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Biography and Memoir January 2026 |
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Heart Life Music by Kenny ChesneyIn college, Kenny Chesney found himself on a barstool with a guitar and an unexpected connection between people, life, and songs. His heart caught fire. With Nashville's vibrant creative scene, characters, legends, and places now long gone from the city he encountered in those early days, Chesney explores the quest to find himself as an artist and a man, as well as a sense of home anywhere there's an ocean. If you're a fan of country music, try this next: Life's Too Short by Darius Rucker.
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Somewhere, a Boy and a Bear: A. A. Milne and the Creation of Winnie-The-Pooh by Gyles BrandrethFor the 100th anniversary of the publication of Winnie-the-Pooh, Gyles Brandreth chronicles the writing of this beloved classic and the life of its creator, A. A. Milne. The book moves from idyllic childhood games in the English countryside to New York in the 1930s and the love affairs, litigation, and heartrending family rifts that touched the life of one of Britain's most brilliant writers and his most famous creation. Read-alike: Dear Readers and Riders: The Beloved Books, Faithful Fans, and Hidden Private Life of Marguerite Henry by Lettie Teague.
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| Simply More: A Book for Anyone Who Has Been Told They're Too Much by Cynthia ErivoTheater, music, and film star Cynthia Erivo reflects on how far she has come while encouraging her readers to consider their own unrealized potential. Confident from an early age that she had a lot to offer the world, Erivo nevertheless had her share of detractors and setbacks, and she inspires readers to persist in their dreams, seek balance, and keep moving forward. For another stirring memoir of succeeding through struggle, try Leslie F*cking Jones by Leslie Jones. |
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Unfettered by John FettermanUnited States Senator John Fetterman shares the story of his journey in public service (which started by winning his first election by a single vote in 2005), including unvarnished details of his life-threatening stroke and struggles with depression, the truth about what really happens in Washington, and his vision for navigating our divided country's future. For another candid, honest, political autobiography, try Amy Klobuchar's The Joy of Politics: Surviving Cancer, a Campaign, a Pandemic, an Insurrection, and Life's Other Unexpected Curveballs.
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| The Insider: Malcolm Cowley and the Triumph of American Literature by Gerald HowardEditor Gerald Howard pens a fast-paced look at the life of writer, editor, and literary critic Malcolm Cowley, a 20th-century giant of American letters whose orbit intersected with those of William Faulkner, Ernest Hemingway, Jack Kerouac, and many others. For fans of: Everybody Behaves Badly: The True Story Behind Hemingway’s Masterpiece "The Sun Also Rises" by Lesley M. M. Blume. |
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The Look by Michelle ObamaThe Look is Michelle Obama's inspiring reflection on how fashion has shaped her public and personal journey. Featuring over 200 beautiful photos, she shares the stories behind her most memorable outfits. More than a celebration of style, the book explores how clothing can express confidence, purpose, and authenticity. Further reading: Everyday Icon: Michelle Obama and the Power of Language.
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Finding My Way: A Memoir by Malala YousafzaiMalala Yousafzai, the youngest Nobel Peace Prize recipient and bestselling author of I Am Malala, shares the most private journey of her young life. With an accessible voice that showcases the parts of her life rarely shown in public, Malala traces her path from high school loner to reckless college student to a young woman at peace with her remarkable past and hopeful for the future. You might also like: Playing for Freedom by Zarifa Adiba,
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| The Six Loves of James I by Gareth RussellHistorian Gareth Russell’s well-researched biography of England’s James I is a gossipy exposé of the first Stuart king. By detailing James’ loving relationships with both women (his wife Anna of Denmark) and men (royal favorite Lord George Villiers), Russell’s book normalizes the subject of homosexuality among British royalty while providing a riveting read. For more about the James' favorite, the Duke of Buckingham, check out Lucy Hughes-Hallett's The Scapegoat: The Brilliant Brief Life of the Duke of Buckingham. |
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| Bread of Angels by Patti SmithPoet, musician, author, and all-around artist Patti Smith impresses with a life-spanning memoir. Smith’s writing is always lyrical, dreamlike, and filled with literary references, but here she uses it to reveal snippets of her restless, sickly childhood and intimate fragments of her marriage to the late Fred “Sonic” Smith. Somewhat of a return to form from her recent work, Bread of Angels is highly recommended for fans of Smith’s National Book Award-winning autobiography Just Kids. |
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Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice by Virginia Roberts GiuffreThe world knows Virginia Roberts Giuffre as Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell's most outspoken victim: the woman whose decision to speak out helped send both serial abusers to prison, whose photograph with Prince Andrew catalyzed his fall from grace. But her story has never been told in full, in her own words--until now. In April 2025, Giuffre took her own life. She left behind a memoir written in the years preceding her death and stated unequivocally that she wanted it published. For another sexual abuse survivor's story of her search for justice, try Know My Name by Chanel Miller.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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