Biography and Memoir

Discover the stories of their lives, in recent biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs.
Updated December 25, 2024
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Knife meditations after an attempted murder
Rushdie, Salman
Paper Book
NATIONAL BOOK AWARD FINALIST * #1 NATIONAL BESTSELLER * From Booker Prize winner Salman Rushdie, a searing, deeply personal account of enduring--and surviving--an attempt on his life thirty years after the fatwa that was ordered against him A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: The New...
Art of power my story as America's first woman Speaker of the House
Pelosi, Nancy, 1940-
Paper Book
The most powerful woman in American political history tells the story of her transformation from housewife to House Speaker--how she became a master legislator, a key partner to presidents, and the most visible leader of the Trump resistance. When, at age forty-six, Nancy Pelosi,...
Friday afternoon club a family memoir
Dunne, Griffin
Paper Book
The instant New York Times bestseller * Named a Best Book of the Year by TIME, NPR, People, Town & Country, and Air Mail "Warm and perceptive." --New York Times "Griffin Dunne knows how to tell a story." --Washington...
Third Gilmore Girl A Memoir
Bishop, Kelly.
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER A Goodreads Choice Awards Winner "Come for the Gilmore Girls anecdotes, stay for the revealing truths about what it takes to build a lifelong career in and out of Hollywood" (The A.V. Club) in...
WELL TRAINED WIFE MY ESCAPE FROM CHRISTIAN PATRIARCHY
LEVINGS, TIA.
Paper Book
The instant New York Times bestseller: "Today it hit me when he hit me, blood shaking in my brain. Maybe there wasn't a savior coming. Maybe it was up to me to save me." Recruited into the fundamentalist Quiverfull movement as a young wife, Tia...
Sociopath A Memoir
Gagne, Patric.
Paper Book
The acclaimed New York Times bestselling memoir of the author's struggle to understand her own sociopathy and shed light on the often maligned and misunderstood mental disorder. "A cross between a podcast by relationship therapist Esther Perel and a salacious tell-all."...
Elon Musk
Isaacson, Walter
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times bestseller from the author of Steve Jobs--this is the astonishingly intimate story of the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era--a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles, private...
Sonny Boy A Memoir
Pacino, Al.
Paper Book
The Instant New York Times Bestseller * One of People Magazine's Top 10 Books of the Year "The rare celebrity memoir that's also a literary read. As funny as it is reflecive, it shares stories behind Pacino's hardscrabble upbringing, classic films and journey to icon...
ELEMENTS OF MARIE CURIE HOW THE GLOW OF RADIUM LIT A PATH FOR WOMEN IN SCIENCE
SOBEL, DAVA.
Paper Book
The acclaimed Pulitzer Prize finalist and #1 New York Times bestselling author of Galileo's Daughter crafts a luminous chronicle of the life and work of the most famous woman in the history of science, and the untold story of the many young women trained in her laboratory who...
Men have called her crazy a memoir
Tendler, Anna Marie, 1985-
Paper Book
*NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* "This book is so many things I didn't know I needed: a testament to the work of healing, a raw howl of anger, and an indictment of misogyny's insipid, predictable, infuriating reign." --Carmen Maria Machado, author of the National Book Award...
ALL THAT GLITTERS A STORY OF FRIENDSHIP FRAUD AND FINE ART
WHITFIELD, ORLANDO.
Paper Book
AN ECONOMIST AND TOWN & COUNTRY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR * A dazzling insider's account of the contemporary art world and the stunning rise and fall of the charismatic American art dealer Inigo Philbrick, as seen through the eyes of his friend and fellow dealer In...
Lovely One A Memoir
Jackson, Ketanji Brown.
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * In her "vulnerable, tender, and infinitely inspirational" (Oprah Daily) memoir, the first Black woman to ever be appointed to the Supreme Court of the United States chronicles her extraordinary life story. "A billowingly triumphant...
True Gretch what I've learned about life leadership and everything in between
Whitmer, Gretchen, 1971-
Paper Book
From trailblazing Michigan governor and rising Democratic star Gretchen Whitmer comes an unconventionally honest, personal, and funny account of her remarkable life and career, full of insights that guided her through a global pandemic, showdowns with high-profile bullies, and even a kidnapping...
Who Could Ever Love You A Family Memoir
Trump, Mary L.
Paper Book
Instant New York Times and USA Today nonfiction bestseller! A New York Times Nonfiction Book to Read this Fall A People Magazine Best Book of September The Week Five Riveting Books to Take You Through September<...
Unfinished love story a personal history of the 1960s
Goodwin, Doris Kearns
Paper Book
The #1 New York Times bestseller from "America's historian-in-chief" (New York magazine). An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s by Doris Kearns Goodwin, one of America's most beloved historians, artfully weaves together biography,...
GROUP LIVING AND OTHER RECIPES A MEMOIR
MILHOLLAND, LOLA.
Paper Book
"An affirmation and celebration of our deep and radical connections with the world and each other . . . Reading this book is like finding a friend."--Ruth Ozeki A spirited and timely exploration of group living that encourages readers to reconsider the meaning of family and home....
Kingmaker Pamela Harriman's Astonishing Life of Power Seduction and Intrigue
Purnell, Sonia
Paper Book
"A thorough account of Harriman's rise which also manages to be a brisk, twisty read ... riveting and revelatory." --The New Yorker "Rigorous but rollicking." --The New York Times Named a BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR by Apple Books, The Economist<...
Hunting the Falcon Henry VIII Anne Boleyn and the Marriage That Shook Europe
Guy, John.
Paper Book
"A fierce, scholarly tour-de-force. . . . Hunting the Falcon brilliantly shows how time, circumstance and politics combined to accelerate Anne's triumph and tragedy." --Tina Brown, New York Times Book Review "A sumptuous drama of lust, intrigue, and betrayal, underpinned by...
SPAMALOT DIARIES
IDLE, ERIC.
Paper Book
"A rollicking account of the making of the Broadway musical Spamalot and an irresistible and unfiltered ode to the art of live theater. Fans will love this tantalizing glimpse behind the curtain."-Publishers Weekly (starred review) From comedy legend Eric Idle, the...
Brothers
Van Halen, Alex
Paper Book
INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER In this intimate and open account--nothing like any rock-and-roll memoir you've ever read--Alex Van Halen shares his personal story of family, friendship, music and brotherly love in a remarkable tribute to his beloved brother and band mate. Told...
Reagan his life and legend
Boot, Max, 1968-
Paper Book
In this "monumental and impressive" biography, Max Boot, the distinguished political columnist, illuminates the untold story of Ronald Reagan, revealing the man behind the mythology. Drawing on interviews with over one hundred of the fortieth president's aides, friends, and family members, as...
John Lewis A Life
Greenberg, David.
Paper Book
A New York Times Notable Book of 2024 A comprehensive, authoritative biography of Civil Rights icon John Lewis, "the conscience of the Congress," drawing on interviews with Lewis and approximately 275 others who knew him at various stages of his life, as well as never-before...
Melania A Memoir
Trump, Melania.
Paper Book
Melania is a compelling and inspirational memoir that offers a glimpse into the life of a remarkable woman who has navigated challenges with grace and determination.    In her memoir, Melania reflects on her Slovenian childhood,...
Rebel Girl My Life as a Feminist Punk
Hanna, Kathleen.
Paper Book
AN INSTANT NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER An electric, searing memoir by the original rebel girl and legendary front woman of Bikini Kill and Le Tigre. Hey girlfriend I got a proposition goes something like this: Dare ya to do what you want Kathleen Hanna's band Bikini Kill...
WIDOW'S GUIDE TO DEAD BASTARDS
WAITE, JESSICA.
Paper Book
"You will stay up all night reading this gem" (Christie Tate, New York Times bestselling author) about a widow whose life is turned upside down when she uncovers the truth about her late husband. A lyrical, witty, and deeply moving memoir of betrayal and forgiveness.
Her lotus year China the roaring twenties and the making of Wallis Simpson
French, Paul, 1966-
Paper Book
New York Times bestselling author Paul French examines a controversial and revealing period in the early life of the legendary Wallis, Duchess of Windsor-her one year in China. Before she was the Duchess of Windsor, Bessie Wallis Warfield was Mrs. Wallis Spencer,...
Alexander at the End of the World The Forgotten Final Years of Alexander the Great
Kousser, Rachel.
Paper Book
"A heart-pounding, mind-bending adventure." --Ilyon Woo A riveting biography of Alexander the Great's final years, when the leader's insatiable desire to conquer the world set him off on an exhilarating, harrowing journey that would define his legacy.   By 330 B.C.E., Alexander...
Mysterious Mrs Nixon The Life and Times of Washington's Most Private First Lady
Lee, Heath Hardage.
Paper Book
A new, revolutionary look into the brilliant life of Pat Nixon. In America's collective consciousness, Pat Nixon has long been perceived as enigmatic. She was voted "Most Admired Woman in the World" in 1972 and made Gallup Poll's top ten list of most admired women fourteen...
GRAY MATTERS A BIOGRAPHY OF BRAIN SURGERY
SCHWARTZ, THEODORE H.
Paper Book
We've all heard the phrase 'it's not brain surgery.' But what exactly is brain surgery? It's a profession that is barely a hundred years old and profoundly connects two human beings, but few know how it works, or its history. How did early neurosurgeons come to understand the human brain - an...
VISION A MEMOIR OF BLINDNESS AND JUSTICE
TATEL, DAVID.
Paper Book
The "moving, thoughtful, and inspiring memoir" (Bryan Stevenson, author of Just Mercy) by one of America's most accomplished public servants and legal thinkers--who spent years denying and working around his blindness, before finally embracing it as an essential part of his identity....
Tiger Tiger his life as it's never been told before
Patterson, James, 1947-
Paper Book
Instant New York Times Bestseller! "Patterson's account is compelling" (Daily Mail). The only major author to have nine holes-in-one gets inside the mystery of Tiger Woods in a biography that reads like an unputdownable...
Ambition monster a memoir
Romolini, Jennifer
Paper Book
An "intimate, intensely resonant memoir about workaholism, unresolved trauma, and the 'addictive nature of ambition'" (Harper's Bazaar), this is an anti-girlboss tale for our times for readers of Drinking: A Love Story and Uncanny Valley. ...
Wonderland a tale of hustling hard and breaking even
Treska, Nicole.
Paper Book
A "touching memoir" (The New York Times Book Review) that "brilliantly blends a history of Boston and its surrounding areas with the history of a fascinating--and at times functional--family" (Isaac Fitzgerald, New York Times bestselling author of Dirtbag, Massachusetts) as...
Backyard Bird Chronicles
Tan, Amy
Paper Book
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A gorgeous, witty account of birding, nature, and the beauty around us that hides in plain sight, written and illustrated by the best-selling author of The Joy Luck Club * With a foreword by David Allen Sibley "Unexpected...
Coming Home
Griner, Brittney
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER * A TIME MUST-READ BOOK OF THE YEAR * From the nine-time women's basketball icon and two-time Olympic gold medalist--a raw, revelatory account of her unfathomable detainment in Russia and her journey home. "Compelling . . . An intimate,...
Editor How Publishing Legend Judith Jones Shaped Culture in America
Franklin, Sara B.
Paper Book
NATIONAL BESTSELLER An Economist Best Book of 2024 * A Shelf Awareness Best Book of 2024 Legendary editor Judith Jones, the woman behind some of the most important authors of the 20th century--including Julia Child, Anne Frank, Edna Lewis, John...
Sharks don't sink adventures of a Rogue Shark scientist
Graham, Jasmin
Paper Book
The uplifting story of a young Black scientist's challenging journey to flourish outside the traditional confines of academia, inspired by her innate connection to nature's most misunderstood animal-the shark. "Jasmin Graham has that winning combination of talent and grit needed to...
Hitler's people the faces of the Third Reich
Evans, Richard J.
Paper Book
Named a Best Book of the Year by Kirkus Reviews and Air Mail "A fascinating and instructive book . . . elegantly written and perceptive." --Wall Street Journal "Kaleidoscopic . . . A fascinating exploration of individual agency that never loses sight...
Consent a memoir
Ciment, Jill, 1953-
Paper Book
A TIME MUST-READ BOOK OF THE YEAR * From the acclaimed novelist ("A virtuoso"--Donna Seaman, Booklist), a deft, shocking memoir that asks whether we can judge past behavior by today's moral codes, as the author reevaluates her decades-long marriage to the forty-seven-year-old man...
Book and Dagger How Scholars and Librarians Became the Unlikely Spies of World War II
White, E. J.
Paper Book
The untold story of the academics who became OSS spies, invented modern spycraft, and helped turn the tide of the war At the start of WWII, the U.S. found itself in desperate need of an intelligence agency. The Office of Strategic Services (OSS), a precursor to today's CIA, was quickly...
HENRY V THE ASTONISHING TRIUMPH OF ENGLAND'S GREATEST WARRIOR KING
JONES, DAN.
Paper Book
"Ambitious... With meticulous research and in lively style, Jones presents us with the man beyond the Shakespeare character."--The New York Times "The best biography yet of England's greatest king."--Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of The Romanovs and...
Joyful recollections of trauma
Scheer, Paul.
Paper Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER "Paul Scheer delivers a deeply funny, personal and moving account of how joy and pain are the perfect ingredients for a happy and funny life."--Amy Poehler "It's a hilarious essay collection about trauma. Yes, really."--People Magazine ...
Color of everything a journey to quiet the chaos within
Richards, Cory
Paper Book
A renowned climber and National Geographic photographer shares his incredible adventures--and the early trauma that drove him to seek such heights. "An extraordinary memoir of mental illness that reads like a thriller."--Amy Ellis Nutt, Pulitzer Prize-winning...
Life's too short a memoir
Rucker, Darius
Paper Book
"Darius has always been one of my favorite people to sing with and to call a friend in this industry and yet even knowing him well for as long as I have, there are so many incredible stories in Life's Too Short that I enjoyed learning for the first time."--Sheryl Crow ...
DO SOMETHING: COMING OF AGE AMID THE GLITTER AND DOOM OF '70S NEW YORK
TREBAY, GUY.
Paper Book
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK * An evocative coming-of-age memoir--the story of the education of a wayward wild child and acidhead who, searching for meaning and purpose, found refuge in the demimonde of the ruined but magical metropolis that was New York City in the 1970s. ...

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