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📓Memoirs: real-life stories that will leave you breathless
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items Memoirs are my absolutely favorite genre and these ones will stick with me forever. Check content warnings before going into these as most of them deal with sensitive subject matters.
A powerful memoir that’s fast-paced and so well. It broke my heart
Being Lolita: A Memoir
I’m also glad her mom died
I'm Glad My Mom Died: Jennette McCurdy
Such a raw, powerful, and important memoir. Khar is an incredible writer and I felt so seen by her description of mental illness.
Strung Out: One Last Hit and Other Lies
One of the most important books I’ve ever read. I can only hope that everyone (especially Americans) read this.
Don't Forget Us Here: Lost and Found at Guantanamo
Great look into the corruption and the cult of Scientology. We love seeing someone leave a cult and to heal through therapy 👏
Troublemaker: Surviving Hollywood and Scientology
A really powerful and important story about discovering and preserving one’s culture in the face of colonialism and civil war.
The Tears of a Man Flow Inward: Growing Up in the Civil War
A really powerful and heartbreaking story of a woman who grew up in the Children of God cult. The absolute horror she went through (unknowingly) is so sad and it's heartbreaking and healing to go through her journey of realization. An important look ...
Sex Cult Nun: Breaking Away from the Children of God
I loved that this really focused on journalism and what it took to make Bourdain’s many shows. I could have read these stories for hours (and I guess I did!)
In the Weeds: Around the World and Behind the Scenes
This was a fascinating look into what it means to be a coroner and one individual's experience and cases. This book is heavy. I had to take a lot of breaks just because SO many violent and sad cases were covered.
The Education of a Coroner: Lessons in Death
Anthony Bourdain is one of my favorite people and someone I've always looked up to. That being said, I do think you have to either love him or really love food to love this book.
Kitchen Confidential Updated Edition: Adventures
A really lovely exploration of grief. It’s a love letter to her mother and Korean food. The writing was so poetic and beautiful.
Crying in H Mart: A Memoir: Zauner, Michelle
I've consumed a lot of media about NXIVM and Sarah's story over the last couple of years and this is probably the best one because it's one of the only ones that's directly from her side of the story. It really goes to show how easily people can beco...
Scarred: The True Story of How I Escaped NXIVM
An absolutely stunning memoir of how our bodies hold onto trauma, the experience of being an indigenous woman in America, and how guns have affected our country.
Carry: A Memoir of Survival on Stolen Land
It took me a while to get through this book because it was incredibly triggering for me in regards to abuse. But because of this, I’ve never read a book that I’ve connected with more, which I am beyond grateful for.
Educated: A Memoir : Westover, Tara:
Although this took me forever to read, I felt like I couldn't put it down. This book is bittersweet based off of Michelle's unexpected death and the fact that GSK was caught shortly after this book was published. It made my heart light knowing this a...
I'll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search
A powerful collection about various topics surrounding Black women in America. There was a particular essay about Black women's health that I thought was so important and well done.
Thick: And Other Essays : Cottom, Tressie McMillan
It’s been a long time since I’ve read a book in one sitting, but I couldn’t put this down. This book is a love letter to a mother, a look at race and sexuality in America, and the inexplicable ties of family.
How We Fight for Our Lives: A Memoir
One of the best and most powerful books I have ever read in my life. Throughout the entire book, I felt like crying for grief, for injustice, for hope, for humanity. This was a beautiful look at what makes us human and the true power of forgiveness.
The Sun Does Shine: How I Found Life and Freedom
This book is powerful. This book is important. This book should be required reading for all.
Between The World And Me : Coates, Ta-Nehisi
I admire this book so much. I admire the strength and the vulnerability to write such a book in a raw and honest way. I love Roxane Gay.
Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body : Gay, Roxane
This is one of the best books I have ever read in my entire life. Ever. If you haven't read it, pick it up immediately.
My Life on the Road: The International Bestseller
I love her. I loved the ending, what she said about abortion, internet trolls, her relationship and writing. I loved it.
Some of the book could have been more organized, and I did have a few problems with a couple things she said, but overall, I thi...
Shrill : West, Lindy
I read this book in two sittings, so obviously I really enjoyed it. It was such an honest book regarding sex, unlike anything I've ever read before. Perfectly candid and opening up conversations we need to be having.
Within the actual writing, it co...
Sex Object: A Memoir Paperback - Valenti, Jessica
One of the best memoirs I've ever read. This is such an incredibly important memoir bringing light onto the topic of abuse within queer relationships (specifically lesbian relationships).
IN THE DREAM HOUSE: A Memoir
I was just in awe while reading this. This is such a poetic collection of short stories compiled into a memoir that explores themes of time, memory, motherhood, loss, and family. The writing itself took my breath away.
Knock Wood: A Memoir in Essays
This was a stunning and intimate profile of an incredible human. This story was told through love, rawness, and vulnerability. It's a story that explores trauma, healing, LGBTQ rights, abuse, sex, and family.
The Trauma Cleaner: One Woman's Extraordinary Life
This memoir was absolutely stunning and haunting. Wamariya's writing is beautiful and lyrical as she takes you through cycles of trauma throughout her life as she escapes the Rwandan genocide as a young girl and is parted from her family.
What I lov...
The Girl Who Smiled Beads: A Story of War
This book is a must read. Sandra's story is heartbreaking and inspiring. She's incredibly powerful and a kick ass feminist. I loved what she had to say about sexual assault, rape, PTSD, and not letting hate win. This was so amazing.
How Dare the Sun Rise: Memoirs of a War Child ...
While it took me a while to get into this book, I found myself slowly falling in love with it. Molly is an illustrative journalist that has covered world-wide protests, Guantanamo Bay, and Syria.
I think that Molly is so incredibly talented and beau...
Drawing Blood : Crabapple, Molly
Overall, I was super impressed with this memoir. Guerrero is a wonderful writer and did a great job telling her story. I really LOVED what the memoir had to say about immigration and also mental health and depression. I wasn't expecting that in this ...
In the Country We Love: My Family Divided
This book is perfection. Lynsey Addario is my new hero.
It's What I Do: A Photographer's Life of Love and War
This is one of the most powerful books I have ever read. It left me breathless. It changed me.
The Other Side: A Memoir: Johnson, Lacy M.
Wow. This is one of the most truly powerful books I have ever read in my life. I'm a little speechless.
A House in the Sky: A Memoir : Lindhout, Amanda
THIS BOOK! This book is probably the saddest book I have ever read, so if you're looking for a feel-good book stray far away from this one. This broke my heart into a million pieces about a million times. But it's probably now one of my favorites. Th...
The Glass Castle: A Memoir - Walls, Jeannette
The book that made me fall in love with culinary journalism.
Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic
A harrowing look into the corruption of our justice system, particularly with drug offenses and Black people. The author is admirable and really connects you with every person she has represented. It’s a very important read. If you liked “Just Mercy”...
A Knock at Midnight: Hope, Justice, Freedom
A moving piece of memoir and journalism exposing the horrors of the current Uyghur genocide. One of the most important memoirs I’ve read. Please read.
A Stone Is Most Precious Where it Belongs: Memoir
Prepare to be sick of me with this book.
This book is engaging, easy and fun to read, and incredibly important. Paulson shines light into the corruption, manipulation, and cult-like aspects of MLMs through her own experiences. I hope and think that ...
Hey, Hun: Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and...
Took my breath away. What a brilliant way to write a memoir
How Far the Light Reaches by Sabrina Imbler
Raw and gorgeously-written. It's short, but packs a punch.
'Dyscalculia: A Love Story of Epic Miscalculation' by ' ...
The best book on trauma I've ever read.
What My Bones Know