The end of the spring semester is fast approaching — I’m literally counting down the days — and the allure of a beach and side quest-filled summer teases me every day. If you’re anything like me, summer provides plenty of time for doing all the things I never make time for during the school year.
Reading is one of my favorite ways to fill the surplus of free time I have over the summer. While I’ve always been a fan of all kinds of genres, it wasn’t until my junior year’s AP Language and Composition class that my favorite genre finally found its way to me: memoir.
I know memoirs have the reputation for being the kind of book your mom reads in her book club, but I think they can also be really powerful books for young people.
With my ample experience reading memoirs, I’ve curated my top five favorites to add to your summer TBR!
- Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson
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This was the book that sparked my love of memoir.
Just Mercy is the memoir of Bryan Stevenson, a death row lawyer who founded the Equal Justice Initiative, and his critique of the American justice system. Through the stories of the many clients he’s helped, Stevenson explores themes of racial injustice, redemption, and the reality of incarceration.
It’s a simultaneously heartbreaking and motivating account of an aspect of American society that often goes undiscussed. Stevenson has a skill for humanizing all the incarcerated people he mentions in the book, whether guilty or innocent, and shows how the system has failed them.
Though tough in certain sections due to the nature of the content, Stevenson’s Just Mercy would be a powerful read for anyone, especially those interested in law and fighting social injustice.
- Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
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Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton is a relatable, hilarious, and heartfelt memoir of Alderton’s experience living through her 20s.
Alderton’s story is mainly defined by the many friendships she has throughout her time in high school, university, and beyond. She doesn’t shy away from the darker and more embarrassing parts of her life, providing an incredibly cathartic reading experience.
I found her honest reflection of the highs and lows of her maturity deeply comforting as a woman on the cusp of adulthood. When I asked my best friend how she’d describe the book, she said it “perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to be a woman,” and I must agree.
Everything I Know About Love feels like a warm hug and chat with a close friend, and the perfect read for any young woman facing uncertainty.
- Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
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Trevor Noah has grown to be a household name in the world of pop culture, though his life didn’t always look that way. Born a Crime follows the story of Noah’s adolescence as a young, racially mixed man in apartheid South Africa, a time in which it was illegal for white and black people to marry, let alone have a child.
Noah’s story is filled with humorous anecdotes while simultaneously emphasizing the ridiculous nature of apartheid. His story also serves as a sort of love letter to his mom, the woman who fought for him and his future every step of the way.
The stories of Noah’s tumultuous childhood, paired with his unbreakable sense of humor, make Born a Crime a particularly enjoyable read.
- The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
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While John Green is known for his young adult fiction, I’ve found his non-fiction work to be equally compelling. The Anthropocene Reviewed, written before and throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, is a compilation of essays exploring various topics that are important in Green’s life in one way or another, ranging from Diet Dr. Pepper to Canadian Geese to “Auld Lang Syne.”
Though not a conventional memoir, his heartfelt and deep analysis of seemingly mundane topics was truly inspiring to me as I read it. The book is heavily structured around how important it is to “pay attention to what you pay attention to,” a quote included in the introduction of the book.
The essays center around existentialist themes of exploring humans and our roles in society, though Green handles the topics with such care that I never felt unsettled while reading.
His honest words have caused me to slow down and focus more on what piques my interest. The Anthropocene Reviewed is a great read for anyone who has a particularly rampant curiosity or is feeling the need to slow down.
- I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
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Jennette McCurdy was made famous for her portrayal of Sam Puckett in Nickelodeon’s iCarly, though, as detailed in her memoir, her experience as a young actor wasn’t nearly as enjoyable for her as it was to watch as a viewer.
McCurdy’s I’m Glad My Mom Died, toes the line of wonderfully dark humor and heartbreaking plot through her deeply honest account of childhood and early adulthood.
McCurdy struggles with her abusive mother, a severe eating disorder, and addiction, though her ultimate recovery and vulnerable reflection of her life is incredibly inspiring.
While I found her experiences personally unrelatable, the earnest way she tells each story and allows the reader into her life made I’m Glad My Mom Died a deeply moving and enjoyable experience.
Yes, memoirs might be considered an odd pick for a young person, but they can be a great way to understand a lived experience entirely different from your own.
When you find yourself with some free time over the summer, I recommend searching through the teeny-tiny memoir section of Barnes & Noble. You never know what you’ll find.
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