10 books for fans of Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing
- 1
Finding Me
by Viola Davis
More about this pick
From a rat-infested apartment to the Academy Awards stage, Viola Davis chronicles her path to finding her voice as an artist and woman. Her memoir confronts poverty, racism, and self-doubt with unflinching honesty.
★ 4.53 Goodreads (184.9K ratings) - 2
Born a Crime
by Trevor Noah
More about this pick
Mixed-race Trevor Noah tells stories of his childhood in apartheid South Africa, where his birth was literally criminal. Hilarious and heartbreaking memoir about his remarkable mother's influence.
★ 4.49 Goodreads (817.0K ratings) - 3
The In-Between: Unforgettable Encounters During Life's Final Moments
by Hadley Vlahos
More about this pick
TikTok star turned author shares moving encounters from her hospice work, revealing unexpected joy and wisdom in humanity's final moments with remarkable grace.
★ 4.49 Goodreads (50.9K ratings) - 4
- 5
The Glass Castle
by Jeannette Walls
More about this pick
Walls recounts growing up with nomadic parents whose inspiring dreams and devastating addictions created a childhood of both wonder and profound neglect.
★ 4.33 Goodreads (1.4M ratings) - 6
The Sound of Gravel
by Ruth Wariner
More about this pick
Growing up as one of 42 children in a fundamentalist Mormon colony, Wariner reveals how she escaped a world where authorities ignored abuse and poverty.
★ 4.31 Goodreads (68.6K ratings) - 7
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou's Autobiography • Book 1
by Maya Angelou
More about this pick
Growing up Black in Depression-era Arkansas, Angelou survives rape, racism, and muteness to discover that words can be weapons against oppression. Her lyrical prose transforms trauma into transcendent art.
★ 4.30 Goodreads (586.4K ratings) - 8
Honoured: Survival, Strength and My Path to Politics
by Naz Shah
More about this pick
From witnessing domestic violence at five to forced marriage at fifteen, Naz Shah traces her path from victim to MP in this unflinching memoir.
★ 4.80 Goodreads (5 ratings) - 9
North of Ordinary
by Michael Vlessides
More about this pick
Life Below Zero's Sue Aikens reveals what it really takes to survive alone in the Alaskan wilderness, where everything wants to kill you.
★ 4.60 Goodreads (305 ratings) - 10
Stripped Down
by Bunnie Xo
More about this pick
Bunnie Xo chronicles her path from Vegas trailer parks to Nashville success, pulling no punches about addiction, trauma, and the messy reality of rebuilding your life.
★ 4.59 Goodreads (7.6K ratings)