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Memoir & Biography

Memoir & Biography

Articles

Classic and contemporary memoirs and biographies — analysis, techniques, and reading recommendations.

Learning Path — 18 articles

1 Memoir & Biography — Complete Guide Introduction to memoir and biography — the differences between the forms, what makes them powerful, and how to read true … 8 min Start Here 2 Angela's Ashes — Frank McCourt Memoir Analysis Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes — a Pulitzer-winning memoir of poverty, resilience, and dark humor in 1930s and 40s … 8 min Start Here 3 The Glass Castle — Jeannette Walls Memoir Analysis Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle — a memoir of a dysfunctional nomadic family and one girl's journey from poverty to … 8 min Start Here 4 Educated — Tara Westover Memoir Analysis Tara Westover's Educated — a memoir of growing up in a survivalist family, the transformative power of education, and … 8 min 5 Wild — Cheryl Strayed Memoir Analysis Cheryl Strayed's Wild — a memoir of grief, redemption, and a 1,100-mile solo hike on the Pacific Crest Trail that … 8 min 6 When Breath Becomes Air — Paul Kalanithi Analysis Paul Kalanithi's When Breath Becomes Air — a neurosurgeon's reflection on mortality, meaning, and what makes life worth … 8 min 7 Night by Elie Wiesel — Holocaust Memoir Analysis Elie Wiesel's Night — a Holocaust memoir that bears witness to Auschwitz and Buchenwald and the struggle to maintain … 8 min 8 I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings — Maya Angelou Analysis Maya Angelou's I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings — a landmark memoir of race, trauma, and resilience that gave voice to … 8 min 9 Steve Jobs — Walter Isaacson Biography Analysis Walter Isaacson's Steve Jobs — definitive biography of the Apple co-founder, exploring his genius, flaws, and the … 8 min 10 Churchill Biography Guide — Major Works Guide to the major biographies of Winston Churchill — how historians have portrayed the statesman, writer, and wartime … 8 min 11 Autobiography vs Memoir — Key Differences Understanding the key differences between autobiography and memoir — scope, structure, voice, and distinct purposes of … 8 min 12 Writing a Memoir — Complete Practical Guide A practical guide to writing a memoir — finding your story, developing your voice, handling truth and memory, and … 8 min 13 Biography Research Methods — A Guide Guide to biography research methods — how biographers find sources, evaluate evidence, conduct interviews, and build a … 8 min 14 Great Biographies — Essential Reading List Curated reading list of the greatest biographies — from Boswell's Johnson to contemporary masterpieces of the … 8 min 15 Celebrity Memoirs — Genre Guide & Best Examples A guide to the celebrity memoir — genre conventions, best examples, and what makes a celebrity memoir worth reading … 8 min 16 Travel Memoir — Journeys of Discovery Guide A guide to the travel memoir — journeys of discovery, literature of place, and how writers transform movement into … 8 min Advanced 17 Grief Memoir — How Writers Transform Loss Into Literature A guide to the grief memoir — how writers transform loss into literature, essential works, and what makes the form so … 8 min Advanced 18 Literary Biography — Writing the Lives of Writers Guide to literary biography — the art of writing the lives of writers, the challenges of the form, and the essential … 8 min Advanced