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Biography and Memoir January 2019 |
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| The Annotated Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant; edited by Elizabeth D. SametWhat it is: the classic 1885 autobiography of America's 18th president, freshly updated with vivid footnotes, maps, and illustrations.
About the editor: Elizabeth D. Samet is a Professor of English at The United States Military Academy.
What sets it apart: Samet's insightful introduction discusses Grant's literary influences, including Washington Irving and John Wesley. |
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| Late-Life Love by Susan GubarWhat it's about: the bittersweet realities of aging as faced by self-described "antique lovers" and retired English professors, New York Times columnist Susan Gubar (70) and her husband Don Gray (87).
Topics include: the couple's difficult decision to downsize; their reduced mobility and health issues; Gubar's "resounding retort" to ageism.
Want a taste? "Late-life love may heat at a lower temperature, but it bubbles and rises." |
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| In Extremis: The Life and Death of the War Correspondent Marie Colvin by Lindsey HilsumWhat it is: an evocative account of American reporter and London Sunday Times correspondent Marie Colvin's courageous life and heartbreaking death that is as intense as it is inspiring.
Who it's for: "everyone, including journalism junkies, history buffs, and casual readers" (Publishers Weekly).
Did you know? Colvin lost her left eye in a Sri Lankan battlefield in 1999 and wore an eye patch until her 2012 death in Syria. |
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| Kitchen Yarns: Notes on Life, Love, and Food by Ann HoodWhat it is: a moving and amusing essay collection from bestselling author Ann Hood (The Knitting Circle) that chronicles her love of food in times of both celebration and catharsis.
Recipes include: lemon meringue pie, "doctored" ramen, Italian meatballs, and Indiana fried chicken.
Try this next: For another food memoir by a prolific author, check out Rick Bragg's The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma's Table. |
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| Let Her Fly: A Father's Journey by Ziauddin Yousafzai with Louise CarpenterWhat it's about: In this intimate and sincere memoir, Pakistani education rights activist Ziauddin Yousafzai shares his life story and the lessons he has learned from his daughter, Nobel laureate Malala Yousafzai (who wrote the book's foreword).
Want a taste? "I come from a family in which my gender made me special. But I did not want to be special for this reason."
What sets it apart: Rather than recounting his life story chronologically, Yousafzai does so based on the most important relationships in his life. |
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| The World According to Bob: The Further Adventures of One Man and His Street-Wise Cat by James BowenWhat it is: London musician James Bowen's engaging sequel to his bestselling memoir A Street Cat Named Bob.
What happens: After the publication of his first book, Bowen grapples with overnight celebrity and his ongoing struggles with homelessness and addiction. Luckily, his quirky feline companion is by his side to help him get through tough times.
Series alert: Bowen's third memoir, A Gift from Bob, completes the Bob the Cat trilogy. |
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| Rise: How a House Built a Family by Cara BrookinsWhat it's about: After leaving her abusive husband, Cara Brookins set out to create a new home for her family.
What happened next: Brookins and her four children built the home -- from the ground up -- by themselves. Though the process was not without its challenges, it gave the family a healing start to a life free of violence and trauma.
For fans of: inspiring, can-do memoirs such as Cheryl Strayed's Wild. |
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| Mid-Life Ex-Wife: A Diary of Divorce, Online Dating, and Second Chances by Stella GreyWhat it is: Guardian columnist Stella Grey's hilarious adventures in online dating following her unexpected divorce at age 50.
Why you might like it: Brimming with practical tips and insights, Grey's frank yet optimistic memoir is "an unforgettable glimpse into the search for love in the twenty-first century" (Booklist).
Who it's for: singletons of any age contemplating online dating. |
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| The Neuroscientist Who Lost Her Mind: My Tale of Madness and Recovery by Barbara K. Lipska with Elaine McArdleWhat it's about: In 2015, neuroscientist Barbara K. Lipska was diagnosed with melanoma that spread to her brain and led to dementia and schizophrenia-like symptoms. After her treatment plan gave her a miraculous "second chance at sanity," she began a long road to recovery, grappling with the memories -- and irony -- of her illness.
Want a taste? "I am living through some of the processes of a disease that I've spent my life studying and trying to cure." |
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