Best Memoirs of 2017

by Patricia Lockwood

A linguistically dexterous, eloquently satisfying narrative debut. Full review >

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by Jen Agg

An inspiring, graphic, and funny memoir from an entrepreneur unafraid to tell it like it is. Full review >

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by Chris Ware illustrated by Chris Ware

This collection has a last-word feel to it, offering a delightful summation of a fruitful and very busy last few decades.... Full review >

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by Henry Marsh

Another thoughtful, painful, utterly fascinating mixture of nut-and-bolts brain surgery with a compassionate, workaholic... Full review >

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by Michael Ausiello

A heartbreaking memoir infused with dark humor and composed with true love. Full review >

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by Michael W. Twitty

An exemplary, inviting exploration and an inspiration for cooks and genealogists alike. Full review >

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by Daniel Mendelsohn

A well-told story that underscores the power of storytelling. Full review >

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by Zack McDermott

If the Joads were tanked up on Bud Light and Haldol and Steinbeck were under Hunter S. Thompson’s influence, this might be... Full review >

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by Roxane Gay

An intense, unsparingly honest portrait of childhood crisis and its enduring aftermath. Full review >

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by Ellen Ullman

What Anthony Bourdain did for chefs, Ullman does for computer geeks. A fine rejoinder and update to Doug Coupland’s... Full review >

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by Sherman Alexie

Despite some repetition, this is a powerful, brutally honest memoir about a mother and the son who loved her. Full review >

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by Cree LeFavour

A searingly eloquent and intelligent memoir. Full review >

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by Claire Dederer

Insightful, provocative, and fearlessly frank, Dederer seduces readers with her warmth, wit, and wisdom. Full review >

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by Richard Holmes

Unparalleled research, transparent prose, and wide eyes can serve as a model for other biographers—indeed, for all other... Full review >

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by Niki Kapsambelis

An educational and emotional chronicle that should resonate with a wide variety of readers. Full review >

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by Cory Taylor

There is an ever expanding body of literature on coming to terms with mortality, and this entry ranks with the best. Full review >

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by Dani Shapiro

A sharply observed and frequently moving memoir of a marriage. Full review >

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by Ron Powers

This hybrid narrative, enhanced by the author’s considerable skills as a literary stylist, succeeds on every level. Full review >

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by Kristen Radtke illustrated by Kristen Radtke

Powerfully illustrated and incisively written—a subtle dazzler of a debut. Full review >

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