The Power Broker
The Power Broker by Robert A. Caro is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
The top 50
Biographies and memoirs of all time
Fifty researched picks for the biographies and memoirs of all time, selected for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
How we choseHistorical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance. Rankings balance consensus with lasting ownership value and current buyability.
Why it belongs →
The Autobiography of Malcolm X
The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Malcolm X and Alex Haley is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Long Walk to Freedom
Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Personal History
Personal History by Katharine Graham is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Steve Jobs
Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
The Diary of a Young Girl
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
The Glass Castle
The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Night
Night by Elie Wiesel is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Angela's Ashes (Frank McCourt, #1)
Angela's Ashes (Frank McCourt, #1) by Frank McCourt is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Eat, Pray, Love
Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster
Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson
Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson by Mitch Albom is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Into the Wild
Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1)
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings (Maya Angelou's Autobiography, #1) by Maya Angelou is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Running with Scissors
Running with Scissors by Augusten Burroughs is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1)
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood (Persepolis, #1) by Marjane Satrapi is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Man's Search for Meaning
Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor E. Frankl is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
All Creatures Great and Small (All Creatures Great and Small, #1-2)
All Creatures Great and Small (All Creatures Great and Small, #1-2) by James Herriot is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
A Child Called "It" (Dave Pelzer, #1)
A Child Called "It" (Dave Pelzer, #1) by Dave Pelzer is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
An Accidental Philanthropist: How A Small Family Foundation Made A Big Difference
An Accidental Philanthropist: How A Small Family Foundation Made A Big Difference by Winsome Dunn McIntosh is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History (Maus, #1)
Maus I: A Survivor's Tale: My Father Bleeds History (Maus, #1) by Art Spiegelman is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom
The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom by Corrie ten Boom is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Educated
Educated by Tara Westover is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools: Tuck into a Slice of Andalucían Life (Old Fools, #1)
Chickens, Mules and Two Old Fools: Tuck into a Slice of Andalucían Life (Old Fools, #1) by Victoria Twead is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail
Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail by Cheryl Strayed is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Me Talk Pretty One Day
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World’s Worst Dog
Marley and Me: Life and Love With the World’s Worst Dog by John Grogan is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Bossypants
Bossypants by Tina Fey is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
John Adams
John Adams by David McCullough is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
The Last Lecture
The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
The Story of My Life
The Story of My Life by Helen Keller is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Infidel
Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
First Time Dad: The Ultimate 42-Week Pregnancy Handbook for Expecting Fathers: Support Your Partner, Prepare for Baby, and Build Confidence as a New Dad
First Time Dad: The Ultimate 42-Week Pregnancy Handbook for Expecting Fathers: Support Your Partner, Prepare for Baby, and Build Confidence as a New Dad by James Macdonald is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Just Kids
Just Kids by Patti Smith is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
The Complete Maus
The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time
Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace ... One School at a Time by Greg Mortenson is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Lucky
Lucky by Alice Sebold is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother
The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother by James McBride is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
The Complete Persepolis
The Complete Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Mary Edwards Walker: America's Only Female Medal of Honor Recipient
Mary Edwards Walker: America's Only Female Medal of Honor Recipient by Ammar Habib is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Free Country: A Penniless Adventure the Length of Britain
Free Country: A Penniless Adventure the Length of Britain by George Mahood is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books
Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books by Azar Nafisi is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Dementia: A Love Story
Dementia: A Love Story by Stephen Lewis is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Black Like Me
Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.
Girl, Interrupted
Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen is a durable biography or memoir choice, recognized for historical insight, writing quality, candor and cultural significance.