2026 Reading Challenge: AugustLike this list

20 items

• Arsenio

  a Memoir

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  Arsenio Hall's candid memoir chronicles his journey from young Cleveland magician to groundbreaking late-night TV host. This is a revealing, behind-the-scenes, star-studded memoir about celebrity, race, and show business.

• Open

  An Autobiography

  Agassi, Andre

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  Open is the compelling story of an incredible athlete. Groomed to be a tennis champion by his moody and demanding father, by the age of twenty-two Agassi had won the first of his eight grand slams and achieved wealth, celebrity, and the game’s…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• You With the Sad Eyes

  a Memoir

  Applegate, Christina

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  A story that traces the journey from child star and a turbulent, trauma-filled upbringing to celebrated Hollywood actress. She shares with humour about her multiple sclerosis diagnosis and other life challenges.

• Devout

  Losing My Faith to Find Myself

  Archuleta, David

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  Pop star David Archuleta shares his story of leaving the Mormon church, navigating the relationship with his emotionally abusive father, coming to terms with his sexuality, and finding strength in being his authentic self.

• Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (and Other Concerns)

  Kaling, Mindy

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  Mindy invites readers on a tour of her life and her unscientific observations on romance, friendship, and Hollywood. This is a comedic memoir about her experiences, blending personal stories and observations about identity, ambition, and finding…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Say Nothing

  a True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland

  Keefe, Patrick Radden

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  Patrick Radden Keefe's mesmerizing book on the bitter conflict in Northern Ireland and its aftermath uses the McConville case as a starting point for the tale of a society wracked by a violent guerrilla war. He writes about a notorious killing in…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• We Were Dreamers

  An Immigrant Superhero Origin Story

  Liu, Simu

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  Marvel's star shares his inspiring and unexpected origin story, from China to the bright lights of Hollywood. It's a story about growing up between cultures, finding family, and becoming the master of your own extraordinary circumstance.

• Born a Crime

  Stories From a South African Childhood

  Noah, Trevor

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  Born a Crime is the 2016 memoir by comedian Trevor Noah. He was born illegal, the son of a white father and a black mother, who had to pretend to be his nanny or his father's servant. Finally liberated by the end of South Africa’s tyrannical white…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Becoming

  Obama, Michelle

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  Michelle Obama’s memoir follows her path from Chicago's South Side to becoming First Lady of the United States of America. Her book highlights family, identity, education, ambition, and resilience.

• They Called Me Number One

  Secrets and Survival at An Indian Residential School

  Sellars, Bev

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  Chief Bev Sellars spent her childhood in a church-run residential school whose aim it was to "civilize" Native children through Christian teachings, forced separation from family and culture, and discipline. In this frank memoir, Sellars breaks her…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Woman in Me

  Spears, Britney

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  A brave and astonishingly moving story about freedom, survival, faith, and hope. Britney Spears shares her personal story with humour, honesty, and reflects on fame, motherhood, and self-determination.

• Bird Brother

  a Falconer's Journey and the Healing Power of Wildlife

  Stotts, Rodney

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  This is a memoir about Stotts’s journey from a difficult childhood to finding purpose through rehabilitating birds of prey. It explores resilience, community, the challenges faced by Black youth, and the healing power of nature.

• Wild

  From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

  Strayed, Cheryl

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  Told with suspense and style, warmth and humor, Wild captures the terrors and pleasures of one young woman forging ahead against all odds on a journey that maddened, strengthened, and ultimately healed her.

• Whiskey Tender

  a Memoir

  Taffa, Deborah Jackson

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  A memoir of family and survival, coming-of-age on and off the reservation, and of the frictions between mainstream American culture and Native inheritance; assimilation and reverence for tradition.

• Educated

  a Memoir

  Westover, Tara

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  An unforgettable memoir about a young woman who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a PhD from Cambridge University. This book has won many awards and provides a unique perspective on family life outside of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Night

  Wiesel, Elie, 1928-2016

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  Night is a memoir recounting Elie Wiesel’s experiences as a teenager during the Holocaust in Nazi concentration camps. It explores survival, loss, faith, and the enduring impact of genocide.

• Dear Girls

  Intimate Tales, Untold Secrets & Advice for Living Your Best Life

  Wong, Ali

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  Ali Wong's hilarious letters to her daughters (the two she put to work while they were still in utero), covering everything they need to know in life, like the unpleasant details of dating, how to be a working mom in a male-dominated profession, and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Finding My Way

  a Memoir

  Yousafzai, Malala

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  How do you rebuild yourself when your whole world changes? Thrust onto the public stage at fifteen years old after the Taliban’s brutal attack on her life, Yousafzai quickly became an international icon known for bravery and resilience. But away…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Solito

  a Memoir

  Zamora, Javier

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  A young poet tells the inspiring story of his migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine in this "gripping memoir” (NPR) of bravery, hope, and finding family.

• Crying in H Mart

  a Memoir

  Zauner, Michelle

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  In this story of family, food, grief, and endurance, Zauner proves herself far more than a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Written with humour and heart, this is a deeply moving memoir about Korean food, growing up mixed-race, losing her Korean…Read moreRead more of this annotation