Book recommendations - good/ inspiring biographies/ autobiographies/ memoirs you've read?

[Deleted member 47099]

Hi :)

I'm an avid reader and for years and years, I've been meaning to set up a "biographies" section in my collection of books.

I want to read and collect inspirational biographies, especially of people who've gone through and overcome trauma or deeply challenging things in life.

What are the most inspirational biographies you've ever read?

Any recommendations? :)

I'd like to start with a few really excellent biographies and then work my way forward from there.

Thanks! :)

Edit to add - these are some of the ones I'm curious about/ interested in:

Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman! (Adventures of a Curious Character)
by Richard P. Feynman

On the Move: A Life
by Oliver Sacks

The beautiful struggle
and
Between the world and me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates

The Story of my Life
by Helen Keller

On Writing
by Stephen King

 

[Rani G2]

Between the world and me
by Ta-Nehisi Coates

One of my favorites...

Neil ansell
Deer Island

Neil ansell
The last Wilderness

Trevor Noah
Born a crime

Assata Shakur
An autobiography

James Baldwin
I am not your Negro

 

[Deleted member 47099]

Trevor Noah
Born a crime

Thank you! :) That one sounds especially interesting ^^

 

[Teasel]

I know why the caged bird sings
Maya Angelou

Ugly
Constance Briscoe

I used to read lots of biographies, it's been a while, if I think of any others I'll add em here

 

[Deleted member 47099]

I know why the caged bird sings
Maya Angelou

Ugly
Constance Briscoe

I used to read lots of biographies, it's been a while, if I think of any others I'll add em here

Thank you :hug:

Just ordered these on Amazon. Of all the ones listed in this thread so far, they were the most affordable :laugh:
So that seems like a sensible place to start :)

Also, reading the blurb of "Ugly" really hits home.
My perp did this endlessly too.
It took me YEARS to find out that I look totally fine. I have a nice, smart, kind face with normal features.
You wouldn't have thought so tho, me being told multiple times a day by perp how awful I looked.
And it wasn't just a bit... It was constant streams of insults about "You're too ugly to even leave the house."
There was the classic "You're too ugly to ever have a partner" of course too.
But even "You're too ugly to have friends".

Whenever I'd have friends, I'd be told "They are too good looking for you".
Same with boyfriends.

I actually ended up being together with the most gorgeous boy in the school at one point. The heart-throb that everyone had a crush on.
Good thing that stayed a secret, else I'd have never have heard the end of it.

It took me a long, long, long time to realise that it was all lies... Perp just loved doing anything painful. Turning everything into cruelty. Insane.

So thank you for that book recommendation :hug: :hug:

 

[Teasel]

Hey hope you like em :hug:

Affordable is handy ;-)

Couple more ~

Why be Happy when you could be Normal
Jeanette Winterson

Breaking Night
Liz Murray

 

[NatBird]

um, right now I'm reading Heavy by Kiese Laymon. I quite liked Obsidian Mirror by Louie Wildchild, very inspiring, and Some Ether by Nick Flynn. The latter is a poetry collection but is about his earlier life experiences

 

[ILoveLife]

Not about our particular brand of trauma, but mental illness and overcoming it - the memoir of Elyn Saks, The Center Cannot Hold.

Amazing read.

 

[Hopefulphoenix]

Reasons to Stay Alive, Matt Haig.
Indeed a life saver!!
oh and Pete Walkers has an autobio too. Not read it myself coz im triggery right now, but looking forward to.

 

[Teasel]

oh and Pete Walkers has an autobio too.

Ooh ty!

 

[Deleted member 47099]

Ooh ty!

I think it's "The Tao of Fully Feeling" - but I'm not sure.

 

[Hopefulphoenix]

No..a later one..Homesteading in the calm eye of the storm..I think!