New Biographies & Memoirs
May 2025
Our Librarians have selected some of the newest biographies in the collection.
In My Element: Life Lessons from the World's Toughest Solo Ocean Race
by Pip Hare

The author, a middle-aged woman, offers a straight and gripping recounting of her incredible non-stop, solo journey from the fringes of Antarctica to Cape Horn in the Vendee Globe Race, one of the world's toughest sporting events, while acknowledging that success never comes without the mistakes and mishaps that provide opportunities to learn and grow.
Notes to John
by Joan Didion
 
In this journal, an intimate account revealing previously unknown sides of the renowned author, readers are privy to details of her psychiatric sessions, in which she described issues of alcoholism, adoption, depression, anxiety, guilt, her work and legacy and the heartbreaking complexities of her relationship with her daughter Quintana.
Waiting on the Moon: Artists, Poets, Drifters, Grifters, and Goddesses
by Peter Wolf

In the tradition of classic collections of observations and musings, such as Christopher Isherwood's I Am a Camera and Truman Capote's The Dogs Bark, Waiting on the Moon is a treasure trove of vignettes from the legendary musical figure whose career spans more than six decades and is still going strong.
Matriarch: A Memoir
by Tina Knowles-Lawson

The mother of iconic singer-songwriters Beyoncé Knowles-Carter, Solange Knowles and bonus daughter Kelly Rowland, known worldwide as a Matriarch with a capital "M", here offers one brilliant woman's intimate and revealing story and a multigenerational family saga that carries within it the story of America - and the wisdom that women pass on to each other, mothers to daughters, across generations.
Damn Glad to Meet You: My Seven Decades in the Hollywood Trenches
by Tim Matheson

Matheson takes his fans behind the scenes of the actor's seven-decade Hollywood career, sharing stories from his roles in iconic shows and films, experiences with industry legends, transition to directing and Emmy-nominated performances.
Nights at the Red Steinway: Adventures in Jazz Piano, from The Wall Street Journal and Elsewhere
by Will Friedwald

The music journalist collects his columns published in The Wall Street Journal and The New York Sun between 2003 and 2024 for this exuberant ode to the great jazz pianists.
When the Going Was Good: An Editor's Adventures during the Last Golden Age of Magazines
by Graydon Carter

The journalist and editor recounts his journey from launching Spy magazine to transforming Vanity Fair during his 25-year tenure, detailing his editorial innovations, his collaborations with legendary contributors and his role in shaping the magazine's cultural prominence amidst the challenges of the digital media era.
Care and Feeding: A Memoir
by Laurie Woolever

The food writer offers a witty and candid memoir chronicling her chaotic journey through the food world, navigating toxic dynamics, bold mentors and personal struggles, while seeking purpose and balance between career ambition and motherhood.
On the Hippie Trail: Istanbul to Kathmandu and the Making of a Travel Writer
by Rick Steves

The travel guru offers a glimpse into the unforgettable moments, misadventures and memories of his 1978 journey on the legendary Hippie Trail from Istanbul to Kathmandu, which ignited his love of travel and forever broadened his perspective on the world.
Boat Baby: A Memoir
by Vicky Nguyen

The NBC News anchor and correspondent recounts - with laughter and fierce love - the story of her family's daring and heroic escape from communist Vietnam and her unlikely journey from refugee to reporter.
 
Browse a complete list of new biographies & memoirs here.
 
 
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PHONE:  415.789.2661  |  EMAIL: info@beltiblibrary.org
 
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