Biography & Memoir | Prepub Alert, April 2024 Titles

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Curtis, Shilletha. Pack Light: A Journey To Find Myself. Andscape. Apr. 2024. 256p. ISBN 9781368094696. $27.99. MEMOIR

After losing her vet tech job due to the pandemic, Curtis, a Black queer woman, decided to work through her childhood trauma and through-hike the Appalachian Trail. This memoir captures her journey of recovery and self-discovery as she successfully completes the trip from Georgia to Maine over the course of eight months.

Dench, Judi & Brendan O’Hea. Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent. St. Martin’s. Apr. 2024. 400p. ISBN 9781250325778. $32. MEMOIR

Academy Award–winner Dench is a legend on the stage and screen. Here she reflects on the many Shakespearean roles she’s played throughout her career, in conversation with her friend, actor and director O’Hea. With a 60K-copy first printing.

Dillon, Tim. Death by Boomers: How the Worst Generation Destroyed the Planet, but First a Child. Twelve. Apr. 2024. 288p. ISBN 9781538757628. $30. MEMOIR

Dillon, a stand-up comedian with his own Netflix special, writes a humorous memoir about being raised by two Long Island boomers and the hardships he believes they endured in the suburbs, from mall traffic to occasional lines at the grocery store. With a 150K-copy first printing.

Goodwin, Doris Kearns. An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s. S. & S. Apr. 2024. 496p. ISBN 9781982108663. $30. MEMOIR

Pulitzer Prize winner Goodwin, known for her presidential histories, turns to memoir to examine the 1960s in the United States as she and her husband, a White House speechwriter during that era, embarked on a last project together before his death, sifting through his personal archive—hundreds of boxes of letters, diaries, documents, and memorabilia that he had saved.

Madia, Brianna. Never Leave the Dogs Behind: A Memoir. HarperOne. Apr. 2024. 208p. ISBN 9780063316096. $28.99. MEMOIR

In her best-selling memoir Nowhere for Very Long, Madia chronicled her adventures traveling across the American West in her orange van. Here she continues her story, swapping the van for a trailer set outside a small town in the Arizona desert, and grapples with her decisions, with her four dogs by her side.

Page, Susan. The Rulebreaker: The Life and Times of Barbara Walters. S. & S. Apr. 2024. 480p. ISBN 9781982197926. $30. BIOG

Barbara Walters was an icon of broadcast journalism, interviewing presidents and celebrities on prime-time news and cohosting on the daytime talk show The View. Award-winning journalist Page, the best-selling author of Madam Speaker, pens a definitive biography of the groundbreaking and incredibly successful Walters, delving into her life via interviews and extensive archival research.

Patterson, James & Matt Eversmann. The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians. Little, Brown. Apr. 2024. 352p. ISBN 9780316567534. $28. BIOG

Best-selling Patterson, writing with Eversmann, tells the inspiring true stories of several talented booksellers and librarians. Get to know these dedicated bibliophiles who spread joy through books and help readers discover new authors and favorite titles. With a 100K-copy first printing.

Rousey, Ronda. Our Fight: A Memoir. Grand Central. Apr. 2024. 256p. ISBN 9781538757376. $29. MEMOIR

Superstar MMA fighter and Olympic medalist Rousey told her story in her best-selling memoir My Fight/Your Fight. She picks up where that left off and chronicles her career changes, marriage, motherhood, and the adversity she’s overcome. With a 200K-copy first printing.

Trent, J. Dana. Between Two Trailers: A Memoir. Convergent. Apr. 2024. 256p. ISBN 9780593444078. $27. MEMOIR

Trent grew up in rural Indiana with mentally ill parents who used her to help with their drug dealing. Trying to escape her past, she attended Duke University and became a professor and minister, but found she had to confront her childhood trauma in order to move past it—as shared in this searing memoir. With a 75K-copy first printing.

Valby, Karen. The Swans of Harlem: Five Black Ballerinas, Fifty Years of Sisterhood, and Their Reclamation of a Groundbreaking History. Pantheon. Apr. 2024. 304p. ISBN 9780593317525. $29. BIOG

In this biography already optioned by Netflix through a competitive auction, Valby tells the forgotten story of a pioneering group of five Black ballerinas, detailing their historic, glamorous careers and their enduring friendships, along with a glimpse into the world of professional ballet. With a 100K-copy first printing.

Wilson, Rebel. Rebel Rising: A Memoir. S. & S. Apr. 2024. 336p. ISBN 9781668007204. $30. MEMOIR

Wilson, who starred in Pitch Perfect and Bridesmaids, writes a candid and often humorous memoir about her path to Hollywood and journey to love herself, sharing lessons learned and personal experiences—from her most embarrassing moments, to challenges with fertility, weight gain and loss, and rejection.

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