Best memoir you’ve read?

[Anonymous]

Elie Wiesel's.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Shoe Dog by Phil Knight -- didn't expect this one to be as good as it was!

My sons read that in middle school and loved it.

[Anonymous]

Not sure this would be a vacation read (the writing is light, but the topic is heavy), but I loved The Cook Up, by D Watkins. He grew up poor in Baltimore, inherited a drug stash from his murdered brother, used it to become a successful dealer for a few years, and then got out of the life. He’s a talented writer, so he manages to portray a world that most of us on DCUM live adjacent to but know nothing about and to do it in a way that feels interesting and real and not “heavy.”

[Anonymous]

Perfect vacation read is Lady in Waiting by Anne Glenconner. She was Princess Margaret's lady in waiting, but her life is just extraordinary and completely unlike you'd expect. This book manages to be both discreet and gossipy, honest and polite, traditional and bohemian--much like Lady Glenconner herself.

[Anonymous]

- Open - Agassi (ghostwriter is one of my favorite writers, the guy who wrote Tender Bar which actually is another great read about his childhood)

- Tallyrand - Duff Cooper (an oldie but a goodie Charles Maurice de Talleyrand, Napoleon's foreign diplomat - cunning, shrewd, total AHole and much evil fun

- Shoe Dog (Phil Knight) - Nike CEO (ghostwriter is Agassi's same guy

- Liar's Poker - Michael Lewis first book, his bio from time on Wall St. TOO fun.


More serious but amazing..

- Gift From The Sea - Anne Morrow Lindberg (wife of Charles whose baby was kidnapped) (serious but not depressing and one of the most inspirational, wise books ever. Every few years, I re-read)

-What Remains Behind - OK this is by Carole Radziwell, one of the Real Housewives so I don't know what happened to her LOL but I'm going to say that if this isn't one of the best damn books ever written. It's serious but not depressing. She lost her husband and 2 best friends JFK/Carolyn shortly after. But the writing is phenomenal - it moves, it is insightful, it's a good story. I'm pretty well read in English and American Lit, I read a lot of fun and serious books and truly, this is one of my favorite all time bios.

-West with the Night - Beryl Markham. Sad nobody knows who she is - first person who flew Atlantic from East to West (much harder due to the winds). Her story, my bible What a lady. Hemingway called it best book he ever read and reduced him to tears as a writer because she is so beautiful.

-A Moveable Feast - Hemingway - he made up most of this really but it's a good read Chronicles his journalist years when he was his prime adventuresome self

[Anonymous]

PP from above -

one more..

- Down and Out in Paris and London - another oldie but goodie - this is Orwell's memoir. Hey - just the title is is great right?

Honestly I don't read anymore. Most people can't write. They can tell a story and tell you what happened but most of the writers who write with lyricism, wit and insight who I love are dead Which is why most of these books are older titles.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kitchen Onfidential by Anthony Bourdain
Stanley Tucchi Taste
Open André Agassi

Loved all of these - Stanley's was really good, still laugh about the scene where he is with Meryl Streep in France and they go to the very country restaurant and eat the "specialty"

I want to say that I think most memoirs are best listened to when read by the author, includingElton John's which was read by the actor that played him in "Rocketman". Sometimes they even have accompaniment or music during transitions, like Carly Simon's and Dolly Parton's mentioned upthread.

[Anonymous]

Forever Liesl, by Charmian Carr who played Liesl in The Sound of Music was a fun and charming read. As someone who adored that movie growing up it was interesting to learn about the filming and the relationships between the child actors.

Fun Home is great, Alison Bechdel

Adam Gopnik’s Through the Children’s Gate is one of my favorites. Transports me to Paris.

[Anonymous]

Funny as hell: Annabelle Gurwitch's 'You're Leaving When?"

Juicy: Demi Moore's and Amy Shumer's.

Darker, but beautifully written:

Glass Castle by Jeanette Wells

Don't Let's Go to the Dog's Tonight by Alexandra Fuller.

Notes on a Silencing by Lacey Crawford

[Anonymous]

I enjoyed Katie Couric’s recently

[Anonymous]

Just Kids by Patti Smith. Recounts 70s New York and friendship with Robert Mapplethorpe.

[Anonymous]

There are a ton of good suggestions here, and I've read most of them, but I'm going to throw out the very controversial Will by Will Smith on audiobook. It was really fantastic, but in light of what happened at the Oscars, it couldn't be more timely. I don't want to get into "the slap," but reading the books gives a ton of insight into who he is and meant I was zero percent surprised when I saw the story. Highly recommend, but only on audiobook (which he reads). I feel like it wouldn't translate as well to the page.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:There are a ton of good suggestions here, and I've read most of them, but I'm going to throw out the very controversial Will by Will Smith on audiobook. It was really fantastic, but in light of what happened at the Oscars, it couldn't be more timely. I don't want to get into "the slap," but reading the books gives a ton of insight into who he is and meant I was zero percent surprised when I saw the story. Highly recommend, but only on audiobook (which he reads). I feel like it wouldn't translate as well to the page.

agree

[Anonymous]

Madame Secretary by Madeleine Albright was terrific.

A Higher Loyalty by James Comey was surprisingly good. The stories of his childhood were the best. Worth reading even if you're still mad at him for 2016.

The Road from Coorain and True North by Jill Ker Conway.

Blackberry Winter by Margaret Mead

[Anonymous]

Gift From The Sea - Anne Morrow Lindberg

my mother gave this to me on my 18th birthday. I'm 55 now. I read it every year.