(Non)Fiction 101: Memoirs & Autobiographies

Real Life, Real Stories: Memoirs and Autobiographies

by Shelby D., Evening Supervisor

Hi! This is Fiction 101 where I talk about books and genres — from cozy reads, to mysteries, to fantasy, and everything in between. Last month, in honor of the Summer Reading Program, I focused on adventure fiction. This month, I’m going to talk about memoirs and autobiographies.

Memoirs and autobiographies are true stories that the author tells about themselves — a memoir is about a specific period of time in an author’s life while an autobiography covers the author’s entire life. Both are written by the author, as opposed to a biography which is a true story about a person, but written by someone else. Memoirs bring insight into other people and their lives, providing content that can be relatable and possibly help readers process their own experiences. Other times, these books can grant awareness into the lives of others. In my opinion, audiobooks can be a fun way to listen to memoirs and autobiographies, especially when the author narrates the book themselves — it adds an even more personal touch!

Ready to dive in? Check out these memoir and autobiography recommendations:

• I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

• Bossy Pants by Tina Fey

• Yes Please by Amy Poehler

• Wild by Cheryl Strayed

• I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai

• Born a Crime by Trevor Noah

Memoirs and autobiographies can be such amazing reads since people live such unique lives. As such, learning more about favorite celebrities and others can sometimes be better than fiction! Personally, I have a weakness for memoirs by comedians who have such a gift for funny storytelling and outlooks on life that differ from mine. I always make it a goal every year to read memoirs by some of my favorite people. 

Thank you for joining me for (Non)Fiction 101. Join me next month for a dive into graphic novels!