This is My Story: The Best Biographies of 2018
In an already bumper year for nonfiction releases and political tell-alls, Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming has been smashing sales records. Shipping 1.4 million copies in just its first week, it set a new record for first-week sales at the 145 year-old bookstore chain, Barnes & Noble.
But it’s not the only biography that’s been taking bookstores by storm this year. Many of the unforgettable books we’ve read this year come from authors representing all walks of life. Some of them have made history while others were subject to the whims of the past until they determined to speak for themselves.
These stories show the transformative power of education, the freedom and hope that faith provides, and the determination that propels us onward and upward to new heights: voices from Death Row and the White House, from the moon and back down to the golf course, read up on some remarkable lives.
1. From the South Side to 1600
Becoming by Michelle Obama
Becoming
- 19 min reading time
- audio version available
The former first lady shares intimate, personal details of her childhood and family, how she met the man who would become the 44th President of the US. From a precocious and willful child to a role model for young women, Becoming helps us understand a defining figure of the past decade.
2. Learning Who You Are
Educated by Tara Westover
Educated
- 21 min reading time
- audio version available
Stories of religious zealots in the US pop up in the news from time to time, but what would it be like to grow up with them? Tara Westover describes her experiences being raised in such an environment and the culture shock from what many of us take for granted. As she progresses through college, she discovers how she can ultimately define her own narrative.
3. Space Race Case
Rocket Men by Robert Kurson
Rocket Men
- 15 min reading time
- audio version available
The events of the space race are now over fifty years behind us. They have become almost mythological. Kurson’s book sheds light on the people and tensions that helped define the achievement of NASA’s Apollo 8 mission.
4. Silicon Valley Royalty
Small Fry by Lisa Brennan-Jobs
Small Fry
- 13 min reading time
- audio version available
Living in California during the 80s and 90s, plus also being the daughter of Apple’s CEO may sound ideal, but Lisa Brennan-Jobs’s book shows some of the personal costs of being so deeply involved with someone considered a visionary and revolutionary.
5. H2O NGO
Thirst by Scott Harrison
Thirst
- 29 min reading time
- audio version available
Raised by born-again Christians. Budding musician. Club promoter. Founder of an NGO providing potable water praised by the likes of President Barack Obama. Any one of these could make for a compelling story. Scott Harrison has been all of them.
6. And In Heels
Imagine it Forward by Beth Comstock with Thal Raz
Imagine It Forward
- 12 min reading time
- audio version available
Beth Comstock has faced numerous headwinds throughout her career. From the choice to raise her child as a single parent to being a woman and an introvert in divisions and roles that are traditionally thought to cater to men and extroverts. Throughout, she demonstrates an adaptability and creativity that allowed her to excel where many of her male counterparts sank.
7. A Force for Change
Make Trouble by Cecile Richards
Make Trouble
- 12 min reading time
- audio version available
The image of Texas frequently involves rugged individualism. Cecile Richards is certainly no exception, standing up for her ideals and building communities to drive change. Involved in some of the most contentious issues of our day, Richards’s story serves as an example of moral fortitude.
8. Finding Light in the Dark
The Sun Does Shine by Anthony Ray Hinton, Lara Love Hardin
The Sun Does Shine
- 19 min reading time
- audio version available
How should one feel after almost thirty years on death row for a crime one did not commit? Bitter? Upset? How would one stay sane? Anthony Ray Hinton’s journey showcases many shortcomings in the legal system, but also serves as a tribute to the strength of the human spirit even in the worst of circumstances.
