Book Lists

Nonfiction / Autobiography Best Sellers

New York Time Best sellers of Nonfiction / Autobiography: Spare (2022), The Light We Carry (2021), Open Book (2020), Greenlights (2020), A Promised Land (2020) and other 66 books.

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Spare

released in: 2022
Spare
It was one of the most searing images of the twentieth century: two young boys, two princes, walking behind their mother’s coffin as the world watched in sorrow—and horror. As Princess Diana was laid to rest, billions wondered what Prince William and Prince Harry must be thinking and feeling—and how their lives would play out from that point on. For Harry, this is that story at last. Before losing his mother, twelve-year-old Prince Harry was known as the carefree one, the happy-go-lucky Spare to the more serious Heir. Grief changed everything. He struggled at school, struggled with anger, with loneliness—and, because he blamed the press for his mother’s death, he struggled to accept life in the spotlight. At twenty-one, he joined the British Army. The discipline gave him structure, and two combat tours made him a hero at home. But he soon felt more lost than ever, suffering from post-traumatic stress and prone to crippling panic attacks. Above all, he couldn’t find true love. Then he met Meghan. The world was swept away by the couple’s cinematic romance and rejoiced in their fairy-tale wedding. But from the beginning, Harry and Meghan were preyed upon by the press, subjected to waves of abuse, racism, and lies. Watching his wife suffer, their safety and mental health at risk, Harry saw no other way to prevent the tragedy of history repeating itself but to flee his mother country. Over the centuries, leaving the Royal Family was an act few had dared. The last to try, in fact, had been his mother... For the first time, Prince Harry tells his own story, chronicling his journey with raw, unflinching honesty. A landmark publication, Spare is full of insight, revelation, self-examination, and hard-won wisdom about the eternal power of love over grief.

The Light We Carry

released in: 2021
The Light We Carry
There may be no tidy solutions or pithy answers to life’s big challenges, but Michelle Obama believes that we can all locate and lean on a set of tools to help us better navigate change and remain steady within flux. In The Light We Carry, she opens a frank and honest dialogue with readers, considering the questions many of us wrestle with: How do we build enduring and honest relationships? How can we discover strength and community inside our differences? What tools do we use to address feelings of self-doubt or helplessness? What do we do when it all starts to feel like too much? Michelle Obama offers readers a series of fresh stories and insightful reflections on change, challenge, and power, including her belief that when we light up for others, we can illuminate the richness and potential of the world around us, discovering deeper truths and new pathways for progress. Drawing from her experiences as a mother, daughter, spouse, friend, and First Lady, she shares the habits and principles she has developed to successfully adapt to change and overcome various obstacles—the earned wisdom that helps her continue to “become.” She details her most valuable practices, like “starting kind,” “going high,” and assembling a “kitchen table” of trusted friends and mentors. With trademark humor, candor, and compassion, she also explores issues connected to race, gender, and visibility, encouraging readers to work through fear, find strength in community, and live with boldness. “When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it,” writes Michelle Obama. A rewarding blend of powerful stories and profound advice that will ignite conversation, The Light We Carry inspires readers to examine their own lives, identify their sources of gladness, and connect meaningfully in a turbulent world.

Open Book

released in: 2020
Open Book
Jessica reveals for the first time her inner monologue and most intimate struggles. Guided by the journals she's kept since age fifteen, and brimming with her unique humor and down-to-earth humanity, Open Book is as inspiring as it is entertaining. This was supposed to be a very different book. Five years ago, Jessica Simpson was approached to write a motivational guide to living your best life. She walked away from the offer, and nobody understood why. The truth is that she didn't want to lie. Jessica couldn't be authentic with her readers if she wasn't fully honest with herself first. Now, Americas Sweetheart, preachers daughter, pop phenomenon, reality TV pioneer, and the billion-dollar fashion mogul invites readers on a remarkable journey, examining a life that blessed her with the compassion to help others but also burdened her with an almost crippling need to please. Open Book is Jessica Simpson using her voice, heart, soul, and humor to share things shes never shared before. First celebrated for her voice, she became one of the most talked-about women in the world, whether for music and fashion, her relationship struggles, or as a walking blonde joke. But now, instead of being talked about, Jessica is doing the talking. Her book shares the wisdom and inspirations shes learned and shows the real woman behind all the pop-culture cliche s "chicken or fish," "Daisy Duke," "football jinx," "mom jeans," "sexual napalm" and more. Open Book is an opportunity to laugh and cry with a close friend, one that will inspire you to live your best, most authentic life, now that she is finally living hers. Five years ago Simpson was approached to write a motivational guide to living your best life. She walked away from the offer because she believed she couldn't be authentic with her readers if she wasn't fully honest with herself first. Now she examines her life: blessed with the compassion to help others but also burdened with an almost crippling need to please. First celebrated for her voice, she became famous for music and fashion, her relationship struggles-- and as a walking blonde joke. Here she shares the wisdom and inspirations she has learned, and shows the real woman behind all the pop-culture cliche s. -- adapted from jacket

Greenlights

released in: 2020
Greenlights
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • 6 MILLION COPIES SOLD WORLDWIDE! Discover the life-changing memoir that has inspired millions of readers through the Academy Award–winning actor’s unflinching honesty, unconventional wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction. “The No. 1 celebrity memoir of the past 10 years.”—USA Today “McConaughey’s book invites us to grapple with the lessons of his life as he did—and to see that the point was never to win, but to understand.”—Mark Manson, author of The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck I’ve been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair. How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less. How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life. How to be more me. Recently, I worked up the courage to sit down with those diaries. I found stories I experienced, lessons I learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs about what matters, some great photographs, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers. I found a reliable theme, an approach to living that gave me more satisfaction, at the time, and still: If you know how, and when, to deal with life’s challenges—how to get relative with the inevitable—you can enjoy a state of success I call “catching greenlights.” So I took a one-way ticket to the desert and wrote this book: an album, a record, a story of my life so far. This is fifty years of my sights and seens, felts and figured-outs, cools and shamefuls. Graces, truths, and beauties of brutality. Getting away withs, getting caughts, and getting wets while trying to dance between the raindrops. Hopefully, it’s medicine that tastes good, a couple of aspirin instead of the infirmary, a spaceship to Mars without needing your pilot’s license, going to church without having to be born again, and laughing through the tears. It’s a love letter. To life. It’s also a guide to catching more greenlights—and to realizing that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too. Good luck.

A Promised Land

released in: 2020
A Promised Land
A riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making-from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy. In the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency-a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation's highest office. Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S. partisan politics and international diplomacy. Obama brings readers inside the Oval Office and the White House Situation Room, and to Moscow, Cairo, Beijing, and points beyond. We are privy to his thoughts as he assembles his cabinet, wrestles with a global financial crisis, takes the measure of Vladimir Putin, overcomes seemingly insurmountable odds to secure passage of the Affordable Care Act, clashes with generals about U.S. strategy in Afghanistan, tackles Wall Street reform, responds to the devastating Deepwater Horizon blowout, and authorizes Operation Neptune's Spear, which leads to the death of Osama bin Laden. A Promised Land is extraordinarily intimate and introspective-the story of one man's bet with history, the faith of a community organizer tested on the world stage. Obama is candid about the balancing act of running for office as a Black American, bearing the expectations of a generation buoyed by messages of `hope and change,` and meeting the moral challenges of high-stakes decision-making. He is frank about the forces that opposed him at home and abroad, open about how living in the White House affected his wife and daughters, and unafraid to reveal self-doubt and disappointment. Yet he never wavers from his belief that inside the great, ongoing American experiment, progress is always possible. This beautifully written and powerful book captures Barack Obama's conviction that democracy is not a gift from on high but something founded on empathy and common understanding and built together, day by day.

Educated

released in: 2018
Educated
The daughter of survivalists, who is kept out of school, educates herself enough to leave home for university.

Calypso

released in: 2018
Calypso
David Sedaris returns with his most deeply personal and darkly hilarious book. If you've ever laughed your way through David Sedaris's cheerfully misanthropic stories, you might think you know what you're getting with Calypso. You'd be wrong. When he buys a beach house on the Carolina coast, Sedaris envisions long, relaxing vacations spent playing board games and lounging in the sun with those he loves most. And life at the Sea Section, as he names the vacation home, is exactly as idyllic as he imagined, except for one tiny, vexing realization: it's impossible to take a vacation from yourself. With Calypso, Sedaris sets his formidable powers of observation toward middle age and mortality. Make no mistake: these stories are very, very funny--it's a book that can make you laugh 'til you snort, the way only family can. Sedaris's powers of observation have never been sharper, and his ability to shock readers into laughter unparalleled. But much of the comedy here is born out of that vertiginous moment when your own body betrays you and you realize that the story of your life is made up of more past than future. This is beach reading for people who detest beaches, required reading for those who loathe small talk and love a good tumor joke. Calypso is simultaneously Sedaris's darkest and warmest book yet--and it just might be his very best.

Becoming

released in: 2018
Becoming
The world of magick and the world of man have long been estranged from one another. But some can walk between the two—including Breen Siobhan Kelly. She has just returned to Talamh, with her friend, Marco, who’s dazzled and disoriented by this realm—a place filled with dragons and faeries and mermaids (but no WiFi, to his chagrin). In Talamh, Breen is not the ordinary young schoolteacher he knew her as. Here she is learning to embrace the powers of her true identity. Marco is welcomed kindly by her people—and by Keegan, leader of the Fey. Keegan has trained Breen as a warrior, and his yearning for her has grown along with his admiration of her strength and skills. But one member of Breen’s bloodline is not there to embrace her. Her grandfather, the outcast god Odran, plots to destroy Talamh—and now all must unite to defeat his dark forces. There will be losses and sorrows, betrayal and bloodshed. But through it, Breen Siobhan Kelly will take the next step on the journey to becoming all that she was born to be.

When Breath Becomes Air

released in: 2016
When Breath Becomes Air
A memoir by a physician who received a diagnosis of Stage IV lung cancer at the age of 36.

Down The Rabbit Hole

released in: 2015

Troublemaker

released in: 2015
Troublemaker
The actress describes her life in Scientology and the aftermath of her break with the church in 2013.

Duty

released in: 2014
Duty
The former defense secretary recounts his experience serving Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

_____ My Dad Says

released in: 2010
_____ My Dad Says
A coming-of-age memoir organized around the musings, purveyed on Twitter, of the author\'s father.

Spoken From The Heart

released in: 2010

Too Fat To Fish

released in: 2010

Are You There, Vodka? It'S Me, Chelsea

released in: 2008
Are You There, Vodka? It'S Me, Chelsea
Welcome to Chelsea Handler's world—a place where absurdity reigns supreme and a quick wit is the best line of defense. When Chelsea Handler needs to get a few things off her chest, she appeals to a higher power—vodka. Seems reasonable, when considering that she discovered her boyfriend was having an affair with a Peekapoo and she had to pretend to be honeymooning with her father in order to upgrade to first class. In this highly entertaining, deliciously skewed collection, Chelsea mines her past for stories about her family, relationships, and career that are at once singular and ridiculous. Whether she’s convincing her third-grade class that she has been chosen to play Goldie Hawn’s daughter in the sequel to Private Benjamin, deciding to be more egalitarian by dating a redhead, or looking out for a foulmouthed, rum-swilling little person who looks just like her...only smaller, Chelsea has a knack for getting herself into the most outrageous situations. Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea showcases the candor and irresistible turns of phrase that have made her one of the freshest voices in comedy today.

Losing It

released in: 2008
Losing It
A memoir by Valerie Bertinelli, offering a candid account of her life, career, struggles with weight, and journey toward self-acceptance.

Audition: A Memoir

released in: 2008
Audition: A Memoir
Audition: A Memoir is a memoir by Barbara Walters, published in 2008. The memoir is a story of Walters' life and career in the entertainment industry.

A Long Way Gone

released in: 2007

You Can Run But You Can't Hide

released in: 2007
You Can Run But You Can't Hide
You Can Run But You Can't Hide is a memoir by Duane Chapman, published in 2007. The memoir is a story of Chapman's life as a bounty hunter, and of his capture of some of the most wanted criminals in the United States.

My Grandfather's Son

released in: 2007

The Audacity Of Hope

released in: 2006

Teacher Man

released in: 2006
Teacher Man
The author tells the story of his 30 years teaching in the New York City public school system.

Mistaken Identity

by: Don
released in: 2006
Mistaken Identity
Mistaken Identity is a memoir by Don, published in 2006. The memoir is a story of Don's life as a criminal, and of his eventual capture and imprisonment.

My Prison Without Bars

released in: 2004
My Prison Without Bars
"My Prison Without Bars" by Pete Rose is a memoir in which the former baseball player reflects on his life, career, and the controversies surrounding his ban from professional baseball. Rose shares personal insights, addressing both triumphs and challenges. The memoir provides a firsthand account of the highs and lows of Rose's journey in the world of sports.

My Life

released in: 2004
My Life
My Life is the autobiography of former United States President Bill Clinton, who served from 1993 to 2001.

American Soldier

released in: 2004
American Soldier
The story of General Tommy Franks, one of the most decorated soldiers of our time.

Leap of Faith

released in: 2003
Leap of Faith
Leap of Faith is the autobiography of Jordan's Queen Noor, who married King Hussein in 1978.

Lucky Man

released in: 2002
Lucky Man
book description: Lucky Man is an autobiography of Michael J. Fox, actor and activist. The book chronicles Fox's life, from his early days as a child actor, to his diagnosis with Parkinson's disease, to his work as an advocate for medical research.

You Cannot Be Serious

released in: 2002
You Cannot Be Serious
You Cannot Be Serious is a 2002 memoir by former tennis player John McEnroe. The book was co-written with James Kaplan and published by Putnam. It spent five weeks on the New York Times Best Seller list.

Let's Roll!

released in: 2002
Let's Roll!
Let's Roll! is the story of United Airlines Flight 93, which was hijacked on September 11, 2001, and crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

Leadership

released in: 2002
Leadership
book description: Leadership is an autobiography of Rudy Giuliani, former mayor of New York City. The book chronicles Giuliani's life and career, from his upbringing in New York, to his time as a federal prosecutor, to his tenure as mayor during the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The Savage Nation

released in: 2002
The Savage Nation
book description: The Savage Nation is an autobiographical account of Michael Savage's life and his views on a variety of political and social issues. The book also includes Savage's thoughts on the 9/11 terrorist attacks.
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