Autobiographies & Memoirs
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Sorted by Call Number / Author.
191 FAL
Falling in love with wisdom : American philosophers talk about their calling. New York :
Oxford University Press, 1994, c1993.
Sixty philosophers' memoirs revealing how they became philosophers and dedicated
their lives to the pursuit of wisdom.
306.3 SLA
Slave testimony : two centuries of letters, speeches, interviews, and autobiographies.
Baton Rouge : Louisiana State University Press, c1977.
A collection of letters, speeches, interviews and autobiographies by slaves in which
they discuss various aspects of plantation life, including food, clothing, shelter, and
the sexual exploitation of women; with annotations and illustrations.
355 SCH
Schwarzkopf, H. Norman, 1934-. It doesn't take a hero : General H. Norman Schwarzkopf,
the autobiography. New York : Bantam Books, 1992.
General H. Norman Schwarzkopf discusses his life and military career speaking openly
about Vietnam and the Persian Gulf War.
362.1 STO
Stone, Miriam R. At the end of words : a daughter's memoir. 1st ed. Cambridge, MA :
Candlewick Press, 2003.
The author records her feelings and experiences as she realizes that her mother is
dying of cancer.
362.4 ALE
Alexander, Sally Hobart. On my own : the journey continues. 1st ed. New York : Farrar
Straus Giroux, c1997.
The author describes the difficulties and accomplishments she experiences as she
adjusts to living independently after losing her sight.
362.7 PEL
Pelzer, Richard B. A teenager's journey : overcoming a childhood of abuse. 1st ed. New
York : Warner Wellness, 2006.
Richard B. Pelzer, author of the childhood memoir "A Brother's Journey," continues his
personal story, chronicling his teenage years and young adulthood during which he
suffered his mother's emotional abuse and struggled to come to terms with her
physical abuse of him and of his brother David when they were small.
371.822 MOR
Mortenson, Greg. Three cups of tea : one man's mission to fight terrorism and build
nations--one school at a time. New York : Viking, 2006.
Greg Mortenson recounts the experiences he had while trying to help impoverished
villages in Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya build schools for their children.
371.822 MOR
Mortenson, Greg. Three cups of tea : one man's mission to promote peace--one school at
a time. New York : Penguin Books, 2007, c2006.
Greg Mortenson recounts the experiences he had while trying to help impoverished
villages in Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya build schools for their children.
468 MCC
McCourt, Frank. Las cenizas de Ángela : una memoria. 1st Simon & Schuster Libros en
Español ed. New York : Libros en Español, 1999, c1997.
Memoir of the author's miserable childhood growing up in the perpetually damp
country of Ireland, with the sterotypically long-suffering mother and drunken father
who nurtures in his son an appetite for stories.
468 MOR
Mortenson, Greg. Tres tazas de té : la lucha de un hombre por promover la paz-- escuela
a escuela. 1a. ed. Vintage Español. Nueva York : Vintage Español, 2009.
Greg Mortenson recounts the experiences he had while trying to help impoverished
villages in Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya build schools for their children.
599.78 SCH
Schooler, Lynn. The blue bear : a true story of friendship and discovery in the Alaskan
wild. 1st Ecco pbk. ed. New York : Ecco, 2003, c2002.
A memoir in which wilderness guide Lynn Schooler, having chosen a solitary life due
to adolescent scoliosis and the death of a woman he loved, shares the story of his
decade-long friendship with Japanese photographer Michio Hoshino with whom he
embarked on a quest to photograph the rare and elusive glacier bear.
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616.8 WIL
Wilensky, Amy S., 1969-. Passing for normal : a memoir of compulsion. 1st ed. New York
: Broadway Books, c1999.
Amy Wilensky offers a personal account of her lifelong struggle with Tourette's
syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
616.85 GRE
Gregory, Julie. Sickened : the memoir of a Munchausen by proxy childhood. New York :
Bantam Books, 2003.
The author describes her life as the daughter of a woman afflicted with Munchausen
by proxy, a form of child abuse in which a parent, most often a mother, invents or
induces illness in a child in order to gain attention from medical professionals, tells
how she was able to save herself, and discusses her efforts to have another young
girl removed from her mother's care.
616.85 HOR
Hornbacher, Marya, 1974-. Wasted : a memoir of anorexia and bulimia. 1st
HarperPerennial ed. New York : HarperPerennial, c1998.
The author reflects on her fourteen-year battle with bulimia and anorexia, discussing
how the eating disorders have affected her life from childhood through the present
day.
616.89 KAY
Kaysen, Susanna, 1948-. Girl, interrupted. 1st Vintage Books ed. New York : Vintage
Books, 1994, c1993.
The author describes her two-year stay at a psychiatric hospital renowned for its
famous clientele and for its progressive methods of treatment.
616.89 KAY
Kaysen, Susanna, 1948-. Girl, interrupted. 1st ed. New York : Turtle Bay Books, 1993.
The author describes her two-year stay at a psychiatric hospital renowned for its
famous clientele and for its progressive methods of treatment.
618.92 SPO
Spock, Benjamin, 1903-. Spock on Spock : a memoir of growing up with the century. 1st
ed. New York : Pantheon Books, c1989.
Spock describes events that span two world wars, two marriages, two sons and one
stepdaughter, and all the trappings of a celebrity.
746.9 MCC
McCartney, Heather Mills, 1968-. A single step : a memoir. Warner Books ed. New York :
Warner Books, c2002.
An autobiography in which model and businesswoman Heather Mills shares the story
of her difficult early life, the accident in which her left leg was amputated, her
commitment to medical relief work, and her marriage to Paul McCartney.
759.2 COM
Combes, Simon, 1940-. An African experience : wildlife art and adventure in Kenya.
London : Clive Holloway Books, 1989.
Autobiography in which the author shares his adventures in Kenya, and his paintings
of African wildlife.
792.02 WAL
Wallach, Eli, 1915-. The good, the bad, and me : in my anecdotage. 1st ed. Orlando, Fla. :
Harcourt, c2005.
Presents the memoir of Hollywood film legend Eli Wallach as he describes his life and
long career which includes his work on Broadway, his many films, and more.
796.323 SIM
Simon, Scott. Home and away : memoir of a fan. 1st ed. New York : Hyperion, c2000.
A memoir in which the author recalls his life as a fan, focusing on his adventures as
an admirer of Chicago sports, and looking at personal happenings in the context of
some of the major events in history.
796.33 DOR
Dorsett, Tony. Running tough : memoirs of a football maverick. 1st ed. New York :
Doubleday, c1989.
Dorsett discusses his life and pro football career which includes a Super Bowl ring, a
Heisman Trophy, and NCAA rushing records.
Autobiographies & Memoirs
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796.52 KRA
Krakauer, Jon. Into thin air : a personal account of the Mount Everest disaster. New York :
Villard, c1997.
The author relates his experience of climbing Mount Everest during its deadliest
season and examines what it is about the mountain that makes people willingly
subject themselves to such risk, hardship, and expense.
796.8 FOR
Foreman, George, 1949-. By George : the autobiography of George Foreman. 1st ed. New
York : Villard Books, 1995.
Autobiography of boxing champion George Foreman, telling about his troubled
childhood, his early triumphs, his marriages, and his relationship with God, and
chronicling his comeback after ten years out of the ring which culminated with his
recapture of boxing's crown in 1994.
810.8 BRO
Brotherman : the odyssey of Black men in America. 1st trade paperback ed. New York :
One World, 1996.
An anthology of more than 150 selections, some never published before, taken from
slave narratives, memoirs, novels, poems, short stories, essays, biographies, and
position papers.
813 KIN
Kincaid, Jamaica. My brother. 1st ed. New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1997.
A memoir in which the author recounts the death of her brother at the age of thirtythree from AIDS, and recalls incidents from his life, and the lives of other family
members on the island of Antigua.
814 Gio
Giovanni, Nikki. Sacred cows-- and other edibles. 1st ed. New York : W. Morrow, c1988.
A collection of autobiographical essays and articles by the Black poet, Nikki Giovanni.
818 GOI
Going where I'm coming from : memoirs of American youth. New York : Persea, c1995.
An anthology of fourteen autobiographical narratives about growing up in America's
diverse society.
818.5 LEN
L'Engle, Madeleine. A circle of quiet. [1st ed.]. New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux,
[1972].
This journal shares fruitful reflections on life and career prompted by the author's visit
to her personal place of retreat near her country home.
820.9 NAF
Nafisi, Azar. Reading Lolita in Tehran : a memoir in books. 1st ed. New York : Random
House, c2003.
The author presents a memoir of her life in post-revolutionary Iran, focusing on her
organization of a group of young women in 1997 who met secretly once a week to
read and discuss forbidden works of Western literature.
823 ACH
Achebe, Chinua. The education of a British-protected child : essays. 1st ed. New York :
Knopf, 2009.
The education of a British-protected child -- The sweet aroma of Zik's kitchen -- My
dad and me -- What is Nigeria to me? -- Traveling white -- Spelling our proper name - My daughters -- Recognitions -- Africa's tarnished name -- Politics and politicians of
language -- African literature as celebration -- Teaching Things fall apart -- Martin
Luther King -- The university and leadership factor in Nigerian politics -- Stanley
Diamond -- Africa is people. Collects seventeen autobiographical essays from Chinua
Achebe in which he describes his childhood in colonial Nigeria, family life, a visit to
Nigeria, car accident, and more.
910.4 GIL
Gilbert, Elizabeth, 1969-. Eat, pray, love : one woman's search for everything across Italy,
India, and Indonesia. New York : Viking, 2006.
Elizabeth Gilbert recounts the experiences she had on her year-long journey around
the world, and shares how her trip helped her deal with her divorce and the
depression that threatened to end her career and her happiness.
Autobiographies & Memoirs
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917.3 PIR
Pirsig, Robert M. Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance. New age ed. New York :
Bantam, 1984, c1974.
During a motorcycle trip with his son, the author reveals his past life and muses on
philosophical topics.
920 LOB
Lobo, RuthAnn. The home team : of mothers, daughters, and American champions. New
York : Kodansha International, 1996.
A dual autobiography in which women's basketball star Rebecca Lobo and her mother
RuthAnn discuss the joys and sufferings of growing up female, and offer insight into
the special mother-daughter relationship that helped mold a champion.
920 MCC
McCain, John, 1936-. Faith of my fathers. New York : Random, c1999.
Congressman John McCain explains how he learned about life and honor from his
grandfather and father, both four-star admirals in the U.S. Navy.
920 PIO
Pioneers of the Black Atlantic : five slave narratives from the Enlightenment, 1772-1815.
Washington, D.C. : Civitas, c1998.
A collection of five slave narratives written by the members of the Black Atlantic, a
group of slaves who taught themselves to read and write in order to prove that
African and European humanity were equal.
920 SPI
Spiegelman, Art. Maus : a survivor's tale. New York : Pantheon Books, c1986.
A memoir about Vladek Spiegleman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe, and about
his son, a cartoonist who tries to come to terms with his father, his story, and with
history itself. Cartoon format portrays Jews as mice and Nazis as cats.
920 TRA
Trapp, Maria Augusta. The story of the Trapp Family Singers. New York, N.Y. : Doubleday,
1990.
An autobiography describing her time as governess to a retired Austrian captain's
seven motherless children, her marriage, and the Trapp family's tours in Europe and
America.
920.02 I
I can't keep my own secrets : six-word memoirs. 1st ed. New York : HarperTeen, c2009.
A collection of brief memoirs in which teens, both famous and ordinary, reveal their
deepest secrets, fears, and dreams.
920.051 CHA
Chang, Jung, 1952-. Wild swans : three daughters of China. 1st Touchstone ed. New York
: Simon & Schuster, 2003, c1991.
Memoir of three Chinese women, Jung Chang, her mother, and her grandmother in
twentieth-century China.
929 MCC
McCourt, Frank. Angela's ashes : a memoir. 1st Touchstone ed. New York, NY : Simon &
Schuster, 1999, c1996.
The author chronicles his impoverished childhood in Limerick, Ireland, in the 1930s
and 1940s, describing his father's alcoholism and talent for storytelling; the
challenges and tragedies his mother faced, including the loss of three children; and
his early experiences in the Catholic church, and balances painful memories with
humor.
940.53 GIE
Gies, Miep, 1909-. Anne Frank remembered : the story of the woman who helped to hide
the Frank family. 1st Touchstone ed. New York : Simon & Schuster, 1988.
An autobiography by the woman who helped hide the Frank family in Amsterdam
during World War II.
940.54 ALI
Aline, Countess of Romanones, 1923-. The spy went dancing. New York : Putnam's,
c1990.
Sequel to: The Spy Wore Red. The memoirs of Aline, Countess of Romanones who is
called out of semiretirement by the CIA to uncover a highly placed NATO mole.
Autobiographies & Memoirs
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956.95 NOO
Noor, Queen, consort of Hussein, King of Jordan, 1951-. Leap of faith : memoirs of an
unexpected life. 1st ed. New York : Miramax Books, c2003.
Queen Noor, born into an Arab-American family, shares the story of her relationship
with her husband King Hussein of Jordan, telling of their first meeting, the time they
spent together before their marriage, and her life and work as queen, and discussing
Hussein's legacy to his family and country.
968.83 CLA
Clark, June Vendall. Starlings laughing : a memoir of Africa. 1st U.S. ed. New York : W.
Morrow, c1990.
The author tells of her life, the people, the land, and the wildlife in Africa during the
waning days of British colonialism.
974.4 JUN
Junger, Sebastian. The perfect storm : a true story of men against the sea. New York :
HarperPaperbacks, [1998].
Uses interviews, memoirs, radio conversations, and technical research to recreate the
last days of the crew of the Andrea Gail, a fishing boat that was lost in a storm off the
coast of Nova Scotia in October 1991.
974.4 JUN
Junger, Sebastian. The perfect storm : a true story of men against the sea. 1st ed. New
York : Norton, c1997.
Uses interviews, memoirs, radio conversations, and technical research to recreate the
last days of the crew of the "Andrea Gail," a fishing boat that was lost in a storm off
the coast of Nova Scotia in October 1991.
974.7 BEL
Belfrage, Sally, 1936-. Un-American activities : a memoir of the fifties. 1st ed. New York :
HarperCollins, c1994.
Sally Belfrage's memoir of her attempt to be conventional in the fifties and distance
herself from her father, who was a communist and in trouble all the time.
975.4 GAT
Gates, Henry Louis. Colored people : a memoir. 1st ed. New York : Distributed by Random
House, 1994.
The author recounts his early life in the African-American community of a small West
Virginia town in the Allegheny Mountains where the major social event was the annual
mill picnic.
976.24 TAU
Taulbert, Clifton L. Once upon a time when we were colored. Tulsa, Okla. : Council Oak
Books, c1989.
The memoirs of a black businessman of his youth in a segregated small town in rural
delta-land Mississippi.
979.4 DUM
Dumas, Firoozeh. Funny in Farsi : a memoir of growing up Iranian in America. 1st ed. New
York : Villard, c2003.
Firoozeh Dumas recounts the experiences she had after her family moved from Iran
to Southern California, discussing how her family adapted to life in America.
979.4 WIL
Wilsey, Sean. Oh the glory of it all. New York : Penguin Press, 2005.
Presents the author's autobiographical account of "life in the strangest, wealthiest,
and most grandiose of families.".
B ACO
Acosta, Oscar Zeta. The revolt of the cockroach people. 1st Vintage Books ed. New York :
Vintage Books, 1989.
An autobiographical account of the author's activities as a lawyer and activist for the
militant Chicano movement during the late 1960s and early 1970s.
B ALL
Allende, Isabel. Paula. 1st Harper Perennial ed. New York : HarperPerennial, 1996, c1995.
The autobiography of Isabel Allende written for her daughter, Paula, who has slipped
into a coma.
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B ANG
Angelou, Maya. Gather together in my name. New York : Bantam Books, 1993.
Continues Angelou's autobiography, "I know why the caged bird sings." As this book
begins she is in her teens and has given birth to a son.
B ANG
Angelou, Maya. The heart of a woman. Random House trade pbk. ed. New York : Random
House Trade Paperbacks, 2009, c1981.
This fourth autobiographical work by Maya Angelou tells of her entry into New York's
circle of black artists and writers, her involvement in the civil rights movement, and
changes in her personal life.
B ASH
Ashe, Arthur. Days of grace : a memoir. New York : Distributed by Random House, 1993.
Tennis champion, Arthur Ashe, tells of his life, career, and battles with heart disease
and AIDS.
B BAE
Baez, Joan. And a voice to sing with : a memoir. New York : Summit Books, c1987.
A disarmingly frank, moving, and sometimes very funny memoir of Joan Baez's life,
loves, beliefs, and music.
B BAK
Baker, Russell, 1925-. Growing up. Signet ed. New York : New American Library, 1984,
c1982.
The memoirs of the Pulitzer prizewinning columnist of the New York Times which is
the story of growing up in America between the World Wars, through the years of
depression, and of overcoming adversity with courage and love.
B BAR
Barakat, Ibtisam. Tasting the sky : a Palestinian childhood. 1st ed. New York : Farrar,
Straus and Giroux, 2007.
A memoir in which the author describes her childhood as a Palestinian refugee,
discussing her family's experiences during and after the Six-Day War, and the
freedom she felt at learning to read and write.
B BEA
Beah, Ishmael, 1980-. A long way gone : memoirs of a boy soldier. 1st ed. New York :
Farrar Straus and Giroux, 2007.
Ishmael Beah describes his experiences after he was driven from his home by war in
Sierra Leone and picked up by the government army at the age of thirteen, serving as
a soldier for three years before being removed from fighting by UNICEF and
eventually moving to the United States.
B BRO
Brown, Claude, 1937-. Manchild in the promised land. New York : Signet, c1965.
An autobiography of Claude Brown, describing his life and that of other AfricanAmericans in New York City's Harlem area.
B BUR
Burroughs, Augusten. Running with scissors : a memoir. New York : Picador, c2002.
The author chronicles his life from age twelve to sixteen, living in the bizarre home of
his mother's psychiatrist, where he was sexually abused by the doctor's thirty-threeyear-old adopted son.
B BUS
Busby, Cylin. The year we disappeared : a father-daughter memoir. 1st U.S. ed. New York
: Bloomsbury, 2008.
Father and daughter, Cylin and John Busby, share their memories of the challenges
they faced after their family was forced to go into hiding in order to protect
themselves from a killer who had already shot John, a police officer, once and was
determined to finish the job.
B CAR
Carter, Jimmy, 1924-. Keeping faith : memoirs of a president. New York : Bantam Books,
1982.
Presents his personal view of life in the White House, the crises he faced, the people
he worked with, and the advice he received as president of the United States.
B CAR
Cary, Lorene. Black ice. 1st ed. New York : Distributed by Random House, 1991.
An autobiographical narrative of the author's days at St. Pauls, a private prep school
in New Hampshire and of her adolescent turmoil.
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B CHA
Chambers, Veronica. Mama's girl. 1st Riverhead trade paperback ed. New York : Riverhead
Books, 1997.
Memoir of the author's life growing up as an overachiever in an underpriviledged
family, chronicling the blessed relationship she forged with her mother after her
father deserted the family.
B CLE
Cleary, Beverly. My own two feet : a memoir. New York : Morrow Junior Books, c1995.
Follows the popular children's author through college years during the Depression;
jobs including that of librarian; marriage; and writing and publication of her first
book, "Henry Huggins.".
B CLI
Clifford, Clark M., 1906-. Counsel to the president : a memoir. 1st ed. New York : Random
House, c1991.
Chronicles over five decades of power, policy, and politics in Washington by an
advisor to America's presidents.
B CON
Conway, Jill K., 1934-. The road from Coorain. 1st ed. New York : Distributed by Random
House, 1989.
The memoirs of Jill Conway and her journey into adulthood from a 30,000 acre sheep
ranch in Coorain, Australia, to America where she became the first woman president
of Smith College.
B DIL
Dillard, Annie. An American childhood. New York : Harper & Row, c1987.
An autobiography describing the author's childhood and life in Pittburgh during the
fifties.
B DOU
Douglass, Frederick, 1817?-1895. Life and times of Frederick Douglass : his early life as a
slave, his escape from bondage, and his complete history. New York : Collier, c1962.
The classic autobiography of a runaway slave who became Abraham Lincoln's advisor
and the Counsel Generalto Haiti.
B DOU
Douglass, Frederick, 1818-1895. My bondage and my freedom. Modern Library pbk. ed.
New York : Modern Library, 2003.
Presents the 1855 autobiography of Frederick Douglass, telling of his experiences as a
slave and discussing his life after he was able to escape to freedom.
B DOU
Douglass, Frederick, 1818-1895. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass : an American
slave. New York : Signet Classics, [2005].
An autobiographical account by the runaway slave Frederick Douglass that chronicles
his experiences with his owners and overseers, and discusses how slavery affected
both slaves and slaveholders.
B DOU
Hill, Prescott. Narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, an American slave. Paramus, N.J.
: Globe Fearon, c1995.
An adapted version of the autobiography of Frederick Douglass in which the
abolitionist tells the story of his life and his journey from slavery to freedom.
B EGG
Eggers, Dave. A heartbreaking work of staggering genius. 1st Vintage books ed. New York
: Vintage Books, 2001.
Mistakes we knew we were making : notes, corrections, clarifications, apologies,
addenda. A memoir in which the author discusses the unrelated deaths of his parents
within a period of months, his newly acquired responsibility for his eight-year-old
brother, and his creation of a satirical magazine. Also includes an appendix of
corrections and clarifications by the author.
B ELL
Ellington, Duke, 1899-1974. Music is my mistress. New York : Da Capo Press, 1976,
c1973.
An autobiography of the jazz musician who created over 1,500 compositions. Includes
appendices, a discography and a chronological listing of his compositions.
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B FEY
Feynman, Richard Phillips. "What do you care what other people think?" : further
adventures of a curious character. New York : W.W. Norton, 2001, c1988.
Presents an autobiography of physicist and Nobel Prize winner, Richard Feynman, as
he recounts his life with his late wife, his investigation of the Challenger disaster, and
his work on the atomic bomb.
B FIT
Fitzgerald, F. Scott (Francis Scott), 1896-1940. A life in letters. New York : Maxwell
Macmillan International, c1994.
Fitzgerald's letters are arranged in chronological order making this collection the
closest thing to an autobiography Fitzgerald ever wrote.
B FLE
Fleischman, Sid, 1920-2010. The abracadabra kid : a writer's life. 1st ed. New York :
Greenwillow Books, c1996.
The autobiography of the Newbery award-winning children's author who set out from
childhood to be a magician.
B GAB
Gabreski, Francis. Gabby : a fighter pilot's life. 1st ed. New York : Orion Books, c1991.
Autobiography of World War II and Korean War fighter pilot, Francis "Gabby"
Gabreski, from his childhood, to his success in military and business careers.
B GOO
Goodwin, Doris Kearns. Wait till next year : a memoir. New York : Simon & Schuster,
c1997.
The author explores her childhood in Rockville Centre, Long Island and how baseball,
especially the New York Dodgers, was important in her relationships with family,
friends, and neighbors.
B GUN
Gunther, John, 1901-1970. Death be not proud : a memoir. 1st Perennial Classics ed. New
York : Perennial Classics, 1998, c1949.
A biography of the author's son, who died at seventeen after a fourteen-month illness
caused by a brain tumor.
B HAL
Hāladāra, Bebī. A life less ordinary : a memoir. North American ed. New York : HC, c2007.
A young Indian woman tells her life story, describing her abandonment by her
mother, beatings from her father, marriage at the age of twelve to an abusive older
man, and struggle to survive and raise three children alone after leaving her husband,
and explains how her work as a maid for a retired anthropology professor led to her
learning to read and write and becoming an author.
B HAM
Hammer, Signe. By her own hand : memoirs of a suicide's daughter. New York : Soho,
c1991.
A daughter searches for the reasons surrounding her mother's death and her feelings
after the event.
B HIC
Hickam, Homer H., 1943-. Rocket boys : a memoir. New York : Delacorte Press, c1998.
An autobiographical account of NASA engineer Homer Hickam's life that discusses his
childhood, his obsession with rockets, his NASA career, and other related topics.
B HOC
Hockenberry, John. Moving violations : war zones, wheelchairs, and declarations of
independence. 1st ed. New York : Hyperion, c1995.
The memoir of a paraplegic journalist, describing his experiences as a reporter for
National Public Radio in exotic locations, and the challenges of living in a wheelchair.
B HOL
Holland, Endesha Ida Mae, 1944-. From the Mississippi Delta : a memoir. New York :
Simon & Schuster, c1997.
The author discusses the different stages of her life, beginning with her childhood in
the segregated Deep South in the 1940s, and tells of her criminal activities, her
involvement with the Civil Rights Movement, and her eventual pursuit of a Ph.D.
B HOO
Hooks, Bell. Bone Black : memories of girlhood. 1st ed. New York : Henry Holt, 1996.
An memoir of the author's childhood as a young African-American female on her way
to becoming a writer.
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B IAC
Iacocca, Lee A. Iacocca : an autobiography. New York : Bantam Books, c1984.
A self-portrait of the executive who rescued the Chrysler Corporation from
bankruptcy.
B JAC
Jackson, Livia Bitton. I have lived a thousand years : growing up in the Holocaust. New
York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c1997.
A memoir of Elli Friedmann in which she tells about her experiences at Auschwitz
concentration camp where she was taken at the age of thirteen in 1944 when the
Nazis invaded her native Hungary.
B JIA
Jiang, Ji-li. Red scarf girl : a memoir of the Cultural Revolution. 1st ed. New York :
HarperCollins, c1997.
The author tells about the happy life she led in China up until she was twelve-yearsold when her family became a target of the Cultural Revolution, and discusses the
choice she had to make between denouncing her father and breaking with her family,
or refusing to speak against him and losing her future in the Communist Party.
B JON
Jones, Marion, 1975-. Marion Jones : life in the fast lane : an illustrated autobiography.
New York : Warner Books, c2004.
B KAR
Karr, Mary. The liar's club : a memoir. New York : Penguin, 1996, c1995.
An account of the author's childhood in a Texas oil town and of her family's struggles
with cancer, madness, and alcoholism.
B KIN
Kingston, Maxine Hong. The woman warrior : memoirs of a girlhood among ghosts.
Vintage International ed. New York : Vintage International, 1989, c1976.
A memoir of the American-born daughter of Chinese immigrants who lived within the
traditions and fears of the Chinese past as well as the realities of the alien modern
American culture.
B KIN
Kingston, Maxine Hong. The woman warrior : memoirs of a girlhood among ghosts. 1st ed.
New York : Knopf : distributed by Random House, 1976.
A memoir of the American-born daughter of Chinese immigrants who lived within the
traditions and fears of the Chinese past as well as the realities of the alien modern
American culture.
B LAN
Landry, Tom. Tom Landry : an autobiography. New York, N.Y. : HarperCollins, c1990.
B LEN
Leno, Jay. Leading with my chin. New York, NY : HarperPaperbacks, [1997].
Autobiography of late night talk show host Jay Leno, in which he tells about his
wholesome upbringing, and the steps he took that led him from doing stand-up
comedy on college campuses, to life on the comedy club circuit, and finally to "The
Tonight Show.".
B LEV
Levi, Primo. The periodic table. New York : Distributed by Random House, 1996, 1984.
Primo Levi's memoir of his Jewish family, life as a Jew, and being a chemist.
B LIN
Lindbergh, Reeve. Under a wing : a memoir. New York, NY : Simon & Schuster, c1998.
The author, youngest daughter of famous aviator Charles Lindbergh and his wife,
author Anne Morrow Lindbergh, tells what it was like growing up in a family subjected
to both celebrity and tragedy.
B MAH
Mah, Adeline Yen, 1937-. Falling leaves : the true story of an unwanted Chinese daughter.
New York : Wiley, c1997.
Autobiography of physician and writer Adeline Yen Mah, discussing her emotionally
abusive childhood, experiences of isolation and loneliness, success as a student, and
triumphant struggle to achieve freedom and a new life.
B MAN
Mandela, Nelson, 1918-. Long walk to freedom : the autobiography of Nelson Mandela. 1st
ed. Boston : Little, Brown and Company, 1994.
Autobiography of the South African hero who has dedicated his life to fight against
social oppression and apartheid related in text with accompanying photographs.
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B MAN
Mandela, Nelson, 1918-. Mandela : an illustrated autobiography. Boston : Little, Brown
and Co., 1996.
Photographic memoir of the life of Nelson Mandela, recounting the development of his
political consciousness, his role in the formation of the African National Congress
Youth League, his imprisonment, and the events leading to his election as president of
South Africa.
B MAR
Maradona, Diego, 1960-. Maradona : the autobiography of soccer's greatest and most
controversial star. 1st Skyhorse Pub. ed. New York : Skyhorse Pub., 2007, c2004.
The author shares his own story of his childhood in Buenos Aires and his rise to
become a world-champion soccer player.
B MAR
Murphy, Jim, 1947-. A young patriot : the American Revolution as experienced by one
boy. New York : Clarion Books, c1996.
Presents the memoirs of Joseph Plumb Martin, a fifteen-year-old boy who enlisted in
the revolutionary army in 1776, fighting under Washington, wintering at Valley Forge,
and staying in the fight until the end of the war in 1783.
B MCC
McCourt, Frank. Angela's ashes : a memoir. New York : Scribner, c1996.
The author chronicles his impoverished childhood in Limerick, Ireland, in the 1930s
and 1940s, describing his father's alcoholism and talent for storytelling; the
challenges and tragedies his mother faced, including the loss of three children; and
his early experiences in the Catholic church, and balances painful memories with
humor.
B MCC
McCourt, Frank. 'Tis : a memoir. 1st Scribner trade pbk. ed. New York : Scribner, 2005,
c1999.
Frank McCourt, author of the childhood memoir "Angela's Ashes," shares the story of
his life as an American immigrant, discussing his experiences from the age of
nineteen when he landed in New York, to his eventual success as a teacher and
writer.
B MCC
McCourt, Frank. 'Tis : a memoir. New York : Scribner, c1999.
Frank McCourt, author of the childhood memoir "Angela's Ashes," shares the story of
his life as an American immigrant, discussing his experiences from the age of
nineteen when he landed in New York, to his eventual success as a teacher and
writer.
B MEL
Meltzer, Milton, 1915-. Starting from home : a writer's beginnings. New York, N.Y., U.S.A.
: Viking Kestrel, 1988.
The author recounts the discoveries, hardships, and triumphs of his early life and the
influences that shaped him as a person and writer.
B MIC
Michener, James A. (James Albert), 1907-. The world is my home : a memoir. 1st ed. New
York : Random House, c1992.
James A. Michener discusses his life, his childhood in Pennsylvania and his travels
around the world as he gathers material for his books.
B MIN
Min, Anchee, 1957-. Red azalea. Berkley ed. New York : Berkley Books, 1995.
A memoir from a one-time supporter of the Maoist regime who experienced life in
China as a member of the communist party and as a political prisoner on a labor
farm.
B MOA
Moaveni, Azadeh, 1976-. Lipstick jihad : a memoir of growing up Iranian in America and
American in Iran. Pbk. ed. New York : Public Affairs, 2006, c2005.
The author examines her life as an American-born Iranian and the frustration and
confusion of trying to live in both worlds, and describes her decision to move to
Tehran as a journalist and the cultural, political, and social upheaval she encountered.
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B MOL
Molnar, Haya Leah. Under a red sky : memoirs of a childhood in Communist Romania. 1st
ed. New York : Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2010.
The author discusses what it was like to grow up in postwar Bucharest, describing the
unique characteristics of her family members and their efforts to protect her from the
dangers of living in Communist Romania.
B MOR
Mora, Pat. House of houses. Boston : Beacon Press, c1997.
A memoir of the author's Mexican-American family in El Paso, Texas, told through the
voices of several generations of relatives, both living and dead, with photographs and
genealogical charts.
B MYE
Myers, Walter Dean, 1937-. Bad boy : a memoir. 1st ed. New York : HarperCollins, c2001.
Author Walter Dean Myers describes his childhood in Harlem in the 1940s and 1950s,
discussing his loving stepmother, his problems in school, his reasons for leaving
home, and his beginnings as a writer.
B NEL
Nelson, Jill, 1952-. Volunteer slavery : my authentic Negro experience. Chicago : Noble
Press, c1993.
Journalist Jill Nelson's memoir of her four turbulent years at the Washington Post.
B NOT
Notaro, Laurie. Autobiography of a fat bride : true tales of a pretend adulthood. 1st ed.
New York : Villard, c2003.
Laurie Notaro recounts how she made the painful transition from party girl to married
housewife, discussing how she survived the engagement, wedding, and first months
of married life with barely a scar.
B OKE
O'Kelley, Mattie Lou. From the hills of Georgia : an autobiography in paintings. 1st ed.
Boston : Little, Brown, c1983.
Folk artist Mattie Lou O'Kelley recalls her rural Georgia childhood in words and
paintings.
B PEL
Pelzer, David J. A man named Dave : a story of triumph and forgiveness. [Large print
ed.]. [Rockland], Mass. : Large Print Press, c1999.
The final entry in a trilogy of memoirs in which Dave Pelzer, brutally abused as a
child, discusses the struggles he faced as an adult, and his determination to have a
meaningful life.
B PIR
Pirsig, Robert M. Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance : an inquiry into values. 25th
anniversary ed. /. New York : Morrow, c1999.
A father and his eleven-year-old son take a motorcycle trip across the country, and
together, the two learn about life, love, and identity.
B RAM
Rampal, Jean Pierre. Music, my love. 1st ed. New York : Random House, c1989.
Pushed into medicine by his French family, Rampal found it easier to avoid the
occupying Nazis during World War II as a musician. Today he is a renowned flutist.
B RHO
Rhodes-Courter, Ashley, 1985-. Three little words : a memoir. 1st ed. New York :
Atheneum, c2008.
Ashley Rhodes-Courter provides an account of her life, focusing on the nine years she
spent in Florida's foster care system after being removed from her mother at the age
of three, and explaining how her life changed after she was adopted.
B RIC
Rice, Sarah, 1909-. He included me : the autobiography of Sarah Rice. Athens : University
of Georgia Press, c1989.
B ROD
Rodriguez, Richard. Hunger of memory : the education of Richard Rodriguez : an
autobiography. Bantam mass market reprint [ed.]. New York : Bantam Books,
[2004], c1982.
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The author, a disadvantaged Mexican American, writes of feelings of alienation from
his family as he learned English and earned a Ph.D.
B ROW
Rowan, Carl Thomas. Breaking barriers : a memoir. 1st ed. Boston : Little, Brown, c1991.
An account of the life and career achievements of the African American journalist with
portraits of influential figures of the 20th century.
B SAK
Saks, Elyn R., 1955-. The center cannot hold : my journey through madness. 1st ed. New
York : Hyperion, c2007.
A memoir of paranoid schizophrenia by an accomplished professor recounts her first
symptoms at the age of eight, her efforts to hide the severity of her condition, and
the obstacles she has overcome in the course of her treatment and marriage.
B SAL
Salzman, Mark. Lost in place : growing up absurd in suburbia. 1st Vintage Books ed. New
York : Vintage Books, 1996.
Memoir of author, Mark Salzman, who tried, with often humorous results, to rise
above the everyday normalcy of his childhood.
B SAY
Sayers, Gale, 1943-. I am third : the inspiration for Brian's song. New York : Penguin
Books, 2001.
An autobiography of Hall of Famer Gale Sayers, a running back for the Chicago Bears
in the late 1960s and early 1970s, in which he recalls the triumphs and
disappointments of his career, and shares the story of his friend and colleague Brian
Piccolo's courageous struggle with cancer.
B SCH
Scheeres, Julia. Jesus land : a memoir. New York : Counterpoint, c2005.
The author recalls her childhood in a strict religious Midwestern town, her brother's
and her education in a Christian reform school in the Dominican Republic, the trials of
adolescence and racism.
B SCU
Scully, Julia. Outside passage : a memoir of an Alaskan childhood. 1st ed. New York :
Random House, c1998.
Scully recalls her childhood and teen years in the far western Alaskan frontier before
and during World War II.
B SHA
Shapiro, Susan. Five men who broke my heart : a memoir. New York : Delacorte Press,
2004.
Susan Shapiro shares the story of how she contacted the five men who broke her
heart between the ages of thirteen and thirty-five in an attempt to learn what really
went wrong in their relationships, and tells what she learned about herself and the
conclusion she came to about the real cause of her troubled romantic past.
B SOY
Soyinka, Wole. You must set forth at dawn : a memoir. 1st ed. New York : Random House,
c2006.
Wole Soyinka, the first African to receive the Nobel Prize in Literature, recounts his
turbulent life as an adult in his beloved homeland.
B STU
Stuart, Jesse, 1907-. The thread that runs so true. New York : Scribner, [1958].
Describes Stuart's experiences as a school teacher for twenty years, until he became
a sheep farmer.
B TAK
Takei, George, 1940-. To the stars : the autobiography of George Takei Star Trek's Mr.
Sulu. New York : Pocket Books, c1994.
The actor best known as Mr. Sulu tells of his early life in an internment camp, his
later political involvement, and his discovery by Gene Roddenberry.
B TEN
Ten Boom, Corrie. The hiding place. Bantam ed. New York : Bantam Books, 1974, c1971.
The memoirs of a Dutch woman who was sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp
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during World War II as a result of her activities in the anti-Nazi underground.
B THA
Thamm, Gerhardt B., 1930-. Boy soldier : a German teenager at the Nazi twilight.
Jefferson, N.C. : McFarland, c2000.
A memoir in which the author recalls his experiences as a fifteen-year-old boy in
Lower Silesia, near the Czechoslovakian and Polish borders, conscripted by the
Germany army to fight on the Eastern Front until the last few days of World War II.
B VON
Von D, Kat, 1982-. High voltage tattoo. New York : Collins Design, 2009.
Highway to hell : the autobiography of Kat Von D -- Let there be rock : high voltage
tattoo -- Back in black : portraits -- If you want blood, you've got it : the gallery -Dirty deeds done dirt cheap : artists and muses. Tattoo artist Kat Von D discusses her
life and work, and offers photographs and descriptions of the tattoos she has on her
body and has created for others.
B WAL
Walker, Rebecca. Black, White, and Jewish : autobiography of a shifting self. 1st Riverhead
trade pbk. ed. New York : Riverhead Books, 2002, c2001.
Rebecca Walker discusses how she dealt with her mixed heritage and remained true
to both her African-American and Jewish cultures.
B WAL
Walls, Jeannette. The glass castle : a memoir. New York : Scribner, c2005.
The author recalls her life growing up in a dysfunctional family with an alcoholic father
and distant mother and describes how she and her siblings had to fend for themselves
until they finally found the resources and will to leave home.
B WAL
Walton, Sam, 1918-. Sam Walton, made in America : my story. 1st ed. New York :
Doubleday, 1992.
Autobiography of American businessman Sam Walton peppered with his philosophy of
life and practical business advice.
B WAN
Wang, An, 1920-. Lessons : an autobiography. Reading, Mass. : Addison-Wesley, c1986.
B WIL
Wilensky, Amy S., 1969-. Passing for normal : a memoir of compulsion. 1st trade pbk. ed.
New York : Broadway Books, 2000, c1999.
Amy Wilensky offers a personal account of her lifelong struggle with Tourette's
syndrome and obsessive-compulsive disorder.
B WIL
Williams, Donna, 1963-. Nobody nowhere : the extraordinary autobiography of an autistic.
New York : Perennial, [2002], c1992.
Autobiography of Donna Williams telling of her struggle with autism and coming to
terms with the mental illness.
B WOL
Wolff, Tobias, 1945-. This boy's life : a memoir. 1st Perennial Library ed. New York :
Perennial Library, 1990.
Wolff's account of his boyhood and the process of growing up includes paper routes,
whiskey, scouting, fistfights, friendship, and betrayal in 1950s America.
B WOO
Wood, Lana, 1946-. Natalie : a memoir by her sister. New York : Putnam's, c1984.
Natalie Wood's younger sister tells of the ambition of their determined mother, their
careers, Natalie's support of her sister, and the lives that envolved for each.
B WRI
Wright, Richard, 1908-1960. Black boy : a record of childhood and youth. 1st Perennial
Library ed. New York : Harper & Row, 1989, c1966.
The autobiography of an African-American writer, recounting his early years and the
harrowing experiences he encountered drifting from Natchez to Chicago to Brooklyn.
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B WRI
Wright, Richard, 1908-1960. Black boy : (American hunger) : a record of childhood and
youth. 1st HarperPerennial ed. New York : HarperPerennial, 1993, c1945.
The autobiography of an African-American writer, recounting his early years and the
harrowing experiences he encountered drifting from Natchez to Chicago to Brooklyn.
BX
X, Malcolm, 1925-1965. The autobiography of Malcolm X. 1st Ballantine Books ed. New
York : Ballantine, 1973, c1965.
The personal story of the man who rose from hoodlum, thief, dope peddler, and pimp
to become a leader of the Black Revolution of the 1960s.
B YEA
Yeager, Chuck, 1923-. Yeager, an autobiography. New York : Bantam Books, c1985.
The autobiography of the first man to fly faster than the speed of sound.
B YEL
Yeltsin, Boris Nikolayevich, 1931-. Against the grain : an autobiography. New York :
Summit Books, c1990.
The story of Yeltsin's rise to power in the Soviet Union and of his fall and rise again in
1990.
B ZEN
Zenatti, Valérie, 1970-. When I was a soldier : a memoir. 1st U.S. ed. New York :
Bloomsbury Children's Books, 2005.
Presents the memoirs of Valerie Zenatti, who at eighteen, enlisted in the Israeli army,
endured harsh conditions and surroundings, and participated in top secret missions
for the Israeli Secret Service, and describes her French-Jewish heritage and personal
struggles.