The power of an autobiography lies in its ability to give you a behind-the-scenes insight into other people’s journeys. Would you love to see the ups and downs of life through the eyes of an influential leader, a famous entertainer, or sports star? Autobiographies can be enlightening and entertaining and should be part of your reading list.
However, it can feel overwhelming to choose a book once you hit the bookshelves. But, don't fret! We have researched for you, and our favorite pick is Over the Top by Jonathan Van Ness, because it's a celebration of uniqueness, and deals with serious topics while being a light read. We have compiled 10 of our favorite autobiographies total, and also included a buying guide with tips to help you select the autobiography that will suit you!
We picked our 10 best autobiographies based on the following criteria:
Check out our buying guide section for more tips as we expound on these criteria!
Image | ![]() Jonathan Van Ness | ![]() Michelle Obama | ![]() Elton John | ![]() Malala Yousafzai | ![]() Stanley Tucci | ![]() Michelle Zauner | ![]() Trevor Noah | ![]() Rob Burrow | ![]() Sonia Sotomayor | ![]() Andre Agassi |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Name | Over the Top | Becoming | Me | I Am Malala | Taste | Crying in H Mart | Born a Crime | Too Many Reasons to Live | My Beloved World | Open |
Features | Best for a Lesson on Self-Acceptance and Celebrating Uniqueness | Best for Seeing the Life of a Powerful Role Model | Best Look at the Rollercoaster Ride of Being a Music Legend | Best for Learning About a Young Education Rights Activist | Best for Reading About Food, Family and Film | Best Story About Grief, Healing, and Identity | Best Story on Coming-of-Age in the Midst of Apartheid | Best for a Story on Never Giving Up | Best for an Inspiring Testament to the Power of Self-Belief | Best Inside Look on the Life of a Tennis Champion |
Price | $13.06 | $10.48 | $15.11 | $13.34 | $14.00 | $15.95 | $13.02 | $16.95 | $14.10 | $14.23 |
Author background | Television personality | Former first lady of the United States | Musician, celebrity | Education activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner | Actor, director, foodie | Musician, director | Television host, political commentator | Professional rugby player | Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States | Professional tennis champion |
Genre | Pop culture, entertainment, LGBTQ+ | Inspirational, politics | Music, entertainment | Inspirational, activism | Food, pop culture, TV and film, Italian-American culture | Food, music, Korean-American culture | Politics, pop culture | Sports, inspirational | Politics | Sports |
Publication year | 2020 | 2021 | 2020 | 2015 | 2021 | 2021 | 2019 | 2022 | 2013 | 2010 |
Writing style | Humorous, witty | Concise, formal | Humorous, candid | Formal, educational | Humorous | Emotional, personal, serious | Humorous | Professional, serious | Formal, educational | Humorous, smart, professional |
Pages | 288 | 464 | 416 | 368 | 304 | 416 | 304 | 304 | 432 | 400 |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, audio CD | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, audio CD | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, audio CD | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook | Hardcover, eBook, audiobook, audio CD | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, spiral-bound | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, spiral-bound | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, spiral-bound | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, audio CD |
eBook price | $13.99 | $12.99 | $2.99 | $9.99 | $15.99 | $13.99 | $9.99 | $13.19 | $13.99 | $12.99 |
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Based on thorough research, here is a list of our picks for autobiographies that should make your reading list this year. We made our choices based on the points listed in the buying guide below, as well as reviewer comments when available.
$13.06
Author background | Television personality |
---|---|
Genre | Pop culture, entertainment, LGBTQ+ |
Publication year | 2020 |
Writing style | Humorous, witty |
Pages | 288 |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, audio CD |
eBook price | $13.99 |
$10.48
Author background | Former first lady of the United States |
---|---|
Genre | Inspirational, politics |
Publication year | 2021 |
Writing style | Concise, formal |
Pages | 464 |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, audio CD |
eBook price | $12.99 |
$15.11
Author background | Musician, celebrity |
---|---|
Genre | Music, entertainment |
Publication year | 2020 |
Writing style | Humorous, candid |
Pages | 416 |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, audio CD |
eBook price | $2.99 |
$13.34
Author background | Education activist, Nobel Peace Prize winner |
---|---|
Genre | Inspirational, activism |
Publication year | 2015 |
Writing style | Formal, educational |
Pages | 368 |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook |
eBook price | $9.99 |
$14.00
Author background | Actor, director, foodie |
---|---|
Genre | Food, pop culture, TV and film, Italian-American culture |
Publication year | 2021 |
Writing style | Humorous |
Pages | 304 |
Available formats | Hardcover, eBook, audiobook, audio CD |
eBook price | $15.99 |
$15.95
Author background | Musician, director |
---|---|
Genre | Food, music, Korean-American culture |
Publication year | 2021 |
Writing style | Emotional, personal, serious |
Pages | 416 |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, spiral-bound |
eBook price | $13.99 |
$13.02
Author background | Television host, political commentator |
---|---|
Genre | Politics, pop culture |
Publication year | 2019 |
Writing style | Humorous |
Pages | 304 |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, spiral-bound |
eBook price | $9.99 |
$16.95
Author background | Professional rugby player |
---|---|
Genre | Sports, inspirational |
Publication year | 2022 |
Writing style | Professional, serious |
Pages | 304 |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook |
eBook price | $13.19 |
$14.10
Author background | Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States |
---|---|
Genre | Politics |
Publication year | 2013 |
Writing style | Formal, educational |
Pages | 432 |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, spiral-bound |
eBook price | $13.99 |
$14.23
Author background | Professional tennis champion |
---|---|
Genre | Sports |
Publication year | 2010 |
Writing style | Humorous, smart, professional |
Pages | 400 |
Available formats | Paperback, hardcover, eBook, audiobook, audio CD |
eBook price | $12.99 |
With platforms like Amazon and Goodreads, a good book is just one click away. However, knowing which book to buy can be difficult. When it comes to autobiographies, the following pointers should help you in picking the right book.
There are plenty of autobiographies by people from all walks of life. Choose an autobiography by someone who inspires you or on a topic you are passionate about. For example, if your passions and interests lie in the field of music, look for autobiographies written by musicians or celebrities who are influential in this field.
A good book is only useful to you if you read it! So buying a book just because it's popular is not practical. Whether you are interested in sports, history, acting, or any other field, you are bound to find an autobiography in your area of interest that you will enjoy.
What can enhance your experience in reading autobiographies is if you can relate to the author's life experiences. Maybe you both have the same passions, in sports, music, or the arts, or have the same ideals in terms of morality or philosophy.
Celebrity autobiographies can be insightful, and give you a peek into a world you're interested in. For example, did you want to be a sports star when you were a kid? Reading an autobiography by a famous player lets you live that fantasy.
Or, you may want to look into influential leaders of history or philosophers. If you are passionate about politics or ethical issues, reading about someone who shares your views can inspire you. Reading about someone who has opposing views can teach valuable lessons as well, although you might find hearing their opinions frustrating at times!
Entertainment value is a major factor when picking the right autobiography but a really good book entertains and informs. Look for a combination of both in the autobiography you pick. For instance, Trevor Noah’s autobiography, Born a Crime, is a hilarious read yet still packed with insightful and thought-provoking tales.
Autobiographies give you the opportunity to experience someone else’s life through their eyes. A good book is one that you will find yourself returning to often, whether it is for entertainment, as mentioned earlier, or to revisit the life lessons and insights you picked up on.
When trying to figure out if an author's writing style is for you, you can search for quotes or lines from the book you are interested in. Sometimes, these can be found in readers' reviews. You can also check out websites like Goodreads that have a section where they show you a list of memorable quotes from the book.
Another option to get a sense of a book's writing style is on Amazon. On their website, there is a preview feature that allows you to read the first few pages of a book to help you discern if the writing style is to your liking. See if these pages grab your attention. If they do, chances are you will enjoy the rest of the book!
Choosing an autobiography can sometimes be a hit-and-miss process since you cannot tell how good or bad a book is by just looking at the cover. Ask for recommendations from friends and family or your book club if you are part of one.
If you have a favorite author or personality, you can always check their reading lists to see what books they are reading. There are also "booktubers" on YouTube who give insightful book talks. Chances are that if you have the same interests and taste, you will find a good book on their reading list.
Now that you've got your next autobiography read picked out, how about adding a few more titles? Check out these helpful links to find more great stuff for bibliophiles.
If you want to check out more titles, here are some of Amazon's bestsellers to get you started!
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