I’ve never really considered myself a heavy reader of memoirs but I seem to be gravitating toward them more and more lately. I’m fascinated by other people’s life stories, especially when they’re the polar opposite of mine. I love a good story of overcoming and I have several for you on this list.
North of Normal: A Memoir of My Wilderness Childhood, My Unusual Family and How I Survived Both by Cea Sunrise Person It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that while I was growing up and going to school, another girl was living in the deep Canadian forest in a makeshift tent away from civilization. The really fascinating part of this story is how she came to realize that the “normal” she knew wasn’t what she wanted to or had to become. (The e-book is free for Amazon prime users right now.)
The Polygamist’s Daughter by Anna LeBaron with Leslie Wilson I read The Sound of Gravel a couple of years ago and this memoir is very similar. (In fact, I heard the author on a podcast and I think she said they’re actually distant cousins.) LeBaron grew up as the daughter of a well-known polygamist’s leader but actually never really knew him. The story of her childhood is fascinating as they were always on the run and heartbreaking as she had so few people who showed her love and safety.
Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate I think this is the book recommended to me most since I’ve started doing these blog posts. I FINALLY read it and it lived up to your glowing recommendations. Although not a memoir, it’s based on a real life orphanage and some of the terrible things that happened there. Some of it is hard to take in (they literally took the kids away from their parents to put them into wealthier homes) but such a good read.
Smoke Gets In Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty So, this one was a departure from what I usually read. I gave it a try when I found it on Amazon Prime, and it was disgustingly fascinating. It’s written by a young woman who goes into the field of cremation and details her 0n-the-job learning experiences and the events that led her to a career centered around death. I learned so much about what happens to bodies and it made me think about why we do what we do with the dead. I really liked this book but I’m not sure that I would recommend it to someone who has recently lost somebody. It’s pretty detailed.
Maid: Hard Work, Low Pay, and a Mother’s Will to Survive by Stephanie Land This one really had an effect on me. It’s the memoir of a young, single mom who struggled to raise her daughter on welfare while cleaning other people’s houses. While I think my schedule is hectic and my kitchen is a disaster, I was reminded that there are moms who are worrying about feeding their kids their next meal and keeping the heat on in the winter. Every hour of pay mattered as she struggled, and her ability to press on when all was going against her is inspiring. This is a great read for everyone.
Save Me From Myself: How I Found God, Quit Korn, Kicked Drugs and Lived to Tell My Story by Brian “Head” Welch I’ve never listened to one Korn song, nor do I ever plan to, but something made me pick this book up and I’m glad I did. This is an amazing story of a rock star who had it all, including a terrible alcohol and drug addiction and how he eventually found God and turned his life around. I appreciate that he doesn’t hold back on the gory details and his honesty in the difficult path to fully surrendering his life. (This e-book is also free on Prime right now.)
What have you read lately? Any good memoirs I should know about?
Wow! That’s a LOT of deep reading in a short time. Read Beneath the Scarlet Sky! It’s a fascinating story of an Italian teen and what he did during World War II. Fascinating.
Ha! It’s been a while since I’ve done a book post. I don’t read all that fast ;)
Beyond the Point by Claire Gibson is absolutely worth reading. This is her first novel although she’s written many articles for magazines. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.
Never heard of it. Thanks for the recommendation!
I just finished the yellow crocus book that I think may have been a rec from you. I loved it! Hated to see it end.
Yes! I loved that one.
Thank you for another batch of really interesting-looking books! I’m excited to get started as I always enjoy your recommendations. One of my favorite reads in recent years was Where The Wind Leads by Vinh Chung about a refugee family from Vietnam and the miracles that brought them to the US, their conversion to Christianity, and life here in the states with their large family. I can’t recommend this book enough.
Thanks for the recommendation!
If you like memoirs you should read Educated and The Girl with Seven Names.
Great choices, thanks! I love to read and listen to Audible.
I just finished The Pearl of Orr’s Island by Harriet Beecher Stowe. Beautifully written and a fascinating story. The character development is excellent and even though this was written in the mid- 1800’s, you will recognize these people as similar to someone you know today. This is a spiritual story and profound in its conclusion. I loved reading it. It was a free e-book. I highly recommend.
I just finished reading Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance and would absolutely recommend it.
I have read so many of the books you have shared on these posts and feel like we have similar tastes in reading, so I look forward to checking these out. I also read and enjoyed Before We Were Yours but had to put down the book, Maid, before fifty pages were done. I just couldn’t like it even though many have raved about it. I found her too whiny for me to get into her book.
I love that you challenge yourself with such different types of subjects!
I can not put down North Of Normal!! Thank you for the rec.
It’s pretty crazy. Glad you’re enjoying it!
Your book posts are some of my favorites! Thanks for sharing!
I’m really loving books about the First Ladies! Michelle Obama’s Becoming and Susan Page’s The Matriarch about Barbara Bush are fascinating! So very different, but wonderful.
I’m on a very long library list for Michelle Obama’s book. :)
Many thanks for the book recs. Put them on my summer must read list!!
Thanks for sharing, found a few that might work for walks.
Code Name: Lise was very good non-fiction read about a female spy in WW2
Oh, I love these posts! I always find something new to read from your suggestions (and your reader’s comments!)
I just finished The Gown: A Novel of the Royal Wedding by Jennifer Robson. It’s an historical fiction book about two women who were embroiderers on Queen Elizabeth’s (then Princess Elizabeth) wedding dress. The author really draws the reader into the world of couture and the drama involved with designing the royal wedding gown. But it’s not just about the gown, it’s also about the lives of these two women. The author also ties the story to the present when the granddaughter of one of the women finds a box of embroidered flowers after the grandmother passes away. The granddaughter then seeks to find out about the history of the flowers and to learn more about her grandmother. It’s a great read!
Definitely read Educated; it’s fascinating and raw.
I’m reading The Coddling of the American Mind: how good intentions and bad ideas are setting up a generation for failure. Highly recommend!
I just started The Address by Fiona Davis, hoping to get a nice fiction break from all the nonfiction & memoir I’ve been reading lately.
I just finished The Address and loved it! So interesting that it’s built around a real place.
Far Outside the Ordinary… and the follow up ‘Chasing Ordinary’ by Prissy Elrod!