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Memoirs Narrated By the Author - Audiobook Recs!
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items I'm a sucker for a good memoir on audiobook, and I especially love the ones that are narrated by the author. It feels like having a friend tell you their life story over coffee. Because diverse books are my thing, these books are mostly by BIPOC, que...
Dolly Alderton is so funny and so relatable, particularly if you're also a millennial woman! This book is really fun and balances hilarity with heartfelt wisdom.
Everything I Know About Love Audiobook by Dolly Alderton
By the lead singer of the band Japanese Breakfast, this memoir explores Korean-American culture, food, relationships, grief, and so much more. Beautifully written and narrated.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
R. Eric Thomas is maybe my favorite essayist right now! He is so smart and so funny and is able to discuss heavy topics with wisdom and hilarity. He discusses politics, religion, his identity as a Black gay man in America, and so so much more.
Here for It: Or, How to Save Your Soul in America by R. Eric Thomas
Truly ALL of Samantha Irby's books are amazing, but I think this one is my favorite. She's a Black disabled lesbian who is so self-effacing and messy and weird. Her essays are hilarious! Highly recommend.
Wow, No Thank You by Samantha Irby
Miller is a gorgeous gorgeous writer. She is the victim/survivor of the famous sexual assault perpetrated by rapist Brock Turner. This is honestly a must-read. Miller views the world with love and whimsy in spite of everything that she's been through...
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
A gorgeous and raw memoir following a woman after her cancer diagnosis. I have a chronic illness and not cancer, but I found so much to relate to in Jaouad's journey through the medical system. This book is SO GOOD.
Between Two Kingdoms by Suleika Jaouad
Most of these books would be equally great read on audio or in a physical copy, but this one is a MUST-LISTEN. Foo's background is in radio, and her storytelling and narration are so good in this format. There are also sections where she shares her t...
What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo
As someone with a chronic illness, this is one of my favorite chronic illness memoirs. It perfectly captures the loneliness and confusion and the horrible way that our medical system handles invisible illnesses. It's a memoir that also reads like a m...
The Invisible Kingdom: Reimagining Chronic Illness by Meghan O'Rourke
A coming-of-age memoir about a Black boy growing up fat and poor in Mississippi. It's raw and vulnerable and emotional and gritty. Laymon is a very good writer.
Heavy: An American Memoir by Kiese Laymon
This book lives in my head. If you appreciate nature writing or indigenous wisdom or you just really want to feel more connected to the earth around you, you have to read this. If you're someone who appreciates a tree or a flower or feels better afte...
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
By a Palestinian-American author, this memoir mostly explores addiction and the drive to become a mother, but also tackles the idea of a home country, romantic relationships, and identity. Poetic.
I'll Tell You When I'm Home by Hala Alyan
A Queer Mexican-American Dear Abby-style columnist shares essays in the form of advice letters! It's a fun one.
Hola Papi: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons by John Paul Brammer
This is a fascinating look into growing up in a rastafarian household. I knew very little about it as a religion and learned a ton! For readers of Educated or The Glass Castle.
How to Say Babylon by Safiya Sinclair
Tobia has been called "a trans Nora Ephron," and I feel like that tells you everything you need to know!
Sissy: A Coming-of-Gender Story by Jacob Tobia
Abdurraqib is a poet, and he narrates in a mesmerizing cadence. His writing is lyrical and passionate and so smart. If you care about music (hell, if you have ears), you gotta listen to this one.
They Can't Kill Us Until They Kill Us by Hanif Abdurraqib
A memoir about an abusive queer relationship told in the style of a horror story. It's in second person narrative as well, so it really feels like it's happening to you. It's haunting and important.
In the Dream House Audiobook by Carmen Maria Machado
A thrilling memoir about a medical mystery. This book is so immersive and fascinating.
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
Explores Crosley's grief journey after the death of her best friend. It's incredibly honest and surprisingly funny, with a ton of heart.
Grief is For People by Sloane Crosley