Best Biography and Memoir Recommendations

For some readers, real life is much more compelling than fiction, and real people are far more interesting than any character an author could dream up. If you're one of those readers, then biographies, autobiographies and memoirs are for you. 

The types of true stories are endless—there are romantic memoirs and tragic memoirs. There are short, essay-length memoirs that give you just a taste of an author’s writing. Perhaps you’re interested in a travel memoir that will make you feel as though you’ve walked the same steps as the writer, or you’re an American history buff looking for a bucket list of biographies on every American president. You could read a first-hand account from a former slave who became a dressmaker for Mary Todd Lincoln, or immerse yourself in Ruth Gruber’s own account of how she helped 1000 refugees find asylum. 

From biographies of politicians, business leaders, artists and celebrities, to memoirs that tell unforgettable true stories with unflinching honesty, these are the books that let you fully step into someone else's shoes.

4af56302c502-birdillustration.png

7 Books We Bet Ted Lasso Would Love

“You are more mysterious than David Blaine reading a Sue Grafton novel at Area 51.”

8 Powerful Military Memoirs 

Read first-hand experiences of war.

God Save the Queen: 8 Royal Reads To Celebrate Queen Elizabeth II

Whether you're a royalist or not, you can still enjoy these royal reads.

9 Books for Fans of Abbott Elementary

"We care so much we refuse to burn out. If we burn out, who’s here for the kids?"

7 Hi Lo Books for Adults

Simple reads aren't just for kids.

7 Real Life Adventure Stories

These tales are all the more incredible because they really happened.

How 10-Year-Old Josh Waitzkin Beat Chess Master Edward A. Frumkin

Author Fred Waitzkin remembers his son's first big win.

18 Mary McCarthy Books to Get Lost In

Mary McCarthy's books pushed boundaries.

Sarah Weddington Remembers Arguing Roe v. Wade to the Supreme Court

"For me and the countless women who put their lives at risk to control their own destinies, the world changed in 1973 when Roe v. Wade became the law of the land."

10 Super Scandalous Celebrity Biographies

Tuck in for a long evening with these juicy, super scandalous celebrity biographies.

Anthony Summers Discusses Goddess: The Secret Lives of Marilyn Monroe

The biography is the basis for a new Netflix documentary, streaming April 27.

Remembering Louie Anderson, 1953-2022

Read an excerpt from a book by the beloved stand-up comedian.