Six Honest Memoirs to Put on Your To-Read List
Take a deep dive into somebody else's life with one of these new memoirs
The House of Hidden Meanings
RuPaul
New from drag superstar and pop culture sensation RuPaul, this memoir is a brilliant and poignant examination of his life. He explores everything from being a disadvantaged kid from a broken home, to discovering the transformative power of performance and the strength that can be taken from found family, and this memoir pulls no punches.
Only Say Good Things
Crystal Hefner
This raw and honest memoir pulls back the curtain on the intensity and misogyny of the infamous Playboy Mansion. Picked out of a crowd by Hugh Hefner at just 21 years old, Crystal writes about the cost of being the number one It Girl and finding her identity outside of the gilded cage of the mansion.
My Mama, Cass
Owen Eliott-Kugell
Deeply affecting, learn about legendary singer ‘Mama Cass’ Elliot of Mamas and Papas fame as told by her daughter. Owen lovingly constructs an image of her mother as a complex and groundbreaking artist, who defied convention during the wild cultural upheaval of the 1960s. Publishes 23rd May.
Don’t Think, Dear
Alice Robb
A nuanced look at the demanding and obsessive life of ballerinas and what the ballet industry expects of its dancers, as told by the author and her fellow dancers who attended one of America’s most elite ballet schools. Prepare for an unflinching examination of what it takes to win and cope with the collateral damage of success.
Sure, I’ll Join Your Cult
Maria Bamford
Outrageous comedian Maria Bamford takes the reader with her on a hilarious quest to find a sense of belonging – literally anywhere. From joining random anonymous support groups to manic episodes on set and everything in between, Maria shows us what it means to be out of step in life, but still marching on.
A Man of Two Faces
Viet Thanh Nguyen
The author has become known for playing with style brilliantly and this new memoir is no different. With plenty of good humour and cutting insight, he takes a look back at his own life as a Vietnamese refugee growing up in America and the identity crisis it caused.
