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Biography and Memoir June 2025 |
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| Mark Twain by Ron ChernowWhat it is: In 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 GrammerWhat it is: Actor 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 TourmalineWhat it is: Award-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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| I Was Better Last Night by Harvey FiersteinWhat it is: This 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: Not My Father's Son by Alan Cumming. |
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Baggage: Tales from a Fully Packed Life
by Alan Cumming
What it is: Behind the fun-loving, happy persona is the truth of Alan's life, a truth he shares in Baggage. The message that comes through time and time again in this wise and witty second memoir is that the past is not something to forget or 'get over.' An entertaining, but entirely thoughtful, memoir of a man who embraces both the darkness and the light, Baggage is a true delight from start to finish.
Reviewers say: “Revealing and witty…Engaging and often funny, this surprisingly deep work beguiles with its sharp observations and earnest life lessons.” (Publishers Weekly)
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| The Best Strangers in the World: Stories from a Life Spent Listening by Ari ShapiroWhat it is: This 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-LavadoWhat it is: Grappling 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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