Best Biographies, Autobiographies and Memoirs
- List of the Month
- January 2023 (see all)
- Description
- Our List of the Month for January is devoted to the Best Biographies, Autobiographies and Memoirs. Each participant may vote on ten titles. Please only downvote titles if they do not fit the theme.
1
13,283 members
609 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 92.52
Added 2023-01-16, 02:54 PM
- 28 Members
- ablachly, dimajazz, kaulsu, ecb06c, Micheller7, terran, bjappleg8, foof2you, sturlington, katemcangus, vwinsloe, ahef1963, nancykric, bookmary2, ReecerCreek, hallhope, ManWithAnAgenda, Wordslinger1919, cathy.lemann, Louanne, Tosta, WynneWages, javad114, Chanda.Leah, Csufgirl84, Red-Hawk, ervisd, Lorenzaccio,
- Explanations
- ReecerCreek: Fave in our book group. Bill Gates also posted a great interview
2
by Helene Hanff
6,663 members
389 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 72.4
Added 2023-01-16, 01:28 PM
- 22 Members
- rosalita, BookDoc16, gbelik, ReshiBec, kaulsu, Faradaydon, ecb06c, VenusofUrbino, mstrust, merrystar, perennialreader, souloftherose, ahef1963, Bookwomble, bookmary2, Ravenk, barefootsong, rtoker, cathy.lemann, Tosta, Gayle4th, Lorenzaccio
- Explanations
- perennialreader: Feel good book.
3
by Trevor Noah
8,070 members
412 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 66.62
Added 2023-01-17, 01:07 PM
- 22 Members
- karenb, rosalita, BookDoc16, bangerlm, kaulsu, camelama, bjappleg8, dhm, PaperbackPirate, sturlington, souloftherose, vwinsloe, peterveen, ahef1963, megbmore, Patchshank, fionaanne, barefootsong, hallhope, Brandy1411, Louanne, Chanda.Leah,bookmary2
4
9,036 members
163 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 63.03
Added 2023-01-16, 01:27 PM
- 21 Members
- Aquila, BookDoc16, harrietgate, camelama, bjappleg8, mstrust, cbl_tn, PaperbackPirate, atozgrl, PatsyMurray, perennialreader, Fjumonvi, miller.max, al.vick, AnneSteph, bookmary2, barefootsong, Karen74Leigh, Joy62, dave3pt0, Chanda.Leah
- Explanations
- cbl_tn: I highly recommend the audiobook narrated by Christopher Timothy!perennialreader: Loved the whole series!
5
by Anne Frank
13,561 members
245 reviews
4.1
Score 55.14
Added 2023-01-16, 01:31 PM
- 19 Members
- timspalding, kaulsu, camelama, bjappleg8, mstrust, sundancer, merrystar, atozgrl, perennialreader, susanbooks, Patchshank, hallhope, Karen74Leigh, Brandy1411, Tosta, Nikkimf88, DoomLuz, Joy62, WynneWages
- Explanations
- perennialreader: Read this book when I was her age. It has haunted me ever since.
6
16,955 members
777 reviews
4.2
Score 52.11
Added 2023-01-17, 10:28 AM
- 19 Members
- BookDoc16, kaulsu, Micheller7, raidergirl3, VenusofUrbino, mstrust, PaperbackPirate, vwinsloe, gypsysmom, msemmag, bookmary2, Ravenk, hallhope, cathy.lemann, Louanne, Tosta, Joy62, WynneWages, Chanda.Leah,ahef1963
7
9,313 members
392 reviews
4.2
Score 51.52
Added 2023-01-16, 01:29 PM
- 16 Members
- Aquila, ablachly, lulaa, EerierIdyllMeme, lahochstetler, mstrust, Heather39, sturlington, Dilara86, nancykric, Ravenk, hallhope, ManWithAnAgenda, KurtWombat, Tosta, SOShea
8
- 16 Members
- timspalding, rosalita, BookDoc16, kaulsu, Cecrow, mstrust, PaperbackPirate, Bretzky1, harray, Patchshank, hallhope, ManWithAnAgenda, Louanne, Tosta, Joy62, WynneWages,bookmary2
9
5,942 members
178 reviews
4.2
Score 48.54
Added 2023-01-16, 01:46 PM
- 15 Members
- tardis, harrietgate, camelama, mstrust, CarltonC, azimrin, miller.max, Bookwomble, bookmary2, Ravenk, barefootsong, Karen74Leigh, Louanne, myebooks, megstar111
10
3,507 members
173 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 37.77
Added 2023-01-17, 11:33 PM
- 13 Members
- brewergirl, rosalita, bangerlm, oregonobsessionz, foof2you, RBeffa, noveltea, Patchshank, bookmary2, bujeya, Tosta, KeithChaffee, Chanda.Leah
11
- 12 Members
- gbelik, oregonobsessionz, kaulsu, camelama, atozgrl, AbigailAdams26, harray, bookmary2, Wordslinger1919, Joy62, WynneWages, Chanda.Leah
- Explanations
- AbigailAdams26: One of the best biographies I have read, over the last ten years. The kick-off title of my Presidential Biography Book Club.
12
by Maya Angelou
17,556 members
259 reviews
4
Score 35.65
Added 2023-01-16, 01:37 PM
- 12 Members
- lahochstetler, jeshakespeare, camelama, PaperbackPirate, perennialreader, nancykric, Patchshank, hallhope, KurtWombat, Brandy1411, dave3pt0, megstar111
- Explanations
- perennialreader: Wonderful writing.
13
8,312 members
283 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 30.38
Added 2023-01-16, 01:19 PM
- 11 Members
- Aquila, stillramona, EerierIdyllMeme, bjappleg8, ahef1963, nancykric, Patchshank, hallhope, KurtWombat, Tosta, DoomLuz
14
- 10 Members
- brewergirl, oregonobsessionz, kaulsu, camelama, Bretzky1, noveltea, AbigailAdams26, davidflem1984, Joy62, OrangeLFL
- Explanations
- AbigailAdams26: As someone named for Abigail Adams, I have been given biographies of various Adams family members many times. This was one of my last Christmas gifts from my father.
15
by Isak Dinesen
2,348 members
24 reviews
4
Score 30.19
Added 2023-01-16, 01:27 PM
- 9 Members
- gbelik, camelama, merrystar, RBeffa, perennialreader, peterveen, Karen74Leigh, loulourevisited, Chanda.Leah
- Explanations
- perennialreader: Beautifully written.
16
- 11 Members
- lahochstetler, oregonobsessionz, ecb06c, raidergirl3, terran, foof2you, PaperbackPirate, RBeffa, nancykric, AnneSteph, SOShea
17
9,858 members
402 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 29.01
Added 2023-01-17, 08:06 AM
- 10 Members
- stillramona, rosalita, sturlington, nancykric, kristilabrie, Patchshank, msemmag, Ravenk, hallhope, Chanda.Leah
18
10,764 members
286 reviews
½ 4.5
Score 27.74
Added 2023-01-18, 01:57 PM
- 10 Members
- languagehat, BookDoc16, ecb06c, thalassa_thalassa, msemmag, bujeya, Karen74Leigh, KurtWombat, elahrairah, Lorenzaccio
- Explanations
- elahrairah: How not to survive the unsurvivable.
19
7,140 members
130 reviews
4.1
Score 26.67
Added 2023-01-16, 01:18 PM
- 9 Members
- gbelik, pitjrw, FAMeulstee, amanda4242, CarltonC, miller.max, nancykric, Ravenk, elahrairah
20
by Malcolm X
11,411 members
144 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 25.87
Added 2023-01-17, 02:27 PM
- 9 Members
- brewergirl, stillramona, kaulsu, dhm, foof2you, Patchshank, KurtWombat, Wordslinger1919, Nonconformisto
21
4,015 members
143 reviews
4.1
Score 25.71
Added 2023-01-16, 01:27 PM
- 9 Members
- gbelik, camelama, PatsyMurray, perennialreader, msemmag, bookmary2, Karen74Leigh, loulourevisited, Joy62
- Explanations
- perennialreader: Amazing woman.
22
6,837 members
339 reviews
4.2
Score 25.67
Added 2023-01-16, 02:52 PM
- 7 Members
- stillramona, gbelik, nicolecervone, katemcangus, Louanne, PhebeQ, Red-Hawk
23
12,470 members
165 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 25.15
Added 2023-01-17, 10:52 PM
- 9 Members
- sherryearly, raidergirl3, sundancer, cbl_tn, atozgrl, AnneSteph, slimikin, Joy62, WynneWages
24
by Allie Brosh
5,906 members
309 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 23.48
Added 2023-01-18, 02:00 PM
- 9 Members
- lahochstetler, camelama, Heather39, sturlington, Patchshank, Ravenk, elahrairah, SOShea, Lorenzaccio
25
4,050 members
48 reviews
4.2
Score 22.19
Added 2023-01-17, 09:56 AM
- 7 Members
- timspalding, languagehat, lulaa, pitjrw, ecb06c, peterveen, nancykric
26
792 members
38 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 21.73
Added 2023-01-16, 01:26 PM
- 7 Members
- Aquila, anglemark, RBeffa, vwinsloe, noveltea, KeithChaffee, Chanda.Leah
29
30
16,215 members
205 reviews
3.8
Score 18.38
Added 2023-01-17, 08:06 AM
- 7 Members
- kaulsu, dhm, PatsyMurray, Heather39, nancykric, kristilabrie, bookmary2
32
10,172 members
554 reviews
3.9
Score 17.05
Added 2023-01-16, 02:56 PM
- 5 Members
- PaperbackPirate, sturlington, katemcangus, StMatthewOCLibrary, mclevbrt756
33
14,370 members
618 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 16.49
Added 2023-01-17, 08:48 PM
37
by Tom Reiss
2,002 members
124 reviews
4.1
Score 15.11
Added 2023-01-21, 09:03 AM
- 5 Members
- EerierIdyllMeme, souloftherose, noveltea, KurtWombat, Nonconformisto
38
by Eudora Welty
1,874 members
28 reviews
4
Score 13.44
Added 2023-01-16, 02:52 PM
- 4 Members
- dimajazz, katemcangus, AnneSteph, JustJune
39
2,245 members
90 reviews
4.1
Score 13.23
Added 2023-01-16, 04:18 PM
- 4 Members
- kaixo, JuliaMaria, miller.max, Lorenzaccio
41
5,045 members
88 reviews
4
Score 13.02
Added 2023-01-19, 09:04 AM
- 4 Members
- rocketjk, susanbooks, Brandy1411, Cansu_Jasmine_Otan
42
5,355 members
65 reviews
4
Score 12.76
Added 2023-01-16, 01:17 PM
- 4 Members
- pitjrw, amanda4242, Karen74Leigh, sekinehnasiri
43
1,902 members
37 reviews
3.9
Score 12.68
Added 2023-01-19, 11:43 PM
- 5 Members
- brewergirl, BookDoc16, PaperbackPirate, merrystar, Fjumonvi
44
6,060 members
263 reviews
½ 4.6
Score 12.28
Added 2023-01-17, 10:28 AM
- 5 Members
- hipdeep, barefootsong, Tosta, SOShea, Lorenzaccio
45
4,147 members
168 reviews
4
Score 12.12
Added 2023-01-16, 01:28 PM
- 4 Members
- anglemark, gbelik, Ravenk, Lorenzaccio
46
4,326 members
45 reviews
4.2
Score 12.08
Added 2023-01-17, 10:48 PM
- 4 Members
- sherryearly, PatsyMurray, JuliaMaria, Karen74Leigh
48
2,371 members
104 reviews
4.1
Score 11.5
Added 2023-01-18, 01:55 PM
- 4 Members
- nicolecervone, lahochstetler, elahrairah, SOShea
- Explanations
- elahrairah: Funny and sad.
49
5,601 members
72 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 11.42
Added 2023-01-19, 02:38 PM
- 4 Members
- oregonobsessionz, PaperbackPirate, ahef1963, SOShea
50
3,616 members
64 reviews
3.9
Score 11.33
Added 2023-01-17, 07:19 PM
- 4 Members
- princessgarnet, mstrust, peterveen, Karen74Leigh
51
15,692 members
212 reviews
4
Score 10.88
Added 2023-01-23, 07:32 AM
- 4 Members
- BookDoc16, sturlington, Dannysurtr, msemmag
52
1,580 members
108 reviews
4.2
Score 10.85
Added 2023-01-16, 01:29 PM
- 4 Members
- lahochstetler, Faradaydon, Heather39, perennialreader
- Explanations
- perennialreader: About a woman who is bedridden for a year or so and how she manages.
53
23,112 members
846 reviews
4.2
Score 10.85
Added 2023-01-20, 08:04 AM
- 4 Members
- lahochstetler, vwinsloe, AnneSteph, Louanne
54
by Edward Abbey
4,495 members
100 reviews
4.2
Score 10.79
Added 2023-01-20, 09:20 PM
- 4 Members
- oregonobsessionz, gypsysmom, miller.max, JustJune
55
by Nien Cheng
1,615 members
21 reviews
4.2
Score 10.4
Added 2023-01-17, 10:49 PM
- 3 Members
- sherryearly, sssolstice, Louanne
56
1,063 members
25 reviews
4.1
Score 10.19
Added 2023-01-18, 06:01 PM
- 3 Members
- harrietgate, CarltonC, souloftherose
- Explanations
- CarltonC: Not so much an archaeological memoir, as a memoir about a time (1930's) and places (Orient Express, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq) that I imagine have changed beyond recognition. This memoir and travelogue clearly shows the author's happiness at that time, which she conveys so wonderfully in this brief book, so full of love and humour. There is little about archaeology, it is about the sights, sounds, smells and above all the people that she encountered. I was enchanted.
57
7,946 members
290 reviews
4.1
Score 10.18
Added 2023-01-17, 08:08 AM
- 4 Members
- Cecrow, PaperbackPirate, barefootsong, Red-Hawk
58
19,459 members
368 reviews
4.2
Score 10.09
Added 2023-01-18, 01:54 PM
- 4 Members
- bjappleg8, sundancer, msemmag, elahrairah
- Explanations
- elahrairah: How to survive the unsurvivable.
59
4,793 members
152 reviews
4
Score 9.87
Added 2023-01-16, 04:27 PM
60
by Stefan Zweig
3,157 members
88 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 9.67
Added 2023-01-17, 09:03 AM
- 3 Members
- FAMeulstee, Ravenk, cipeciop
61
by Dani Shapiro
1,108 members
66 reviews
3.9
Score 9.61
Added 2023-01-16, 06:06 PM
- 3 Members
- Micheller7, Ravenk, Julie_in_the_Library
62
by Andrea Wulf
3,040 members
99 reviews
4.1
Score 9.4
Added 2023-01-24, 11:48 AM
- 3 Members
- sssolstice, peterveen, msemmag
63
6,200 members
217 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 9.35
Added 2023-01-20, 06:11 PM
- 3 Members
- nicolecervone, megbmore, Wordslinger1919
65
by Maia Kobabe
2,212 members
127 reviews
4.2
Score 9.21
Added 2023-01-18, 04:29 AM
- 3 Members
- EerierIdyllMeme, Heather39, Bookwomble
66
256 members
15 reviews
½ 4.6
Score 9.05
Added 2023-01-18, 10:26 AM
72
751 members
21 reviews
4.2
Score 8.25
Added 2023-01-16, 04:22 PM
- 3 Members
- kaixo, FAMeulstee, JuliaMaria
74
4,140 members
151 reviews
4.2
Score 8.18
Added 2023-01-17, 11:33 PM
- 3 Members
- bangerlm, oregonobsessionz, sssolstice
76
1,032 members
11 reviews
3.9
Score 8
Added 2023-01-28, 10:11 AM
79
by C. S. Lewis
7,896 members
63 reviews
4
Score 7.98
Added 2023-01-17, 09:59 AM
- 3 Members
- timspalding, atozgrl, AnneSteph
80
3,619 members
66 reviews
4.2
Score 7.81
Added 2023-01-16, 01:35 PM
- 3 Members
- EerierIdyllMeme, perennialreader, KurtWombat
- Explanations
- perennialreader: “Eventually, all things merge into one, and a river runs through it.”
81
by Joan Didion
12,136 members
329 reviews
3.9
Score 7.36
Added 2023-01-16, 03:00 PM
- 2 Members
- katemcangus, KurtWombat
82
240 members
3 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 7.36
Added 2023-01-16, 02:20 PM
- 2 Members
- paradoxosalpha, amanda4242
- Explanations
- paradoxosalpha: A stand-in for the full ten volumes in the excellent Trask translation.
83
607 members
21 reviews
4.1
Score 7.04
Added 2023-01-20, 06:36 PM
84
2,168 members
24 reviews
4.1
Score 7
Added 2023-01-20, 09:41 PM
- 3 Members
- oregonobsessionz, pitjrw, RBeffa
86
781 members
13 reviews
3.9
Score 6.83
Added 2023-01-18, 01:54 PM
- 2 Members
- Faradaydon, elahrairah
- Explanations
- elahrairah: Hilarious, touching, and honest.
90
by Brian Boyd
402 members
2 reviews
½ 4.4
Score 6.56
Added 2023-01-17, 09:56 AM
- 2 Members
- timspalding, dimajazz
92
243 members
13 reviews
½ 3.5
Score 6.4
Added 2023-01-19, 09:47 AM
93
by Paul Collins
1,410 members
63 reviews
½ 3.6
Score 6.31
Added 2023-01-18, 10:26 AM
- 2 Members
- mstrust, barefootsong
95
by Roxane Gay
2,723 members
136 reviews
4.2
Score 6.19
Added 2023-01-20, 06:16 PM
- 2 Members
- nicolecervone, sturlington
96
97
1,869 members
30 reviews
4.2
Score 5.92
Added 2023-01-17, 08:07 AM
98
318 members
5 reviews
4.2
Score 5.92
Added 2023-01-18, 01:59 PM
99
by Roz Chast
1,875 members
132 reviews
½ 4.3
Score 5.87
Added 2023-01-17, 10:27 AM
- 2 Members
- lulaa, VenusofUrbino
