55 Essential Memoirs You Should Read

Memoirs tell a story or a collection of particular stories from someone’s life, but the best ones are able to transcend just being about one person’s experience to relate something that not only entertains, but deeply resonates with readers. Sometimes these stories are hilarious, heartbreaking, horrifying, or a combination of all three. Whether it’s a celebrity memoir, a writer’s memoir or a Holocaust survivor’s memoir, these books are perfect for readers who enjoy personal and life-changing stories. Check out our list of essentials to make your memoir collection complete.

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An icon of literary achievement and author of eerily prophetic writing finally tells us about herself. It’s pretty much a superhero origin story, told in vibrant detail, making it a shining feat of storytelling on its own merit.

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A triumphant memoir chronicling Arundhati Roy’s journey to becoming an award-winning author. Written after the death of her mother, Roy delicately pieces together how their powerful relationship helped shape her into the celebrated writer she is today.

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Part love story, part peril on the high seas, this is a harrowing true story of near-tragedy and discovering what it really means to find yourself in another.

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Rescue pup owner Isabel Klee, the mind behind the social media phenomenon Simon Sits, tells stories of love, loss and, most importantly, the dogs who keep us company along the way.

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In this brave and remarkable memoir, Virginia Roberts Giuffre shares her harrowing story in her own words, detailing the years of abuse she endured and her subsequent fight for justice.

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At fifty, Steve Grant took up a job as a mail carrier. Soon, he carried a lot more than mail. By sharing stories with strangers and connecting neighbors with loved ones, Steve learns the power of community in this charming memoir.

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A haunting story of a Victorian-era mental hospital for women being converted into an apartment building. After feeling an inexplicable connection to it, a passerby is drawn deeper into the lure of the asylum and further away from her own life in this tense and transportive tale.

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Capturing the joys and trepidations of running a sheep farm in the heart of Vermont, this vulnerable account of pastoral life through the seasons offers an intimate glimpse into the realities of life on the farm.

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There can be a fine line between loving and loathing, and Belle Burden examines what went wrong after her husband of twenty years exits her life with no warning.

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If you think her novels are gripping, read about the bestselling crime author’s real life, including the traumatic experiences that shaped and inspired her Kay Scarpetta series and her previous work as a forensic researcher.

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An indelible story of bodies, gender, families, and transformation from one of the sharpest writers working today.

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Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime is a brilliant and witty memoir that illustrates an unbreakable bond between mother and son. Noah’s poignant prose creates a startling portrayal of his experience growing up in South Africa during apartheid.

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Writer and poet Tove Ditlevsen shares a trilogy that chronicles her turbulent coming-of-age and complex adulthood. For fans of Elena Ferrante's The Days of Enlightenment or Sarah Manguso's Liars or for readers looking for a tough and tender read.

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Connecting food with memory and identity, musician Michelle Zauner pens an unflinching memoir about growing up Korean American, grappling with her own identity and losing her mother to terminal illness.

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City dweller, country dweller, suburbanite (or suburban commuter) — this timeless book will change the way you see the world and your place in it. Doesn’t matter if you’ve never been to the desert, but absolutely matters if you’ve always dreamed of going, a must-read if you want to revisit a place like no other.

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At times harrowing but always hopeful, this memoir follows a young woman from an off-the-grid upbringing who embarks on a resilient journey of self-discovery.

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Tessa Hulls delivers a richly woven and visually stunning graphic memoir about three generations of Chinese women. Exploring themes of grief, trauma and familial love, this is a resounding narrative success.

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If you only know Alison Bechdel from The Bechdel Test, let us introduce you to her graphic memoir. If you're looking for a great read about family secrets, let us introduce you to her graphic memoir.

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Susanna Kaysen shares her experience in a psychiatric hospital, where she spent her teen years trying to understand what sanity really means. Thoughtful, funny and raw, Kaysen’s memoir is a powerful look at mental illness and recovery in the late 60s.

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Through a series of stark and emotional vignettes, Walls explores the intricate and twisted ties that bind us to our family of origin.

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A relatable self-help memoir with an edgy, youthful voice, this deeply personal narrative is witty, heartfelt and authentically human.

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Beautiful, brutal and often banned – this modern classic gives an unflinching view of a childhood rooted in pain that flowers into a tale of redemption and hope.

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Readers get the chance to learn how "the industry" really works, as Jennette describes what it's like as a child star, further fueling the narrative, of late, around how victimizing Hollywood can be. Jennette is direct, honest and hilarious, and despite it all, delivers an inspiring story of resilience and recovery.

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Krakauer’s personal account of the Mt. Everest disaster in 1996 is haunting, unnerving, and deeply moving. As Krakauer recollects the events of that fateful climb, we are reminded not only of the risks of mountaineering, but also the survivor’s guilt that plagues those that made it down from Mt. Everest. 

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An ode to New York City and those drawn to its allure, Patti Smith’s narrative mastery is on display in this true tale of two young, in-love artists as they rise through the many circles in the city on their way to fame.

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Written with the wit and charm of a natural storyteller, Kitchen Confidential is a delectable memoir about Anthony Bourdain’s time in the culinary industry. This is a man who was as capable a writer as he was a chef.

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Chanel Miller, once known to the world as Emily Doe, pens a powerful memoir about healing, courage and reclamation after her assault made headlines across the country. This is both an ode to the power of language from an emerging artist and an urgent account of an ongoing crisis at our nation’s center.

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Often credited with reviving the memoir as an artform, Mary Karr’s 1995 The Liars’ Club is a bracingly honest, darkly comic account of her east Texas upbringing with a heavy-drinking dad, a sassy sister, and an often-married “nervous” mother.

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After fleeing a rebel attack, Beah was picked up at 13 years old by the government army, given an AK-47, and sent out to be a killer in Sierra Leone’s civil war. In A Long Way Home, he tells his harrowing story of survival and the ongoing horrors he endured.

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With one of those narrative voices that makes you forget you're even reading, The Many Lives of Mama Love is the story of one woman's perseverance through the many heads of adversity. It's inspirational, hilarious and necessary.

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David Sedaris takes readers on a heartfelt and hilarious journey with this collection of touching stories and essays chronicling his time in Paris and beyond.

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This memoir from two-time National Book Award winner Ward belongs on the shelf next to Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking and Kiese Laymon's Heavy.

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From her cooking adventures to personal stories, Julia Child takes us to the heart of her journey in becoming a culinary legend.

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In 1944, Elie Wiesel was a teenager when he and his family were taken from their home to the Auschwitz concentration camp. Elie Wiesel’s memoir is a powerful, painful, intense, and terrifying account of his own personal experience of surviving the Holocaust.

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Arguably the only craft book that writers agree on, and also a rare glimpse into the life of a modern legend. Alongside bits of memoir, Stephen King provides invaluable lessons on craft while still entertaining with his sheer ability to write well.

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This tell-all, stranger-than-fiction tale details Augusten Burrough’s upbringing by the family of his mother’s highly unconventional therapist. Hilarious, disturbing, and a page-turner, the controversial book drew accusations of betrayal (and exaggeration) from members of the adopted family.

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Whether he’s riffing on music or sports or icons like Maxine Hong Kingston, Hua Hsu’s work in The New Yorker is a joy to read. Now he’s turning inward in a beautifully written story of unexpected friendship, shocking loss, and his own coming-of-age.

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This is the story of one man’s hilarious, thought-provoking, occasionally catastrophic, and always enlightening trip along the Appalachian Trail. Bill Bryson’s droll humor and gifts of observation are unmatched, and here he is at the top of his game.

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More about living than dying, this compelling and profound memoir chronicles a doctor's struggle against the ravages of disease and the peace that follows acceptance.

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Who are we without the people we love most? Acclaimed writer Didion garnered an huge new audience with this grief memoir, written in the wake of the death of her husband and the hospitalization of their daughter.

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A fraught relationship between two iconic women. You know their names — and their stories — but how well did they know each other?

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Who are we in the face of unfathomable violence and how do we adjust to a world forever changed? No one — including the author himself — knew if he would survive the shocking attempt on his life, and here he tells the unforgettable (and life-affirming) story as only he can.

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In the face of crushing tragedy, Yiyun Li chooses to meet life on her own terms. Her quietly moving memoir of deep surrender is unlike any other.