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Biography and Memoir June 2025 |
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Desi Arnaz : The Man Who Invented Television
by Todd S. Purdum
Chronicles the life of a trailblazing Cuban American who revolutionized television and brought laughter to millions as Lucille Ball's beloved husband on I Love Lucy, leaving a legacy that continues to influence American culture today. Illustrations.
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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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Wild thing : a life of Paul Gauguin
by Sue Prideaux
"Paul Gauguin's legend as a transgressive genius arises as much from his biography as his aesthetically daring Polynesian paintings. Gauguin is chiefly known for his pictures that eschewed convention, to celebrate the beauty of an indigenous people and their culture. In this gorgeously illustrated, myth-busting work, Sue Prideaux reveals that while Gauguin was a complicated man, his scandalous reputation is largely undeserved.Self-taught, Gauguin became a towering artist in his brief life, not just in painting but in ceramics and graphics. He fled the bustle of Paris for the beauty of Tahiti, where he lived simply and worked consistently to expose the tragic results of French Colonialism. Gauguin fought for the rights of Indigenous people, exposing French injustices and corruption in the local newspaper and acting as advocate for the Tahitian people in the French colonial courts. His unconventional career and bold, breathtaking art influenced not only Vincent van Gogh, but Matisse and Picasso"
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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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| 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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Marsha: The Joy and Defiance of Marsha P. Johnson
by Tourmaline
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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| 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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Rolling Meadows Library
3110 Martin Lane, Rolling Meadows, Illinois 60008
8472596050www.rmlib.org |
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