Book List

Best Memoirs of 2021

NONFICTION

1000 YEARS OF JOYS AND SORROWS

by Ai Weiwei ; translated by Allan H. Barr

A beautiful and poignant memoir demonstrating perseverance and the power of art. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

FLOATING IN A MOST PECULIAR WAY

by Louis Chude-Sokei

A beautifully written contribution to recent work of the African diaspora. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

THERE IS NOTHING FOR YOU HERE

by Fiona Hill

A shrewd, absorbing memoir that casts a sharp eye on America's future while offering feasible solutions for change. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

NUESTRA AMÉRICA

by Claudio Lomnitz

A masterpiece of historical and personal investigation, perfect for anyone trying to uncover their family’s past. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

THE EDUCATION OF CORPORAL JOHN MUSGRAVE

by John Musgrave

Smart and self-aware, Musgrave delivers one of the best recent books on America’s experience in Vietnam. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

NAMES FOR LIGHT

by Thirii Myo Kyaw Myint

An imaginative and compelling memoir about what we inherit and what we pass on. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

A QUANTUM LIFE

by Hakeem Oluseyi & Joshua Horwitz

A sharp, relatable book about self-reinvention and a loving nod to anyone who has ever believed in the potential of another. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

GRAPHIC NOVELS & COMICS

SEEK YOU

by Kristen Radtke ; illustrated by Kristen Radtke

Superb. A rigorous, vulnerable book on a subject that is too often neglected. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

APP KID

by Michael Sayman

Sayman’s superpower is turning his specific Silicon Valley success story into something sweet, universal, and inspirational. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

SMALLTIME

by Russell Shorto

A lively addition to the history of Italian American immigration and its discontents. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

AS YOU WERE

by David Tromblay

An incandescent addition to both Native American letters and the literature of the Iraq and Afghan wars. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

NONFICTION

THE EMPATHY DIARIES

by Sherry Turkle

A masterful memoir by a pioneering researcher and incisive thinker. Full review >

FULL REVIEW >

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