Favorite Memoirs

I am a huge fan of memoirs. I don’t rate them how we rate our other books, but I wanted to share some of my favorite memoirs. Memoirs are really the only non-fiction I consume, and usually the only time I’ll listen to an audiobook (if the author narrates it). There’s something about hearing the author narrate their own story that I really enjoy. Here are some of my favorites, in no particular order. What are your favorite memoirs?

Most of these include some level of difficult content, please review any trigger warnings.

Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey

This was my first audiobook and I’m not sure if anything will compare to the experience of hearing McConaughey narrate this. I adore his voice and his story is super interesting and at times, inspiring.

Member of the Family: My Story of Charles Manson, Life Inside His Cult, and the Darkness That Ended the Sixties by Dianne Lake with Deborah Herman.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Helter Skelter in my teenage years and had an interest in the Manson family and their crimes (feel free to judge me). I’ve read a few books on the topic and really enjoyed this memoir. I will forever be fascinated by cults and how they happen.

The Woman in Me by Britney Spears

Of course, the media’s been obsessed with Britney for years and I was happy for her to have the ability to tell her story. I’m also a millennial; I couldn’t NOT read this book. I loved her music when I was younger and seeing the “…Baby One More Time” video for the first time will forever be in my memory.

What My Bones Know: A Memoir of Healing from Complex Trauma by Stephanie Foo

This one is heartbreaking but also inspiring. It is told beautifully.

Friends, Lover, and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry

This book was a tough read for me, but I appreciated how candid and real Perry was about his story. I loved Friends when it was on (still do) and reading the behind-the-scenes for him was sad and interesting. I pre-ordered and read this prior to Perry’s passing – I think the experience would be a bit different now, but I still recommend it.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

I never watched iCarly, but I saw this recommended everywhere. It is incredibly raw and written very well. I couldn’t put it down and admire her courage.

The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life’s Final Moments by Hadley Vlahos

This one made me cry SO MUCH. Death is a tricky topic and I’ve never understood how anyone could work in hospice – it must be so hard. I loved how Vlahos shared the stories of her patients and how death can be peaceful. This book provided a perspective I really really appreciated and was oddly comforting.

Breaking Free by Rachel Jeffs

WOW. I’ve gone down the rabbit hole about the FLDS church a few times and knew some of the details, but to hear it from someone who lived it was … (I don’t have the words). Rachel Jeffs included a level of detail about her abuse and experience in the FLDS church that was tough, but necessary to hear. I appreciated the realness and direct representation of what happened to her.