I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, by Maya Angelou
Poet Maya Angelou's memoirs of her childhood in a small, rural community during the 1930s. The moving and beautiful autobiography of a talented black woman.
Slaves in the Family, by Edward Ball
This work tells of one mans search to find the descendants of the slaves who lived and worked on his family's plantation.
Ava's Man, by Rick Bragg
Bragg tells of his maternal grandfather, Charlie Bundrum, who fed and clothed his family during the Great Depression despite his foibles and lack of education.
The Family on Beartown Road: A Memoir of Love and Courage, by Elizabeth Cohen
Cohen, a single mother, cares for her new daughter, Ava, and her father who suffers from Alzheimer Disease. She writes of Ava’s learning new things everyday, and her father’s memory loss.
Angela's Ashes, by Frank McCourt
Told with both humor and compassion, this is McCourt’s story of growing up poor in Ireland with a father who doesn’t provide for the family but is a great storyteller.
The River of Doubt: Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey, by Candice Millard
In this nonfiction narrative thriller, Theodore Roosevelt accomplished the most punishing physical challenge he could find after his election defeat in 1912; the first descent of an unmapped, rapids-choked tributary of the Amazon. A favorite for book groups!
The Tender Bar, by J. R. Moehringer
With an absent father and needing a male influence in his life, J. R. turned to the flamboyant patrons of a grand old New York saloon as surrogates.
Leap of Faith: Memoirs of an Unexpected Life , by Queen Noor
Born into an Arab-American family, Lisa Halaby married King Hussein of Jordan and became Queen Noor. She writes the story of her life and marriage.
Without Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman, by Alice Steinbach
Steinbach describes the months she spent traveling alone throughout Europe, especially London, Paris, and Rome, after taking a sabbatical from her job as columnist for the Baltimore Sun.
The Glass Castle: A Memoir, by Jeannette Walls
Jeannette Walls lived with her two parents, Rex and Rose Mary Walls, and her three siblings. Their family grew up moving among southwest desert towns with a charismatic father and a mother with little responsibility of having a family. After the family had little money left, they departed to West Virginia and their dysfunction escalated, leaving Walls and her siblings to find a new life for themselves.
, by Maya Angelou
, by Edward Ball
, by Rick Bragg
, by Elizabeth Cohen
, by Frank McCourt
, by Candice Millard
, by J. R. Moehringer
, by Queen Noor
, by Alice Steinbach
, by Jeannette Walls
