reviews

Hollywood and musical memoirs are highlights, along with a memoir about reading and books, science, and the supernatural. 

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.

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.

Inside the lives of Judy Blume, a multidisciplinary artist, a professional soccer player, Tiger Woods, and many more.

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.

Biographies about tennis champ Rafael Nadal and legendary editor Judith Jones, along with a memoir by actor Tom Selleck, top the list of personal stories. 

Judi Dench and Doris Kearns Goodwin write about their experiences, while James Patterson writes about the secret lives of booksellers and librarians.

In these graphic biographies, the life of legendary Peanuts cartoonist Charles M. Schulz is depicted in the form of a newspaper comic strip, and the career of Marvel Comics creator Stan Lee is plotted through a succession of tightly crafted scenes, none more than a single page long.

A poetic life, a fractured family, and a tale of second chances. The best memoirs and biographies of 2021.