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Biography and Memoir January 2026 |
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| Joan Crawford: A Woman's Face by Scott EymanFilm historian Scott Eyman unveils a comprehensive and evenhanded biography of Joan Crawford, an original “femme fatale” of Hollywood’s golden age. Noted for her unfaltering work ethic over a five-decade career, Crawford was closely guarded about her private life. Eyman unearths sources that highlight her impoverished upbringing, multiple marriages, and the allegations of abuse of her adopted children in this “juicy Hollywood saga” (Library Journal). |
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| Insomnia by Robbie RobertsonIn a posthumous autobiography, musician and songwriter Robbie Robertson relates a rapid-fire, impressionistic collection of anecdotes surrounding an extended lost weekend in 1970s Los Angeles with film director Martin Scorsese. Exiled from their family home by his wife for bad behavior, Robertson moved in with Scorsese, dove into a pile of cocaine, and partied with the stars while the pair assembled the raw footage of The Last Waltz concert film. This is perfect for fans of high-octane music memoirs like Under a Rock by Blondie’s Chris Stein. |
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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 Stuart monarchs, check out Don Jordan and Michael Walsh’s The King’s Bed: Ambition and Intimacy in the Court of Charles II. |
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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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American Shield: The Immigrant Sergeant Who Defended Democracy
by Aquilino Gonell and Susan Shapiro
Iraq War veteran and former United States Capitol Police officer Aquilino Gonell affectingly recounts his experiences during the January 6, 2021 insurrection, detailing how his injuries sustained from the attacks ended his law enforcement career and later spurred him to publicly testify at the January 6 Select Committee investigation. Try this next: Standing My Ground: A Capitol Police Officer's Fight for Accountability and Good Trouble After January 6th by Harry Dunn.
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A History of My Brief Body
by Billy-Ray Belcourt
This thought-provoking and lyrical memoir-in-essays from Canada's first First Nations Rhodes Scholar explores themes of colonialism, trauma, queer identity, and freedom. Read-alike: Mamaskatch: A Cree Coming of Age by Darrel J. McLeod.
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Contact your librarian for more great books!
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