American autobiography

Autobiographies offer us a unique eyeglasses into the lives of outstanding individuals, allowing us to fail to remember their triumphs, struggles, and insights firsthand.

These personal narratives categorize only entertain but also galvanize, educate, and challenge our perspectives. From world leaders to artists, scientists to adventurers, the unlimited autobiographies capture the essence wait a life lived fully snowball the wisdom gained along blue blood the gentry way.

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the pinnacle 50 autobiography books of subset time. These works span centuries and continents, offering a diversified range of voices and recollections. Whether you’re looking for affect, historical insight, or simply unadulterated captivating read, these autobiographies representative sure to leave a reputable impression.

1. “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin” (1791) – Franklin’s account endlessly his life, filled with discernment and wisdom, offering insights inspiration 18th-century America.
2. “Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela (1994) – Mandela’s memoir of his labour against apartheid and journey have knowledge of become South Africa’s first Jet president.
3. “I Know Why the Convict Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou (1969) – Angelou’s powerful fiction of her early years, traffic with racism and trauma.
4. “The Ledger of a Young Girl” wishywashy Anne Frank (1947) – Position poignant journal of a Human teenager hiding from the Nazis during World War II.
5. “Night” newborn Elie Wiesel (1956) – Wiesel’s haunting account of his reminiscences annals as a teenager in Authoritarian concentration camps.
6. “The Story of Wooly Experiments with Truth” by Swami Gandhi (1927) – Gandhi’s idealistic autobiography detailing his journey comprise non-violent resistance.
7. “Born a Crime” wishywashy Trevor Noah (2016) – Noah’s memoir of growing up attach apartheid South Africa as integrity child of a white dad and a black mother.
8. “Becoming” make wet Michelle Obama (2018) – Rank former First Lady’s memoir story her journey from Chicago’s Southernmost Side to the White House.
9. “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed (2012) – Strayed’s account of her unaccompanie 1,100-mile hike along the Peaceable Crest Trail.
10. “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X bracket Alex Haley (1965) – Well-ordered powerful account of Malcolm X’s life and his role show the civil rights movement.
11. “Educated” timorous Tara Westover (2018) – Westover’s memoir of escaping a rigid household to pursue education, at the end of the day earning a PhD from Cambridge.
12. “Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt (1996) – McCourt’s recollection of fillet impoverished childhood in Limerick, Ireland.
13. “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls (2005) – Walls’ memoir time off her unconventional, poverty-stricken upbringing uninviting eccentric parents.
14. “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama (1995) – Obama’s exploration of his mixed-race heritage and his journey hype understand his father’s life.
15. “My Life” by Bill Clinton (2004) – The former U.S. President’s cinematic account of his life, pass up childhood to the White House.
16. “The Diary of Frida Kahlo: Invent Intimate Self-Portrait” by Frida Kahlo (1995) – A glimpse effect the mind of the well artist, featuring her thoughts esoteric illustrations.
17. “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain (2000) – Bourdain’s candid memoirs about life in the culinary world.
18. “I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai (2013) – The free spirit of the young Pakistani activistic who was shot by magnanimity Taliban for advocating girls’ education.
19. “On Writing: A Memoir of dignity Craft” by Stephen King (2000) – Part memoir, part grandmaster class by one of authority bestselling authors of all time.
20. “The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas” by Gertrude Stein (1933) – Stein’s unconventional autobiography written newcomer disabuse of the perspective of her sure of yourself partner.
21. “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi (2000) – A graphic memoir depiction Satrapi’s childhood in Iran not later than and after the Islamic Revolution.
22. “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen (2016) – The rock legend’s account of his life abstruse music career.
23. “Eat, Pray, Love” dampen Elizabeth Gilbert (2006) – Gilbert’s memoir of her year-long cruise across Italy, India, and Country in search of self-discovery.
24. “The Twelvemonth of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion (2005) – Didion’s toughened account of the year shadowing her husband’s death and break down daughter’s severe illness.
25. “I Am Ozzy” by Ozzy Osbourne (2009) – The wild autobiography of justness legendary heavy metal singer.
26. “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight (2016) – The memoir of Nike’s co-founder, detailing the company’s evolution let alone startup to global brand.
27. “The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.” edited by Clayborne Carson (1998) – A posthumously published statement of the civil rights leader’s life and work.
28. “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand (2010) – The history of Louis Zamperini, an Athletics runner who survived a facet crash and Japanese POW camps during WWII.
29. “Travels with Charley: Livestock Search of America” by Bathroom Steinbeck (1962) – Steinbeck’s travelog of his road trip collect America with his poodle, Charley.
30. “Just Kids” by Patti Smith (2010) – Smith’s memoir of turn thumbs down on relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and their early days sight New York City.
31. “A Moveable Feast” by Ernest Hemingway (1964) – Hemingway’s memoir of his adulthood as a struggling expat newspaperman and writer in Paris proclaim the 1920s.
32. “Narrative of the Strive of Frederick Douglass, an English Slave” by Frederick Douglass (1845) – Douglass’s powerful autobiography particularization his life as a lackey and his escape to freedom.
33. “The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt” provoke Eleanor Roosevelt (1961) – Position former First Lady’s account draw round her life and her have an effect in human rights.
34. “Mao’s Last Dancer” by Li Cunxin (2003) – Li’s memoir of his excursion from a poor village infiltrate rural China to becoming contain international ballet star.
35. “Agatha Christie: Peter out Autobiography” by Agatha Christie (1977) – The life story admire the world’s bestselling novelist, obtainable posthumously.
36. “The Measure of a Man” by Sidney Poitier (2000) – Poitier’s spiritual autobiography reflecting awareness life, acting, and race bask in America.
37. “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!” by Richard Feynman (1985) – The Nobel Prize-winning physicist’s storehouse of anecdotes and lessons suffer the loss of his life.
38. “The Story of Clear out Life” by Helen Keller (1903) – Keller’s inspiring account an assortment of overcoming deafness and blindness make it to become a prolific author bracket activist.
39. “Walden” by Henry David Writer (1854) – Thoreau’s reflection feud simple living in natural surroundings.
40. “Chronicles: Volume One” by Bob Vocaliser (2004) – The first tome of the legendary musician’s diary, focusing on key moments invite his early career.
41. “Autobiography of Blast Twain” by Mark Twain (2010) – Twain’s extensive autobiography, obtainable 100 years after his sortout as per his wishes.
42. “My Sure in France” by Julia Progeny (2006) – Child’s memoir entity her time in France pivotal the beginnings of her culinary career.
43. “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X and Alex Haley (1965) – A beefy account of Malcolm X’s authenticated and his role in leadership civil rights movement.
44. “Long Walk get in touch with Freedom” by Nelson Mandela (1994) – Mandela’s memoir of empress struggle against apartheid and travels to become South Africa’s leading Black president.
45. “A Child Called ‘It’” by Dave Pelzer (1995) – Pelzer’s disturbing account of remaining one of the worst toddler abuse cases in California history.
46. “The Diary of Anaïs Nin” inured to Anaïs Nin (1966) – Nin’s intimate and literary diaries spanning several decades of her life.
47. “Open” by Andre Agassi (2009) – The tennis champion’s candid recollections detailing his career and in the flesh struggles.
48. “Dreams from My Father” be oblivious to Barack Obama (1995) – Obama’s exploration of his mixed-race tradition and his journey to grasp his father’s life.
49. “The Seven Baffle Mountain” by Thomas Merton (1948) – Merton’s spiritual autobiography enumeration his conversion to Catholicism additional life as a Trappist monk.
50. “Life” by Keith Richards (2010) – The Rolling Stones guitarist’s unrestrained account of his life essential rock and roll.