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Biography and Memoir October 2026 |
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Voice of a Century: The Life and Artistry of Marian Anderson
by Anthony Tommasini
A Kirkus Most Anticipated Book of Fall 2026 From the New York Times's former chief classical music critic, a tribute to one of the great singers of modern times and a national treasure who broke racial barriers. As Arturo Toscanini famously said after attending one of Anderson's performances: What I heard today one is privileged to hear only once in a hundred years. Now, we get to experience this again, in the context of Anderson's dignified leadership, authenticity, and majestic presence.
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| Finding Renée Richards: The Groundbreaking Story of Tennis's Trans Pioneer by Julie KliegmanJournalist Julie Kliegman weaves the controversy surrounding trans women athletes into their biography of Renée Richards, a transgender ophthalmologist and amateur tennis player who made waves in 1977 when she successfully sued for the right to compete in the U.S. Women’s Open. Richards, today happily retired at age 90 and interviewed by the author, drops a surprising bombshell at the book’s conclusion. Try this next: Fair Play: How Sports Shape the Gender Debates by Katie Barnes. |
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| Hiroshima, 8:15: The Lost Memoir by Kiyoshi TanimotoJapanese Methodist minister Kiyoshi Tanimoto happened to be across town from his Hiroshima apartment on an errand at 8:15 am on August 6th, 1945. In this detailed memoir, he records firsthand the horror he witnessed, from narrowly escaping the atomic blast to his journey home to his family. Though Tanimoto first told his story to journalist John Hersey for a piece in the New Yorker, his original manuscript was only recently rediscovered. For a similar read, try The Devil Reached Toward the Sky: An Oral History of the Making and Unleashing of the Atomic Bomb by Garrett M. Graff. |
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| The Wound Is Where the Light Enters: A Memoir of Resilience by Chris YoungFor a teenaged Chris Young, selling drugs was the only available escape from his poverty-stricken and violent domestic life. Upon being handed a mandatory life sentence after multiple felony arrests, Young startled everyone at his hearing by advocating for himself armed with nothing but his extensive reading of the books in the prison library, a speech that eventually secured his early release. Young’s story of overcoming tremendous odds is a “resonant, inspirational tale of redemption” (Booklist) that underscores the racism and injustice corrupting the penal system. |
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Is This It: The Never-Ending Rise and Fall of the Strokes (and Rock 'n' Roll)
by Steven Hyden
From an acclaimed music critic and author, an in-depth analysis of the rise and fall of rock n' roll through the lens of one of the best albums of the 21st century--The Strokes' Is This It. Hyden uses The Strokes' classic album Is This It as a vehicle for examining rock's radically changing role in pop culture over the last twenty-five years, and explores how while rock music may rise and fall, it--much like The Strokes--will never die.
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| Monsters in the Archives: My Year of Fear with Stephen King by Caroline BicksShakespeare scholar Caroline Bicks occupies the University of Maine’s inaugural Stephen E. King Chair in Literature, a fortuitous position that quickly led to a dialogue and friendship with Mr. King. In an accessible voice, Bicks reveals creepy parallels between the works of the Bard and those of the Master of Scares, and even shares some nuggets of writing wisdom from the famous author himself. If this interests you, seek out King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft. |
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| Edgar Allan Poe: A Life by Richard KopleyEnglish professor Richard Kopley offers a detailed account of Edgar Allan Poe’s brief life mixed with close readings of the author and poet’s work. With the latter, Kopley makes a persuasive case for Poe as the godfather of both the horror and detective genres, though his achievements were undermined by his demons -- namely, alcohol; grief at the death of his young wife, Virginia; and frustration at his failure to gain financial success for his writing. In a crowded field, this biography “can well be called definitive” (Kirkus Reviews). |
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The Paranormal Ranger: A Navajo Investigator's Search for the Unexplained
by Stanley Milford, Jr.
Named one of the New York Times' 22 Nonfiction Books to Read This Fall, Stanley Milford, Jr.'s engaging memoir chronicles his experiences working as a Navajo Ranger in Arizona, where he investigated paranormal occurrences and other unexplained phenomena. For fans of: The 37th Parallel: The Secret Truth Behind America's UFO Highway by Ben Mezrich.
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| Yours Cruelly, Elvira: Memoirs of the Mistress of the Dark by Cassandra PetersonShe’s best known as the busty, pun-slinging vamp and horror hostess Elvira, but TV personality Cassandra Peterson’s backstory is one of grit and perseverance. Growing up in Colorado in a home rife with abuse and addiction, Peterson knew early on that she wanted to become a showgirl, decamping to Las Vegas fresh out of high school. After this early start, she came to many things late in life -- fame as Elvira, motherhood, and, finally, true love with her same-sex partner when she was 51. Peterson’s memoir is candid, ghoulishly funny, and inspiring. |
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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