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Biography and Memoir

Read true stories about fascinating lives in these biographies and memoirs.

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#TheLightWeCarry by Michelle Obama is finally here and we can’t wait for you to dive in! Start reading today: michelleobamabooks.com When You Know, Knowing You, Michelle Obama, Memoirs, True Stories, Biography, Book Worms, Mom Hacks, Reading

#TheLightWeCarry by Michelle Obama is finally here and we can’t wait for you to dive in! Start reading today: michelleobamabooks.com

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

“We become bolder in our brightness.” #TheLightWeCarry by Michelle Obama is finally here and we can’t wait for you to dive in! Start reading today: michelleobamabooks.com New Pathways, Answer To Life, Harvard Law School, Deep Truths, Favorite Authors, Personal Growth, Overcoming

Harvard Law School

Favorite Authors

Personal Growth

“We become bolder in our brightness.” #TheLightWeCarry by Michelle Obama is finally here and we can’t wait for you to dive in! Start reading today: michelleobamabooks.com

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Diversify your bookshelves with these reads for Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month! #RepresentAsianStories Book Clubs, Book Club Books, Books To Read, The Joy Luck Club, Cultural Criticism, Chinese American, Heritage Month, Diversify, Reading Groups

Book Club Books

The Joy Luck Club

Cultural Criticism

Chinese American

Diversify your bookshelves with these reads for Asian American and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month! #RepresentAsianStories

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Celebrate the graduate in your life with these amazing book recommendations! Thank You For Arguing, Good Books, Little Engine That Could, The Stoics, Great Graduation Gifts, Dream School, Wit And Wisdom, School Books

Thank You For Arguing

Little Engine That Could

Great Graduation Gifts

Celebrate the graduate in your life with these amazing book recommendations!

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

The best books for music lovers! Piano Lessons, Music Lessons, Gift For Music Lover, Music Lovers, Good Music, Music Book, History Of Hip Hop

Gift For Music Lover

History Of Hip Hop

The best books for music lovers!

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Add these new biographies and memoirs to your bookshelves. Pick up these nonfiction books about famous figures and celebrities like Brandie Carlile, Billie Jean King, Michelle Obama, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Juliana Margulies, Seth Rogen, and Sharon Stone and discover inspiring memoirs like Crying in H Mart; My Broken Language; and Dusk, Night, Dawn by renowned writer, Anne Lamott. Massive Stroke, Billy Jean, Brandi Carlile, Anne Lamott, Seth Rogen, Billie Jean King, Refugee Crisis, King And Country, Sharon Stone

Billie Jean King

King And Country

Add these new biographies and memoirs to your bookshelves. Pick up these nonfiction books about famous figures and celebrities like Brandie Carlile, Billie Jean King, Michelle Obama, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Juliana Margulies, Seth Rogen, and Sharon Stone and discover inspiring memoirs like Crying in H Mart; My Broken Language; and Dusk, Night, Dawn by renowned writer, Anne Lamott.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Read an excerpt from the dual memoir Black, White, and The Grey by Mashama Bailey and John O. Morisano. In this book, the authors tell their story about the trials and triumphs of a Black chef from Queens, New York, and a White media entrepreneur from Staten Island who built a relationship and a restaurant in the Deep South, hoping to bridge biases and get people talking about race, gender, class, and culture. New Books, Starting A Restaurant, Old Folks, Home Network, Staten Island, Penguin Random House, People Talk

Starting A Restaurant

Penguin Random House

Read an excerpt from the dual memoir Black, White, and The Grey by Mashama Bailey and John O. Morisano. In this book, the authors tell their story about the trials and triumphs of a Black chef from Queens, New York, and a White media entrepreneur from Staten Island who built a relationship and a restaurant in the Deep South, hoping to bridge biases and get people talking about race, gender, class, and culture.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

In the acclaimed memoir, The Beauty in Breaking, an ER doctor explores how a life of service to others taught her how to heal herself. Michele Harper is a female, African American emergency room physician in a profession that is overwhelmingly male and white. The Beauty in Breaking is the poignant true story of Harper’s journey toward self-healing. In this hopeful and moving book, she passes along the precious, necessary lessons that she has learned as a daughter, a woman, and a physician. Nicole Lewis, Emergency Room Doctor, Moving Books, The Daily Show, Beauty Book

Emergency Room Doctor

In the acclaimed memoir, The Beauty in Breaking, an ER doctor explores how a life of service to others taught her how to heal herself. Michele Harper is a female, African American emergency room physician in a profession that is overwhelmingly male and white. The Beauty in Breaking is the poignant true story of Harper’s journey toward self-healing. In this hopeful and moving book, she passes along the precious, necessary lessons that she has learned as a daughter, a woman, and a physician.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Read an excerpt from Akwaeke Emezi's powerful memoir in letters, Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir. Their story weaves through transformative decisions about their gender and body, their precipitous path to success as a writer, and the turmoil of relationships on an emotional, romantic, and spiritual plane, culminating in a book that is as tender as it is brutal. Electrifying and inspiring, Dear Senthuran is a revelatory account of storytelling, self, and survival. #DeepDive Favorite Quotes, Metaphysics, The Magicians

Favorite Quotes

Read an excerpt from Akwaeke Emezi's powerful memoir in letters, Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir. Their story weaves through transformative decisions about their gender and body, their precipitous path to success as a writer, and the turmoil of relationships on an emotional, romantic, and spiritual plane, culminating in a book that is as tender as it is brutal. Electrifying and inspiring, Dear Senthuran is a revelatory account of storytelling, self, and survival. #DeepDive

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Dear Senthuran is the extraordinary memoir by Awaeke Emezi, author of The Death of Vivek Oji. Through candid, intimate correspondence with friends, lovers, and family, Emezi traces the unfolding of a self and the unforgettable journey of a creative spirit stepping into power in the human world. Dear Senthuran is a revelatory account of storytelling, self, and survival. National Book Award, Time Magazine, Correspondence, Bestselling Author, Candid, Storytelling

National Book Award

Bestselling Author

Dear Senthuran is the extraordinary memoir by Awaeke Emezi, author of The Death of Vivek Oji. Through candid, intimate correspondence with friends, lovers, and family, Emezi traces the unfolding of a self and the unforgettable journey of a creative spirit stepping into power in the human world. Dear Senthuran is a revelatory account of storytelling, self, and survival.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Danielle Henderson's new book, The Ugly Cry, is a hilarious, moving memoir about a grandmother’s ferocious love and redefining what it means to be family. With humor, wit, and deep insight, Danielle shares how she grew up and grew wise—and the lessons she’s carried from those days to these. In the process, she upends readers conventional understanding of family and redefines its boundaries to include the millions of people who share her story. Furiously Happy, Augusten Burroughs, Ugly Cry, Foul Mouthed, Grandmother Gifts, The Millions, Henderson

Furiously Happy

Augusten Burroughs

Grandmother Gifts

Danielle Henderson's new book, The Ugly Cry, is a hilarious, moving memoir about a grandmother’s ferocious love and redefining what it means to be family. With humor, wit, and deep insight, Danielle shares how she grew up and grew wise—and the lessons she’s carried from those days to these. In the process, she upends readers conventional understanding of family and redefines its boundaries to include the millions of people who share her story.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

In the compact format of her books We Should All Be Feminists and Dear Ijeawele, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie delivers a gem of a book–a book that fundamentally connects us to one another as it probes one of the most universal human experiences: grief. Notes on Grief is a book for this moment—a work readers will treasure and share now more than ever–and yet will prove durable and timeless, an indispensable addition to Adichie’s canon. Best Selling Novels, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Human Experience, Grieve, Her. Book, Novelist

Best Selling Novels

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Human Experience

In the compact format of her books We Should All Be Feminists and Dear Ijeawele, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie delivers a gem of a book–a book that fundamentally connects us to one another as it probes one of the most universal human experiences: grief. Notes on Grief is a book for this moment—a work readers will treasure and share now more than ever–and yet will prove durable and timeless, an indispensable addition to Adichie’s canon.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Read an excerpt from Maxine Hong Kingston’s classic memoir, The Woman Warrior, in which she explores her family’s past and her own present. In this groundbreaking book, Hong Kingston examines multiple and intersecting identities—immigrant, female, Chinese, American. #DeepDive #ReadAsianAuthors Maxine Hong Kingston, Woman Warrior, Award Winning Books, Intersecting, The First Americans, Mother And Father, Nonfiction Books

Maxine Hong Kingston

Award Winning Books

The First Americans

Mother And Father

Nonfiction Books

Read an excerpt from Maxine Hong Kingston’s classic memoir, The Woman Warrior, in which she explores her family’s past and her own present. In this groundbreaking book, Hong Kingston examines multiple and intersecting identities—immigrant, female, Chinese, American. #DeepDive #ReadAsianAuthors

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Read an excerpt from Michelle Zauner's bestselling memoir Crying in H Mart. In this excerpt, Zauner, a.k.a. musician and performer Japanese Breakfast, talks about the importance of dreams and finding self-care in heaping plates of food. #DeepDive Dream About Me, Reread, To My Mother, Anecdote, Coming Of Age

Read an excerpt from Michelle Zauner's bestselling memoir Crying in H Mart. In this excerpt, Zauner, a.k.a. musician and performer Japanese Breakfast, talks about the importance of dreams and finding self-care in heaping plates of food. #DeepDive

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Brandi Carlile, acclaimed singer-songwriter, producer, and six-time Grammy winner opens up about a life shaped by music in Broken Horses, a candid, heartfelt, and intimate memoir. Evocative and piercingly honest, Broken Horses is at once an examination of faith through the eyes of a person rejected by the church’s basic tenets and a meditation on the moments and lyrics that have shaped the life of a creative mind, a brilliant artist, and a genuine empath on a mission to give back. Broken Horses, Mavis Staples, Horse Lead, Tanya Tucker, Singing Competitions, Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam

Singing Competitions

Dave Matthews Band

Brandi Carlile, acclaimed singer-songwriter, producer, and six-time Grammy winner opens up about a life shaped by music in Broken Horses, a candid, heartfelt, and intimate memoir. Evocative and piercingly honest, Broken Horses is at once an examination of faith through the eyes of a person rejected by the church’s basic tenets and a meditation on the moments and lyrics that have shaped the life of a creative mind, a brilliant artist, and a genuine empath on a mission to give back.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Book Lists, The Book, Children's Books, Instagram Artist, Art Journal Inspiration, Book Aesthetic, Little Books

Children's Books

Instagram Artist

Art Journal Inspiration

Random House

Biography and Memoir

In her new memoir, The Soul of a Woman, award-winning author Isabel Allende undertakes “a bold exploration of womanhood, feminism, parenting, aging, love and more (Associated Press).” Allende hopes that this book will “light the torches of our daughters and granddaughters with mine. They will have to live for us, as we lived for our mothers, and carry on with the work still left to be finished.” Favorite Book Quotes, Favorite Books, Torches, Straight Guys, Granddaughters, Womanhood, Social Issues

Favorite Book Quotes

In her new memoir, The Soul of a Woman, award-winning author Isabel Allende undertakes “a bold exploration of womanhood, feminism, parenting, aging, love and more (Associated Press).” Allende hopes that this book will “light the torches of our daughters and granddaughters with mine. They will have to live for us, as we lived for our mothers, and carry on with the work still left to be finished.”

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Between Two Kingdoms is a searing, deeply moving, and inspiring memoir of illness and recovery that traces one young woman’s journey from diagnosis to remission and, ultimately, a road trip of healing and self-discovery. Swipe File, Eat Pray Love, Remission, Moving To Paris, Third Birthday

Moving To Paris

Between Two Kingdoms is a searing, deeply moving, and inspiring memoir of illness and recovery that traces one young woman’s journey from diagnosis to remission and, ultimately, a road trip of healing and self-discovery.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Michelle Obama's intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir, Becoming is now available in paperback featuring a new introduction by Michelle Obama, a letter from the author to her younger self, and a book club guide with 20 discussion questions and a 5-question Q&A. Books By Black Authors, Black Books, Carpool Karaoke, Discussion Questions, Thing 1, Netflix Originals

Books By Black Authors

Carpool Karaoke

Discussion Questions

Netflix Originals

Michelle Obama's intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir, Becoming is now available in paperback featuring a new introduction by Michelle Obama, a letter from the author to her younger self, and a book club guide with 20 discussion questions and a 5-question Q&A.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Priyanka Chopra Jonas shares her challenges and triumphs in her memoir, Unfinished. Throughout this thoughtful and revealing memoir, readers will accompany one of the world’s most recognizable women on her journey of self-discovery. Her memoir is philosophical, sassy, inspiring, bold, and rebellious ― just like Priyanka. She Movie, Acting Career, Miss World, What To Read, Teenage Years, Rebellious

Priyanka Chopra Jonas shares her challenges and triumphs in her memoir, Unfinished. Throughout this thoughtful and revealing memoir, readers will accompany one of the world’s most recognizable women on her journey of self-discovery. Her memoir is philosophical, sassy, inspiring, bold, and rebellious ― just like Priyanka.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Speak, Okinawa is a searing memoir about a young woman’s journey to understanding her complicated parents–her mother an Okinawan war bride, her father a Vietnam veteran–and her own, fraught cultural heritage. Clear-eyed and profoundly humane, Speak, Okinawa is a heartfelt exploration of identity, inheritance, forgiveness, and what it means to be an American. Language Barrier, Profoundly, Good Morning America, American Soldiers, Vietnam Veterans, Inheritance, Okinawa

Language Barrier

Good Morning America

American Soldiers

Vietnam Veterans

Speak, Okinawa is a searing memoir about a young woman’s journey to understanding her complicated parents–her mother an Okinawan war bride, her father a Vietnam veteran–and her own, fraught cultural heritage. Clear-eyed and profoundly humane, Speak, Okinawa is a heartfelt exploration of identity, inheritance, forgiveness, and what it means to be an American.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Learn from inspiring individuals and history-changing leaders in this winter's new biographies and memoirs including books by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sharon Stone, and Alexi Pappas and books about George Washington, Mike Nichols, and America's Sherlock Holmes. Mike Nichols, Winter Essentials, Garth, Biographies, Priyanka Chopra, Books To Buy

Winter Essentials

Priyanka Chopra

Learn from inspiring individuals and history-changing leaders in this winter's new biographies and memoirs including books by Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sharon Stone, and Alexi Pappas and books about George Washington, Mike Nichols, and America's Sherlock Holmes.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Find memoirs and stories to read for Holocaust Remembrance Day. These stories of resilience and strength include a stunning graphic adaptation of Anne Frank's Diary; an illustrated edition of the poem The Tale of a Niggun by Elie Wiesel; Moments of Reprieve by Primo Levi; The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal; and the Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novel, The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman. These books ensure that we will never forget. Anne Frank Diary, Primo Levi, Art Spiegelman, Elie Wiesel, Nobel Peace Prize, Reading Stories, Remembrance Day

Anne Frank Diary

Nobel Peace Prize

Reading Stories

Remembrance Day

Find memoirs and stories to read for Holocaust Remembrance Day. These stories of resilience and strength include a stunning graphic adaptation of Anne Frank's Diary; an illustrated edition of the poem The Tale of a Niggun by Elie Wiesel; Moments of Reprieve by Primo Levi; The Sunflower by Simon Wiesenthal; and the Pulitzer Prize winning graphic novel, The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman. These books ensure that we will never forget.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

This book list highlights inspirational women in politics in the United States and around the world. Read these biographies and memoirs about a range of inspiring women from local activists to Supreme Court justices who fought for change at every level of politics. Reading Lists, Book Worth Reading, Valerie Jarrett, Maxine Waters, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

Book Worth Reading

Valerie Jarrett

Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg

This book list highlights inspirational women in politics in the United States and around the world. Read these biographies and memoirs about a range of inspiring women from local activists to Supreme Court justices who fought for change at every level of politics.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir

Read these timely books to understand America in 2020. These must-read books cover history, politics, climate change, and economics that will help readers make sense of where we America is today and how the country got here. Reading Ideas, Read Books, Reading List Challenge, Women In America, List Challenges

Reading List Challenge

Women In America

List Challenges

Read these timely books to understand America in 2020. These must-read books cover history, politics, climate change, and economics that will help readers make sense of where we America is today and how the country got here.

Penguin Random House

Penguin Random House

Biography and Memoir