B&N Reads, Best Books Of The Year, Best Books of the Year 2024, Holiday Gift Guide, Holidays, Memoirs, Nonfiction

Best Memoirs and Biographies of 2024

Memoirs and biographies have the power to change perspectives and encourage empathy through personal stories like Spare, Untamed and How to Say Babylon. With new releases from Salman Rushdie, Hanif Abdurraqib, Ina Garten and more, there’s enough for every person on your holiday gift list. These are the best memoirs and biographies of 2024.

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

Hardcover $28.00

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder

By Salman Rushdie

In Stock Online

Hardcover $28.00

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.

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.

In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife

Hardcover $27.99

In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife

In My Time of Dying: How I Came Face to Face with the Idea of an Afterlife

By Sebastian Junger

In Stock Online

Hardcover $27.99

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

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

Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees

Hardcover $13.49 $26.99

Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees

Bite by Bite: Nourishments and Jamborees

By Aimee Nezhukumatathil

In Stock Online

Hardcover $13.49 $26.99

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.

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 Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s

Hardcover $35.00

An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s

An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s

By Doris Kearns Goodwin

In Stock Online

Hardcover $35.00

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.

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.

My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me

Hardcover $16.00 $32.00

My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me

My Beloved Monster: Masha, the Half-wild Rescue Cat Who Rescued Me

By Caleb Carr

In Stock Online

Hardcover $16.00 $32.00

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.

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.

There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension

Hardcover $32.00

There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension

There's Always This Year: On Basketball and Ascension

By Hanif Abdurraqib

In Stock Online

Hardcover $32.00

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.

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: A Memoir

Hardcover $31.00 $34.00

Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir

Be Ready When the Luck Happens: A Memoir

By Ina Garten

In Stock Online

Hardcover $31.00 $34.00

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

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

What I Ate in One Year: (and related thoughts)

Hardcover $35.00

What I Ate in One Year: (and related thoughts)

What I Ate in One Year: (and related thoughts)

By Stanley Tucci

In Stock Online

Hardcover $35.00

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.

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.

A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon

Hardcover $29.00 $34.00

A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon

A Walk in the Park: The True Story of a Spectacular Misadventure in the Grand Canyon

By Kevin Fedarko

In Stock Online

Hardcover $29.00 $34.00

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.

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.

Lovely One: A Memoir

Hardcover $35.00

Lovely One: A Memoir

Lovely One: A Memoir

By Ketanji Brown Jackson

In Stock Online

Hardcover $35.00

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.

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: A Memoir

Hardcover $16.25 $32.50

Connie: A Memoir

Connie: A Memoir

By Connie Chung

In Stock Online

Hardcover $16.25 $32.50

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.

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.

Want: Sexual Fantasies by Anonymous

Hardcover $28.00

Want: Sexual Fantasies by Anonymous

Want: Sexual Fantasies by Anonymous

By Gillian Anderson

In Stock Online

Hardcover $28.00

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

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

Cher: The Memoir, Part One

Hardcover $31.00 $36.00

Cher: The Memoir, Part One

Cher: The Memoir, Part One

By Cher

In Stock Online

Hardcover $31.00 $36.00

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.

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.

From Here to the Great Unknown (Oprah's Book Club)

Hardcover $27.00 $32.00

From Here to the Great Unknown (Oprah's Book Club)

From Here to the Great Unknown (Oprah's Book Club)

By Lisa Marie Presley , Riley Keough

In Stock Online

Hardcover $27.00 $32.00

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.

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.

From Under the Truck: A Memoir

Hardcover $15.00 $30.00

From Under the Truck: A Memoir

From Under the Truck: A Memoir

By Josh Brolin

In Stock Online

Hardcover $15.00 $30.00

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.

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.

The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir

Hardcover $30.00

The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir

The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir

By Griffin Dunne

In Stock Online

Hardcover $30.00

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.

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.

Why I Cook

Hardcover $32.00 $35.00

Why I Cook

Why I Cook

By Tom Colicchio
With Joshua David Stein

In Stock Online

Hardcover $32.00 $35.00

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.

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.

Men Have Called Her Crazy: A Memoir

Hardcover $29.99

Men Have Called Her Crazy: A Memoir

Men Have Called Her Crazy: A Memoir

By Anna Marie Tendler

In Stock Online

Hardcover $29.99

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.

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.

Reagan: His Life and Legend

Hardcover $42.00 $45.00

Reagan: His Life and Legend

Reagan: His Life and Legend

By Max Boot

In Stock Online

Hardcover $42.00 $45.00

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 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.

Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King

Hardcover $32.00 $35.00

Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King

Henry V: The Astonishing Triumph of England's Greatest Warrior King

By Dan Jones

In Stock Online

Hardcover $32.00 $35.00

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.

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.

Didion and Babitz

Hardcover $29.99

Didion and Babitz

Didion and Babitz

By Lili Anolik

In Stock Online

Hardcover $29.99

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

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

The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science

Hardcover $30.00

The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science

The Elements of Marie Curie: How the Glow of Radium Lit a Path for Women in Science

By Dava Sobel

In Stock Online

Hardcover $30.00

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.

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.

John Lewis: A Life

Hardcover $35.00

John Lewis: A Life

John Lewis: A Life

By David Greenberg

In Stock Online

Hardcover $35.00

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

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

The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.: A Biography

Hardcover $32.00

The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.: A Biography

The Name of This Band Is R.E.M.: A Biography

By Peter Ames Carlin

In Stock Online

Hardcover $32.00

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.

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.