Biography & Memoir

McBride’s story of self-discovery, determination, and love made me check my privilege, cheer, and cry. She earnestly and intelligently reflects on her life, from coming out as a trans woman, to walking to corridors of power, to falling in love and losing her husband. This compelling read highlights how far we still have to go towards actual liberty and justice for all. - Jocelyn

At 21, Johnson was kidnapped and held captive by her abusive ex-boyfriend in the soundproof room where he intended to kill her, but her incredible memoir isn’t about that. It’s about the before and after, a reminder to believe survivors when they do the hard work of telling their stories. Johnson tells hers through lyrical prose that turns even the ugliest tragedy into something beautiful. - Kristi

This is a perfect summer nonfiction read for anytime you want an escape. Finnegan paints with vivid strokes the places and times that shaped his identity as a surfer, from Hawaii to Santa Cruz, to parts few of us will ever hear about, much less see. The passion of a surfer will keep you turning pages that exude salt air and the feel of the ocean beneath a board under your feet. - Jocelyn

General Dumas’ story deserves epic operas and an acclaimed HBO series it’s so thrilling and adventurous. As the son of a Marquis and a Haitian slave, Dumas rose to the highest ranks of the French army and commanded the respect of nations. Reiss’ quest to uncover Dumas’ story is a joy to read and discovering the seeds of his son’s novels is an eye-opening pleasure. - Clara

Most of us walk through our daily lives without thinking too much about our mortality, but O’Farrell’s connection to life has been more tenuous than most. Over seventeen essays, she examines the experiences that have taught her how thin the membrane between life and death really is. Told in elegant prose that will resonate in your heart, this book is, ultimately, incredibly life-affirming. - Jess

Moraga is one of the most powerful voices of Xicana feminism. In this biography of her mother Elvira, she grapples with the struggles and erasure of women (especially of indigenous women) in the Mexican diaspora. Elvira is the strong, difficult backbone in Moraga’s life journey from the mixed-race Los Angeles household of her childhood to the hard-won “queer familia” of her present. A beautiful reclamation of language, memory, and culture. - Clara

The Honey Bus is immersive and gripping, a heart-soaking experience. May tenderly lays forth the intricacies of bees and beekeeping (just as her grandpa presented them to her); the glories of Big Sur are delicately rendered; and the girl saved by bees is courageous, lovable, and fierce in the face of heart-piercing pain. May has written a page-turner for all readers. - Chorel

Kidnapped in northeast Africa as a boy and sold off into slavery in the 16th century, the man who would later be known as Yasuke made a long and brutal journey across the world. He served as a soldier in India and later as a bodyguard to Jesuit priests, who brought him to the place he would eventually call home, Japan. Told with the insight of a historian and the skill of a seasoned author, The African Samurai is the perfect historical tale for any modern-day warrior thriving in a foreign land. - Aric

Ani fans new and old will delight in this personable, powerful, truth-telling memoir from one of our most vital musicians and social activists Focusing specifically on her life to age 30, she takes us from emancipated teenager to working artist to independent record label pioneer. As in her songs, DiFranco writes with refreshing honesty and hard-won insight, and it’s empowering to watch her come into her own as a feminist, a singer/songwriter, an entrepreneur, and a force of wisdom. - Melinda

The world is not black and white, so why do we approach gender as a binary? In Me, Myself, They, Joshua Ferguson breaks down on historical, scientific, and societal bases why a two-gender outlook ignores reality. The world is filled with so many colors and the idea that we all fit into one of two boxes is preposterous. This unflinchingly honest memoir made me rethink everything I know about gender and I can’t wait to give it to everyone I know. - Ivy