Biography & Memoir bestsellers

Spare

“Surprisingly enjoyable, especially on audio. Prince Harry is a smart man, with some pointed insights, and is a delightful narrator.”

Melissa, Watermark Books

If you enjoyed The Recovering, then you’ll love I'm Glad My Mom Died.

“A Nickelodeon child star, Jennette McCurdy was raised by a mother desperate to live out her show-business dreams through her daughter. That pressure to succeed--and to please her mother--sent McCurdy into a downward spiral of eating disorders, drug addiction, and destructive relationships from which she is only beginning to recover....Most of the time I listen to audiobooks at one-and-a-quarter speed because it feels like the reader is just plodding along, but McCurdy's memoir is paced and performed wonderfully. McCurdy shares her own difficult truths with a voice that is strong without being strident, vulnerable without becoming maudlin, and with a few achingly beautiful moments when her voice betrays sorrows not yet healed. Jennette McCurdy's story would be engaging on the page, but it is exceptional in your ears.”

Adam, Prairie Lights Books

The Light We Carry

“Michelle Obama is back with more words of wisdom, pillars of humility, and just simply Michelle. The Light We Carry is an uplighting book that will help you deal with the emotions and isolation that we have had to deal with during and after the pandemic. But more than that, she has compiled questions that she has been asked again and again, and acknowledges each with personal stories, anecdotes, wisdom, and love. This book feel like you are sitting down with an old friend when you have had a bad day and and just need some love and a hot drink.”

Gretchen, Fiction Addiction

If you enjoyed Minor Feelings, then you’ll love Crying in H Mart.

“This memoir is an unflinchingly honest portrayal of grief as well as a tender look at the complex relationship between a mother and daughter bridging generational and cultural gaps through the comforting creation of food. This book had me simultaneously sobbing and starving. A perfect read.”

LeeAnna, Blue Cypress Books

If you enjoyed Why Fish Don't Exist, then you’ll love The Anthropocene Reviewed.

“A lovely lovely listen read by the author. This is the perfect book to take on a long walk or drive that will make you look at the world in a fresh way. Drawing on personal anecdotes, history, literature and science, Green embraces both small and big ideas and makes you grateful for things you might have once overlooked. 5/5 stars for this audiobook!”

Katie, Bank Square Books

Read by the author.

Jinger Vuolo, the sixth child in the famous Duggar family of TLC's 19 Kids and Counting and Counting On, recounts how she began to question the unhealthy ideology of her youth and learned to embrace true freedom in Christ.

When Jinger Duggar Vuolo was growing up, she was convinced that obeying the rules was the key to success...

A Promised Land

“No one really needs my blurb to help sell this book, but I wanted to give it anyway, especially for the audiobook, narrated by Barack Obama himself. If you want to know his incredible knowledge and wisdom that guided him through major decisions, and also hear him drop a few F-bombs, you need to listen to this fantastically written book. ”

Amber, Quail Ridge Books

How to Be an Antiracist

“Among the multi-faceted array of antiracist literature newly published in the last two years, Ibram X. Kendi’s How To Be an Antiracist stands alone as a definitive source of history and socio-political critique, while offering a new paradigm of thought aimed at paving the way for correcting centuries of social injustice. Hearing this visionary and transformative work in Kendi’s own voice will no doubt bring it all straight into your heart, humanizing his ideas, and firmly setting you on your own path to doing the work of becoming an antiracist.”

Noelle, Oblong Books

Untamed

“I read this book non-stop for a week, underlining, reading passages to my friends & recommending it to anyone with a pulse. There are many great stories inside, but their charm & power, really, is all Glennon. She is a spiritual seeker & leader who loves reality tv, a formidable activist on the global scale who gets anxiety sweats when the doorbell rings. Equal parts poetic & conversational, memoir & manifesto. Her love story will make you swoon. Her shamelessness & relentless self-interrogation will make you feel deeply exposed. This is not a "you can do it, girl!" book. It's more like a spiritual marathon that invites you to jump the guardrail & take off.”

Elon, Apotheosis Comics

In this honest, layered and unforgettable book that alternates between storytelling and her own poetry, Pamela Anderson breaks the mold of the celebrity memoir while taking back the tale that has been crafted about her.

Her blond bombshell image was ubiquitous in the 1990s. Discovered in the stands of a football game, she was immediately rocket...

Wintering

“When Katherine May set out to write her book, Wintering, she could not have foreseen that it would be published in the middle of a pandemic, nor that it would be so beautifully suited to our current circumstances. Wintering is the author's account of how she made it through unforeseen difficult times and depression (emotional winters). Gentle, understanding, hopeful, and empathetic, this is a book you will listen to and then want to buy a copy of, just so you can have it nearby for difficult times.”

Mary, Skylark Bookshop

"Read this book to connect with your highest self.”
—Susan Cain, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Bittersweet and Quiet

“We need more awe in our lives, and Dacher Keltner has written the definitive book on where to find it.”
—Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again

“Awe is awesome in both senses: a superb analysis of... Read more »

Surrender

“In Surrender, Bono gives you personal insight into his life, the creation of U2, and the inspiration for some of U2’s most iconic songs. But even more so, he goes into detail about his advocacy and how they came to be. And he shares some amazing stories about the famous people that he has had the opportunity to meet and work with. With every chapter, you will feel like you are talking with an old friend that will bring you inspiration and motivation with his charisma and determination of spirit. I highly recommend Surrender for anyone who feel lost or silenced in the world we live in today.”

Gretchen, Fiction Addiction

Educated

“Raised by Mormon fundamentalists, mistrustful of the medical community while having never stepped foot in a classroom setting, Tara Westover's memoir, "Educated" is excruciatingly painful at times. From witnessing devastating destruction deep in the woods of Idaho to enduring an abusive bi-polar brother to becoming ostracized by her survivalist parents for her beliefs, Tara's tale of self-discovery will totally bring you to tears. Torrents of them. For fans of "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls and "Hillbilly Elegy" by J.D. Vance, except much more dysfunctional, "Educated" will leave you thanking your lucky stars you weren't raised a Westover. Read by Julia Whelan, this audiobook is perfect for recent graduates, educators and everyone concerned about the state of our country. I highly recommend!”

Kristin, McLean & Eakin Booksellers

"Going into his "why," Perry's audiobook is a fascinating listen."- AudioFile

This program is read by the author.

A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK BY TIME, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, GOODREADS, USA TODAY, AND MORE!

The beloved star of Friends takes us behind the scenes of the hit sitcom and his struggles with addiction in this candid, funny, and revelatory...

Taste

“Stanley Tucci brings the listener on a sumptuous and mouth-watering tour through his life, guided by his tastebuds and family traditions. As a reader from an Italian American family, many of Tucci's stories were a mirror to my own childhood and extended family, making this audiobook a complete joy. Tucci's epic travels, movie adventures, and bonds with loved ones are all framed by food. Recipes are peppered throughout the book, accompanying memories as a way to relive and process prized and pivotal moments. I'm not remotely a good cook, but I thoroughly loved listening to Tucci divvy out his cooking knowledge. This is not to be missed.”

Riona, Books & Books @ The Studios of Key West

Narrated by Viola Davis

In my book, you will meet a little girl named Viola who ran from her past until she made a life-changing decision to stop running forever.

This is my story, from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, to the stage in New York City, and beyond. This is the path I took to finding my purpose but also my voice in...

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER • NAMED ONE OF TIME’S TEN BEST NONFICTION BOOKS OF THE DECADE • PULITZER PRIZE FINALIST • NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD FINALIST • ONE OF OPRAH’S “BOOKS THAT HELP ME THROUGH” • NOW AN HBO ORIGINAL SPECIAL EVENT
 
Hailed by Toni Morrison as “required reading,” a bold and personal... Read more »

Broken Horses

“For Brandi Carlile fans, her memoir Broken Horses is an intimate look into her life and her music. I always pull up songs mention in books I am reading, but in this case, the Libro.fm audiobook makes it even better. Brandi not only reads, but sings throughout the book. ”

Nona, CoffeeTree Books

Becoming

“I adore our former president and I miss him. Yet I cannot help but be ecstatic that Michelle is coming out with a book about her own life so that I can learn more about this powerful, intelligent, and singularly awesome woman. Barack would be the first to say that his wife is a superstar, and I can’t wait to get my hands on Becoming to read about her in her own words.”

Jax, Bookshop Santa Cruz

“An elegant meditation on the complexities of the American South—and thus of America—by an esteemed daughter of the South and one of the great intellectuals of our time. An inspiration.”

—Isabel Wilkerson, New York Times bestselling author of The Warmth of Other Suns and Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents

An essential, surprising journey...

Heavy

“Telling the truth has always been a radical and political act, but Kiese Laymon writes in Heavy with a rare, vulnerable unity of personal urgency and political clarity. This is a story about how our country’s lies and thefts weigh heavily on the hearts and souls of its black mothers and sons. About how dishonesty about white supremacy, money, sex, and violence threads through our most intimate relationships and causes us to become strangers to ourselves. If Heavy is about lies, it is also fundamentally about the redemptive power of truth, stories, language, and joy. If there’s a way out of the loneliness of being human in a country that does not value or support humanity, Laymon suggests, it is in the connection we find in the words we toss to one another, like lifelines, like laughter.”

E.R. Anderson, Charis Books & More

Know My Name

“Wow! Everybody should read this book. A stunning memoir about a devastating subject. It was eye opening, gut wrenching, powerful and brave. Chanel Miller writes with such honesty and vulnerability–I immediately felt that I knew her and she had me walking in her shoes throughout the entire book. I’m still reeling from the roller coaster of emotions but ultimately I was left feeling hopeful and changed. A great audiobook read by author. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️”

Leah, Aesop's Fable

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

Fueled by her years as an elite runner and advocate for women in sports, Lauren Fleshman offers her inspiring personal story and a rallying cry for reform of a sports landscape that is failing young female athletes

“Women’s sports have needed a manifesto for a very long time, and with Lauren Fleshman’s Good for a Girl... Read more »

Dinners with Ruth

“The NPR journalist and Supreme Court authority narrates her recollections of time spent over the decades with fiery and beloved Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg, as well as NPR 'foremother' Linda Wertheimer and journalist Cokie Roberts. You will surely appreciate all these remarkable women and glory in how integral their love for and support of each other was to them, personally--and I think to all of us as we've navigated difficult decades for women in this country.”

Pam, Adventure Bound Books

Becoming Duchess Goldblatt

“After the collapse of her marriage and her whole life, the anonymous author of Becoming Duchess Goldblatt started a Twitter account, speaking in the voice of an imperious, slightly dotty, always caring 81-year-old writer. The Duchess became the focus of intense adoration and eventually helped her creator to reconnect with the ‘real world’ even as she kept her identity a secret. Becoming Duchess Goldblatt is a glorious memoir, a truly 21st-century tale of life both online and off.”

David Enyeart, Next Chapter Booksellers

Why Fish Don't Exist

“Just... wow. Never have I read anything like this. It's remarkable. To say it's part memoir and part biography of David Starr Jordan, the famous taxonomist (don't worry, I didn't know who he was either), on some level is true, but it doesn't even begin to encompass everything this book is. In just over 200 pages, Miller tackles existential philosophy, the depths of the cosmos, racism, queerness, human hatred and human resilience, and much, much more. At its heart, this book is an examination of the friction between humans and chaos, between man and nature. I'd hate to say anything more, because, like David Starr Jordan, it's all about the discoveries. I will say, though, that by the end you will 100% believe that fish do not exist and you will be so, so happy to know it. It'll be the best news you've ever heard. Some books you just love and some books you cherish, and WHY FISH DON'T EXIST is one to be cherished.”

Conner, BookBar

In the Dream House

“A masterful look at the complexity of the queer experience. Machado employs a kaleidoscope approach to examine her relationship with an old partner, a woman who verbally, physically and emotionally assaulted her, her own personal experiences that led her to stay “in the dream house” of abuse, and society’s role in the oppression and devaluation of women, especially queer women and women of color. Through a mix of long and super short chapters, examples of old folk tales and pop culture, and more realistic narrative, Machado digs deep into the confusing, distorted and contradictory aspects of a toxic relationship, in which the victim begins to doubt her own reactions and motives. It’s a #fivestarreview for us, and #requiredreading! And the @librofm #audiobook features Machado reading! Amazing amazing amazing. ”

Jhoanna, Bel Canto Books

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Discover the life-changing memoir that has inspired millions of readers through the Academy Award®–winning actor’s unflinching honesty, unconventional wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.

NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE GUARDIAN

“McConaughey’s book invites... Read more »

Stay True

“Stay True is a beautiful memoir and tribute to Hua Hsu's late friend, Ken. I listened to this memoir as an audiobook and I loved hearing Hsu narrate his own story. His accounts of friendship and loss are raw and emotional, taking the reader on a journey with Hsu as he processes his grief and finds hope in writing and art. ”

Emma, Books Inc.

If you enjoyed Hello, Molly!, then you’ll love Ten Steps to Nanette.

“I loved Hannah Gadsby in Please Like Me and was blown away by her Netflix special, Nanette, so it’s no surprise that I appreciated her memoir, too. I learned not only more about her life but also about the history of homophobic laws and politics in Australia, as well as quite a bit about autism, trauma and ADHD, all of which Gadsby lives with. The combination of raw honesty and wit that she writes with is pretty much unparalleled and it's a treat that she narrates it herself. Highly recommended. In case you haven’t seen it, I think watching Nanette is pretty much a pre-requisite for reading this.”

Tracey, Turning the Tide Bookstore

In We Don't Know Ourselves, Fintan O'Toole weaves his own experiences into Irish social, cultural, and economic change, showing how Ireland, in just one lifetime, has gone from a reactionary "backwater" to an almost totally open society—perhaps the most astonishing national transformation in modern history.

Born to a working-class family in the... Read more »

From the magical moments on set as Draco Malfoy to the challenges of growing up in the spotlight, get a backstage pass into Tom Felton’s life on and off the big screen with this audiobook read by the author.

Tom Felton’s adolescence was anything but ordinary. His early rise to fame in beloved films like The Borrowers catapulted him into the...

Weird but Normal

“Weird but Normal by Mia Mercado is a hilarious and thought-provoking look at the weird aspects of every day life that we all experience. When authors narrate their own memoirs, it adds an additional dimension to the story to hear it literally in their own words and voice. Mercado reminds us that it's okay to be ourselves, even if we are a little bit weird.”

Tina, Leaves Book and Tea Shop

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • NOW A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE STARRING MICHAEL B. JORDAN AND JAMIE FOXX • A powerful true story about the potential for mercy to redeem us, and a clarion call to fix our broken system of justice—from one of the most brilliant and influential lawyers of our time.

“[Bryan Stevenson’s] dedication to fighting for justice... Read more »

NATIONAL BOOK AWARD WINNER • NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • A renowned historian traces the life of a single object handed down through three generations of Black women to craft a “deeply layered and insightful” (The Washington Post) testament to people who are left out of the archives.
 
WINNER: Frederick Douglass Book Prize, Harriet Tubman Prize,... Read more »

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the beloved star of Gilmore Girls and the New York Times bestselling author of Talking as Fast as I Can comes an “insightful, honest, funny, and moving collection of captivating stories” (BuzzFeed).

“Graham is fast and furiously funny in her latest collection of essays. . . . Where Graham leads, we will definitely... Read more »

How Far the Light Reaches

“Part memoir, part nature/science writing, this is an amazing book. The author's ability to weave together the wonders of marine biology with stories exploring their own existence and coming of age lets us experience the world in a different light. Original and thought-provoking. Looking for a good audio book to listen to? This is a great choice, read by the author!”

Anne, Newtonville Books

If you enjoyed Kitchen Confidential, then you’ll love Eat a Peach.

“I'm a sucker for egomaniacal chef memoirs, and this one is no exception. Packed with mistakes, moments of genius and lots of culinary vocabulary, Chang's narration is direct, his style efficient as knife skills on the line. Amazing to think that Momofuku changed the way we eat more than 15 years ago. If you liked "Kitchen Confidential," download this audiobook. ”

Nicole, Bookworm of Edwards

NATIONAL BOOK CRITICS CIRCLE NOMINEE • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR • NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • A grand, devastating portrait of three generations of the Sackler family, famed for their philanthropy, whose fortune was built by Valium and whose reputation was destroyed by OxyContin. From the prize-winning and bestselling author of... Read more »

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the prize-winning, New York Times bestselling author of Empire of Pain and Say Nothing—and one of the most decorated journalists of our time—twelve enthralling stories of skulduggery and intrigue

“I read everything he writes. Every time he writes a book, I read it. Every time he writes an... Read more »

A searing memoir of reckoning and healing by acclaimed journalist Stephanie Foo, investigating the little-understood science behind complex PTSD and how it has shaped her life

“Achingly exquisite . . . providing real hope for those who long to heal.”—Lori Gottlieb, New York Times bestselling author of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone

ONE OF THE... Read more »

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • READ WITH JENNA BOOK CLUB PICK AS FEATURED ON TODAY • ALA ALEX AWARD WINNER

A young poet tells the inspiring story of his migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine in this “gripping memoir” (NPR) of bravery, hope, and finding family.  

LONGLISTED: PEN/Open Book Award, PEN/John Kenneth Galbraith... Read more »

The remarkable true story of Ellen and William Craft, who escaped slavery through daring, determination, and disguise, with Ellen passing as a wealthy, disabled White man and William posing as “his” slave.

In 1848, a year of international democratic revolt, a young, enslaved couple, Ellen and William Craft, achieved one of the boldest feats of... Read more »

Hunger

“This memoir is about trauma and privilege, self-loathing, and a silent fear kept secret for far too long. It's about our obsession with body weight and body image, what happens when we internalize our pain and become self-destructive, and how very, very large people are treated in humiliating ways. The descriptions of addictive behavior and the journey to want to heal make this book more universal than I expected. When you decide that this is the day you're going to change and you get out of bed and fail, that's pretty normal. You'll have another chance tomorrow - just remember to like yourself enough to overcome the fear of healing and try again. Highly recommend.”

Todd Miller, Arcadia Books

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

From the host of the podcast Terrible, Thanks for Asking—called “a gift” by The New York Times—a raw and humorous essay collection in the spirit of Jenny Lawson and Samantha Irby.

Nora McInerny does not dance like no one is watching. In fact, she dances like everyone is watching, which is to say, she does not dance at all. A... Read more »

The Splendid and the Vile

“Erik Larson has done it again! With years of impeccable research into diaries, archives, dossiers, biographies, and official British documents, he has presented an intimate and detailed account of Winston Churchill in his first years as prime minister as he dealt with the London Blitz and his own personal and family issues. This is Churchill as few of us can imagine, in his silky pajamas entertaining major dignitaries at his weekend retreat, all the while continuing to reassure the British people during their darkest days that they have what it takes to withstand the German onslaught. The Splendid and the Vile reads like an engrossing novel, with all the fascinating details and facts that Erik Larson can provide.”

Gail Meyer, The Bookstore Plus Music & Art

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The powerful story of an inspiring doctor who made a difference, by helping to create a program to care for Boston’s homeless community—by the Pulitzer Prize–winning, New York Times bestselling author of Mountains Beyond Mountains

“I couldn’t put Rough Sleepers down. I am left in awe of the human spirit and inspired to... Read more »

WINNER OF THE KIRKUS PRIZE • WINNER OF A LAMBDA LITERARY AWARD • A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK • A NEW YORK TIMES EDITORS' PICK • A STONEWALL HONOR BOOK • NAMED A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY, KIRKUS REVIEWS, LIBRARY JOURNAL, AMAZON AND APPLE BOOKS • A TODAY SUMMER READING LIST PICK • AN ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY BEST DEBUT OF SUMMER...

Everything I Know About Love

“Everything I Know About Love was a joy to read and relatable to me as a young woman in her early 20's. Dolly Alderton gives a transparent, brutally honest look at herself at the various stages of her 30 years of life. She accurately depicts the hedonistic nature of being young, somewhat clueless, and attempting to navigate through life's complexities. Mixed with that famous (and charming) British wit, this memoir is unequivocally a masterpiece.”

Jennifer, Changing Hands