I just started reading "Hope" by Amanda Beery and Gina DeJesus the two young women who were kidnapped + held hostage by Ariel Castro in Ohio.

Wow, I cannot stop reading this book. From the first page, it is engrossing and captivating. The horrors these girls endured.

No spoiler alerts here. Even after I finish reading it.

I think everyone should lose themselves in a good book every now and then. It stimulates the mind.

Maarten Troost -- The Sex Lives of Cannibals
Fritz Stern -- Five Germanys I Have Known
Tina Fey -- Bossypants
Atul Gawande -- Being Mortal
Dave Eggers -- A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Bill Bryson -- A Walk in the Woods

I'm going off the recommendation theory that if I can remember them (some after many, many years) they must have been pretty good. Noting now that it is almost entirely men. I do read plenty of women authors, but I read fiction a ton more than memoirs and guess I have a blind spot here I'll need to fix. I will try the Nuaola O'Faiolin memoir this summer.

I recently listened to the audiobook from two of the Ariel Castro survivors and wouldn't shut up about it for a few days.

Joe Queenan: Closing Time
Chris Offutt: The Same River Twice
Martin Amis: Experience
Maggie Nelson: Bluets (haven't read The Argonauts yet but will this summer)
Joan Didion: Blue Nights
James Ellroy: My Dark Places
Rich Cohen: Lake Effect
David Shields: Remote, Enough About You
William Goldman: Which Lie Did I Tell
Nicholson Baker: U & I
Ta-Nehisi Coates: The Beautiful Struggle

I am Malala
Running with Scissors
Dry

"Are You Somebody" by the late journalist, Nuaola O'Faiolin (you'll need to double check the spelling of her name)

heartbreaking, Irish stuff.

I second Rob Lowe's first book. Had some great juice in it.

I am not sure of your age, but will list my favorite ones.

Corey Feldman also wrote a great memoir with some awesome 80's dish in it. He doesn't hold back at all.

Skip Mario Lopez's memoir and definitely Jason Priestley's as well. Mario's has some dish, but Jason's has none.

Tatum O'Neal's "A Paper Life" is excellent. Who would have thought a Hollywood upbringing would be so awful? Ditto for Mackenzie Phillip's book about her past drug abuse and being molested by her Father, who was a singer in the Mamas and the Papas.

Madonna's brother released a book about seven yrs ago. He disclosed tons and tons of dirt on his sister and I honestly could not put that darn book down. Read it in a day.

I just today picked up the new book by two of the girls who were kidnapped by Ariel Castro. Hope it's good. Michelle's was.

Elizabeth Smart wrote an excellent book about her experience being captured and held on to for nine months. Couldn't put that one down either.

Anonymous wrote:Good suggestions in this thread from last year:

Please recommend a great memoir
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/387502.page

Thanks!

I loved Rob Lowe's first book. His second was a bit more random - included some good essays and some disappointing ones. But the first book as a whole was great. Even better on audio because he does the reading.

Good suggestions in this thread from last year:

Please recommend a great memoir
http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/387502.page

Did you read Wild? That was pretty popular and you can see the movie, too.

I am open to anything but in the past I have liked Sloane Crosley, Augusten Burroughs, David Sedaris, David Rackoff, Susan Jane Gilman, many others

Give some examples of ones you've liked. As can be seen from the Glass Castle thread, not every memoir appeals to every person.

Can you recommend some? They are my favorite genre and I need some new reading material