Check out the wide array of memoirs recommended by Lewis & Clark Library staff. As author William Zinsser once said, “Memoir isn’t the summary of a life; it’s a window into a life.” Memoirs provide a glimpse into another’s person’s life like no other genre. We read them to learn, experience and grow from another’s perspective.
The truly unusual and unique life of the current Ravenmaster, the individual in charge of the ravens in the Tower of London. Told in his own words, Skaife's experiences and insights into the lively ravens of the tower are hilarious, poignant, and a true joy to read.
Find it in the catalog HERE
Also available in digital format:
The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
This memoir is by turns acerbic and philosophical, both comedic and heart-wrenching. Bauby, editor-in-chief of French Elle magazine, wrote the book after suffering a stroke that left only his left eye mobile. He wrote the entire book by blinking out one letter at a time to compile words, sentences, and chapters. The language and stories are tightly woven as Bauby explores the new realities of his life.
Find it in the catalog HERE
Also available in digital format:
Montana Library2Go Ebook HERE
Hoopla 2008 French Film based on The Diving Bell and the Butterfly HERE
Just Like Someone Without Mental Illness Only More So
A unique perspective on health and medicine, written by a man who been hospitalized four times for mental illness and is also an accomplished pediatrician. Oh, and he’s author Kurt Vonnegut’s son.
Find it in the catalog HERE
Also available in digital format:
Montana Library2Go Ebook HERE
When I Was White: A Memoir
The author bravely recounts growing up in a white family which would not, or could not, tell her the truth about her racial background, and how she was able to forge her own identity in an environment of confusion and distrust. While her story sheds light on being black and biracial in America, it also demonstrates the high cost of unspoken family secrets.
Find it in the catalog HERE
Sorted: Growing Up, Coming Out, and finding My Place: a transgender memoir
This funny, fast-reading memoir occupies the increasingly murky space between young adult and adult memoirs, created by more and more Millennials who are telling their stories. It also provides a comfortable, yet nuanced education in transgender issues that’s just as suitable for parents as for young people.
Find it in the catalog HERE
Also available in digital format:
Check out the author’s YouTube channel HERE
And widely-viewed TED Talk HERE