By skyforbes 
Memoirs have been one of my go-to genres in the last few years. I love non-fiction and memoirs always appeal to me when I’m instantly drawn to the author or the subject matter.
They’re a great slice of life, a way to learn about a new subject and a way to connect directly to an author’s voice.
Below I’m sharing 12 memoirs you should read – or, at least, 12 memoirs I think you should. This is totally my own opinion and mostly based on the books I’ve read in the last two years.
Obviously, this list is not complete. I’m sure there are so many incredible memoirs I haven’t read and many I haven’t even heard of.
All right, let’s get to the memoirs!
Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
My cousins recommended Trevor Noah’s memoir to me and I am so glad I picked it up.
If you don’t know, Trevor is the host of The Daily Show and a really funny and smart guy. Colin and I went to his comedy show in Vancouver a few years ago and it was incredible!
I love this book because not only is it full of Trevor’s humour, but it’s also a really interesting story. Trevor grew up in South Africa as a half-Black kid. The worlds he had to navigate were so difficult and so different to any life I know here in Canada.
This book was a real eye opener. The only thing I didn’t love? He jumps around chronologically and sometimes it felt like the stories were repeating themselves.
Hunger by Roxane Gay
I just read this one in July and would definitely say it’s a memoir you should read. Hunger is a memoir of Roxane’s body and it is incredibly powerful, heartbreaking and truthful.
Roxane is very much in her journey, so this is not the book of someone who is perfectly healed and ready to preach life lessons. It was a challenging read for me but so necessary.
I go into more detail on this one in my July books of the month post.
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch
I read this book in high school and I’m a little fuzzy on the details but I remember loving it and crying my eyes out.
It is the story of a professor, Randy Pausch, who prepares to give his last lecture, as he’s diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Randy shares some incredible life lessons that had me underlining large sections of the book, in between reaching for tissues. I’m thinking it might be time for a re-read!
Shrill by Lindy West
I read Shrill last year and it might have been one of my favourite books of the year. In it, Lindy tackles everything from abortions and rape culture to fatphobia and online trolls.
Lindy is absolutely brilliant, unapologetically feminist and also incredibly funny. I found myself nodding along to a lot of what she was saying and wanting to make this book mandatory reading.
Know My Name by Chanel Miller
I just finished this one last week and had to quickly revamp this blog post so I could add it in because Know My Name should be required reading!
I actually listened to this book, my first audiobook, and it was that much more powerful because Chanel herself reads it.
If you don’t know, Chanel Miller is an artist and writer, and also the victim in the Brock Turner Stanford rape trial from a few years ago.
This memoir is her story and it’s heart-wrenching and infuriating. But there are also big moments of hope, humour and love.
A House in The Sky by Amanda Lindhout & Sara Corbett
This was not a memoir I ever would have picked up but a friend recommended it to me and I’m so glad they did.
This is the story of traveller-turned-reporter-turned-hostage, Amanda Lindhout, who was held captive in Somalia for 460 days.
The story is absolutely harrowing. It is not a light read. But it’s also not one you can put down. I stayed up till 6AM finishing this one!
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
I know, I know. This book has become such a cliché. But I’ll admit that I really enjoyed it.
I watched the movie first (a book lover’s sin, I know!) and loved it. I connected to Liz lying on the floor (as privileged and problematic as it was) and enjoyed the scenes of her travelling all around the world.
When I read the book, I connected even more to the desire Liz had to just totally change her life and couldn’t get enough of the travel aspect. So yeah, I’m basic, and I love Eat Pray Love.
Notes from a Young Black Chef by Kwame Onwuachi
I just read this book in July and definitely think it’s a memoir you should read. Chef Kwame does such a great job of telling his story – from his parents’ and grandparents’ history in Africa and the south to opening his own restaurant.
Kwame has been through a lot and explains growing up in the Bronx, moving to Nigeria, going to cooking school and how race, poverty and family influenced him. Bonus: the book includes recipes!
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Of course Becoming had to be on my list of memoirs you should read. This book is incredible.
It was so interesting to learn about Michelle’s life growing up and everything she had accomplished before most of us even knew the name “Obama.” I loved the behind the scenes stories from the campaign trail and inside the White House.
It’s a long book and some parts were dryer than others, but overall (besides a tone that’s not as anti-diet as I would’ve liked) I really loved it. It’s filled with lots of wisdom and quotable sections too. I’ve also heard the audiobook is incredible!
Save Me the Plums by Ruth Reichl
Save Me the Plums is a memoir written by then Editor in Chief at Gourmet magazine, Ruth Reichl. I have no idea how I stumbled upon this memoir but I’m really glad that I did.
It’s The Devil Wears Prada meets Masterchef. I loved Ruth’s unique take on running the magazine and her beautiful descriptions of food.
I don’t think I’ve ever read Gourmet before but I was riveted by the story of how this magazine changed the food world, thanks in most part to Ruth’s leadership.
Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
This is another one that I read in high school and really should pick up again. If you don’t know, it’s the story of a young man, Mitch, who goes to visit his old college professor, Morrie, every Tuesday as Morrie is battling ALS.
I remember this book being incredibly heartbreaking and just filled with so many life lessons. I definitely need to read this one again as I’m sure it will take on new meaning with the different stage of life I’m in.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle
I just read this memoir in June and I am so glad I did. I loved it!
Glennon is such a powerful writer and tells the story of her challenging early adulthood, previous marriage, and beautiful family in snippets of conversations and prose. She brings out such powerful life lessons and shares so much wisdom about living a life that is true.
I especially loved the lessons she was passing down to her children and how she, her ex-husband and her wife work together to co-parent and create a family. I highly recommend this one!
Honourable mentions
I’m going to add a few more memoirs you should read here. They didn’t quite crack my top 12, but they are worth picking up, especially if you’re looking for something light and funny.
The first is Dear Girls by Ali Wong. Ali Wong is a comedian that you might know from her Netflix special Baby Cobra or movie, Always Be My Maybe.
She is hilarious! Her memoir is too, although it certainly is on the explicit side. I especially loved her stories spotlighting her Asian heritage, like the whole segment she includes on ordering dim sum!
My second honourable mention is This Is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay. In this memoir, Adam shares stories from his first few years as a doctor in the UK. He tells them with such humour that I often found myself laughing out loud.
The stories are also sad too, and Adam doesn’t shy away from calling out how overworked and underpaid the NHS medical staff are. The only part I didn’t enjoy was the blatant anti-fatness theme.
Lastly, I will recommend Mindy Kaling’s memoirs: Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? and Why Not Me? I don’t know which one I loved more so I’ll just say, pick up one or pick up both! Mindy is smart and funny.
I loved learning about her childhood growing up in an American-Indian family, her start in acting and behind the scenes of the television world.
6 memoirs I want to read
Like I said, I certainly have not read all of the memoirs out there. Here are six more I can’t wait to read!
- Educated by Tara Westover
- I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
- The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
- Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward
- Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
- Heavy by Kiese Laymon
I’ve also heard good things about the celebrity memoirs of Demi Moore, Jessica Simpson and Alicia Keys. I’m not a diehard fan of any of them, but I wouldn’t mind checking their books out!
So have I convinced you to pick up a memoir? I hope so! They really are an awesome genre to read and can appeal to you no matter what you’re interested in. Let me know which of my top 12 memoirs you’ve read or which you want to read, and what memoir I should read next.
What is your favourite memoir?
Check out more of my recommended reading lists:
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