Best Memoirs and Biographies of 2024

No one — including the author himself — knew if he would survive the shocking 2022 attempt on his life, and here he tells the unforgettable (and life-affirming) story as only he can.

Bestselling author Sebastian Junger relates his own harrowing journey to answer his questions about death and dying in this deeply personal memoir.

Best read with snacks, the new essay collection from the author of the 2020 B&N Book of the Year winner (World of Wonders) is a delicious treat.

An ode to the ’60s, a portrait of an iconic American family, and a personal account of our country’s greatest histories from a Pulitzer Prize-winner.

Built around the human-feline connection, this is more than just a cat memoir. It’s the deeply personal story of trauma, illness and aging in both a human and a cat, and how the two find peace and harmony in each other.

Music and basketball and great Ohioans are just the start. MacArthur Genius Grant winner Abdurraqib plays with time and memory, intimacy and vulnerability, going away and coming home — and leaves everything on the court.

Be Ready When the Luck Happens is an inspiring, heartfelt and intimate memoir chronicling the life of the one and only Ina Garten.

With his immediately identifiable voice, Stanley Tucci walks us through a year of eating and the life, loss and memories that orbit each meal. It’s as fun as it is delicious, as mouth-watering as it is eye-watering.

An ode to nature and the American wilderness that is equal parts personal journey, travelogue and survival story, this is an inspired look at our beautiful world and where we fit in it.

Full of inspiration and encouragement to dream big, Ketanji Brown Jackson’s memoir is a window into her remarkable life, both personal and professional. Tracing a line from childhood to the Supreme Court, Justice Jackson chronicles her successes and the sacrifices it took to achieve them.

Connie is the tale of one woman’s determination in the face of a cloistered industry. She broke through walls to create the career she wanted, changed the face of TV news forever, and now she’s telling her story.

A discourse on sex like never before, Want is a collection of anonymous insights from a diverse array of women sharing their secret desires.

The truly one-of-a-kind life story of Cher, told by the superstar herself, tracing from her humble origins to the remarkable heights she’s reached and everything in between. It’s honest, authentic and incredible.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like being the only child of a legend, take it from Lisa Marie Presley in her own words. Alongside her own daughter, this is Lisa’s story, straight from the source.

Josh Brolin’s name is stamped all over Hollywood, and here we get a deep excavation of what made him who he is today. Fascinating and full of insights, this is as much for fans of his work as it is for anyone interested in the human condition.

Griffin Dunne’s long-awaited memoir is a stunning portrait of the 70s and 80s, and the stubborn persistence of life through tragedy. A hit for anyone who loves the verve of Patti Smith.

From the public to the private, acclaimed chef and television personality Tom Colicchio shares the story behind his love of cooking — and his successful career.

Raw, courageous and complex, this is the story of artist Anna Marie Tendler’s experience in a psychiatric hospital and the circumstances that brought her there. A testament to womanhood and mental health, Men Have Called Her Crazy is a timely and triumphant read.

The polarizing former president Ronald Reagan is brought to full light by Max Boot, who pulls no punches in his deep dive into just who Reagan was and what he stood for, as well as the impact he left.

The celebrated author and podcaster takes us back in time to an age of grandeur, guts and glory. This is an astonishing account of a complicated king.

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

Few people have left as profound an impact on the world of science as Marie Curie, and she did it in two different fields. This history examines her life from top to bottom, both in terms of her contributions to modern science, and in terms of who she was as a person.

Freedom Rider. Congressman. Activist. Hero. This is the defining story of a great American.

R.E.M.’s precipitous rise to fame is captured to perfection by acclaimed music biographer Peter Ames Carlin (Bruce), shining a comprehensive light on their journey.