12 Memoirs You Have to Read This Year — No Excuses

Plenty of books cover the ups and downs of fame, and in Parker Posey's memoir, she recounts her own experiences with stardom and the childhood that led her to becoming a household name. Exploring her childhood spent in the South, the years she spent entertaining herself with crafts, and what really happened during the film revolution of the 1990s, this new memoir takes readers on a journey through the life of one of Hollywood's most acclaimed actresses.

When Meri Henriques Vahl moves to Indiana from New York for college, she can't think of anything but the ideal image of college life she's always had in her head. Making friends with those similar to her, she begins to find her rightful place in this new city but soon finds that her entire world is about to fall apart. Beginning with John F. Kennedy's assassination and a brutal murder of a young black man, Henriques Vahl is exposed to the darkest sides of racism and injustice, and before she knows it, she finds herself in the middle of extreme tension and forced to make difficult decisions. This memoir takes a shocking look at racial issues in America's past with a new and authentic voice.

Anne Lamott's hopeful new book doesn't shy away from the fact that we all face rejection, disappointment, and sadness at some point in our lives. Lamott aims to show her readers that even during the darkest times, there are always glimpses of hope. This inspiring nonfiction read seeks to help those who are finding themselves at a crossroad and provides insightful wisdom when you need it most.

With a foreword from Mindy Kaling, this new memoir by comedian Guy Branum takes a look at what it's like to grow up gay and overweight in a place that he struggled to call home. Branum's personal essays cover his exciting yet troubling college experiences to his odd connections with the Secret Service and everything in between. Digging into what it means to be the "Sassy Gay Friend" and his road to comedy, Branum has put together a collection of stories from his real life that will both shock and inspire readers.

Francine Falk-Allen contracted polio at a young age and as a result lost opportunities many children normally have at only 3 years old. Growing up with what seemed like a devastating disability, Falk-Allen tried her best to fit in with the normal teens and young adults around her, and in this new memoir, she examines the ways in which she chose to live her life instead of dwell on her ailment. Now, as a grown woman, Falk-Allen looks back at her life and how she conquered her biggest fears instead of banishing them. Not a Poster Child is an honest portrayal of what it's like to struggle with a disease, told with immense humor and heart.

With anxiety on the rise throughout the world, Claire Bidwell Smith uses her personal experiences to teach readers that in order to face your problems head on, you need to face the demons from your past. Diving into the complexities of grief and how it plays a huge role in dealing with anxiety, Smith brings in concrete facts and data to support her useful management tips in this new uplifting read. For anyone struggling to figure out their next steps in life, this is the perfect book to jump-start your happiness and gain control.

Written by the first Muslim American woman to win a medal at the Olympics, Proud is a tell-all memoir about a woman's fight for equality and the power of believing in yourself. Trying her best to enter the world of fencing, Muhammad was met with plenty of injustice as those in the fencing community were unwilling to accept her. Working her way to the top through her passion and talent, the young athlete quickly showed her opponents what she was made of, winning competition after competition. This new memoir follows Muhammad's road to success and the endurance it takes to reach your dreams.

In Allie Rowbottom's Jell-O Girls, the haunting yet triumphant story of one family and their successful business is brought to the forefront. When Rowbottom's great-great-great-uncle bought the patent to Jell-O in the late 1890s, he wouldn't have ever guessed that it would bring along hardship for his family. Over 100 years later, the women in the Rowbottom family are struggling with a cancer that has taken the life of both Allie's mother and her grandmother. Continuing her mother's research and writing down her journey to share with the world, this new memoir dives into the lives of the women behind the Jell-O name and the curse that seemingly haunts them all.

Journalist and author Michael Scott Moore never thought that his reporting on a Somali pirate trial would lead to three years in captivity, but in The Desert and the Sea, Moore unveils what really happened to him while being imprisoned by pirates. Spending 977 days terrorized by his captors, Moore somehow found the strength to continue on with life and was eventually brought back to the US after the government paid his ransom. Caught in the middle of societies on the verge of collapse, this new memoir not only tells the story of a captive man but also that of societies in ruin.

Internet sensation Melissa Radke is best known for her honest lifestyle videos, but in Eat Cake. Be Brave., she explores how turning 41 changed her life forever. On a mission to prove that she could truly make something of herself at 41, Radke knew that to change her life, she'd have to find her inner bravery and confidence. Deciding to ignore rejection and make her life something she could be proud of, this working mother writes about her journey to self-love in the hopes of inspiring women like her. This new memoir covers an important year of one woman's life and her journey to achieving self-acceptance and joy.

DeRay McKesson may be young, but he is determined to make a difference in the world and isn't afraid to introduce a new plan in order to achieve equality in America. Having been a part of what eventually became the Black Lives Matter movement, McKesson is always looking for new ways to push the envelope, and in On the Other Side of Freedom, he proposes a new approach to banish racial injustice by presenting facts and explanations as to why we find ourselves in a continuous cycle of inequality. This new memoir is one that McKesson hopes will inspire Americans, no matter their ethnicity or age.

New York Times bestselling author Phoebe Robinson is out to inspire the entirety of the female population with this new collection of essays. Pushing women to take action instead of sitting on the sidelines, Robinson tackles topics of feminism, insane beauty standards, our culture's work ethic, and more in Everything's Trash, But It's Okay. Opening up about her own life and what it's like to be a woman with political goals in our ever-changing world, Robinson poses questions no one seems to have the answers to and goes into great detail about the ways in which our population has been tricked through the years when it comes to politics and how our society is being altered. Told with confidence and light, this memoir is a go-to read for the modern woman.