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POV- top 20 memoirs that will fascinate you!

20 items

celebrity

avoid having to search through hundreds of celebrity memoirs with my top picks! a mix of profound, hilarious, and thought-provoking reflections by famous chefs, artists, writers, and performers.

I grew up watching Food Network and dreaming of becoming a chef. While I didn't end up taking that path, I've always been fascinated to learn more about folks who did grow to become renowned chefs. Marcus Samuelsson's story of family and identity and...

Yes, Chef

If you're moving through a phase of grief or want a space to tap into grief in your everyday life, this is the book for you. The ultimate “thought daughter” memoir. Zauner narrates her ties to food through her tried yet close relationship with her la...

Crying in H Mart

Alton is such a funny & smart guy and this memoir was nothing short of charming. The anecdote about the bread and the dumpster was hilarious.

Food for Thought

This is one of those memoirs that you read and are just like "wow. this person was meant to write a memoir because they have so much to share and such a skill for sharing it." Part grief song, part comedy, part personal anecdotes, Tyler's memoir was ...

I Take My Coffee Black

Read this on a travel day and was completely captivated. Davis says that she "owns everything that has ever happened to her" and this memoir was living proof. Not only will you learn more about her experiences working her way up in the TV & film ...

Finding Me

Billy Porter is an exceptionally talented performer and human, so I was not surprised by this excellent memoir. This was witty, raw, and insightful. PRO TIP- get the physical copy for your personal shelf and/or to gift to a friend or mentor, and then...

Unprotected

out of all the celebrity memoirs I read, this one felt the most like talking to a friend. Brandi was super honest and you root for her through all the ups and downs of life she narrates. PRO TIP- buy a copy for you and/or to gift to a loved one, then...

Broken Horses

food/ gardening

if you have a green thumb or just want to feel more in touch with nature, these memoirs bring interesting reflections on the natural world & our relationship with it

This was delectable! Each chapter centers on a different food ie) vanilla, fig, crawfish, lumpia, framed by a gorgeous illustration. The author shares raw personal anecdotes along with the racial and cultural histories behind the ingredients. Carve o...

Bite by Bite

Jeff Chu entered Seminary with an interest in theology and left his time working at the Farminary with a renewed love for food! Loved the honest reflection on his learnings, shortcomings, and meals in community! Great read

Good Soil

wow this book was remarkably powerful. if you’re looking to read more works by indigenous authors, this is a must read. a raw and honest tale of Nephi’s journey through addiction via food, community, and connecting to the history of his white mountai...

Our Knives Will Save Us - memoir

mental health & disability

honest stories on the authors' experiences with mental health, neurodivergence, and disability told from their own unique POVs.

this memoir from the perspective of a later-diagnosed autistic woman was INCREDIBLE! If you’re looking for compassion for your younger and present day self, this is a must-read! PRO TIP have your favorite colored pad of sticky notes ready because I s...

A Little Less Broken

honest reflections on the medical industrial complex, medical trauma, and the profound power of community. I often recommend this to people who don't shy away from the struggle and lived experiences of survival, support, and systemic oppression

How to Tell When We Will Die

I first read this book for a disability studies class and it's since become a staple on my bookshelf. Learned a LOT from Eli Clare's writing- this is definitely a book I come back to and you can read more than once.

Exile and Pride

immigrant experience

authors that share their personal and family experiences with immigration, as well as situate their experiences within the broader social contexts.

one of my favorite memoirs of the year and of all time. immediately recommended to my sister after I finished reading. Vargas is an incredibly skilled journalist, and he blends personal anecdote with policy history and its implications so effortlessl...

Dear America

Bretman Rock is hilariously entertaining, and this book was no exception. I laughed as much as I expected, and was also pleasantly surprised by how much I learned. The deep dive into Bretman's childhood highlighted his reverence for his home country ...

You're That Bitch

if you are an ally, part of the lgbtq community, or someone who likes to broaden their perspective on different countries and cultures, this is the perfect memoir from you. incredible storytelling that captivates you from the start.

From Here

a really impactful immigrant memoir on family and identity that I don't hear getting talked about enough! will broaden and deepen your perspective on the world and on what “home” means.

Love Is an Ex-Country

graphic memoir

an accessible way to get into reading memoirs is to start with these gorgeous & impactful graphic novels.

One of my best friends has Severe ME and is bed bound, so I was eager to read this book to get more of an understanding of what this author's life being bed bound was like. Very real and incredible work by Tessa.

Notes from a Sickbed

a deep & honest reflection on Kobabe's experience with gender growing up through adulthood. this book is extremely powerful and a must read for allies looking to learn more or folks in the community who want to feel seen. the illustration style i...

Gender Queer: A Memoir Deluxe Edition

powerful visual storytelling on what it looks like to come home to yourself. the illustration style was awesome and fit the self discovery narrative so well. would recommend to anyone who is learning to grow into themself and their freinds, especiall...

Homebody - a graphic memoir