Whether offering a glimpse into extraordinary achievements, personal struggles, creative journeys, or pivotal moments in history, biographies and memoirs invite us to step into someone else’s world and see life through a different lens.
From candid memoirs and inspiring stories of resilience to fascinating portraits of cultural icons, here are some compelling biographies and memoirs published recently and available to borrow with your Livingston Library card.
American Patriarch : The Life of George Washington by H. W. Brands
In this compelling biography, historian Brands explores the life and legacy of George Washington, from his early military career and leadership during the American Revolution to his presidency as the nation’s first leader. Brands portrays a Washington who endured failures and setbacks while demonstrating the character and virtues that helped make him an enduring symbol of American leadership.
Catching Sight : How a Guide Dog Helped Me See Myself by Deni Elliott
This book follows ethics scholar Elliott as progressive blindness leads her to an extraordinary guide dog, Alberta. Co-authored with guide dog trainer Graham Buck, this inspiring memoir offers a behind-the-scenes look at guide dog training while exploring disability, independence, identity, and the transformative bond between humans and animals.
Crossroads : A Memoir in Baseball and Life by Dusty Baker
This is baseball legend Dusty Baker’s inspiring memoir of a remarkable career as a player and manager, from learning under icons like Hank Aaron and Willie Mays to leading the Houston Astros to a 2022 World Series victory. Along the way, Baker shares hard-earned lessons about perseverance, leadership, faith, friendship, and finding meaning both on and off the field.
Daylight Come : Harry Belafonte and the World He Made by Joshua Jelly-Schapiro
This biography offers a vibrant portrait of Harry Belafonte, tracing his rise from Harlem to international stardom as the “King of Calypso” and America’s first Black movie star. Jelly-Schapiro explores Belafonte’s groundbreaking career, friendships, and lifelong activism, including his close relationship with Martin Luther King Jr., and his enduring impact on American culture and civil rights.
Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About : A Memoir by Isabel Klee
This is a candid, funny, and heartfelt memoir about growing up, love, heartbreak, and the unexpected challenges of adulthood. With humor and vulnerability, Klee reflects on the people, relationships, and experiences that have shaped her life.
Famesick: A Memoir by Lena Dunham
A candid and deeply personal memoir about Dunham’s rise to fame, chronic health struggles, ambition, relationships, and the pressures of life in the public eye. With humor and vulnerability, Dunham reflects on the costs of success, learning to live with what she cannot change, and finding her way back to herself.
An Inconvenient Widow: The Torment, Trial, and Triumph of Mary Todd Lincoln by Lois Romano
Romano offers a fresh portrait of Mary Todd Lincoln, exploring her political ambition, role in Abraham Lincoln’s rise, and support of the Union during the Civil War. Drawing on extensive research, Romano reveals a complex, resilient woman whose legacy was often unfairly shaped by her critics and personal tragedies.
Joyful, Anyway by Kate Bowler
This is a funny and tender reflection on finding unexpected moments of joy amid pain, loss, and uncertainty. Drawing on her experience with cancer, Bowler explores how small, surprising pleasures can bring meaning and connection without requiring us to ignore life’s difficulties.
Judy Blume: A Life by Mark Oppenheimer
This is a revealing biography of the beloved author whose candid books transformed children’s and young adult literature. Drawing on interviews, personal papers, and her work, Oppenheimer explores Blume’s life, career, and lasting impact as she challenged taboos and gave generations of young readers a voice.
Lifeguard : A Love Story by Janet Fash
A lively memoir about Fash’s nearly 40-year career as a New York City lifeguard and her rise to become the city’s first female lifeguard chief. Set against the sun-soaked world of Rockaway Beach, it explores friendship, courage, sexism, corruption, and the deep sense of purpose she found in protecting others.
Marilyn and Her Books : The Literary Life of Marilyn Monroe by Gail Crowther
Crowther explores the screen icon’s passion for reading and self-education. Drawing on Monroe’s personal library and relationships with writers, Crowther reveals the intelligent, curious woman behind the Hollywood image and her lifelong hunger for knowledge.
Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage by Belle Burden
Burden chronicles the sudden end of her 20-year marriage when her husband unexpectedly leaves her during the pandemic. As she reexamines her relationship and family history, Burden transforms heartbreak into a journey of self-discovery, resilience, and finding her voice.
Vermeer: A Life Lost and Found by Andrew Graham-Dixon
Lopez offers a fresh look at the life and legacy of Dutch master Johannes Vermeer, exploring the mystery surrounding his relatively obscure life, his artistic development, and the circumstances that shaped his enduring work. It brings together art, history, and biography to illuminate the man behind some of the world’s most celebrated paintings.
A Way Home : A Memoir of Losing Yourself and the Beauty of Returning by Cinelle Barnes
This is a moving memoir about identity, memory, and home. While writing about her return to the Philippines after two decades away, Barnes suffers a traumatic brain injury that erases much of her memory, forcing her to reconstruct her past and rediscover her relationships, family, and sense of self.
—Archana, Adult Services & Acquisitions Librarian