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Biography and Memoir August 2026 |
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| Auden by Peter AckroydHistorian and novelist Peter Ackroyd offers a closely studied portrait of W.H. Auden, the celebrated British expatriate poet, professor, and LGBTQIA+ figure. Readers get a detailed view of Auden’s staunch work ethic, fierce intellect, and singular lyrical virtuosity; but also an intimate look into the poet’s personal slovenliness and many romantic infidelities, all “told with flair and flourish” (Kirkus Reviews). Try this next: Christopher Isherwood Inside Out by Katherine Bucknell. |
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| Fully Baked: A Messy Memoir by Rosebud BakerIn comedian and former SNL writer Rosebud Baker’s Fully Baked, she reflects on an upbringing colored by dysfunction and tragedy, and how the experience taught her the value of laughter in the face of trauma. Baker’s “joke-dense” (Booklist) debut recounts her tumultuous journey to discovering her talent for standup and, eventually, choosing sobriety, marriage, and motherhood -- heavily laced with her trademark sarcasm and dark humor. For fans of: What in the World?! by Leanne Morgan. |
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Life Without Reservations: Growing Up at the Famed Ambassador Hotel 1921 to 1938
by Carlyn Frank Benjamin and Lisa Benjamin Gilmour
Join Carlyn Frank Benjamin on a marvelous journey through every corner of the legendary Ambassador Hotel where she and her family lived during the glamour and growth of Los Angeles and Hollywood's golden years. Carlyn's daughter and co-author, Lisa, completed Life Without Reservations after losing her mother. She reflects on the remarkable life Carlyn created and closes each chapter with a Dear Mom letter, where she reminisces on all that was never asked and shares the heartache of an opportunity long gone. Both authors in this mother-daughter memoir write with poignancy and humor.
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Unsayable: A Life in Writing
by Michael Cunningham
Michael Cunningham, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Hours, reflects upon his memories and on the craft of writing in this intimate memoir portraying a life spent trying to describe the indescribable. Try this next: Small Town Girls by Jayne Ann Phillips.
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| Catching Sight: How a Guide Dog Helped Me See Myself by Deni Elliott with Graham BuckDeni Elliott, a professor of ethics who was born with limited eyesight, co-authors her memoir with Graham Buck, the dog trainer who matched her with guide dogs Alberta and Koala, both of whom are charismatic characters in her story. Elliott narrates their shared adventures with humor and wit, helping readers appreciate both the challenges of vision-impaired disability and the amazing intelligence and sensitivity of her canine helpers. |
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| Push the Wall: My Life, Writing, Drawing, and the Art of Storytelling by Frank MillerLauded comics author and artist Frank Miller (Dark Knight Returns, Sin City) tells his life story with a tone as edgy as his comics oeuvre. His passion for storytelling remains undimmed as he peppers his career highlights with advice for fellow creators, exhorting readers to “push the wall” -- i.e. force creative boundaries outward to make something new. Miller’s book, generously illustrated with his groundbreaking artwork, will appeal to fans of Magic Words: The Extraordinary Life of Alan Moore by Lance Parkin. |
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The First Lady Next Door: A Memoir of Iceland, Identity, and Unexpected Adventure
by Eliza Reid
A witty, behind-the-scenes memoir of life as Iceland's First Lady, national bestselling author Eliza Reid's story reveals how resilience, humor, and boldness can turn unexpected challenges into extraordinary opportunities. Part fish out-of-water story and part fairy tale, The First Lady Next Door takes readers from rural Ontario to Timbuktu, and from the White House to Buckingham Palace. Eliza shows how embracing authenticity in all its messiness can become our greatest strength, even when the world expects polished perfection. After all, our everyday moments are what create the road map for making the unexpected count.
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Hiroshima, 8:15: The Lost Memoir
by Kiyoshi Tanimoto
A newly discovered firsthand account of the Hiroshima bombing and its aftermath from one of the survivors, Methodist minister Kiyoshi Tanimoto. This singular memoir is both an invaluable addition to the historical record and an urgent eyewitness testimony of one of the most calamitous events to befall humanity. At a time when the threat of nuclear war still looms, Tanimoto's message of peace, and his vision of a better path forward for humankind, is of vital importance.
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Blow by Blow: The Jeff Beck Story
by Brad Tolinski
A revealing narrative biography of legendary British guitarist Jeff Beck featuring brand new interviews with the icon himself as well as his famous colleagues, collaborators, and loved ones, this book sheds new light on the genius that Jimmy Page once said "shifted the whole sound and face of electric guitar music."
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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