My Favorite Memoirs

*The books discussed in this list contain themes of abuse*

Let me first admit that I am a slow reader. I read my share of Vocal content, but books are a different story. I admire my fellow vocalites, like L.C. Shafer and Heather Hubler, who are prolific readers as well as writers. For me, it is difficult to find books that I can dig into and stick with to the end. I may have undiagnosed ADHD. My mind just wanders in the middle of the page sometimes.

I downloaded the Goodreads app and that seemed to help me find the kinds of books I like. On the other hand, it shows me just how few books I can finish in a year (usually between five and ten). But honestly, I am so proud when I can finish even one book. Gold star!

Memoirs are my favorite book genre. Celebrity memoirs are okay, but I prefer memoirs about people who are famous for something other than a career in entertainment, ordinary people who overcame some unimaginable horror and lived to tell about it. Memoirs are so intimate. It’s like making a new friend who just happens to have an extraordinary life.

Many use ghostwriters, some even give them credit on the cover. It makes sense that not everyone with an amazing story would have the talent to turn it into a bestselling book. In these cases, using a ghostwriter to organize a cohesive narrative and polished prose is for readers' benefit.

The Raft by Robert Trumbull

This is the first memoir I read by choice in high school. I randomly checked it out from the library. It is about three Naval airmen who survive for over a month at sea with no food or water in a rubber raft the size of a bathtub after their plane crashes in the South Pacific. It’s a survival story in the most literal sense of the word.

Escape by Carolyn Jessop

This was the next memoir to make an impression on me. I had seen some news coverage about the Polygamist cult, FLDS (Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints) around the time I picked up this book. I am fascinated by religious cults. What makes people join them? How do they control their members? Why don’t people just leave? I wanted to learn more from someone who lived it. Carolyn escaped with her children in tow, an amazing feat of strength and courage. I could not put this book down.

My Lobotomy by Howard Dully

At this point, I am actively seeking out memoirs to find another as compelling as the last. This book is not for the faint of heart. It is about a young boy whose abusive stepmother chooses an ice pick lobotomy to suppress his ‘behavioral issues.’ It is tragic and gut wrenching. I cried more than once while reading it. More than just a memoir, Dully weaves in information about the infamous ice pick doctor, Walter Jackson Freeman II, who performed the procedure on dozens of women, children and vulnerable individuals from 1946 - 1967.

Educated by Tara Westover

I think ‘Educated’ was in the ‘recommended for you’ section on Goodreads based on my favorites list. ‘Educated’ is an exceptional story about a woman who’s homeschool experience was marred by the dangerously unhinged whims of her father with undiagnosed bipolar disorder.

Every time I read one of these heavy-duty memoirs, I get a pang of guilt for enjoying it. This person has been through so much pain and tragedy and here I am reading about it for fun. But then I remember that these folks are proud of what they have overcome, of what they have accomplished despite their circumstances. They want to share their story. Through their stories, I am learning about the human condition, gaining new perspectives and empathy.

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If you enjoyed this article, here is and interview I did with my daughter about her favorite books. She is already a more prolific reader than her mom.