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This powerful memoir is ultimately about keeping a family together as things begin to fall apart. It’s consistently vivid, sometimes humorous, and engaging from start to finish.
Hollywood and musical memoirs are highlights, along with a memoir about reading and books, science, and the supernatural.
These collections feature literary observations and reminiscences from Deborah Levy and Steve Wasserman and humorous insights from comedians Randy Rainbow and Jenny Slate.
The daughter of Mama Cass Elliot of the Mamas & the Papas and Blondie guitarist Chris Stein share life stories centered in sound.
PREMIUM
My Mama, Cass: A Memoir
A unique perspective from the daughter of a rock star. General audiences will get a fresh glimpse into the manipulative music business, which demanded ceaseless hard work, personal sacrifices, and a determined focus on glittery celebrity.
Martin’s memoir about living through and emerging from devastation, together with her reflections on history and climate change make for a rich and timely listen.
A gracefully told portrait of resilience, enhanced with recipes that are both mouthwatering and evocative.
This memoir’s intellectual, grounded tone enables readers to go along with the author as she explores the joy and despondency that coexist within modern parenting, plus the sheer exhaustion and helplessness of advocating for someone (in this case, one’s child) who can’t yet advocate for themselves. A perfect fit for fans of Dani Shapiro’s work.
PREMIUM
Woman of Interest: A Memoir
Suggested for readers who enjoy poetic memoirs, such as Lindsey Frazier’s Oh Love, Come Close and Jane Wong’s Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City.
A fascinating, beautifully written memoir about a woman determined to carve out a fulfilling life for herself.
PREMIUM
Endless Fall: A Little Chronicle
This discourse on death, suicide, queerness, youth, and small-town bigotry is a recommended title, but it’s best for readers comfortable with academic works.
PREMIUM
Under a Rock: A Memoir
Written in an off-the-cuff style, this memoir offers a descriptive, highly impressionistic account of the author’s role in Blondie and his life in New York City. Will engage general readers.
A quick and easy read about the life and career of a trailblazing filmmaker. Will appeal to many audiences, including those unfamiliar with Seidelman’s career. Fans of Jay and Mark Duplass’s Like Brothers, Tim Murphy’s Christodora, or Alice Bag’s Violence Girl will especially enjoy.
Raw and painful to read at times but compelling in its honesty, this memoir about the Dunnes will appeal to movie and true-crime fans.
PREMIUM
Water on Fire: A Memoir of War
An important, stirring memoir that effectively documents how the Lebanese Civil War impacted a child who grew up there during that time.
Captivate with these culinary-themed memoirs, featuring favorite famous chefs and humble home cooks.
Memoirs from Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, @NuevaYorka creator Jessica Hoppe, and actors Uzo Aduba, Kelly Bishop, and Eric Roberts, along with biographies about impressionist painter Monet and country singers George Jones and Tammy Wynette.
A debut graphic memoir that was originally published in Spain and won the Popular Prize award at the Salón del Cómic in Barcelona, this moving and devastating portrait of a little-understood condition will fascinate and educate readers.
PREMIUM
More: A Memoir of Open Marriage
Winter’s conversational tone allows listeners to empathize with her as she stumbles through her marriage’s new dynamic and develops self-care techniques. Give to listeners who are curious about ethical non-monogamy as well as listeners who enjoy candid memoirs.
This deeply touching memoir sheds light on the seemingly insurmountable challenges encountered by impoverished people seeking better lives for themselves and their families. Fans of Maid and the Netflix series inspired by the book will want to listen to this.
PREMIUM
Karma: My Autobiography
The lackluster narration and sparse insights make this audio a necessary purchase only for dedicated fans.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a candid autobiographical analysis of the ease with which one becomes addicted to both substances and behaviors. Recommended for fans of Sarah Levy and Holly Whitaker.
A portrait of an artist’s evolution that should resonate with hip-hop lovers and Roots fans alike. It’s short and will leave listeners wanting more.
While there are other USCP accounts of the insurrection, this one stands apart, given Gonell’s immigrant beginnings and patriotic pride in his adopted country.
This brilliant multidimensional nonfiction debut by Cooper, now the host of National Geographic’s Extraordinary Birder, should be cherished by all memoir fans and will strike a chord with his fellow sci-fi and comics fans.
Stamos shares the shiny and not-so-shiny memories of his past, reflecting on the importance of experiencing the good times and the bad. An excellent choice for those who enjoy memoirs and pop culture or are avid John Stamos fans.
Part memoir, part fashion manifesto, part archive, this engaging audio bursts with humor, confidence, and candor. The production deserves all the rhinestone stars it will earn.
PREMIUM
Omega Farm: A Memoir
For those ready to reflect on the pandemic and not opposed to a jumping timeline, this deeply personal story resonates.
Listeners interested in politics or social media should appreciate Klein’s nuanced look at how people of all political ideologies can follow the online trail of alternative facts into the Mirror World.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a collection of funny, festive family stories full of 1990s nostalgia and heartwarming holiday hijinks. Recommended for fans of arts and entertainment autobiographers, such as Leslie Jordan and Randy Rainbow.
Schneider is not only curious; she is also interesting. Fans of her meteoric run on Jeopardy will enjoy this debut memoir, which provides food for thought for anyone curious about all the trivia of life.
Though Spears’s words are affecting on their own, narrator Williams’s gentle Southern drawl and slight vocal fry make this gripping memoir an unputdownable must-listen.
PREMIUM
Making It So: A Memoir
Recommended for fans of Carrie Fisher’s memoirs or Dave Grohl’s The Storyteller.
A father-daughter memoir that highlights the complex nature of memory and perspective. Recommended for readers interested in personal narratives of connection.
With his role in the Twin Peaks reboot and his numerous dance numbers finding new life online, Tamblyn, his engaging memoir, and his stories will be of high interest.
Readers will gravitate toward this book, which emphasizes that people shouldn’t be judged by a list of achievements. Perfect for fans of Elise Loehnen’s On Our Best Behavior or Katherine Morgan Schafler’s The Perfectionist’s Guide to Losing Control.
This book gorgeously documents the author’s journey through a wild landscape. For readers of travel memoirs and outdoor adventures.
Amanda Jones, an SLJ School Librarian of the Year, writes about her experiences fighting for the right to read; the finance editor of the New York Times considers Bill Gates.
PREMIUM
Inconceivable: Super Sperm Donors, Off-the-Grid Insemination, and Unconventional Family Planning
This book reveals a little-known aspect of one route to becoming a parent. For health sciences consumer health collections.
Dorrance’s (It’s All About Mimi) gorgeous, plaintive story speaks to those caring for aging parents and realizing they must eventually prepare for their own exits. A lyrical read-alike for Can’t We Talk About Something More Pleasant? by Roz Chast.
Illuminating diary entries by a jazz legend; highly recommended reading for fans, musicians, and general audiences.
PREMIUM
Tuned In: Memoirs of a Piano Man
This vicarious adventure and engaging memoir teaches that learning a marketable trade, in this case piano tuning, can be a useful underpinning for seeking goals that seem out of reach. Includes insightful anecdotes about music stars.
This candid and compassionate account reveals the cost of impossible expectations and the courage necessary to find oneself. For fans of Qian Julie Wang’s Beautiful Country or Safiya Sinclair’s How To Say Babylon.
This expressively narrated account of a country in crisis balances detailed research and political insight with snippets of daily life. A must-listen that pairs well with Raúl Gallegos’s Crude Nation and Rory Carroll’s Comandante.
A spectacular and heartfelt memoir, written with invigorating passion and read with endearing humor.
Longtime Etheridge fans and those new to her work will be blown away by her music and grace-filled, courageous personal narrative.
This memoir is a poignant portrait of the love between two brothers and a shared life, with descriptions of traumatic experiences and the resulting scars. The relevance of the book’s themes and topics, alongside Martinez’s openness and exceptional writing skill, will undoubtedly connect with many readers.
A fearless, engaging, and important memoir about how one person’s decision to serve in the military affects their entire family. Readers will learn the true meaning of military service through the wider lens of its impact on families and communities.
A recommended purchase. This debut author’s writing style and fast-paced story will appeal to readers interested in a behind-the-scenes look at hospital operations and personnel during the COVID pandemic.
Parents and child-welfare professionals will benefit from this excellent work that gives an insider’s view of child protective services. Pair with We Were Once a Family by Roxanna Asgarian.
A compelling and poignant story that sheds light on Taiwanese culture and recent history. Essential for readers interested in Taiwan in specific or immigration memoirs in general. Will also appeal to fans of Two Trees Make a Forest by Jessica J. Lee.
A quick, thought-provoking read that lays out both strengths and flaws of the U.S. military in equal measure. Fans of modern military history will find this title enjoyable.
PREMIUM
Portrait of a Body
Moody, elegant, slow, and serious, Delporte’s self-portrait feels defined in great part by its beautiful, formidable frame.
Part self-reflection and part love song to Dunham, this book is a triumphant look at a dancer’s second act as a scholar.
A frank, entertaining insider look at the film industry from the perspective of an Oscar- and Emmy-winning director.
PREMIUM
My Effin’ Life
Lee makes a true personal connection with readers in this compulsively readable memoir.
PREMIUM
Secrets of the Sun: A Memoir
Moving and beautifully written. This poignant memoir is about a daughter’s hunt for answers and understanding about her father, his battles, and the complexities of their relationship.
An essential purchase. Through countless extensions of jail time without a bail hearing, changes in attorneys, depositions, and heartbreaking jail visits, this strong narrative points to the realities of the United States’ criminal justice system and how it can fail the most vulnerable.
PREMIUM
My Side of the River: A Memoir
Perfect for readers who want to learn more about how the U.S immigration system affects the families its laws separate. Also a great pick for fans of memoirs about people who overcome the odds against them.
This book about Davis’s relationship with her parents, Ronald and Nancy Reagan, unpacks a lot. Her eloquent writing and reassessment of her family bonds will keep readers intrigued.
A sincere and unaffected memoir that should appeal to listeners interested in Wiccan beliefs and personal growth stories.
A fun chronicle of a writer’s attempt to get better at visual art, which will likely inspire readers to give it a go as well.
This lyrical, beautifully performed memoir from a Black woman scientist should inspire listeners to look to the sky and also recommend this outstanding title to young women they know who are interested in STEM fields.
Many memoirists are dipping their writing tools into the waters of self-disclosure about their feelings and issues ranging from immigration and illness to work and witchcraft. These selections deliver raw honesty, poetic language, and sharp prose.
Filled with stunning photos and original sketches, this is a breathtaking love letter to Tyson, to couture, and to a powerful collaboration. Fashionistas and fans of either Michael or Tyson will be mesmerized.
Memoirs from Joan Didion’s personal assistant, Pope Francis, and Francine Prose, plus a new consideration of Harriet Tubman by National Book Award–winning author Tiya Miles.
Millennial patrons will love this title, but so will pop culture followers and fans of nostalgia and humor.
A literary memoir filled with humor, which alone is worth reading the book. This title offers insight and a look into the messy, magical drudgery of life, along with the beauty of art, love, and sex that often carry people through.
The best memoirs and biographies of 2023 have three traits in common: they’re insightful, evocative, and direct.
Czerwiec’s wrenching, inspiring story addresses how people should be treated by the medical system and challenges them to treat all patients as in Unit 371. Highly recommended.
An inventive introduction to what to expect for someone seriously ill with leukemia and for medical professionals needing insight into their patients’ points of view. Also, a sobering readalike for Marisa Acocella Marchetto’s Cancer Vixen, in which the author survives.
PREMIUM
Everything Is OK
Those stuck in a destructive feedback loop of self-punishment will recognize themselves in Tung’s account and pick up ideas for exiting the downward spiral, perhaps deciding to trust a therapist to help them. Helpful for young adults as well as their elders.
PREMIUM
Nervosa
Challenging in its detail and honesty, this will draw sympathy from readers who recognize similarities to their own struggles, and it may spur readers to really see other people, not just encounter them superficially.
PREMIUM
Going Remote: A Teacher’s Story
A sobering and educational meditation on how medical and educational worlds both benefit and suffer from technological interventions.
PREMIUM
Memento Mori
Takalo’s wrenching account lays bare the difficulties of surviving an imperfect life even when things go well. A bittersweet guide to happiness for readers captivated by personal journeys.
Hilnama’s realistic details and encouragement would help any cancer patient prepare for the worst but work towards the best as well. A must-buy for most libraries.
PREMIUM
A Chance: Complete Edition
Inspiring and informative for would-be parents and for those who enjoy stories about real-life, complicated families.
PREMIUM
Ephemera: A Memoir
Mournful but somehow deeply soothing, Loewinsohn’s graphic memories conjure a human’s strength to perpetuate and reshape a bond, drawing creatively from only recollections and imaginings. This debut is a potent inspiration for readers yearning to reach toward important people of their own, now forever absent.
Knisley’s painful yet often funny chronicle, spotlights difficult realities of childbearing that most women aren’t told about. Excellent background for prospective parents, their friends and relatives, and clinical professionals.
PREMIUM
Hummingbird Heart
A moving and entertaining reality check that will resonate with readers considering their own turning points.
Ronan’s lyrical, tragic story tells how death ends a life, not a relationship, and how forlorn lovers can savor their joy about those they love even while mourning their loss. Highly recommended.
This lengthy but invigorating, passionate, and reflective memoir will be in great demand for decades.
An inspiring audio that helps remove some of the stigma associated with mental health care. Listeners will empathize with Jarvis’s struggle to heal and might see themselves or their loved ones in her narrative.
This audio will appeal to listeners seeking a candid coming-of-age story of survival and self-discovery. Recommended for fans of moving memoirs about religion, resilience, and relationships, such as Michelle Dowd’s Forager: Field Notes for Surviving a Family Cult and Lisa Nikolidakis’s No One Crosses the Wolf.
The multi-talented Thomas will appeal to listeners who like excellently narrated personal stories with deep feelings sprinkled with joy and humor. This delightful collection is highly recommended for all audio memoir collections.
A timely audio, highly recommended for those wanting to learn more about Ukraine’s tumultuous history and resilient culture.
Listeners will love how Lin doesn’t stick to the script in this engaging insider’s look into the big business of the small screen.
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