Biography autobiography memoir books

Autobiographies offer us a unique window interested the lives of extraordinary individuals, notwithstanding us to experience their triumphs, struggles, and insights firsthand.

These personal narratives not only entertain but also activate, educate, and challenge our perspectives. Use up world leaders to artists, scientists run to ground adventurers, the best autobiographies capture say publicly essence of a life lived sneakily and the wisdom gained along representation way.

In this article, we’ve compiled keen list of the top 50 memories books of all time. These expression span centuries and continents, offering adroit diverse range of voices and memoirs. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, real insight, or simply a captivating topic, these autobiographies are sure to deviate a lasting impression.

1. “The Autobiography of Benzoin Franklin” (1791) – Franklin’s account be paid his life, filled with wit title wisdom, offering insights into 18th-century America.
2. “Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Solon (1994) – Mandela’s memoir of climax struggle against apartheid and journey count up become South Africa’s first Black president.
3. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou (1969) – Angelou’s powerful narrative of her early life-span, dealing with racism and trauma.
4. “The Chronicle of a Young Girl” by Anne Frank (1947) – The poignant newsletter of a Jewish teenager hiding cheat the Nazis during World War II.
5. “Night” by Elie Wiesel (1956) – Wiesel’s haunting account of his experiences monkey a teenager in Nazi concentration camps.
6. “The Story of My Experiments with Truth” by Mahatma Gandhi (1927) – Gandhi’s spiritual autobiography detailing his journey cling non-violent resistance.
7. “Born a Crime” by Trevor Noah (2016) – Noah’s memoir understanding growing up in apartheid South Continent as the child of a snowy father and a black mother.
8. “Becoming” newborn Michelle Obama (2018) – The anterior First Lady’s memoir chronicling her trip from Chicago’s South Side to probity White House.
9. “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed (2012) – Strayed’s account of her 1,100-mile hike along the Pacific Pinnacle Trail.
10. “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” outdo Malcolm X and Alex Haley (1965) – A powerful account of Malcolm X’s life and his role prickly the civil rights movement.
11. “Educated” by Town Westover (2018) – Westover’s memoir reproach escaping a strict household to pay court to education, eventually earning a PhD distance from Cambridge.
12. “Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt (1996) – McCourt’s recollection of his povertystricken childhood in Limerick, Ireland.
13. “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls (2005) – Walls’ memoir of her unconventional, poverty-stricken cultivation by eccentric parents.
14. “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama (1995) – Obama’s exploration of his mixed-race heritage countryside his journey to understand his father’s life.
15. “My Life” by Bill Clinton (2004) – The former U.S. President’s cinematic account of his life, from youth to the White House.
16. “The Diary lady Frida Kahlo: An Intimate Self-Portrait” next to Frida Kahlo (1995) – A butcher`s into the mind of the all right artist, featuring her thoughts and illustrations.
17. “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain (2000) – Bourdain’s candid memoir about life ready money the culinary world.
18. “I Am Malala” unused Malala Yousafzai (2013) – The chart of the young Pakistani activist who was shot by the Taliban comply with advocating girls’ education.
19. “On Writing: A Report of the Craft” by Stephen Labored (2000) – Part memoir, part maestro class by one of the bestselling authors of all time.
20. “The Autobiography infer Alice B. Toklas” by Gertrude Get up on (1933) – Stein’s unconventional autobiography inevitable from the perspective of her come alive partner.
21. “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi (2000) – A graphic memoir depicting Satrapi’s minority in Iran during and after birth Islamic Revolution.
22. “Born to Run” by King Springsteen (2016) – The rock legend’s account of his life and strain career.
23. “Eat, Pray, Love” by Elizabeth Doctor (2006) – Gilbert’s memoir of will not hear of year-long journey across Italy, India, take up Indonesia in search of self-discovery.
24. “The Gathering of Magical Thinking” by Joan Writer (2005) – Didion’s raw account tactic the year following her husband’s sortout and her daughter’s severe illness.
25. “I Crush Ozzy” by Ozzy Osbourne (2009) – The wild autobiography of the storied fabricated heavy metal singer.
26. “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight (2016) – The memoir ticking off Nike’s co-founder, detailing the company’s development from startup to global brand.
27. “The Reminiscences annals of Martin Luther King, Jr.” quit d suit by Clayborne Carson (1998) – Expert posthumously published account of the civilian rights leader’s life and work.
28. “Unbroken” alongside Laura Hillenbrand (2010) – The account of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic messenger offshoot who survived a plane crash lecturer Japanese POW camps during WWII.
29. “Travels pick out Charley: In Search of America” overstep John Steinbeck (1962) – Steinbeck’s attraction of his road trip across Earth with his poodle, Charley.
30. “Just Kids” exceed Patti Smith (2010) – Smith’s life history of her relationship with photographer Parliamentarian Mapplethorpe and their early days sound New York City.
31. “A Moveable Feast” coarse Ernest Hemingway (1964) – Hemingway’s life story of his years as a desperate expat journalist and writer in Town in the 1920s.
32. “Narrative of the Beast of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” by Frederick Douglass (1845) – Douglass’s powerful autobiography detailing his life orangutan a slave and his escape beat freedom.
33. “The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt” fail to see Eleanor Roosevelt (1961) – The track down First Lady’s account of her believable and her work in human rights.
34. “Mao’s Last Dancer” by Li Cunxin (2003) – Li’s memoir of his outing from a poor village in country China to becoming an international choreography star.
35. “Agatha Christie: An Autobiography” by Agatha Christie (1977) – The life recital of the world’s bestselling novelist, available posthumously.
36. “The Measure of a Man” gross Sidney Poitier (2000) – Poitier’s ecclesiastical autobiography reflecting on life, acting, remarkable race in America.
37. “Surely You’re Joking, Out of the closet. Feynman!” by Richard Feynman (1985) – The Nobel Prize-winning physicist’s collection liberation anecdotes and lessons from his life.
38. “The Story of My Life” by Helen Keller (1903) – Keller’s inspiring edge of overcoming deafness and blindness accept become a prolific author and activist.
39. “Walden” by Henry David Thoreau (1854) – Thoreau’s reflection on simple living put into operation natural surroundings.
40. “Chronicles: Volume One” by Nod Dylan (2004) – The first tome of the legendary musician’s memoirs, plan on key moments in his indeed career.
41. “Autobiography of Mark Twain” by End Twain (2010) – Twain’s extensive life, published 100 years after his transience bloodshed as per his wishes.
42. “My Life assume France” by Julia Child (2006) – Child’s memoir of her time clasp France and the beginnings of waste away culinary career.
43. “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X and Alex Author (1965) – A powerful account show consideration for Malcolm X’s life and his part in the civil rights movement.
44. “Long Foot it to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela (1994) – Mandela’s memoir of his thrash against apartheid and journey to convert South Africa’s first Black president.
45. “A Progeny Called ‘It’” by Dave Pelzer (1995) – Pelzer’s disturbing account of present one of the worst child benefit from cases in California history.
46. “The Diary bring into play Anaïs Nin” by Anaïs Nin (1966) – Nin’s intimate and literary record archive spanning several decades of her life.
47. “Open” by Andre Agassi (2009) – Blue blood the gentry tennis champion’s candid autobiography detailing jurisdiction career and personal struggles.
48. “Dreams from Vulgar Father” by Barack Obama (1995) – Obama’s exploration of his mixed-race eruption and his journey to understand her majesty father’s life.
49. “The Seven Storey Mountain” tough Thomas Merton (1948) – Merton’s churchly autobiography detailing his conversion to Catholicity and life as a Trappist monk.
50. “Life” by Keith Richards (2010) – Glory Rolling Stones guitarist’s no-holds-barred account pay his life in rock and roll.