by Busy Philipps

“A pitch-perfect example of the genre, Philipps serves up a funny and unflinching look at being a woman in Hollywood. She dives into her days as a Barbie spokes-kid and, bravely, her abortion as a teen, before moving on to her best friendship with Michelle Williams, details of James Franco’s douchey-ness on Freaks and Geeks , and struggles in her marriage. The best celebrity memoirs are as unsparingly honest as Philipps’ is.” —M.R.

Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir by Matthew Perry

“In his book, the late actor delves into his early life and rise to fame amidst an intense struggle with drug and alcohol addiction. Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing is written in such a way that you can imagine Perry speaking it to you—his voice is comforting, heartbreaking, and oh-so-familiar to the many of us who grew up watching him in the 1990s and early 2000s.” —G.Y.

Life by Keith Richards

“You might not think of Keith Richards as an elegant truth-teller, but his Life is a bracing tonic—straightforward but exciting, glamorous but heartfelt. I’m not a regular rock memoir reader, but this is a book that transcends whatever you might think the genre entails. Just go along with the music and don’t think too hard about it.” —Chloe Schama

You’ll Never Eat Lunch in This Town Again by Julia Phillips

“Not sure she’s a straight-up A-list celeb, but Phillips made the A-list celebs. The Hollywood producer’s story is so full of wild pleasures and OMG moments that it’s easy to overlook the sheer brilliance that’s on offer.” —Lauren Mechling, Vogue contributor and author of How Could She

Horror Stories by Liz Phair

“The first of a planned two-part set (the second of which will be titled Fairy Tales ), Horror Stories is less of a traditional memoir and more of a series of vignettes that tackle some of the ‘small indignities that we all suffer daily, the silent insults to our system, the callous gestures that we make toward one another.’ Most of us won’t suffer the indignities of an anesthesiologist asking for our autograph during labor (we’re not all Gen X rock stars, after all), but we can wince at the, yes, horror, and relate to the rest of Phair’s not-so-tall tales .” —Danny Feekes, former managing editor at Goodreads

The Storyteller: Tales of Life and Music by Dave Grohl

“Not to stereotype straight white men over 30, but all the ones I know happen to love Dave Grohl, making this memoir—which focuses on the Nirvana and Foo Fighter musician’s years on the road—an absolutely smashing birthday or holiday gift when another coffee mug just won’t do.” —E.S.

Open by Andre Agassi

Open: An Autobiography by Andre Agassi

“We’ve all read (or carefully avoided) the triumphal sports-star memoir: The thousands of solitary hours spent in pursuit of excellence while stoically avoiding everything else, leading up to that magical breakthrough when everything was deemed to be Worth It. This isn’t that memoir: Agassi, arguably the best player of his generation and certainly the flashiest and most-visible, is remarkably frank here about how much he seemed to loathe the entire experience, which was foisted on him by a kind of ur-Tennis Dad. Thankfully, we also get the other side of that: A late- career resurgence, followed by a blissful second marriage and a philanthropic turn that’s both heartfelt and, for the underprivileged children it focuses on, life-changing. For the king of neon and acid-washed jeans who became even more famous for saying ‘image is everything,’ this book is a tragic opera with a happy ending.” —Corey Seymour

Dear Mr. You by Mary Louise Parker

"Parker’s 2015 memoir has really stayed with me. Written as a series of letters to men she’s encountered, imagined, or loved, it’s a formal experiment, a wonderful portrait of an established artist claiming new territory. She’s not really in the tell-all business, but what she’s written reveals plenty.” —Julia Felsenthal, Vogue contributor

Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

“When Noah was born under apartheid in South Africa, his parents’ interracial union was, literally, a crime, punishable by five years in prison. That’s just the beginning of The Daily Show host’s remarkable story. At turns harrowing and hilarious, it’s perhaps best consumed via audiobook , read by the author.” —M.R.

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

“Based on decades’ worth of his own diary entries (which also included poems, photographs, prescriptions, and many, many bumper stickers), Matthew McConaughey’s memoir discusses his personal philosophy for handling life’s challenges, and what it means to keep catching the green lights through hardships.” —G.Y.

Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama

“The world rightfully knows Obama as a brilliant orator. But even before he was president (or even state senator), he wrote the hell out of this 1995 memoir (later re-released to great fanfare) about his upbringing in Hawaii and Kansas; his solitary, scholarly Columbia years; and his distant relationship with his dad. Now I spend my days waiting for his presidential memoir-in-the-works.” —M.R.

Sometimes I Feel Like a Nut by Jill Kargman

“As a fellow native New Yorker and NYC mom, Kargman’s dishing on ‘the city’ has always been hilarious and spot-on, even before her show Odd Mom Out came out. The essays in this book are so Jill : Honest, irreverent, slightly dark. full of curse words—yet imminently likable and, in fact, addictive.” —Zibby Owens, host of the Moms Don’t Have Time to Read Books podcast

The Office BFFs: Tales of The Office from Two Best Friends Who Were There by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey

The Office BFFs: Tales of ‘The Office’ from Two Best Friends Who Were There by Jenna Fischer and and Angela Kinsey

“ The Office stars Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey may have been rivals on the show, but in real life, their sweet and silly bestie-dom is contagious, making this recollection of working on one of history’s most popular sitcoms a genuine pleasure to read.” —E.S.

The Dirt by Motley Crue

The Dirt: Confessions of the World's Most Notorious Rock Band by Tommy Lee

“I never thought that one of my favorite books of all time would have a cover featuring a lady in a G-string whose disembodied form we see dancing inside a whiskey bottle. But at least you’ve been warned: What you see is what you get in this group memoir from the glam metal band. The sheer magnitude of debauchery at their peak in the 1980s is too compelling to look away.” —Maris Kreizman, host of The Maris Review podcast

In Pieces by Sally Field

“Sally Field took her sweet time with In Pieces , her first memoir, written over seven years without the assistance of a ghostwriter. To call Field’s writing vulnerable doesn’t give enough credit to the way she recounts with crippling honesty the highs and lows of her personal and professional lives. She’s always been beloved as a performer, but In Pieces shows there’s so much more to admire about Field than the trophies on her mantle.” —Keaton Bell

I.M. by Isaac Mizrahi

“Mizrahi is well-known as a man of many talents, so adding ‘writer’ to the list isn’t a stretch. Still, the quality of his memoir, I.M. , is notable. He talks schmattas and sex with typical sass, but what makes this book memorable is that Mizrahi’s coming-of-age and coming-to-terms tale is bigger than fashion. —Laird Borelli-Persson, Vogue archive editor

Making a Scene by Constance Wu

“Often told that ‘good girls don’t make scenes,’ the TV and film star writes about finding an outlet for her feelings through community theater and how it eventually led to her pursuing an acting career. Authentic and very moving.” —G.Y.

Touched by the Sun: My Friendship With Jackie by Carly Simon

“Simon’s first book, Boys in the Trees , is what all celebrity memoirs should aspire to be, toggling between childhood struggles, musical stardom, and a highly publicized marriage to James Taylor with plenty of wit and revelations sprinkled throughout. Touched by the Sun is more scaled back, focusing on the iconic singer-songwriter’s unlikely but enduring friendship with Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Detailing the lunches, movie dates, and nights out on the town that the two women shared before Onassis’s death in 1994, Simon highlights the woman beneath the public persona.” —K.B.

Wildflower by Drew Barrymore

“If you’re a completist, start with Drew’s first memoir, the propulsive Little Girl Lost (out of print but easy to find secondhand), which she wrote when she was 14. It recounts a young Barrymore’s stratospheric rise and quick drug-fueled descent, while Wildflower finds an older, more assured Barrymore looking back at a larger-than-life existence, one in which she emancipated from her parents, forged out on her own, and paved her distinctive path. As Drew writes, “I wanted to rescue myself. And I did.” —D.F.

Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business by Dolly Parton

“Before picking up Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics , take a peek at Dolly: My Life and Other Unfinished Business from the 1990s. Get to know the rhinestone-studded, smooth-talking country singer as she discusses her personal philosophies, marriage, and her transformation from a music-loving teenager into one of the world’s most iconic women.” —G.Y.

Just Kids by Patti Smith

“Smith’s National Book Award–winning memoir is a portrait of a place and time—New York, Summer of Love—and a love letter to a bygone era that produced two iconoclasts: poet and musician Smith, and late photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. The story follows the duo’s trials and tribulations as they traverse Brooklyn, Coney Island, and Times Square, before settling at the infamous Chelsea Hotel. Smith has said that she didn’t write the book to be cathartic, but to fulfill a vow she made to Mapplethorpe on his deathbed. Ultimately, it’s the reader who reaps the rewards of that request.” —D.F.

Stories I Only Tell My Friends by Rob Lowe

“It’s over 10 years later, and I’m still crushed by Sam Seaborne’s departure from The West Wing , so I couldn’t resist Lowe’s memoir. It’s packed with plenty of sordid stories from his wild days as part of the Brat Pack, but also has so many great behind-the-scenes memories from some of my favorite TV shows and movies. While it probably won’t win a Pulitzer, any fan of ’80s rom-coms will still find this delightful!” —Becca Freeman, co-host of the Bad on Paper podcast

Me by Elton John

“Honest, charming, and all too real, Me follows the extraordinary life of Elton John from his origins in a London suburb to his rise to fame, legendary friendships, struggles with drug addiction, and philanthropy work.” —G.Y.

My Life So Far by Jane Fonda

“I’ve been reading this in fits and starts for about a decade, and I’ve still yet to encounter another life story so dutifully (and beautifully) re-examined. It’s easy to take Fonda’s cool self-assuredness—even in handcuffs!—for granted these days, but before Firebrand Jane there was “plain Jane,” woefully uncomfortable in her skin and desperate for outside validation. To chart her path from then until now (and to think of all that’s still to come) is something I wouldn’t mind doing for another 10 years.” —M.M.

The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher

“All three of Fisher’s memoirs reflect her trademark cool demeanor and self-deprecating nature, but her final release is my favorite. The beating heart of the book is the story of teenage Fisher’s secret three-month-long affair with Harrison Ford, then 33 and married with two kids. Fisher was hopelessly, naively in love with him, and Ford took advantage of the situation. You won’t find much behind-the-scenes Star Wars intel, but you will find an honest, painful account of Fisher’s experience as a young woman in love and at the mercy of so many patriarchal forces.” —Cristina Arreola, senior publicity and marketing manager, Sourcebooks

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25 best celebrity autobiographies to read right now

Discover the true stories behind these famous faces. .

Whether it be a comedian, singer, actor or athlete, celebrity autobiographies give us facinating insight into the glitz and glamour (or not!) of some of the world’s most renowned personalities. But the best celebrity autobiographies provide raw, unfiltered narratives that look beyond the red carpet façade and into the real lives of their authors. From Elton John to Louis Theroux, here are our favourites. 

by Chris Kamara

One of the most well-known faces of the beautiful game, Chris ‘Kammy’ Kamara is a national treasure. Now, he’s sharing the story of his incredible life. From his days in the Royal Navy and a playing career that took him all over England to becoming one of the game’s best-loved commentators, Kammy lifts the lid on a career that he could never have dreamt of growing up in Middlesbrough. Told with unflinching honesty, but with his trademark humour and positivity, this is a must-read for any football fan.

Being Henry

By henry winkler.

Beloved by generations for his charm and humour, actor Henry Winkler is best known to many as ‘The Fonz’, the star of cult 70s sitcom Happy Days. Now, for the first time, he shares the story of how he made it to Hollywood against the odds in his autobiography, Being Henry . From a difficult childhood and battling severe dyslexia to the pressures and problems that overnight stardom can bring, Winkler’s trademark wit and positivity shine through. As much a story of the importance of kindness as it is one of fame, this book would make a brilliant gift for fans of all ages. 

When Fury Takes Over

By john fury.

John Fury is a fighter, a family man, and a traveller at heart. Born to a long line of bare-knuckle fighters, he was destined to follow in their footsteps and into the ring. Now, John Fury, the father of six sons, including British heavyweight champion and star of At Home With the Furys, Tyson Fury, is setting the record straight on his extraordinary life. From serving time in Borstal and his struggles with depression, to conquering the boxing ring and buying a home of his own, this is John Fury's story in his own words.

by Adrian Edmondson

Ade Edmondson smashed onto the comedy circuit in the 1980s and brought anarchy to stage and screen. How did a child brought up in a strict Methodist household – and who spent his formative years incarcerated in repressive boarding schools – end up joining the revolution? Well, he is part Norse. Could it be his ‘berserker’ heritage? His star-studded anecdotes and outrageous stories are set to a soundtrack of pop hits, transporting the reader through time and cranking up the nostalgia. But, as one would expect, these stories are also a guaranteed laugh as Ade traces his journey through life and comedy. 

by Elton John

The first and only official autobiography by one of the most iconic singer-songwriters of all time, Me packs a significant punch. Elton evocatively describes his childhood in the London suburbs when he dreamed of becoming a pop star; his drug addiction, kept secret for over a decade; and finally, what it was like to come clean, find love with David Furnish and become a father. Among the brave confessions and frank revelations are glimpses into the glittering, electric, star-spangled world of the music industry, making this wonderful book a source of escapism as well as inspiration.

Gotta Get Theroux This

By louis theroux.

Renowned for exposing the inner lives of controversial groups and characters on screen, Louis Theroux has also turned his hand to paper to reveal his own story. Theroux has tackled big subjects: scientology, prison gang culture and US militias to name a few. But what has made him a national treasure is his ability to tell these stories with wry observation and self-deprecating humour. The same is true of Gotta Get Theroux This – we learn of the highs and lows of Louis' career, but he also candidly reveals snapshots of his personal life including his anxiety-prone childhood, wooing his wife Nancy, and his struggles grappling with the Jimmy Savile revelations. 

Beyond the Story

Published in celebration of their 10th anniversary, this is the BTS's first official book , including unreleased photos, QR codes of videos and other exclusive content. Through in-depth interviews and years of coverage by Myeongseok Kang, the world of K-pop comes alive. As digital artists, BTS has been communicating with the world through the internet and this book allows readers to immediately access trailers, music videos, and more online to have a rich understanding of all the key moments in BTS history. Complete with a timeline of all major milestones,  Beyond the Story is a remarkable archive — truly everything about BTS in one volume.

More Myself

By alicia keys.

One of the most celebrated musicians of our time, Alicia Keys has enraptured the nation with her heartfelt lyrics, extraordinary vocal range, and soul-stirring piano compositions. Yet away from the spotlight, Alicia has grappled with private heartache over the challenging relationship with her father, her people-pleasing nature, the loss of privacy surrounding her romantic relationships, and the expectations of female perfection. Part autobiography, part narrative documentary, this is a book that asks big questions: who am I, really? And once I discover that truth, how can I become brave enough to embrace it?

I Wanna Be Yours

By john cooper clarke.

John Cooper Clarke is a phenomenon: Poet Laureate of Punk, rock star, fashion icon, TV and radio presenter, and cultural commentator. I Wanna Be Yours covers an extraordinary life, filled with remarkable personalities. Interspersed with stories of his rock and roll and performing career, John also reveals his boggling encyclopaedic take on popular culture over the centuries: from Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe to Pop Art, pop music, the movies, fashion, football and showbusiness – and much, much more, plus a few laughs along the way. This is a memoir as wry, funny and vivid as its inimitable subject himself. 

On Days Like These

By martin o'neill.

Martin O’Neill has had one of the most incredible careers in football – winning European Cups, captaining his country at a World Cup, and decades as a hugely successful manager.  On Days Like These  tells his fascinating story in his own words for the first time. We get insight into the exhilarating highs and painful lows of the beautiful game, written with his trademark honesty and humour. This is one of the most insightful and captivating sports autobiographies and a must-read for any fans of the beautiful game.

Don't Miss

More autobiographies from you favourite sports personalities

What are you doing here, by floella benjamin.

Actress, television presenter, and member of the House of Lords – Baroness Floella Benjamin is an inspiration to many. But it hasn't always been easy: in What Are You Doing Here?  she describes her journey to London as part of the Windrush generation, and the daily racism that caused her so much pain as a child. In adulthood, she went on to win a role in the groundbreaking musical  Hair, call for diversity at the BBC and BAFTA, and much more. Sharing the lessons she has learned, imbued with her joy and positivity, this autobiography is the moving testimony of a remarkable woman.

Cheers, Geoff!

By geoff shreeves.

There are just a handful of people who have been ever-present for the thirty years of the Premier League, but only one person has been at the very epicentre for the entire period: Geoff Shreeves. Packed full of hilarious stories on and off the pitch – including trying to teach Sir Michael Caine how to act, a frightening encounter with Mike Tyson, as well as getting a lift home from the World Cup with Mick Jagger –  Cheers, Geoff!  is a must-read autobiography for any football fan. A natural storyteller, Geoff brings an astonishing catalogue of tales to life with his unique brand of experience, insight and humour.

The 50 best autobiographies & biographies of all time

A funny life, by michael mcintyre.

Comic Michael McIntyre specialises in pin-sharp observational routines that have made him the world's bestselling funnyman. Michael’s first book ended with his big break at the 2006 Royal Variety Performance. Waking up the next morning in the tiny rented flat he shared with his wife Kitty and their one-year-old son, he was beyond excited about the new glamorous world of show business. Unfortunately, he was also clueless . . . This bracingly honest memoir covers the highs, lows and pratfalls of a career in comedy, as Michael climbs the greasy pole of success and desperately attempts to stay up there. 

Too Many Reasons to Live

By rob burrow.

Perhaps the most inspiring celebrity autobiography on this list, Too Many Reasons to Live follows rugby league legend Rob Burrow on his career, his friendship with fellow Rhino Kevin Sinfield, and his battle with motor neurone disease. As a boy, Rob was told he was too small to play the sport. Even when he made his debut for Leeds Rhinos, people wrote him off as a novelty. But Rob never stopped proving people wrong. And then in December 2019, Rob was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and given a couple of years to live. Far more than a sports memoir,  Too Many Reasons to Live  is a remarkable story of boundless courage and infinite kindness.

With You Every Step, a celebration of friendship by Rob Burrow and Kevin Sinfield

Life lessons, by jay blades.

From star of hit BBC One show  The Repair Shop and author of Making It , comes Life Lessons . Let Jay’s words of wisdom – gleaned from his own triumphs over adversity – help you to find your best path through life. Filled with characteristic warmth and humour, Jay talks about the life lessons that have helped him to find positivity and growth, no matter what he’s found himself facing. Jay shares not only his adventures and escapades but also the way they have shaped his outlook and helped him to live life to the fullest. His insight and advice give you everything you need to be able to reframe your own circumstances and make the best of them.

Scenes from My Life

By michael k. williams.

When Michael K. Williams died in September 2021, he left behind a career as one of the most electrifying actors of his generation. At the time of his death, Williams had nearly finished his memoir, which traces his life from his childhood and his early years as a dancer to his battles with addiction. Alongside his achievements on screen he was a committed activist who dedicated his life to helping at-risk young people find their voice and carve out their future. Imbued with poignance and raw honesty,  Scenes from My Life  is the story of a performer who gave his all to everything he did – in his own voice, in his own words.

by Elliot Page

Pageboy  is a groundbreaking coming-of-age memoir from the Academy Award-nominated actor Elliot Page. Before the world premiere of  Juno  Elliot was on the edge self-discovery. But with  Juno 's massive success and his dreams coming true, Elliot found himself trapped by the spotlight and the pressure to perform was suffocating him. Until enough was enough. From chasing down secret love affairs to battling body image and working through his difficult childhood,  Pageboy  is a beautiful, intimate book about searching for ourselves and our place in the world.

My Thoughts Exactly

By lily allen.

'I am a mother, and I was a wife. I'm also a singer and a songwriter. I have loved and been let down. I've been stalked and assaulted. I am a success and a failure. I've been broken and full of hope. I am all these things and more.' My Thoughts Exactly is Lily Allen's no holds barred account of her life from childhood to stardom. She shares her thoughts and experiences on marriage and divorce, motherhood, the music industry and so much more. Lily Allen is not afraid to admit to getting things wrong – it is this honesty that makes the book so heartbreaking and heartwarming, and everything in between.  

And Away...

By bob mortimer.

National treasure and beloved entertainer, Bob Mortimer, takes us from his childhood in Middlesborough to working as a solicitor in London in his highly acclaimed autobiography. Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until suddenly in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and forced him to cancel an upcoming tour. The book covers his numerous misadventures along his path to fame but also reflects on more serious themes, making this both one of the most humorous and poignant celebrity memoirs of recent years. 

Greenlights

By matthew mcconaughey.

In this unconventional memoir, the Academy Award-winning actor reflects on his fifty years through life, sharing raucous anecdotes, unconventional wisdom, and hard-earned lessons for a more fulfilling existence. With diaries spanning thirty-five years, he explores triumphs and missteps, joys and sorrows, offering insights on fairness, stress reduction, finding fun, and fostering kindness. Upon revisiting these diaries, he unveils a recurring theme – achieving what he dubs 'catching greenlights,' a state of triumph. It's a narrative of resilience and growth and a celebration of life's diverse hues. 

They Don't Teach This

By eniola aluko.

Shortlisted for the Telegraph Sports Book Awards, They Don't Teach This is the memoir of Eni Aluko. As well as being a successful footballer on the pitch, Eni is also the first female pundit on Match of the Day, a UN Women UK ambassador, a Guardian columnist and a first class law graduate. This memoir is both the story of these extraordinary achievements, and a discussion of dual nationality and identity, race and institutional prejudice, success, failure and faith. It is an inspiring manifesto to change the way readers choose to view the challenges that come in their life applying life lessons with raw truths of Eni's own personal experience.

by Walter Isaacson

Based on interviews conducted with Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson's biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is filled with lessons about innovation, leadership, and values and has inspired a movie starring Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet and Seth Rogen. Isaacson tells the story of the rollercoaster life and searingly intense personality of creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized the tech industry. Although Jobs cooperated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written and put nothing off limits, making this an unflinchingly candid account of one of the key figures of modern history.

by Stanley Tucci

Before Stanley Tucci became a household name with  The Devil Wears Prada ,  The Hunger Games , and his legendary Negronis, he grew up in an Italian American family that spent every night around he table. In  Searching For Italy , he revealed his passion for the secrets and delights of the country's many cuisines. Now, he shares the magic of a lifetime of meals, and the stories behind them. Filled with anecdotes about growing up, shooting foodie films like  Julie & Julia , falling in love across the table, and making dinner for his family,  Taste  is a reflection on the joys of food and life itself. 

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13 Celebrity Autobiographies That Are Seriously Worth Reading

By Lindsey Lanquist

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Celeb autobiographies can be pretty hit or miss. I don't want to name any names, but if all you've done is profit from an inherited empire of wealth, I'm probably not too interested in what you have to say. Some celebs, though, have risen to the occasion and penned—or hired someone to pen—books that are actually worth reading.

Below are 13 of our favorite celeb-authored books.

Modern Romance , Aziz Ansari

Aziz Ansari's Modern Romance isn't quite an autobiography, but the comedian did write it himself. The book is a thoughtful—but funny (of course)—look at the contemporary world of dating. And Ansari teamed up with an NYU sociologist to help him take a deeper dive into the technology-infused world of ~modern romance~. Get ready to learn something—and to have a serious laugh. (Shop here for $11.52.)

The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo , Amy Schumer

This book won't hit stores until August, but we're excited to see Amy Schumer's frank and unapologetic writing emerge in a new format. Anyone who loved Trainwreck , who watches Inside Amy Schumer on the reg, or who just has an affinity for funny women should look out for The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo. (Pre-shop here for $15.40.)

Bossypants , Tina Fey

Reading Tina Fey's writing is as entertaining as watching the actress on TV, so get ready to turn Bossypants ' pages as quickly as you'd hit the "continue watching" button on Netflix. Fey's autobiography tells her story from nerdy start to wildly successful finish, with a little bit of SNL in between. Plus, her novel's title and core message make an empowering point: "You're no one until someone calls you bossy." Hear that, ladies? (Shop here for $5.41.)

Seriously...I'm Kidding , Ellen DeGeneres

Everybody loves Ellen DeGeneres, and her book is packed with the same witty humor and silly personality the TV star has become known for. Hear anecdotes from the star's past, and flip the book over to read rave reviews about Seriously...I'm Kidding penned by the comedienne herself. "What I'm saying is, let us begin, shall we?" DeGeneres wrote in her book's intro. And seriously, what's holding you back? (Shop here for $10.20.)

In the Country We Love , Diane Guerrero

Orange Is The New Black actress Diane Guerrero has a seriously important story to tell, and she wants you to hear it. Her book, In the Country We Love , details her family's journey with immigration and deportation—painting a vivid picture of a social issue facing many in our country. Guerrero's story is one of strength and resilience in the face of adversity, and it's incredibly captivating. (Shop here for $11.75.)

Happy Accidents , Jane Lynch

Before Jane Lynch was a wildly popular actress known for her roles in Glee and The 40-Year-Old Virgin , she was a little girl from Illinois dreaming of making it in Hollywood. The story sounds familiar, but with Lynch's clever voice and hilarious anecdotes, her path to success was all but stereotypical. Lynch's book is amusing and inspiring—making it quite the page-turner. ** (Shop here for $14.99.) **

Not That Kind of Girl , Lena Dunham

Though Lena Dunham can be a somewhat polarizing figure, Not That Kind of Girl is a charming, unapologetic look at young womanhood. The book is a compilation of Dunham's essays, e-mails, and lists, and tells a coming-of-age story through the awkward, down-to-earth voice the author and actress has become known for. (Shop here for $17.72.)

Wildflower , Drew Barrymore

Drew Barrymore takes a more heartfelt, less humorous approach to telling her story with Wildflower . The book is fun and insightful, and it traces Barrymore's journey to the point of fulfillment she's reached today. Emotional and heartwarming, Wildflower is the perfect read for anyone craving a happy ending. (Shop here for $9.52.)

If You Ask Me , Betty White

No celeb autobiography list would be complete without a nod to Betty White—the queen of all queens. White's If You Ask Me paints a hilariously unglamorous look at the world of Hollywood through the eyes of someone who knows it better than most. Plus, who doesn't want to read about Betty White's frank opinions on the world? (Shop here for $9.28.)

Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? , Mindy Kaling

Touted as one of the best recent celeb releases, Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? is a beautiful and hilarious look at Mindy Kaling's transformation from obedient "chubster" child to acclaimed comedic writer and actress. Part journey to success story and part collection of humorous thoughts on the world, Kaling's book is everything you'd expect it to be, which is—in a word—magic. (Shop here for $8.05.)

My Horizontal Life , Chelsea Handler

Most people aren't brave or honest enough to pen an anthology of their one-night stands, but Chelsea Handler isn't most people. Her 2013 book, My Horizontal Life , leads the reader on a journey through wild nights out that end in equally exciting bouts of passion—over and over and over again. Handler's voice is classically blunt and humorous, leaving the reader constantly entertained. (Shop here for $6.05.)

Yes Please , Amy Poehler

Amy Poehler is phenomenal, and Yes Please is another example of the actress proving just how awesome she is. Filled with tales of doing cocaine and treating careers like bad boyfriends, Yes Please is the smart, hilarious read only Poehler could've written. Get ready to get to know the Parks and Recreation actress a whoooole lot better. (Shop here for $7.78.)

Scrappy Little Nobody , Anna Kendrick

Another upcoming release, Anna Kendrick's Scrappy Little Nobody is sure to be a hit. Kendrick's silly sense of humor makes pretty much anything she does fun and adorable, and we're excited to see what anecdotes Scrappy Little Nobody holds. (Pre-shop here for $16.06.)

Get ready to hit the bookstore and dive into these serious page-turners. And let us know which ones are your favorites!

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Before He Died in Prison, Aleksei Navalny Wrote a Memoir. It’s Coming This Fall.

In the book, Navalny tells his story in his own words, chronicling his life, his rise as an opposition leader, and the attempts on his life.

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By Alexandra Alter

During the years leading up to his death in a Russian prison, Aleksei A. Navalny , the Russian opposition leader, was writing a memoir about his life and work as a pro-democracy activist.

Titled “Patriot,” the memoir will be published in the United States by Knopf on Oct. 22, with a first printing of half a million copies, and a simultaneous release in multiple countries.

Navalny, who rose to global prominence as a fierce critic of President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia, resisted the Kremlin’s repeated attempts to silence him through physical harm, arrests and imprisonment in a remote Arctic penal colony, where he died in February , at age 47.

The book, telling his story in his own words, comes as a final show of defiance, his widow, Yulia Navalnaya, said in a statement, and could have a galvanizing effect on his followers.

“This book is a testament not only to Aleksei’s life, but to his unwavering commitment to the fight against dictatorship — a fight he gave everything for, including his life,” Navalnaya said. “Through its pages, readers will come to know the man I loved deeply — a man of profound integrity and unyielding courage. Sharing his story will not only honor his memory but also inspire others to stand up for what is right and to never lose sight of the values that truly matter.”

In a news release, Knopf said that the memoir “expresses Navalny’s total conviction that change cannot be resisted and will come.”

Navalny wrote the entire memoir himself, dictating some parts, and Yulia Navalnaya is working with the publisher to edit and finalize the manuscript, according to a Knopf representative. The book has already been translated into 11 languages, Navalnaya wrote on X , and a Russian-language edition of the book will be available.

The project is a more sensitive endeavor than most memoirs by high profile political figures. Navalny’s supporters and his team, which has carried on his work, continue to draw the scrutiny of Russian authorities as they direct criticism at the Kremlin against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine.

Navalny began working on his memoir in 2020, after surviving a near-fatal poisoning with a nerve agent, an attack that Western intelligence officials believed was a state-sponsored assassination attempt . The book covers his youth, his rise as a political activist, his marriage and family, his political career as an opposition leader, and the attempts on his life and attacks on those close to him, according to the publisher.

Navalny had political aspirations, but was barred from a presidential run following a conviction on fraud charges by a Russian court, widely seen as politically motivated. He exerted his political influence in other ways: organizing protests against Putin and building offices and investigative teams across the country to uncover corruption.

Navalny wrote much of the memoir while he was in Germany and recovering from poisoning. In February 2021, he returned to Russia, knowing that he would likely be detained or attacked again. He was arrested at the airport, and was later charged with embezzlement and fraud in a trial that international observers concluded was also politically motivated. In August 2023, he was charged with “extremism” and given a 19-year sentence. His harsh treatment in Russia’s severe penal colonies included lack of medical care and many stints in solitary confinement.

Addressing why he chose to go back to Russia to face almost certain imprisonment and possible death, Navalny said remaining in exile felt like a betrayal of his cause.

“I don’t want to give up either my country or my beliefs,” Navalny wrote in a Facebook post in January, shortly before his death. “I cannot betray either the first or the second. If your beliefs are worth something, you must be willing to stand up for them. And if necessary, make some sacrifices.”

Navalny’s return to Russia led to weeks of protests around the country, but they were eventually quashed in a fierce crackdown by the Kremlin. Even as Russia has shut down or driven away independent news media outlets and silenced many of its internal critics in an effort to smother political opposition, Navalny remained a vocal and influential figure who came to embody the country’s beleaguered pro-democracy movement.

Navalny maintained a presence on social media even behind bars, and remained a ferocious critic of Putin. His team, which was living and working in exile, continued to release exposés on corruption in Russia. He also kept working on the book, which includes never-before-seen correspondence from prison, according to the publisher.

Within Russia, thousands of his followers gathered for his funeral, despite the risk of being arrested by Russian authorities. Outside the church on the outskirts of Moscow where the service was held, people in the crowd chanted phrases like “Love is stronger than fear” and “Thank you, Aleksei.”

Even after his death, those who seek to carry on Navalny’s work and extend his legacy face threats and attacks. Last month, Leonid Volkov, who served as one of Navalny’s top organizers, was attacked with a hammer and tear gas outside his home in Lithuania’s capital.

Navalny was well aware that his activism put him at risk, but remained cheerfully defiant, with a wry, prankster-like persona that helped drive some of his viral online activism.

“I’m trying not to think about it a lot,” he said in an interview with CBS News in 2017. “If you start to think about what kind of risks I have, you cannot do anything.”

Alexandra Alter writes about books, publishing and the literary world for The Times. More about Alexandra Alter

Libraries are full of books about great cats. This one is special.

Caleb carr’s memoir, ‘my beloved monster,’ is a heart-rending tale of human-feline connection.

Over the years, my wife and I have been blessed with 15 cats, three rescued from the streets of Brooklyn, three from barns near our home in Vermont, one from a Canadian resort and the others from the nearby shelter, where my wife has volunteered as a “cat whisperer” for the most emotionally scarred of its feline inhabitants for years. Twelve of our beloved pets have died (usually in our arms), and we could lose any of our current three cats — whose combined age is roughly 52 — any day now. So, I am either the best person to offer an opinion on Caleb Carr’s memoir, “ My Beloved Monster ,” or the worst.

For the many who have read Carr’s 1994 novel, “The Alienist,” an atmospheric crime story set in 19th-century New York, or watched the Netflix series it inspired, Carr’s new book might come as something of a surprise. “My Beloved Monster” is a warm, wrenching love story about Carr and his cat, a half-wild rescue named Masha who, according to the subtitle of his book, in fact rescued Carr. The author is, by his own admission, a curmudgeon, scarred by childhood abuse, living alone and watching his health and his career go the way of all flesh.

What makes the book so moving is that it is not merely the saga of a great cat. Libraries are filled with books like that, some better than others. It’s the 17-year chronicle of Carr and Masha aging together, and the bond they forged in decline. (As Philip Roth observed, “Old age isn’t a battle; old age is a massacre.”) He chronicles their lives, beginning with the moment the animal shelter begs Carr to bring the young lioness home because the creature is so ferocious she unnerves the staff — “You have to take that cat!” one implores.

Interspersed throughout Carr’s account of his years with Masha are his recollections of all the other cats he has had in his life, going back to his youth in Manhattan. And there are a lot. Cats often provided him comfort after yet another torment his father, the writer Lucien Carr , and stepfather visited upon him. Moreover, Carr identifies so deeply with the species that as a small child he drew a self-portrait of a boy with a cat’s head. He knows a great deal about cats and is eager to share his knowledge, for instance about the Jacobson’s organ in the roof of their mouths that helps them decide if another creature is predator or prey. His observations are always astute: “Dogs tend to trust blindly, unless and until abuse teaches them discretion. … Cats, conversely, trust conditionally from the start.”

Carr, now 68, was a much younger man when he adopted Masha. Soon, however, they were joined at the hip. As the two of them bonded, the writer found himself marveling at what he believed were their shared childhood traumas, which move between horrifying and, in Carr’s hands, morbidly hilarious: “I began to accept my father’s behavior in the spirit with which he intended it … he was trying to kill me.” Man and cat shared the same physical ailments, including arthritis and neuropathy, possibly caused by physical violence in both cases. Carr allowed Masha, a Siberian forest cat, to go outside, a decision many cat owners may decry, but he defends it: “Masha was an entirely different kind of feline,” and keeping her inside “would have killed her just as certainly as any bear or dog.” Indeed, Masha took on fishers and bears (yes, bears!) on Carr’s wooded property in Upstate New York.

But bears and dogs are humdrum fare compared with cancer and old age, which come for both the novelist and his cat. Carr’s diagnosis came first, and his first concern was whether he would outlive Masha. (The existence of the book gives us the answer he didn’t have at the time.) Illness adds new intensity to the human-feline connection: “Coming back from a hospital or a medical facility to Masha was always particularly heartening,” Carr writes, “not just because she’d been worried and was glad to see me, but because she seemed to know exactly what had been going on … and also because she was so anxious to show that she hadn’t been scared, that she’d held the fort bravely.”

Sometimes, perhaps, Carr anthropomorphizes too much and exaggerates Masha’s language comprehension, or gives her more human emotion than she had. But maybe not. Heaven knows, I see a lot behind my own cats’ eyes. Moreover, it’s hard to argue with a passage as beautiful as this: “In each other’s company, nothing seemed insurmountable. We were left with outward scars. … But the only wounds that really mattered to either of us were the psychic wounds caused by the occasional possibility of losing each other; and those did heal, always, blending and dissolving back into joy.”

Like all good memoirs — and this is an excellent one — “My Beloved Monster” is not always for the faint of heart. Because life is not for the faint of heart. But it is worth the emotional investment, and the tissues you will need by the end, to spend time with a writer and cat duo as extraordinary as Masha and Carr.

Chris Bohjalian is the best-selling author of 24 books. His most recent novel, “The Princess of Las Vegas,” was published last month.

My Beloved Monster

Masha, the Half-Wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me

By Caleb Carr

Little, Brown. 435 pp. $29

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