Featured biography and memoir picks

A larger-than-life biography of country music legend and philanthropist Dolly Parton.

An anthology of contemporary Black poets whose works explore joy, love, origin, race, resistance and praise.

This collection of poems celebrates Judy Blume's childhood years. Growing up Jewish, during and in the aftermath of WWII, her younger years were full of fear and she processed her conflicted emotions by making up stories where she could control the conflict.

Intertwines the author's account of her recovery from an eating disorder with her look into family secrets tied to Palestinian displacement, exploring how her personal trauma reflects generational struggles with colonization and patriarchy in a journey through memory, survival and self-discovery.

A humorous memoir by the acclaimed comedian, blending personal anecdotes with observational comedy, the author reflects on growing up in the South, his early struggles, quirky life experiences and his rise to comedy fame.

A grandmother introduces her grandchildren to famous Black figures and important snapshots in Black history, and the children begin to imagine themselves in these moments.

A collection of personal essays blends humorous and insightful anecdotes from the renowned culinary figure's diverse career, sharing behind-the-scenes stories, reflections on food culture and memorable experiences from this work on television and in the kitchen.

Born to a Korean Buddhist mother and Jewish father, the author shares her remarkable journey from outsider to one of America’s most influential rabbis.

The Kennedy name has long been synonymous with wealth, power, glamor and integrity. But this carefully constructed veneer hides a dark truth: the pattern of Kennedy men physically and psychologically abusing women and girls, leaving a trail of ruin and death in each generation's wake.

In this fascinating STEAM-themed true story, the author highlights how the Apollo astronauts gave people a new way of looking at the world and inspired modern artist Alma Thomas.

Maude scoops a jellyfish out of the water and embarks on more than a year of observation of the animal, accomplishing something countless other scientists were unable to do: trace the life cycle of a jellyfish and understand the creature's metamorphosis from larva to adult.

After reporting on the War on Terror, Black Lives Matter protests and the slaughter in Gaza, the author concludes that much of what the West promises is a lie; there will always be groups outside the boundaries of privilege who won't be considered fully human.

This memoir tells the story of Historian Ada Ferrer's family splitting apart during the Cuban Revolution and how early separation shaped her family and her life a historian. 

This tribute to the founder and longtime editor of the Yiddish language newspaper the Forverts, Abraham Cahan, shows how he improved the lives of countless newly arrived Jewish immigrants who wanted to feel at home in a strange new land.

An journalist's story of unexpected homecomings, familial hardship and fierce devotion to ancestry creates a new narrative about Hawaii, its native people and their struggle to hold on to their land and culture today.

Exploring separation, generational trauma and the toll of the American dream, the author recounts what happened when, at 15, her parents were forced back to Mexico, leaving her and her brother to fend for themselves as underage children affected by broken immigration laws.

An unforgettable portrait of the royal household as told by the former butler to King Charles III.

From launching the first U.S. astronauts into space to guiding rovers to Mars, this title introduces young dreamers to innovative women who prove that girls can do anything and go anywhere!

An urgent exploration of how antisemitism has shaped Jewish identity and how Jews can reclaim their tradition.

Omar and his younger brother Hassan live in a refugee camp, and when an opportunity for Omar to get an education comes along, he must decide between going to school every day or caring for his nonverbal brother.

Recording artist Lachi redefines what it means to celebrate disability, by showcasing the innovations and leadership within her community and by framing disability as an identity, a cultural force and a reservoir of resilience and creativity.  

The author traces his family's journey from German Jewish roots to plantation owners in New Orleans, ultimately documenting his own journey from a secular Southern upbringing back to religious observance.

In this intergenerational tale perfect for fans of Messy Roots and Illegal, the author combines historical research of the Guatemalan Civil War with his own experiences as a Guatemalan immigrant to tell a story of family, sacrifice, survival and hope.

An anthology of all-star poetic voices depicting the diversity of the Black experience.

Cynical August doesn't believe in the impossible until she meets Jane, a mysterious punk rocker who is literally displaced in time from the 1970s and is trying to find her way back, all while stuck on the New York subway.

This picture book biography of legendary writer and activist James Baldwin introduces readers to a passionate Black man who discovered his true power in the written word, which opened the world to him as he fearlessly used his voice.

This true story of Sarah Brenner, a poor Jewish girl from New York City's impoverished Lower East Side, shows how she became Sydney Taylor-- an actress, dancer and successful children's book author who never forgot the importance of fighting unfairness.

Against the backdrop of the Great Depression, trace Lorena Hickok-- or Hick's-- rise from devastating childhood to renowned journalist, and follow the most significant friendship and romantic relationship of her life with first lady, Eleanor Roosevelt.

Revealing a deep understanding of Latino culture and building community to change our world for the better, a veteran of New York and national politics who embodies the relentless spirit of progress of American immigrants narrates his life, career and experience.

A stunning memoir of personal rebellion and political awakening from a young woman raised to be loyal to a brutal regime-- and the unimaginable cost of choosing freedom.

NBC News anchor and correspondent Vicky Nguyen tells the story of her family's daring escape from communist Vietnam and her unlikely journey from refugee to reporter with laughter and fierce love.

The author, Sara Novic, chronicles her journey from hiding her hearing loss as a child to finding her identity within the Deaf community. She blends her personal experiences with a researched history of disability rights within the United States.

This biography tells the story of Helen Gibson, America's first professional stuntwoman, whose daring stunts in early films broke new ground for women in Hollywood, though her contributions were later overshadowed by a male-dominated action film industry.

From imaginative child to visionary storyteller, Toni Morrison was a fiercely inspiring writer who helped change the world. This poetic picture book biography, part love letter and part biography, praises the power of this Nobel Prize winner.

Young Jim West loves to pull apart whatever electronics he can get his hands on to see how they work. His knack for all things electric (and luck in landing a summer job offering the freedom to experiment) led him to invent an important part of the devices we rely on every day.

After seventh-grader Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat, he observes the aftermath of his death and meets the ghosts of other fallen Black boys including historical figure Emmett Till.

This book details the author's experiences as a child prisoner in the Japanese-American internment camps of World War II, reflecting on the choices his family made in the face of institutionalized racism.

Ahed Tamimi's father was born in 1967, the year Israeli occupation of the West Bank began, and every aspect of their family's life has been touched by it. Her memoir is one of the first to deal directly with what life in occupation actually means for the people in it, beyond geography or policy.

The author challenges the world to see gender not in black and white, but in full color. Taking from their own experiences as a gender-nonconforming artist, they show readers that gender is a malleable and creative form of expression.

This history explores the lives of early trans and gender non-conforming athletes in the 1930s, connecting their stories to the rise of fascism and the creation of modern sports' gender surveillance policies, particularly the sex-testing apparatus that originated at the 1936 Berlin Olympics.

The author, Kai Naima Williams-- great-granddaughter of Yuri Kochiyama-- chronicles the experiences and lessons, hardships and victories and people and places that shaped Yuri's life and influenced her activism.

A necessary and meaningful exploration of what it means to be a Black woman in America today-- and an of-the-moment rally cry to lift up women and girls everywhere-- written by an Olympic gold medalist and two-time professional basketball MVP.  

Months after the fallout of her marriage and the loss of her mother, a heart-shaped cake tin falls at the author's feet. This causes her to explore how we attach meanings to spoons, pots and washing-up bowls, and how they impact our memories and emotions.

Marion Graves Anthon Fish, known as "Mamie" and "The Fun-Maker," threw the most epic parties in American history, but her story is about so much more.

Before she was Rita Moreno, Rosita Dolores Alverío immigrated to New York City from Puerto Rico when she was five years old and went on to become the first Latina woman to win an EGOT, all four of the major performing arts awards.