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Biography and Memoir July 2026 |
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| True Crime by Patricia CornwellKay Scarpetta series author Patricia Cornwell’s autobiography reads like a gritty, dramatic backstory for one of her characters. She talks plainly but captivatingly about her dysfunctional childhood, the multiple incidents of sexual violence she endured, her early journalism career, and the real-life female medical examiner who served as inspiration for Scarpetta. This chatty, candid memoir has “more action and drama than many novels” (Kirkus Reviews). |
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| Monster of a Land: On the Road in Search of Modern America by Lauren HoughMemoirist Lauren Hough hits the road with her dog, Woody, in an American travelogue inspired by John Steinbeck’s Travels with Charley. As she traverses the states, Hough alternates road anecdotes with scenes from her life -- pondering friendship cut short by death and taking stock of modern life’s compromises and indignities; yet she somehow mines hopeful conclusions in a book that’s “as much of a journey inward as it is outward” (Library Journal). For fans of: The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road by E. A. Hanks. |
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Desi Arnaz: The Man Who Invented Television
by Todd S. Purdum
An illuminating biography of Desi Arnaz, the visionary, trailblazing Cuban American who revolutionized television and brought laughter to millions as Lucille Ball's beloved husband on I Love Lucy, leaving a remarkable legacy that continues to influence American culture today. Purdum's biography, enriched with unpublished materials and interviews, reveals the man behind the legend and highlights his enduring contributions to pop culture and television. This book is a must-read biography about innovation, resilience and the relentless drive of a man who changed TV forever.
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| Checkmate: Genius, Lies, Ambition, and the Biggest Scandal in Chess by Ben MezrichIn September 2022, 19-year-old chess competitor Hans Niemann toppled grandmaster Magnus Carlsen in a face-to-face match, stunning the chess world. Carlsen accused Niemann of cheating shortly afterwards, and author Ben Mezrich (Breaking Twitter) revisits the resulting scandal. The back-and-forth recriminations, intensified by the involvement of the popular gaming site Chess.com, would turn this high-drama feud into the stuff of legends. Try this next: Rebel Queen: The Cold War, Misogyny, and the Making of a Grandmaster by Susan Polgar. |
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| Inspiration Porn: Essays by Ryan O'ConnellAuthor and television writer Ryan O’Connell (I’m Special) presents a memoir in essays in which he keeps the tone irreverent and jokey while discussing navigating life as a disabled gay man (he has a mild form of cerebral palsy). O’Connell talks about his early struggles with dating, addiction, and insecurity before he found the confidence to write in his own voice, leading to a successful Hollywood writing career and a long-term relationship. For fans of: Actress of a Certain Age: My Twenty-Year Trail to Overnight Success by Jeff Hiller. |
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| Something We Said: Richard Pryor, a Notorious Word, and Me by Elizabeth Stordeur PryorThe inspiration for history professor Elizabeth Stordeur Pryor’s memoir began with a tense moment in class when a student casually dropped the same racial epithet that her father, the late comedian Richard Pryor, had used countless times in his stage shows as a storytelling device and a totem of Black identity. Pryor recalls treasured moments with her father while considering the complicated multiple meanings of a charged part of our lexicon. For fans of thought-provoking stories about identity and family like The Mixed Marriage Project by Dorothy Roberts. |
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Seriously Silly: The Life of Terry Jones (the Authorised Biography)
by Robert Ross
Seriously Silly is an intimate portrait of Terry Jones - Python, actor, director, historian, reluctant national treasure and purveyor of sincere silliness - written by the man he chose to tell the story of his life. From his Welsh upbringing in Colwyn Bay, to meeting his lifelong friend Michael Palin at Oxford through revue sketches, anarchic children's shows and the creative genius of Monty Python, this is the story of a comedy legend.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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