It’s no surprise that many of us are going through some stressful times. Things are a bit rough right now. But one way to help pull through is by listening to the narratives of others. During moments like these, it’s helpful to relate to someone else’s journey and know we’re not alone.
In this article, we’ve gathered a list of memoirs we hope will inspire you. Continue reading to learn more about our recommendations.
Trigger warning: This article makes mention of violence against women and sexual assault; please read with caution. The books mentioned in this article may contain additional triggering content. Please check out the authors’ trigger warnings for each book before reading.
The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris
Born and raised in Oakland, California, Harris has spent most of her life standing up for justice and human rights. This memoir offers a deeper look into the mind of the first woman, Vice President of the United States, as her narrative explores her roots as the daughter of an immigrant woman from India. Hopefully, reading her journey and motivational words will give more women the hope to achieve their groundbreaking dreams.
A House of My Own: Stories from My Life by Sandra Cisneros
Widely known for her Chicana coming-of-age novel, The House on Mango Street, which highlighted the complexities of girlhood, Cisneros continues her discussion on her journey to finding her sense of home while navigating through the conflicts of cultural identity.
I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
Fighting for women’s rights to education, Malala Yousafzai became a target of the Taliban at the young age of 15. With extreme bravery and fierceness in the face of violence, she continued her fight all the way to the United Nations and even became the youngest to obtain the Nobel Peace Prize.
Believing: Our Thirty-Year Journey to End Gender Violence by Anita Hill
Another woman standing up for women’s rights, Anita Hill details her journey to fight against sexual harassment and gender-based violence in Believing. Hill courageously stood up to Clarence Thomas in a Senate hearing in 1991, accusing him of sexually harassing her. Hill continues her battle in her memoir as she raises awareness of this important issue that continues to transpire decades later.
My Invented Country: A Memoir by Isabel Allende
I never fit in anywhere, not into my family, my social class, or the religion fate bestowed on me.
Traversing cultural borders, Allende exposes the intricacies of belonging and identity as a Chilean-American woman. Faced with elements of time and distance, Allende reveals how one can feel like a stranger in their country of birth.
Crying in the Bathroom: A Memoir by Erika L. Sánchez
Equal parts pee-your-pants hilarity and break-your-heart poignancy — like the perfect brunch date you never want to end!
America Ferrera, Emmy Award–winning actress in Ugly Betty
Sánchez continues the discussion on identity diaspora, highlighting her experiences as the daughter of Mexican immigrants residing in Chicago during the ’90s. Relating to Latinx struggles such as that of Cisneros’, Sánchez uncovers everything from sexual relations to mental health as a Chicana woman living in the United States. Readers might recognize her name from the popular novel I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter.
We sometimes focus on fiction, but non-fiction — especially memoirs — is crucial for our understanding of the world around us. By reading the experiences of others, we obtain a more solid perception of our environments. Hopefully, these suggestions have given you more appreciation for the genre of memoirs.
For memoirs focused on mental health, check out our article 7 Breakthrough Brutally Honest Mental Health Memoirs That’ll Make You Feel Seen!
Make sure to jump into our Bookshop bookshelf for more recommendations: Non-Fiction Titles for the Enlightened Mind!
