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Biography and Memoir June 2025 |
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| Mark Twain by Ron ChernowIn his well-researched latest, Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Ron Chernow (Alexander Hamilton) offers a nuanced and richly detailed portrait of writer Mark Twain that's been deemed a "monumental achievement" (Booklist) and "essential reading" (Kirkus Reviews). For fans of: Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin. |
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| Karen: A Brother Remembers by Kelsey GrammerActor Kelsey Grammer reflects on the 1975 kidnapping, rape, and murder of his teenage sister Karen in this affecting account of grief and healing. Try this next: The Friday Afternoon Club: A Family Memoir by Griffin Dunne. |
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| Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson by TourmalineAward-winning filmmaker Tourmaline expands upon her 2017 documentary film Happy Birthday, Marsha! for this inspiring and incisive portrait of pioneering trans activist and drag queen Marsha P. Johnson, who played a key role during the Stonewall riots in 1969 and co-founded the Street Transvestite Action Revolutionaries (STAR) in 1970. Further reading: Glitter and Concrete: A Cultural History of Drag in New York City by Elyssa Maxx Goodman. |
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| The Art Spy: The Extraordinary Untold Tale of WWII Resistance Hero Rose Valland by Michelle YoungJournalist and Columbia architecture professor Michelle Young's unputdownable latest chronicles the daring exploits of French art historian and museum curator Rose Valland, who became a member of the French Resistance during World War II and fought tirelessly to save artworks looted by the Nazis. Try this next: Fragile Cargo: The World War II Race to Save the Treasures of China's Forbidden City by Adam Brookes. |
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| A Renaissance of Our Own: A Memoir & Manifesto on Reimagining by Rachel E. CargleBlack queer activist Rachel E. Cargle's empowering blend of self-help and memoir reveals how she created her knowledge, empathy, and action (KEA) framework to dismantle oppressive systems and create healing ones in their place. Further reading: How to Live Free in a Dangerous World: A Decolonial Memoir by Shayla Lawson. |
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| I Was Better Last Night by Harvey FiersteinThis witty memoir from four-time Tony Award-winning actor and playwright Harvey Fierstein explores the author's coming out and commitment to gay rights activism, his creative process and artistic coming of age, and working on Broadway hits including Torch Song Trilogy, La Cage aux Folles, and Kinky Boots. Try this next: Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life by Alan Cumming. |
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| Ten Steps to Nanette: A Memoir Situation by Hannah GadsbyAward-winning comedian Hannah Gadsby's bestselling "can't-miss" (Library Journal) memoir-in-essays chronicles their fraught coming-of-age in 1980s Tasmania, surviving sexual abuse, the evolution of their stand-up comedy, and more. Try this next: Save Yourself by Cameron Esposito. |
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| The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening by Ari ShapiroThis debut memoir-in-essays from NPR's All Things Considered co-host and former White House correspondent Ari Shapiro offers an incisive behind-the-scenes look at the stories behind Shapiro's reportage and is equal parts amusing and affecting. For fans of: All I Did Was Ask: Conversations with Writers, Actors, Musicians and Artists by Terry Gross. |
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| In the Shadow of the Mountain: A Memoir of Courage by Silvia Vasquez-LavadoGrappling with alcoholism and memories of childhood sexual abuse, Peruvian-born Silicon Valley executive Silvia Vasquez-Lavado began climbing mountains, eventually starting a nonprofit to help girls heal through adventure and becoming the first openly gay woman to climb the Seven Summits. For fans of: Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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