Best Memoir / Biography / Autobiography

NOTE: This list is for non-fiction only.

flag

1	The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank 4.19 avg rating — 3,800,613 ratings score: 79,842, and 811 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
2	The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls (Goodreads Author) 4.32 avg rating — 1,238,381 ratings score: 62,107, and 630 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
3	Night (The Night Trilogy, #1) by Elie Wiesel 4.37 avg rating — 1,264,355 ratings score: 51,475, and 524 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
4	Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt, #1) by Frank McCourt 4.15 avg rating — 634,334 ratings score: 43,604, and 447 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
5	Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert (Goodreads Author) 3.63 avg rating — 1,760,986 ratings score: 25,016, and 256 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
6	Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer (Goodreads Author) 4.24 avg rating — 514,962 ratings score: 23,386, and 241 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
7	Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom (Goodreads Author) 4.18 avg rating — 1,050,952 ratings score: 23,183, and 241 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
8	Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer (Goodreads Author) 4.01 avg rating — 1,105,358 ratings score: 21,593, and 224 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
9	I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1) by Maya Angelou 4.29 avg rating — 538,648 ratings score: 21,449, and 225 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
10	Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs (Goodreads Author) 3.76 avg rating — 393,179 ratings score: 19,452, and 199 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
11	The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X 4.36 avg rating — 271,141 ratings score: 18,224, and 189 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
12	Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) by Marjane Satrapi 4.26 avg rating — 211,961 ratings score: 17,342, and 180 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
13	A Child Called "It" (Dave Pelzer, #1) by Dave Pelzer (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 439,102 ratings score: 17,080, and 177 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
14	Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl 4.37 avg rating — 736,819 ratings score: 16,759, and 173 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
15	All Creatures Great and Small (All Creatures Great and Small, #1-2) by James Herriot 4.35 avg rating — 148,553 ratings score: 16,427, and 177 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
16	Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools: Tuck into a Slice of Andalucían Life (Old Fools, #1) by Victoria Twead (Goodreads Author) 3.94 avg rating — 4,070 ratings score: 14,222, and 145 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
17	Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History (Maus, #1) by Art Spiegelman 4.38 avg rating — 340,157 ratings score: 14,185, and 146 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
18	The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom by Corrie ten Boom 4.47 avg rating — 329,838 ratings score: 14,172, and 147 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
19	Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed (Goodreads Author) 4.06 avg rating — 809,661 ratings score: 13,613, and 143 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
20	Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris 4.01 avg rating — 702,878 ratings score: 13,365, and 141 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
21	Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang 4.28 avg rating — 114,481 ratings score: 13,084, and 137 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
22	Bossypants by Tina Fey 3.96 avg rating — 1,015,135 ratings score: 12,857, and 139 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
23	Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan 4.14 avg rating — 471,562 ratings score: 12,854, and 134 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
24	The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (Goodreads Author) 4.12 avg rating — 746,412 ratings score: 12,696, and 136 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
25	John Adams by David McCullough 4.08 avg rating — 363,634 ratings score: 12,615, and 131 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
26	A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah 4.16 avg rating — 188,279 ratings score: 12,558, and 131 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
27	The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch 4.26 avg rating — 348,915 ratings score: 11,548, and 121 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
28	On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King (Goodreads Author) 4.34 avg rating — 292,479 ratings score: 11,373, and 123 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
29	Educated by Tara Westover (Goodreads Author) 4.47 avg rating — 1,578,025 ratings score: 11,079, and 117 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
30	Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali 4.19 avg rating — 90,469 ratings score: 10,522, and 110 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
31	The Story of My Life by Helen Keller 4.08 avg rating — 148,099 ratings score: 10,147, and 109 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
32	Just Kids by Patti Smith (Goodreads Author) 4.21 avg rating — 291,776 ratings score: 10,011, and 106 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
33	Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand 4.38 avg rating — 952,103 ratings score: 9,776, and 107 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
34	Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson (Goodreads Author) 3.66 avg rating — 344,441 ratings score: 9,769, and 103 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
35	The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman 4.57 avg rating — 225,549 ratings score: 9,719, and 102 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
36	Lucky by Alice Sebold 3.77 avg rating — 100,506 ratings score: 9,615, and 104 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
37	Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi (Goodreads Author) 3.65 avg rating — 135,179 ratings score: 9,284, and 100 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
38	The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride (Goodreads Author) 4.14 avg rating — 125,972 ratings score: 9,281, and 98 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
39	The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion 3.93 avg rating — 251,522 ratings score: 9,009, and 96 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama (Goodreads Author) 3.93 avg rating — 226,225 ratings score: 8,980, and 96 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	Mary Edwards Walker: America's Only Female Medal of Honor Recipient by Ammar Habib (Goodreads Author) 4.37 avg rating — 7,891 ratings score: 8,980, and 90 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
40	The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi 4.40 avg rating — 185,838 ratings score: 8,980, and 95 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
43	Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson (Goodreads Author) 4.16 avg rating — 1,262,079 ratings score: 8,956, and 96 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
44	Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin 4.11 avg rating — 68,265 ratings score: 8,811, and 94 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
45	Free Country: A Penniless Adventure the Length of Britain by George Mahood (Goodreads Author) 4.13 avg rating — 7,361 ratings score: 8,773, and 91 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
46	Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen 3.93 avg rating — 249,974 ratings score: 8,342, and 91 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
47	Two Old Fools on a Camel: From Spain to Bahrain and Back Again (Old Fools, #3) by Victoria Twead (Goodreads Author) 3.82 avg rating — 2,190 ratings score: 8,322, and 88 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt 3.92 avg rating — 275,201 ratings score: 8,157, and 91 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
48	I Grew My Boobs in China (Sihpromatum #1) by Savannah Grace (Goodreads Author) 3.74 avg rating — 1,655 ratings score: 8,157, and 86 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
50	Cheaper by the Dozen (Cheaper by the Dozen, #1) by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. 3.99 avg rating — 43,352 ratings score: 7,934, and 85 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
51	Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen 3.92 avg rating — 44,590 ratings score: 7,851, and 87 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
52	Lost in Yaba: Down and Out in Laos by Walt Gleeson (Goodreads Author) 3.83 avg rating — 1,584 ratings score: 7,600, and 76 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
53	A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson 4.06 avg rating — 414,413 ratings score: 7,325, and 83 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
54	Becoming by Michelle Obama (Goodreads Author) 4.45 avg rating — 1,072,837 ratings score: 7,253, and 79 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
55	Escape by Carolyn Jessop 3.98 avg rating — 44,649 ratings score: 7,203, and 74 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
56	A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers 3.69 avg rating — 181,205 ratings score: 7,057, and 75 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
57	Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass 4.11 avg rating — 125,245 ratings score: 6,998, and 75 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
58	West with the Night by Beryl Markham 4.15 avg rating — 38,753 ratings score: 6,946, and 74 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
59	The Lullaby Illusion: A Journey of Awakening by Susan Joyce (Goodreads Author) 3.76 avg rating — 982 ratings score: 6,869, and 74 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
60	Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly by Anthony Bourdain 4.16 avg rating — 324,760 ratings score: 6,759, and 73 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
61	The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby 3.98 avg rating — 73,188 ratings score: 6,600, and 72 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
62	A Million Little Pieces by James Frey 3.68 avg rating — 255,001 ratings score: 6,504, and 69 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
63	I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala Yousafzai 4.15 avg rating — 584,217 ratings score: 6,497, and 71 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
64	Born Free: A Lioness of Two Worlds (Story of Elsa, #1) by Joy Adamson 4.16 avg rating — 33,535 ratings score: 6,309, and 70 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
65	Dry by Augusten Burroughs (Goodreads Author) 4.03 avg rating — 96,028 ratings score: 6,226, and 67 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
66	The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream by Barack Obama (Goodreads Author) 3.83 avg rating — 165,600 ratings score: 6,196, and 65 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	The Liars' Club by Mary Karr 3.94 avg rating — 69,283 ratings score: 6,173, and 67 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
67	"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard P. Feynman 4.27 avg rating — 203,492 ratings score: 6,173, and 65 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
69	Sybil: The Classic True Story of a Woman Possessed by Sixteen Personalities by Flora Rheta Schreiber 3.99 avg rating — 89,674 ratings score: 5,944, and 66 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
70	'Tis by Frank McCourt 3.73 avg rating — 63,663 ratings score: 5,903, and 65 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
71	Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah 4.49 avg rating — 712,898 ratings score: 5,822, and 63 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
72	Seriously Mum, What's an Alpaca? by Alan Parks (Goodreads Author) 3.59 avg rating — 2,144 ratings score: 5,806, and 62 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
73	Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin 4.28 avg rating — 188,390 ratings score: 5,796, and 62 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
74	Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel 4.08 avg rating — 184,369 ratings score: 5,771, and 62 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
75	Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel 3.63 avg rating — 62,016 ratings score: 5,742, and 62 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
76	Survival in Auschwitz by Primo Levi 4.33 avg rating — 76,716 ratings score: 5,564, and 62 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
77	Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight: An African Childhood by Alexandra Fuller 3.96 avg rating — 55,595 ratings score: 5,487, and 60 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
78	Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life by Steve Martin (Goodreads Author) 3.88 avg rating — 101,807 ratings score: 5,467, and 63 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
79	First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers by Loung Ung 4.34 avg rating — 48,472 ratings score: 5,421, and 58 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
80	A Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown 4.24 avg rating — 35,821 ratings score: 5,378, and 56 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
81	My Family and Other Animals (Corfu Trilogy, #1) by Gerald Durrell 4.17 avg rating — 57,072 ratings score: 5,348, and 60 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
82	Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors by Piers Paul Read 4.13 avg rating — 77,929 ratings score: 5,302, and 60 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
83	All Things Bright and Beautiful (All Creatures Great and Small, #3-4) by James Herriot 4.34 avg rating — 79,971 ratings score: 5,257, and 61 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
84	The Pianist: The Extraordinary Story of One Man's Survival in Warsaw, 1939–45 by Władysław Szpilman 4.24 avg rating — 77,905 ratings score: 5,256, and 57 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
85	Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder 4.19 avg rating — 85,237 ratings score: 5,219, and 56 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
86	Cash by Johnny Cash 4.02 avg rating — 24,134 ratings score: 5,186, and 57 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
87	That Bear Ate My Pants!: Will Boy Become Man? Or Will Boy Become Breakfast... by Tony James Slater (Goodreads Author) 3.90 avg rating — 4,060 ratings score: 5,157, and 55 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
88	The Girl Behind the Painted Smile: My battle with the bottle by Catherine Lockwood (Goodreads Author) 3.76 avg rating — 1,311 ratings score: 5,147, and 58 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
89	Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish by John Hargrove 4.19 avg rating — 6,992 ratings score: 5,139, and 55 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
90	Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words by Andrew Morton (Goodreads Author) 3.83 avg rating — 26,273 ratings score: 5,078, and 58 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
91	Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron 3.86 avg rating — 60,786 ratings score: 5,050, and 58 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
92	Look Me in the Eye by John Elder Robison (Goodreads Author) 3.92 avg rating — 68,138 ratings score: 4,888, and 54 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
93	A Year in Provence (Provence, #1) by Peter Mayle really liked it 4.00 avg rating — 77,875 ratings score: 4,806, and 53 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
94	The Life of Elizabeth I by Alison Weir 4.03 avg rating — 32,282 ratings score: 4,714, and 54 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
95	Tesla: Inventor of the Modern by Richard Munson (Goodreads Author) 3.77 avg rating — 2,013 ratings score: 4,672, and 47 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
96	The Life of Senna : The Biography of Ayrton Senna by Tom Rubython 3.88 avg rating — 1,441 ratings score: 4,529, and 48 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
97	Walden by Henry David Thoreau 3.78 avg rating — 191,532 ratings score: 4,519, and 50 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
98	Confessions by Augustine of Hippo 3.97 avg rating — 64,908 ratings score: 4,470, and 49 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
99	Naked by David Sedaris 4.10 avg rating — 266,659 ratings score: 4,441, and 50 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
100	Wasted: A Memoir of Anorexia and Bulimia by Marya Hornbacher 4.02 avg rating — 33,375 ratings score: 4,430, and 47 people voted	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

← Previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 56 57 Next →

5,602 books · 6,095 voters · list created July 13th, 2008 by Heather (votes) .

Tags: autobiographies, autobiography, best, biographies, biography, memoir, memoirs, non-fiction

21 likes · Like

Lists are re-scored approximately every 5 minutes.

People Who Voted On This List (6095)

Heather 980 books
164 friends

Kate 4844 books
1502 friends

Nikhil P. 7843 books
195 friends

Russellino 528 books
2 friends

Chriss 299 books
418 friends

Jennifer 9255 books
45 friends

Tracy H. 751 books
39 friends

Asli 285 books
23 friends

More voters…

Post a comment »
Comments Showing 1-50 of 75 (75 new)

date

newest »

message 1: by Raelle (new)

Jun 28, 2009 03:56PM

PATRON SAINT OF USED CARS AND SECOND CHANCES
by MARK MILLHONE

Beautiful, honest memoir that appeals to both men and women which is so rare. It is very funny, but have your kleenex near by and the phone numbers of family members handy to tell them you love them and value them

reply | flag

message 2: by Ryann (last edited Oct 02, 2009 01:06PM) (new)

Oct 02, 2009 01:05PM

FYI: "What is the What" is not a memoir. Nor is "Sarah's Key." Both are great books, but they're fiction.

reply | flag

message 3: by Julie (new)

Feb 27, 2010 01:18PM

add:Time To Be In Earnest: A Fragment Of Autobiography|3831], P. D. James

This is fabulous. six stars

reply | flag

message 4: by Pia (new)

Feb 27, 2010 03:15PM

Never forget Anne Frank.

reply | flag

message 5: by Jaliyah (new)

May 20, 2010 03:09PM

this was a good book..going to read more like this !

reply | flag

message 6: by Kelsey (new)

Aug 17, 2010 10:09PM

The Lovely Bones isn't a memoir or biography.

reply | flag

message 7: by Xenophon (new)

Aug 27, 2010 04:02AM

Hannibal by Thomas Harris and Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller are both fiction, and I removed them.

reply | flag

message 8: by Sue (new)

Jan 21, 2011 04:01PM

Wow, I'm seeing a lot of fiction on this list.

reply | flag

message 9: by Linda (new)

Apr 08, 2011 07:17PM

Sue T wrote: "Wow, I'm seeing a lot of fiction on this list."

Can we get them removed? One of the reasons I came to look at this list was to find good biographies to add to my TBR list, so I want to be sure I'm not reading a book I think is a biography then discover it was fiction.

reply | flag

message 10: by Sarah (new)

Apr 11, 2011 11:33AM

Linda wrote: "Sue T wrote: "Wow, I'm seeing a lot of fiction on this list."

Can we get them removed? One of the reasons I came to look at this list was to find good biographies to add to my TBR list, so I want ..."

Please don't remove them - even those are fiction-biography books, this list is still gorgeous.

reply | flag

message 11: by Elle (new)

Apr 12, 2011 07:38AM

Praise God for Tattered Dreams by E.E. Laine

reply | flag

message 12: by Darbi (new)

May 06, 2011 10:22AM

Thank you so much for creating this list Heather! I have been looking for 'Oh the Glory of it all." for years but I couldn't remember the name, thought I knew I would recognize the cover. I found it on your list and now I can read it again! Your awesome!

reply | flag

message 13: by Janet (new)

May 15, 2011 05:22PM

"Good Grief" is fiction.

reply | flag

message 14: by Janet (new)

May 15, 2011 05:27PM

"The Friday Night Knitting Club" is fiction. Why do people put fiction titles on non-fiction lists??

reply | flag

message 15: by Guy (new)

Nov 23, 2011 05:18PM

Here's a real fun wild and crazy memoir about the movie biz and about finding true love...please vote for this cover - Kiss Me Quick Before I Shoot :)

reply | flag

message 16: by John (new)

Nov 25, 2011 10:18AM

Khaled Hosseini's Books (Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns) are Fiction.

reply | flag

message 17: by Sadi (new)

Dec 30, 2011 02:05PM

Without moving from the first page there are at least three fiction novels on this.

reply | flag

message 18: by Missy J (new)

Apr 03, 2012 06:03AM

"Eat, Pray, Love" ranks higher up than "First they killed my father"?

The world is ending...

reply | flag

message 19: by Atticus (new)

Jun 28, 2012 04:32PM

No one even mentioned A Playboy Virgin's Manifesto by Atticus Rockefellar. Oh, the humanity!

http://www.amazon.com/Playboy-Virgins...

reply | flag

message 20: by Ben (last edited Sep 14, 2012 12:25PM) (new)

Sep 14, 2012 12:21PM

The following are fiction:

#113 A Thousand Splendid Suns
#128 Memoirs of a Geisha

Shall I delete? Any others that need to go?

reply | flag

message 21: by Ben (new)

Sep 14, 2012 12:23PM

I added a list description:

NOTE: This list is for non-fiction only.

Hopefully, this will stop the tide of fiction.

reply | flag

message 22: by Jean (new)

Nov 10, 2012 11:00AM

The Agony and the Ecstacy is fiction.

reply | flag

message 23: by Julie (new)

Nov 12, 2012 03:47PM

Too bad one can only have 100 books on a list. I've read so many more great ones than are on my list.

reply | flag

message 24: by Julie (new)

Nov 12, 2012 03:48PM

Not really sure if I'd classify Torey Hayden's books as memoirs but they all are great.

reply | flag

message 25: by William (new)

Jan 07, 2013 12:04AM

how can i print out a list of just the title and author

reply | flag

message 26: by I-love-reading (new)

Feb 16, 2013 03:24AM

A million little pieces was later proved to be fiction

reply | flag

message 27: by Dorothy (new)

Feb 21, 2013 08:40AM

A number of the books on the list are fiction, for example, Winds of War

reply | flag

message 28: by Xenophon (new)

Jun 09, 2013 06:51PM

Morgan wrote: "a thousand splendid suns is fiction..." Deleted.

reply | flag

message 29: by Dorothy (new)

Jun 10, 2013 07:52AM

Memory Keeper's daughter is fiction

reply | flag

message 30: by Dorothy (new)

Jun 10, 2013 08:01AM

Also Brick Lane and Pope Joan are novels as well. Laura Ingallss Wilder's books are generally classified as fiction

reply | flag

message 31: by Dorothy (new)

Jun 10, 2013 08:07AM

one more. A tree grows in Brookly is fiction as well.

reply | flag

message 32: by Cherie (new)

May 21, 2014 08:07AM

How can we search for specific titles on this list?

reply | flag

message 33: by John (last edited May 21, 2014 11:30AM) (new)

May 21, 2014 08:30AM

I call "stupid" or "a--hole" on every single one of the people putting fiction on this list.

reply | flag

message 34: by Lesley (new)

May 31, 2014 07:56AM

Three cups of tea is fiction.

reply | flag

message 35: by Xenophon (new)

May 31, 2014 09:59AM

Lesley wrote: "Three cups of tea is fiction."

It's marketed as a memoir.

reply | flag

message 36: by Lesley (new)

May 31, 2014 11:41AM

Amazon has added: 'From Viking Press
In regards to the 60 Minutes episode that aired April 17, 2011: "Greg Mortenson’s work as a humanitarian in Afghanistan and Pakistan has provided tens of thousands of children with an education. 60 Minutes is a serious news organization and in the wake of their report, Viking plans to carefully review the materials with the author."'

reply | flag

message 37: by Xenophon (new)

May 31, 2014 03:04PM

If we start judging memoirs and biographies on their truthfulness, it will open a huge can of worms, and so far as I know, librarians haven't been given any guidance on the issue.

reply | flag

message 38: by Mitchell (new)

Jul 11, 2014 05:25PM

this list could use a minimum number of ratings - like 1000 - to avoid author spam.

reply | flag

message 39: by Sue (new)

Dec 19, 2015 06:45AM

"The Shack" is NOT memoir

reply | flag

message 40: by Devorah (new)

Jan 26, 2016 12:51PM

When G-D Asks Me; When God Asks Me by Devorah Kalani

reply | flag

message 41: by Dorothy (new)

Jan 26, 2016 01:12PM

Winds of War and the Bell Jar are both fiction

reply | flag

message 42: by Dorothy (new)

Jan 26, 2016 01:25PM

She's Come Undone, Great Expectations and Uncle Tom's Cabin are all fiction.

reply | flag

message 43: by Keston (new)

Apr 19, 2016 09:38AM

Saving Delaney

Laugh, Cry and be INSPIRED by this amazing little warrior!

reply | flag

message 44: by Donna (last edited Jun 13, 2016 11:39AM) (new)

Jun 13, 2016 10:42AM

Removed for being children's fiction: Little House on the Prairie

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...

NONE of the "Little House" series is autobiography. When confronted by a journalist about the scene in one of the books in which a family member is chased by ravenous wolves, which of course is not something wolves do to humans, LIW replied with great dignity that she had not intended to write history; she intended to write stories for children.

This author does have an actual memoir, but it doesn't, at least in my opinion, hold the charm and interest level that her children's series commands.

Oh wow...I'm going to find that whole series here, aren't I? Removed from #124, see above, Farmer Boy:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

..and less than 1 minute later, I find the entire series in one boxed set; I wasn't so clairvoyant as to see it coming, but expected to find it one title at a time...and likely I still will. Anyway, gone from #194:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

From #466 On the Banks of Plum Creek:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...
Also from page 5, The Long Winter:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...

P.6 Little Town on the Prairie
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...

Also from p6 Those Happy Golden Years

and The First Four Years
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/7...

p. 10, By the Shores of Silver Lake:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

#744, removed for being fictional, Great Expectations:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

reply | flag

message 45: by Donna (last edited Jul 01, 2016 07:56PM) (new)

Jul 01, 2016 07:24PM

#221, removed for being fictional, Sherman Alexie's Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

Travel book removed from #209:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Removed:
The Winds of War, fiction:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

and Good Grief, also fiction:
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

reply | flag

message 46: by Cheryl (new)

Aug 16, 2016 02:41PM

The ones by McCullough on Truman and John Adams are not memoirs. They are extremely well researched biographies. A memoir is a non -fiction book written from personal experience. Or a written account of one's memory of certain events or people. One could write a memoir of a person to whom one is or was very close as a spouse, or child. I agree - a lot of fiction on this list as well!

reply | flag

message 47: by Donna (last edited Aug 16, 2016 03:46PM) (new)

Aug 16, 2016 03:42PM

Cheryl wrote: "The ones by McCullough on Truman and John Adams are not memoirs. They are extremely well researched biographies. A memoir is a non -fiction book written from personal experience. Or a written accou..."

Take another look at the title of the listopia. Memoir, biography, autobiography. McCullough is dull as dirt, imho, but his books are clearly within the parameters of the listmaker.

If you see fiction and want me to pull it, give me titles and tell me what page each is on, and I'll be happy to do it. I have a little time right now and will check the list to see what jumps out at me.

reply | flag

message 48: by Donna (new)

Aug 16, 2016 04:38PM

Humorous guinea pig book is not a memoir:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Removed from #319.

reply | flag

message 49: by C.E. (new)

Aug 21, 2016 03:33PM

Can someone help me find the name of this memoir I read once? (I was expecting to find it on this list)
It was a memoir by an Iranian?-I think- woman who was imprisoned and coerced into marrying her prison guard for a while and now lives in Canada. I wanted to show my mum it, but I can't remember the name of it. I recall it had a picture of a woman looking off a building on the front cover. If anyone can help that'd be awesome. Thanks.

reply | flag

message 50: by Donna (new)

Sep 14, 2016 10:00AM

Jean wrote: "please add my book. country life. true story in my own words. full of shocks? & surprises! please share it. click here new on kindle--https://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_......"

This constitutes spam, and is inappropriate for a Goodreads listopia discussion. I have flagged the comment.

reply | flag

« previous 1 2 next »