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24 best autobiographies you have to read in 2024

Whether you're a long-time lover of non-fiction or you're new to the world of autobiographies, this is our list of the 24 best autobiographies you've got to read in 2024.

• Imogen Hope
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Are you dreaming of a summer holiday? Perhaps you're fantasising of afternoons spent lying on the beach or by the pool — chilly January days just a mere memory... And there's nothing that says holiday quite like a new book.

Autobiographical writing is a skill that is hard to master. Done well, it can give you a behind the scenes peek into the world of your favourite star, or give you an insight into historical events and cultural context that would otherwise be near impossible to understand.

While books can make some of the best gifts for others they also can be a great gift for yourself — especially if you're looking to take a break from the screens that surround us in modern life. We love the experience of going into a bookshop, looking at all the covers and picking out a few new titles. But life can get busy, and it can be tricky to find the time to continue to support your local bookshop. Shopping from a site like Bookshop.org also lets you support independent bookshops from home.

Having said that, reading a physical book isn't the only way to enjoy these amazing stories.

Getting a Kindle can be a great way to carry lots of books round with you if you're travelling, and you can often download books for a much lower cost. Listening to audiobooks is also a great way to stay on top of your reading when you're on the go. Amazon Audible lets you download books onto your phone and listen as you go, and it's also running a 30-day UK free trial right now.

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Here's our list of the best autobiographies that you should read in your lifetime.

Looking for better ways to experience your favourite audiobook? Check out guides to the best wireless earbuds , best AirPod alternatives , and the best smart speakers . For more on audio, take a look at the best DAB radios .

Best autobiographies at a glance:

• Open, Andre Agassi | £10.99
• Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton | £10.99
• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou | from £4.99
• Wild Swans, Jung Chang | from £4.49
• The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion | from £6.99
• The Princess Diarist, Carrie Fisher | £10.99
• The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank | from £9.49
• All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot | from £9.49
• This is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay | from £5.99
• Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela | from £6.99
• I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy | from £11.99
• Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama | £9.99
• Becoming, Michelle Obama | from £7.99
• Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman, Alan Rickman | from £7.50
• Just Kids, Patti Smith | £12.34
• Wild, Cheryl Strayed | £8.99
• Taste, Stanley Tucci | from £1.99
• Educated, Tara Westover | £10.99
• I Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai | from £8.54
• Crying In H Mart, Michelle Zauner | £9.99
• Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew Perry | £20.99
• The Woman in Me, Britney Spears | £12.50
• Love, Pamela, Pamela Anderson | from £10.99
• Finding Me, Viola Davis | from £5.99

Best autobiographies to read in 2024

Open, andre agassi.

Written in 2009, this is the autobiography of the American former World No.1 tennis player, Andre Agassi. Written in collaboration with JR Moehringer from a collection of hundreds of hours of tapes, this memoir gives top insight into the life of a professional sportsperson.

Agassi's was a career of fierce rivalries and it's fascinating to hear these from the perspective of an insider. Like many high-performing careers, in sport children are singled out for their talent at a young age, and Agassi describes the intensity of training for himself and his fellow tennis players in their collective pursuit of excellence.

This book would make a great present for any tennis fan, and gives an interesting insight into the man behind the nickname 'The Punisher'.

Buy Open by Andre Agassi for £10.99 at Waterstones

Everything I Know About Love, Dolly Alderton

Everything I Know About Love follows Times columnist Dolly Alderton through her early life and 20s. It tackles themes of dating, love, friendship as Alderton comes of age and grows into herself. Dispersed with recipes in the style of Nora Ephron's Heartburn, the book gained a cult following since it was published in 2018 and won a National Book Award (UK) for best autobiography of the year.

Alderton's memoir has also now been turned into a BBC TV show which follows a fictionalised version of Alderton and her friends as they navigate life in London.

Buy Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton for £10.99 at Foyles

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is the first of seven autobiographies Angelou wrote about her life. It follows her childhood, beginning when she's just three years old and spanning to when she is 16 — from her time as a child to when she had a child herself. The book follows the young Maya as she and her brother Bailey are moved between family members following the separation of her parents.

Discussing themes of racism, sexual assault and displacement, the expertly crafted narrative is widely taught in schools here and in the US. Written in the aftermath of the death of Martin Luther King Jr in 1968, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings became an instant classic and is a must-read.

Buy I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou from £4.99 at Amazon

Wild Swans, Jung Chang

Slightly different from traditional first person autobiographies, in this book Jung Chang tells the stories of three generations of women in her own family — her grandmother, her mother and herself. At a time when China is becoming increasingly isolated from the rest of the world, this book provides vital context into the 20th century history of the country.

Through the stories of her grandmother who was given to a warlord as a concubine, and her mother who was a young idealist during the rise of Communism, she captures moments of bravery, fear, and ultimately survival.

The book, which is banned in China, has sold more than 13 million copies worldwide and is as beautifully written as it is educationally fascinating.

Buy Wild Swans by Jung Chang from £4.49 at Amazon

The Year of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion

Published in 2005 when it went on to win Pulitzer Prize for Biography or Autobiography, this book follows Didion in the year after her the death of her husband of nearly 40 years, John Gregory Dunne. In this harrowing depiction of grief, love and loss, Didion turns her personal experience into one that is universally relatable.

Didion and Donne's adopted daughter Quintana fell ill days before his death and was still in hospital when he died. Didion recounts her experience caring for her throughout the book, all while going through her own grief.

While not an easy read, this is an incredibly powerful one.

Buy The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion from £6.99 at Amazon

The Princess Diarist, Carrie Fisher

This might be an obvious choice for any Star Wars fan, but we think the appeal of this book stretches far beyond just that. Made up of the diaries Fisher wrote when she was 19 years old and first started playing Princess Leia, the book was released shortly before her death in 2016.

Any peak behind the scenes of such a well-known franchise is bound to be popular, and this examines her experience as a young adult thrust into the world of fame and sex. Unlike her deeply person earlier memoir Wishful Drinking, in which Fisher described her struggles with mental illness, The Princess Diarist is full of bombshell revelations and funny punchlines, making for an enjoyable read.

Buy The Princess Diarist by Carrie Fisher for £10.99 at Foyles

The Diary of a Young Girl, Anne Frank

The title of this book is clever because in so many ways, Anne Frank's diary is just that — the diary of a young girl. But it is also a vital account of history.

Starting on her 13th birthday, Anne writes about her life with her family living in Amsterdam from 1942 to 1944. Alongside other Jews, Anne and her family go into hiding to escape persecution from the Nazis. She deals with all the feeling teenagers experience growing up, but also grapples with her isolation, lack of freedom, and trying to understand what is happening in the world around her.

Important reading for young people and adults alike, Anne's writing brings home the realities of human suffering levelled upon the Jewish people by the Nazis. Anne's father Otto Frank was the only member of her family to survive the Holocaust, and he published his daughter's diary in line with her wishes.

Buy The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank from £9.49 at Bookshop.org

All Creatures Great and Small, James Herriot

This book would make a great gift for the animal lover in your life, or any fan of the great outdoors. In it, James Herriot recounts his experiences as a newly qualified vet working in the Yorkshire Dales in the 1930s.

The first in his series of memoirs, All Creatures Great and Small finds Herriot in situations where there are high stakes, and more often than not some hilarity (think escaped pigs!). In the years since their first publication, the books have become classics.

If you want more of All Creatures Great and Small, there is also a TV adaptation to get stuck into.

Buy All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot from £8.54 at Bookshop.org

This is Going to Hurt, Adam Kay

This autobiography follows Adam Kay through his years as a junior doctor specialising in obstetrics and gynaecology and working within the NHS. It will have you crying of laughter and sorrow as the young doctor finds himself helping people from all walks of life, all while his own personal life falls into disarray.

Kay's debut publication was the bestselling non-fiction title of 2018 in the UK and stayed at the top of the charts for weeks.

This is Going to Hurt was adapted into a limited drama series by the BBC earlier this year starring Ben Whishaw, which used elements of the book to explore wider themes around health and the NHS.

Buy This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay from £5.99 at Amazon

Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Mandela

This autobiography hardly needs an introduction. It tells the life story of former South African President and antiapartheid revolutionary Nelson Mandela, covering his childhood, education and the 27 years he spent in prison.

Mandela is internationally praised for overcoming enormous persecution and struggle, rebuilding South Africa's society as President. The film adaptation of his autobiography stars Idris Elba as Mandela, and was released shortly after his death.

The Kindle edition and paperback copy of this book starts from just £6.99.

Buy Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela from 99p at Amazon

I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy's memoir has been one of the most talked about books of 2022. A former child star best know for her role on Nickelodeon's iCarly in the USA, McCurdy's memoir describes her experience growing up in the limelight with an abusive parent.

The book's title has, unsurprisingly, been a big talking point, but it addresses an issue faced by many who write about their life experiences — how do you write about your true experience without damaging your relationships? In this frank and often funny book, McCurdy describes the emotional complexity of receiving abuse from someone you love.

Buy I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy from £11.99 at Amazon

Dreams From My Father, Barack Obama

Published nearly 15 years before he became President of the United States, Barack Obama's first memoir is a deep exploration into identity and belonging. In this book which begins with him learning about his father's death, Obama explores his own relationship with race as the son of a Black Kenyan father and a white American mother.

Written with his recognisable voice, Obama travels back to Kansas where his mother's family is from (they later moved to Hawaii where Obama spent most of his childhood) before making the journey to Kenya.

This makes an interesting read not only to learn more about the background of a man who holds such an important place in America's history, but also in shedding light on how we all relate to our own parentage and what makes us who we are.

Buy Dreams From My Father by Barack Obama for £9.99 at Waterstones

Becoming, Michelle Obama

America's former First Lady Michelle Obama recounts experiences of her life in this record breaking autobiography, from growing up on the south side of Chicago with her parents and brother, to attending Princeton University and Harvard Law School before returning to Chicago as a qualified lawyer. It was whilst working at a law firm in the city that she met her husband Barack Obama.

Obama uses her elegant story telling to take us along on the incredible journey she went on, as an accomplished lawyer, daughter, wife and mother to becoming First Lady. This is an autobiography that lets you see history from the insider's perspective and is definitely a must read.

Buy Becoming by Michelle Obama from £7.99 at Amazon

Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman, Alan Rickman

Alan Rickman was much loved for his roles in fan favourite films, such as Hans Gruber in Die Hard and Professor Severus Snape in the Harry Potter series. This collection of diary entries, written with the intention of being made public and published after his death, give his witty insights into his day-to-day life but also his take on world events.

The book is filled not only with delightful showbiz gossip, but also with snippets of hidden moments — from his disbelief and grief at the sudden death of actor and friend Natasha Richardson, to the relief he feels that the costume for Severus Snape still fits.

Buy Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman by Alan Rickman from £7.79 at Amazon

Just Kids, Patti Smith

On its release in 2010, Patti Smith's memoir won the US National Book Award for Nonfiction. In many ways it is a love letter to her life long friend, the artist Robert Mapplethorpe. In Just Kids, she recounts their meeting, romance and how they continued to inspire and encourage each other in their artistic pursuits for the rest of their lives.

This story which so vividly depicts life is, however, overshadowed by Mapplethorpe's death. Read for a vivid description of the New York art scene in the late '60s.

Buy Just Kids by Patti Smith for £12.34 at Bookshop.org

Wild, Cheryl Strayed

In this autobiography, Cheryl Strayed writes about hiking the Pacific Coast Trail, from the Mojave Desert in California to Washington State in the Pacific North West. In total, Strayed walks over a thousand miles on her own and in the process, she walked back to herself.

This memoir is beautifully written, moving between stories from the trail to those about Strayed's childhood, her struggles with heroin use and the sudden death of her mother — the main motivation for her walk. Full of suspense, warmth and humour, this book will make you think about your life and your family, and probably make you want to go on a walk.

Wild was adapted into a film in 2014, produced by and starring Reese Witherspoon.

Buy Wild by Cheryl Strayed for £8.99 at Waterstones

Taste, Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci has long been beloved for his nuanced and charming acting performances, but in the last few years has gained popularity for his true love — food. Between his CNN series Searching for Italy making us all cross eyed with food envy, and his cookbook The Tucci Table written with wife Felicity Blunt, there's no getting away from the fact that Stanley Tucci is giving Italian food an even better name than it had already.

But there's a good reason for Tucci's renewed love of food and his devotion to these passion projects. He was diagnosed with oral cancer in 2018 which left him unable to eat for several months, and even after he was able to eat again, his sense of taste was changed. In this memoir, he recounts his early relationship with food in his grandparent's kitchen and at his parent's table, and how his relationship with food has shaped all the loves of his life.

We recommend having a bowl of pasta in front of you while you read this!

Buy Taste by Stanley Tucci from £6.99 at Amazon

Calling all bookworms, take a look at the best Kindle deals and the best Audible deals for this month.

Educated, Tara Westover

This is a frankly astonishing memoir in which Tara Westover recounts how she came from a Mormon fundamentalist background without a birth certificate or any schooling, and ended up studying for her PhD at the University of Cambridge.

Westover gives readers a peak behind the curtain into the lifestyle of a group who do everything they can to stay away from the outside world. She recounts the experience of herself and her siblings as they grew up in an environment where they were often injured and didn't have access to medical help.

The juxtaposition of loving her family and yet needing to escape is acutely described, and she writes so cleverly about the complex subject matter, often admitting that her version of events may not be the correct one. Westover expertly uses her own story to examine themes of religion, love and above all education - and we promise you won't be able to put it down.

Buy Educated by Tara Westover for £10.99 at Foyles

I Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai's story is undeniably an incredible one. After the Taliban took over in Swat Valley in Pakistan where she was born, Yousafzai was prevented from going to school. Despite being just a child herself, she became outspoken on girls' right to learn and in 2012, she was shot in the head by a masked gunman while on the bus to school.

After the attack Yousafzai moved to the UK with her family. In this autobiography, she describes the importance of female education, starting the Malala Fund, and receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014. This book will leave you inspired.

Buy I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai from £8.54 at Bookshop.org

Crying In H Mart, Michelle Zauner

Michelle Zauner is an Asian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist best known as lead of the band Japanese Breakfast. In this memoir, Zauner explores her relationship with her Korean heritage and how her mother's death forced her to reckon with the side of herself she had all but lost.

At the heart of this book about love, loss and grief is food. It acts as a constant dialogue between Zauner and her mother, as well as an enduring connection with her Korean heritage. This makes for a highly emotional and thought-provoking read.

Buy Crying In H Mart by Michelle Zauner for £9.99 at Waterstones

Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Matthew Perry

Last year, we were saddened by the news that Friends actor Matthew Perry had sadly passed away, his autobiography, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing had become a bestseller the year before.

In Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing, Perry takes the reader behind the scenes of the most successful sitcom of all time (Friends), and he opens up about his private struggles with addiction. The book is honest and moving, with plenty of Perry's trademark humour, too.

Buy Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry for £20.99 at Waterstones

The Woman in Me, Britney Spears

If the reviews of Britney Spears's autobiography are anything to go by — "The easiest 5 stars I've given" — The Woman in Me is sure to be a hit with Spears fans.

For the first time in a book, Spears is sharing her truth with the world: The Woman in Me tackles themes of fame, motherhood, survival and freedom, and Spears doesn't shy away from speaking about her journey as one of the world's biggest pop stars.

Buy The Woman in Me by Britney Spears for £12.50 at Waterstones

Love, Pamela, Pamela Anderson

We might think we know Pamela Anderson as the bombshell in Baywatch, Playboy's favourite cover girl, and, more recently, making makeup-free appearances on red carpets – looking beautiful as she does so; she's an icon and an activist, and now we can read all about her in her own words for the first time.

Anderson uses a mixture of poetry and prose to speak about her childhood, career, and how she lost control of her own narrative.

Buy Love, Pamela by Pamela Anderson from £10.99 at Amazon

Finding Me, Viola Davis

Naturally, we're big Viola Davis fans over on RadioTimes.com — we've loved her in everything from The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes to The Woman King and The Help, so her autobiography Finding Me is right up our street.

In this book, we meet Davis when she's a little girl in an apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island, and we journey with her to her stage career in New York City and beyond.

Buy Finding Me by Viola Davis from £5.99 at Amazon

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The best autobiographies to read in 2023

• Nik Rawlinson

Discover the back stories of some of the best-known names in showbiz and politics, in their own words

Read an autobiography, and you’ll feel closer to the subject than you’d ever get in real life. They might not reveal their deepest, darkest secrets, but they will usually wind back the clock and walk you through their childhood and early years, so you can see how they became the person they are today.

The raciest autobiographies are frequently indiscreet, the most engaging may name-drop with wild abandon, and the best stand on the quality of their writing, regardless of the subject matter. Some are ghost-written, granted, but so long as the voice sounds authentic and the contents are true, does that matter?

Here, we’ve picked out six of the best autobiographies you can buy today. Most were published in the past couple of years, although one is considerably older and was re-released in 2018, several decades after it was first published. We’ve included it because of the quality of the writing and the compelling story it tells.

Before that, though, if you’re struggling to choose between them – or any of the dozens of other autobiographies published every year – check out our tips for choosing the best autobiography for you.

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Best autobiographies: At a glance

• Best showbiz autobiography: One of them by Michael Cashman | £9.19
• Best political autobiography: Free by Lea Ypi | £6.99
• Best autobiography for the 90s TV generation: Gotta Get Theroux This by Louis Theroux | £6.99

How to choose the best autobiography for you

They say everyone has at least one story in them. Perhaps that’s why there are so many autobiographies to choose from. The trick is to pick one that appeals to you, and keeps your attention from the first page to the last.

Look for something unfamiliar

The most engrossing book is often one that immerses you in an entirely unknown world, yet evokes it so clearly that the images are vivid and all-encompassing. For most readers, Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime and Lea Ypi’s Free, each of which features in our selection, fall into these categories. They take the reader into a realm that most will (thankfully) never have experienced. And, in doing so, they demonstrate that a return to those places, times and attitudes is something we must avoid.

Uncover the other side of a story

The biggest-selling autobiographies are those written by the most recognisable names in show business, sport, politics and music, and most of the readers who pick them up are hoping they’ll tell the stories behind the headlines. Gotta Get Theroux This, by Louis Theroux, delivers here, examining not only how Theroux himself came to prominence, but the back stories – and occasional fall-out – of some of his most high-profile encounters. Elton John’s Me is an incredibly honest and revealing chronicle of his life, while Tom Allen’s No Shame is a candid tale of growing up gay in the suburbs – a world away from the glamour of primetime TV.

Don’t forget the audiobook option

Where an autobiography has been written by an actor or other public performer, it’s not uncommon for them to also narrate the audiobook. This is true of Adam Buxton with Ramble Book, Michael Cashman with One of Them, Miriam Margolyes with This Much is True , and Stephen Fry with his various volumes of autobiography, including The Fry Chronicles , More Fool Me  and Moab Is My Washpot . Hearing the author’s words in their own voice brings another dimension to the work, and lets you take them with you wherever you’re going, whatever you’re doing.

READ NEXT: Best poetry books to buy

1. One of Them by Michael Cashman: Best showbiz autobiography

Price: £9.19 | Buy now from Amazon

Michael Cashman will be remembered by many as Albert Square’s yuppie graphic designer, Colin. But his time in EastEnders is just a small, if very visible, episode in a varied, high-profile career that took him from the back streets of London’s East End to the benches of the House of Lords. Indeed, performing is, in many ways, a mere side act: this is a book in which, at least in the second half, politics takes centre stage.

Cashman grew up in what could well have been EastEnders’ back yard (if it hadn’t actually been filmed in west London), but his childhood, in which untrustworthy and exploitative strangers loom large, would likely have been too extreme for the soap’s scriptwriters to contemplate. He was perfectly cast, then, as a truly mould-breaking character at a time when gay relationships were rarely portrayed as being equal to their straight equivalents on mainstream TV.

After close to 200 episodes, he left to pursue other interests, and eventually found himself elected to the European Parliament, representing the seat of West Midlands. He was a spokesperson on human rights and, before his time in Brussels drew to a close in 2014, he’d been awarded a CBE for public and political service. Returning to Britain wasn’t the end of his political career, nor of his campaigning, and he took his seat in the House of Lords as a life peer.

From humble beginnings, Cashman has reached great heights in both show business and politics, despite facing significant challenges. There are some shocking episodes in his autobiography, but perhaps none is so heartbreaking as that with which it draws to a close.

Key details – Length: 432 pages; Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing; ISBN: 978-1526612366

One of Them: From Albert Square to Parliament Square

2. free: coming of age at the end of history by lea ypi: best political autobiography.

Lea Ypi is professor of political theory at the London School of Economics, but she grew up in Albania during the years of communist rule. Her grandfather had been prime minister for just over a year in the early 1920s, and was assassinated in December 1940. Those facts – and the detrimental impact the family’s association with the former prime minister would have – were kept from her during her childhood.

To a degree, it’s kept from the reader, too. The book is cleverly structured, with the first part covering Ypi’s life under socialism, and the second venturing into the years of the free market economy and the country’s transition to capitalism. Thus, as Ypi grows and learns, so do we. Through her narrative, we overhear relatives talk of family members who have gone away to “university”, always wondering whether there isn’t more to their back story. Inevitably, there is. This is a curious biography, then – one in which the reader grows with the narrator, and learns through her own experience. Yet there’s no naivete in her description of those early years, and no raised eyebrows or nudge to the reader who, reading from the future, knows better than she did herself.

Neither is there any romanticising of life on either side of that political transition. “Five years after the fall of socialism, episodes of our life back then had become part of the repertoire of amusing family anecdotes,” Ypi writes. “It didn’t matter if the memories were absurd, hilarious or painful, or all of these at once. We would joke about them over meals, like drunken sailors who had survived a shipwreck and relisted showing one another the scars.”

Key details – Length: 336 pages; Publisher: Penguin; ISBN: 978-0141995106

Free: Coming of Age at the End of History

3. gotta get theroux this by louis theroux: best autobiography for the 90s tv generation.

Louis Theroux is best known for his calm, persistent profiling of rich, famous or unusual characters. Here, he turns that focus on himself as he recounts a career that, from the outside, he seems almost to have fallen into. On the subject of landing his own series off the back of work on TV Nation, Theorux writes that “from a state of directionless obscurity I had been vaulted into a realm of possibility I hadn’t ever dared imagine. And one part of me saw it this way. But another, greater part was dubious, suspecting that the transformation was not wholly earned and therefore not really mine.”

Earned or not, Theroux has more than proved his right to grace our screens in the years since, through a series of groundbreaking documentaries exploring, and sometimes exposing, the less often represented.

Born in Singapore to travel writer Paul and BBC arts producer Anne, he grew up in London, then went to boarding school, spent summers on Cape Cod, and later moved to the US under his own steam as his journalistic career took off. First came newspapers, then television. “For a year and a half, up the Amazon in a rocket motorboat, in the revolutionary hills of Mexican Chiapas, among religious crazies in Jerusalem and good old boys in the backroads of the Deep South, and occasionally amid the almost-as-alien milieu of a well-funded workplace with ambitions to change American television and society, I worked at TV Nation. But it was all a salutary apprenticeship – I was learning, without realising it, skills and techniques that I would rely on throughout the course of my TV career.”

Many of his career highs are well known, but here their background and aftermath are explored in detail. He looks back on his encounter with Jimmy Savile, the resulting broadcast, and the investigation that followed Savile’s death, at which Theroux was called to speak. And he describes the fall-out from an ill-advised tweet, and how it made him feel (“my lawyer advised me to instruct a high-powered QC… I would brood about my own stupidity at sending the tweet and the likelihood of its having catastrophic consequences… I wondered inwardly whether I’d be remortgaging the house, and should I just apologise, or did that, as the lawyers claimed, lay me open to massive damages…”).

It’s easy to imagine that investigative presenters like Theroux simply swoop in, do their jobs and move on to the next subject, the next programme or the next big thing with barely a thought for the one they’re leaving behind. This autobiography proves that not to be the case at all. Not only are there real people behind the stories; there are real people presenting them, too.

Key details – Length: 416 pages; Publisher: Pan; ISBN: 978-1509880393

Gotta Get Theroux This: My life and strange times in television

4. ramble book by adam buxton: best autobiography for kids and teens of the 80s.

It wasn’t his first TV appearance, but Adam Buxton hit the big time in 1996, with Channel 4’s The Adam and Joe Show. Since then, he’s been a regular on BBC3, Xfm, the Edinburgh Festival, films and Eight out of Ten Cats Does Countdown’s dictionary corner. To many, he’ll be best known for his long-running podcast, with a simple formula – an unhurried, rambling chat – that attracts guests of impressive calibre. You don’t need to scroll far through the archive to come across Joe Lycett, Robbie Williams, Zadie Smith, Derren Brown, David Sedaris, Michael Palin, Frank Skinner, and skaters Torvill and Dean. The mix is as eclectic as it is entertaining.

But it’s also not surprising that they feature. The aptly named Ramble Book is a roll-call of the great and the good, with whom Buxton’s diverse media career has brought him into contact. He was at school with documentary maker Louis Theroux – and the “Joe” of The Adam and Joe Show is their mutual friend, filmmaker Joe Cornish. Buxton’s father was the Sunday Telegraph travel editor, as a result of which Buxton junior visited such diverse destinations as Brabadon, China and “all over America” during his childhood.

Yet it’s not a showy book. It’s underpinned by a humbleness, frequently diverts into introspection or random thoughts, and finds Buxton in situations familiar to us all, like the times we’ve made fools of ourselves objecting to what we consider somebody else’s bad behaviour – and the discomfort we often feel afterwards.

There’s a humanity to Ramble Book, a familiarity, and a reminder that famous people are just like the rest of us – just a bit better known.

Key details – Length: 368 pages; Publisher: Mudlark; ISBN: 978-0008293338

Ramble Book: Musings on Childhood, Friendship, Family and 80s Pop Culture

5. conundrum by jan morris: best trans and gender dysphoria autobiography.

Jan Morris was born James Humphry Morris in Somerset in 1926, and died in Wales in 2020. She underwent gender reassignment surgery in 1972, after travelling to Morocco for the procedure. Two years later, she wrote Conundrum, in which she told the story of her transition. It was re-released in 2018.

Morris is best known as a travel writer, and that career took her to Everest with Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, to Fiji, to Suez during the crisis and, memorably, to Italy. Her work on Venice is of particular note. But Conundrum is something else entirely. It’s an internal journey – a journey home in many respects – that sets out its stall at the very beginning.

“I was three or perhaps four years old when I realised that I had been born into the wrong body, and should really be a girl,” she writes. “I remember the moment well, and it is the earliest memory of my life.” What follows is a highly evocative sentence, that hints at the beauty of the writing to come: “I was sitting beneath my mother’s piano, and her music was falling around me like cataracts, enclosing me as in a cave.”

Morris was far from alone in her conviction that she’d been born into the wrong body, but Britain was not a society in which she was free to undertake the necessary transition on her own terms and, “for forty years… a sexual purpose dominated, distracted and tormented my life: the tragic and irrational ambition, instinctively formulated but deliberately pursued, to escape from maleness into womanhood… each year my longing to live as a woman grew more urgent, as my male body seemed to grow harder around me”.

It’s impossible not to fall in love with Morris’ style. That her subject matter is one so rarely discussed makes this short autobiography all the more engaging.

Key details – Length: 160 pages; Publisher: Faber & Faber; ISBN: 978-0571341139

6. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah: Best race history autobiography

“I was nine years old when my mother threw me out of a moving car.” She was saving his life. Noah was born in apartheid South Africa, to a black mother and white father, at a time when inter-racial relationships were illegal. It was a world and a time “where violence was always lurking and waiting to erupt… Had I lived a different life, getting thrown out of a speeding minibus might have fazed me. I’d have stood there like an idiot… but there was none of that. Mom said ‘run’ and I ran. Like the gazelle runs from the lion, I ran.”

It’s a story that will thankfully be unfamiliar to a large part of its audience. For a white reader with no experience of the political system under which he came into the world, it’s difficult to comprehend Noah’s need to remain hidden and so often confined to the house. Apartheid came to an end when Noah was still a child, but even in the wake of that momentous event the fall out was unequal and extreme.

“What I do remember, what I will never forget,” he writes, “is the violence that followed. The triumph of democracy over apartheid is sometimes called the Bloodless Revolution. It is called that because very little white blood was spilled. Black blood ran in the streets.”

Today, as the host of The Daily Show, Noah has been named as one of the most powerful people in New York media. To have reached such heights after so difficult a start in life makes this story all the more remarkable.

For younger readers, there’s also a YA version of this book, at £8.17 .

Key details – Length: 304 pages; Publisher: John Murray; ISBN: 978-1473635302

Born A Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood

•   50 best autobiographies & biographies of all time

50 best autobiographies & biographies of all time

Enlightening and inspiring: these are the best autobiographies and biographies of 2024, and all time. .

Reading an autobiography can offer a unique insight into a world and experience very different from your own – and these real-life stories are even more entertaining, and stranger, than fiction . Take a glimpse into the lives of some of the world's most inspiring and successful celebrities , politicians and sports people and more in our edit of the best autobiographies and biographies to read right now.

• New autobiographies & biographies
• Inspiring autobiographies & biographies
• Sports autobiographies & biographies
• Celebrity autobiographies & biographies
• Political & historical autobiographies
• Literary autobiographies & biographies

The best new autobiographies and biographies

Sociopath: a memoir, by patric gagne.

The most unputdownable memoir you’ll read this year, Sociopath is the story of Patric Gagne, and her extraordinary life lived on the edge. With seering honestly, Patric explains how, as a child she always knew she was different. Graduating from feelings of apathy to petty theft and stalking, she realised as an adult that she was a sociopath, uncaring of the impact of her actions on others. Sharing the conflict she feels between her impulses, and her desire to live a settled, loving life with her partner, Sociopath is a fascinating story of one woman’s journey to find a place for herself in the world. 

How Was It For You?

By eve smith.

From the poolsides of private Caribbean villas where the nation’s wealthiest spend their downtime to strip clubs, brothels, and online platforms, wherever sex is being sold, ‘Eve’ has been there. Now, she’s ready to tell her story of what selling sex is really like – the good, the bad, and the boring bits – and examine why this booming industry continues to live in the shadows and be condemned by the country’s lawmakers and moral police. A compelling and candid anonymous memoir about the reality of working in the sex industry in Britain, How Was It for You? is a book everyone will be talking about this year.

Naked Portrait: A Memoir of Lucian Freud

By rose boyt.

When Rose Boyt finds her old diary in a cardboard box in the summer of 2016, she is transported back to 1989 and her teenage years, a time she never remembered as especially remarkable. However, as Rose reads her accounts of sitting for her father, the painter Lucian Feud, she begins to realise how extraordinary and shocking her experiences truly were. In Naked Portrait: A Memoir of Lucian Freud , Rose Boyt explores her relationship with her father with fresh eyes, painting a vivid portrait of the brilliant, complex man he was. 

The Endless Country

By sami kent.

Travelling through Turkey, the country his father left decades ago, journalist Sami Kent sets out to learn more about the people, ideas, and culture that have defined Turkey’s history, and how Turkish people live today. From the cult of the country’s weightlifters to regional delicacies shaped by Turkey’s flora, The Endless Country is a journey through the extraordinary diversity of the nation’s past and how that history shapes its present.

by Jen Hadfield

Shrouded in myth and mist, surrounded by unforgiving seas and awe-striking beauty, the Scottish archipelago of Shetland feels like, for all intents and purposes, the edge of the world. So, when celebrated poet Jen Hadfield decided to up sticks and move there in her early twenties, she had more than a few naysayers. Now, almost two decades later, she is sharing her Shetland, a place teeming with wildlife, at the mercy of the weather, and with community at its heart. A rich, magical memoir, Storm Pegs will transport you to a place unlike anywhere else in the world.

Air and Love

By or rosenboim.

When Or Rosenboim was growing up, she knew little of her family’s complex history, with her memories of family instead rooted in the traditional dishes her grandmothers prepared with love. After they had both passed away, she began to explore their recipe books, full of handwritten notes for how to make kneidlach balls in hot chicken broth, cinnamon-scented noodle kugel and stuffed vine leaves. There, Or learned of their shared past, one fraught with displacement and change. Interspersing her family’s story with their cherished recipes, Or Rosenboim’s Air and Love is a memoir about food, migration and family.

A Life Reimagined

By jill halfpenny.

Jill Halfpenny is one of the nation’s best-loved homegrown TV stars. But, unbeknown to most, her life away from the small screen has been shaped by profound loss, first with the death of her father, who died suddenly while playing five-a-side football when she was four, and then, in cruelly similar circumstances, her partner Matt in 2017. Forced to confront the impact that loss has had on her life and to find a way to process and live with her grief, she went on a journey of discovery. In A Life Reimagined , Jill shares what she has learned and tells her story with unflinching honesty and warmth.

Lisa Marie Presley's memoir

By lisa marie presley.

Lisa Marie Presley was never truly understood . . . until now. Before her death in 2023, she’d been working on a raw, riveting, one-of-a-kind memoir for years, recording countless hours of breathtakingly vulnerable tape, which has finally been put on the page by her daughter, Riley Keough.

Literature for the People

By sarah harkness.

When Daniel and Alexander Macmillan moved to London from the Scottish Highlands in 1830, little did they know that the city was on the brink of huge social change, and that they would change publishing forever. This is the story of the Macmillan brothers who, after an impoverished, working-class childhood, went on to bring Alice in Wonderland and numerous other literary classics and ideas to the world. Through meticulous research and highly entertaining storytelling, Sarah Harkness brings to life the two men who founded a publishing house which has stood the test of time for almost two centuries. 

Hildasay to Home

By christian lewis.

The follow-up to his bestselling memoir Finding Hildasay , in Hildasay to Home Christian Lewis tells the next chapter of his extraordinary journey, step by step. From the unexpected way he found love, to his and Kate's journey on foot back down the coastline and into their new lives as parents to baby Marcus, Christian shares his highs and lows as he and his dog Jet leave Hildasay behind. Join the family as they adjust to life away from the island, and set off on a new journey together. 

Will You Care If I Die?

By nicolas lunabba.

In a world where children murder children, and where gun violence is the worst in Europe, Nicolas Lunabba's job as a social organizer with Malmö's underclass requires firm boundaries and emotional detachment. But all that changes when he meets Elijah – an unruly teenage boy of mixed heritage whose perilous future reminds Nicolas of his own troubled past amongst the marginalized people who live on the fringes of every society. Written as a letter to Elijah,  Will You Care If I Die?  is a disarmingly direct memoir about social class, race, friendship and unexpected love.

The best inspiring autobiographies and biographies

By yusra mardini.

After fleeing her native Syria to the Turkish coast in 2015, Yusra Mardini boarded a small dinghy full of refugees headed for Greece. On the journey, the boat's engine cut out and it started to sink. Yusra, her sister, and two others took to the water to push the overcrowded boat for three and a half hours in open water, saving the lives of those on board. Butterfly is Yusra Mardini's journey from war-torn Damascus to Berlin and from there to the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Game. A UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador and one of People magazine's 25 Women Changing the World, discover Yusra and her incredible story of resilience and unstoppable spirit.

Finding Hildasay

After hitting rock bottom having suffered with depression for years, Christian Lewis made an impulsive decision to walk the entire coastline of the UK. Just a few days later he set off with a tent, walking boots and a tenner in his pocket. Finding Hildasay tells us some of this incredible story, including the brutal three months Christian Lewis spent on the uninhabited island of Hildasay in Scotland with no fresh water or food. It was there, where his route was most barren, that he discovered pride and respect for himself. This is not just a story of a remarkable journey, but one of depression, survival and the meaning of home. 

The Happiest Man on Earth

By eddie jaku.

A lesson in how happiness can be found in the darkest of times, this is the story of Eddie Jaku, a German Jew who survived seven years at the hands of the Nazis. Eddie Jaku always considered himself a German first, and a Jew second. All of that changed in November 1938, when he was beaten, arrested and taken to a concentration camp. But through his courage and tenacity he still came to live life as 'the happiest man on earth'. Published at the author turns one hundred, The Happiest Man on Earth is a heartbreaking but hopeful memoir full of inspiration. 

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3 lessons to learn from Eddie Jaku

I know why the caged bird sings, by maya angelou.

A favourite book of former president Obama and countless others, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings , recounts Angelou’s childhood in the American south in the 1930s. A beautifully written classic, this is the first of Maya Angelou's seven bestselling autobiographies. 

I Am Malala

By malala yousafzai.

After speaking out about her right to education almost cost her her life, Malala Yousafzi refused to be silenced. Instead, her amazing story has taken her all over the world. This is the story of Malala and her inspirational family, and of how one person's voice can inspire change across the globe. 

The best memoirs

This is going to hurt, by adam kay.

Offering a unique insight into life as an NHS junior doctor through his diary entries, Adam Kay's bestselling autobiography is equal parts heartwarming and humorous, and oftentimes horrifying too. With 97-hour weeks, life and death decisions and a tsunami of bodily fluids, Kay provides a no-holds-barred account of working on the NHS frontline. Now a major BBC comedy-drama, don't miss this special edition of This Is Going To Hurt including a bonus diary entries and an afterword from the author. 

Is This Ok?

By harriet gibsone.

Harriet spent much of her young life feeding neuroses and insecurities with obsessive internet searching and indulging in whirlwind ‘parasocial relationships'. But after a diagnosis of early menopause in her late twenties, her relationship with the internet took a darker turn, as her online addictions were thrown into sharp relief by the corporeal realities of illness and motherhood. An outrageously funny, raw and painfully honest account of trying to find connection in the age of the internet,  Is This Ok? is the stunning literary debut from music journalist, Harriet Gibsone. 

The Colour of Madness

By samara linton.

The Colour of Madness  brings together memoirs, essays, poetry, short fiction and artworks by people of colour who have experienced difficulties with mental health. From experiencing micro-aggressions to bias, and stigma to religious and cultural issues, people of colour have to fight harder than others to be heard and helped. Statistics show that people from Black and minority ethnic backgrounds in the UK experience poor mental health treatment in comparison to their white counterparts, and are more likely to be held under the Mental Health Act. 

Nothing But The Truth

By the secret barrister.

How do you become a barrister? Why do only 1 per cent of those who study law succeed in joining this mysterious profession? And why might a practising barrister come to feel the need to reveal the lies, secrets, failures and crises at the heart of this world of wigs and gowns? Full of hilarious, shocking and surprising stories,  Nothing But The Truth  tracks the Secret Barrister’s transformation from hang ‘em and flog ‘em, austerity-supporting twenty-something to a campaigning, bestselling, reforming author whose writing in defence of the law is celebrated around the globe.

Went to London, Took the Dog: A Diary

By nina stibbe.

Ten years after the publication of the prize-winning  Love, Nina  comes the author’s diary of her return to London in her sixty-first year. After twenty years, Nina Stibbe, accompanied by her dog Peggy, stays with writer Debby Moggach in London for a year. With few obligations, Nina explores the city, reflecting on her past and embracing new experiences. From indulging in banana splits to navigating her son's dating life, this diary captures the essence of a sixty-year-old runaway finding her place as a "proper adult" once and for all.

A Letter to My Transgender Daughter

By carolyn hays.

This moving memoir is an ode to Hays' transgender daughter – a love letter to a child who has always known herself. After a caseworker from the Department of Children and Families knocked on the door to investigate an anonymous complaint about the upbringing of their transgender child, the Hays family moved away from their Republican state. In A Girlhood, Hays tells of the brutal truths of being trans, of the sacrificial nature of motherhood and of the lengths a family will go to shield their youngest from the cruel realities of the world. Hays asks us all to love better, for children everywhere enduring injustice and prejudice.

by Michelle Obama

This bestselling autobiography lifts the lid on the life of one of the most inspiring women of a generation, former first lady Michelle Obama. From her childhood as a gifted young woman in south Chicago to becoming the first black First Lady of the USA, Obama tells the story of her extraordinary life with humour, warmth and honesty. 

Kitchen Confidential

By anthony bourdain.

Regarded as one of the greatest books about food ever written, Kitchen Confidential lays bare the wild tales of the culinary industry. From his lowly position as a dishwasher in Provincetown to cooking at some of the finest restaurants across the world, the much-loved Bourdain translates his sultry, sarcastic and quick-witted personality to paper in this uncensored 'sex, drugs, bad behaviour and haute cuisine' account of life as a professional chef. Bourdain's tales of the kitchen are as passionate as they are unpredictable, as shocking as they are funny.

Everything I Know About Love

By dolly alderton.

Dolly Alderton, perhaps more than any other author, represents the rise of the messy millennial woman – in the very best way possible. Her internationally bestselling memoir gives an unflinching account of the bad dates and squalid flat-shares, the heartaches and humiliations, and most importantly, the unbreakable female friendships that defined her twenties. She weaves together personal stories, satirical observations, a series of lists, recipes, and other vignettes that will strike a chord of recognition with women of every age. This is a memoir that you'll discuss with loved ones long after the final page. 

The best sports autobiographies and biographies

By chris kamara.

Presenter, commentator, (sometimes masked) singer, footballer, manager and campaigner, Kammy's action-packed career has made him a bona fide British hero. Kammy had a tough upbringing, faced racism on the terraces during his playing career and has, in recent years, dealt with a rare brain condition – apraxia – that has affected his speech and seen him say goodbye to Sky Sports. With entertaining stories of his playing career from Pompey to Leeds and beyond; his management at Bradford City and Stoke; his crazy travels around the world; of  Soccer Saturday  banter; presenting  Ninja   Warrior ; and the incredible friendships he's made along the way,  Kammy  is an unforgettable ride from one of Britain's best-loved broadcasters.

Alone on the Wall

By alex honnold.

In the last forty years, only a handful of climbers have pushed themselves as far, ‘free soloing’ to the absolute limit of human capabilities. Half of them are dead. Although Alex Honnold’s exploits are probably a bit  too  extreme for most of us, the stories behind his incredible climbs are exciting, uplifting and truly awe-inspiring. Alone on the Wall  is a book about the essential truth of being free to pursue your passions and the ability to maintain a singular focus, even in the face of mortal danger. This updated edition contains the account of Alex's El Capitan climb, which is the subject of the Oscar and BAFTA winning documentary,  Free Solo .

Too Many Reasons to Live

By rob burrow.

As a child, Rob Burrow was told he was too small to be a rugby player. Some 500 games for Leeds later, Rob had proved his doubters wrong: he won eight Super League Grand Finals, two Challenge Cups, three World Club Challenges and played for his country in two World Cups. In 2019 though, Rob was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and given just two years to live. He went public with the news, determined to fight it all the way. Full of love, bravery and kindness, this is the story of a man who has awed his fans with his positive attitude to life.

Discover Try: the picture book from inspiring duo, Rob Burrows & Kevin Sinfield

At home with muhammad ali, by hana yasmeen ali.

Written by his daughter Ali using material from her father's audio journals, love letters and her treasured family memories, this sports biography offers an intimate portrait of one of boxing's most legendary figures, and one of the most iconic sports personalities of all time. 

They Don't Teach This

By eniola aluko.

In her autobiography, footballer Eni Aluko addresses themes of dual nationality, race and institutional prejudice, success, gender and faith through her own experiences growing up in Britain. Part memoir, part manifesto for change, They Don't Teach This is a must-read book for 2020. 

The best celebrity autobiographies and biographies

Life's work, by david milch.

Best known for creating smash-hit shows including NYPD Blue and Deadwood, you’d be forgiven for thinking that David Milch had lived a charmed life of luxury and stardom. In this, his new memoir, Milch dispels that myth, shedding light on his extraordinary life in the spotlight. Born in Buffalo New York to a father gripped by drug-addiction, Milch enrolled at Yale Law befire being expelled and finding his true passion for writing. Written following his diagnosis with Alzheimer’s in 2015, in Life’s Work Milch records his joys, sadnesses and struggles with startling clarity and grace. 

by Adrian Edmondson

From brutal schooldays to 80s anarchy, through The Young Ones and beyond, Berserker! is the one-of-a-kind, fascinating memoir from an icon of British comedy, Adrian Edmondson. His star-studded anecdotes and outrageous stories are set to a soundtrack of pop hits, transporting the reader through time and cranking up the nostalgia. But, as one would expect, these stories are also a guaranteed laugh as Ade traces his journey through life and comedy. 

Beyond the Story

In honor of BTS's 10th anniversary, this remarkable book serves as the band's inaugural official release, offering a treasure trove of unseen photographs and exclusive content. With Myeongseok Kang's extensive interviews and years of coverage, the vibrant world of K-pop springs to life. As digital pioneers, BTS's online presence has bridged continents, and this volume grants readers instant access to trailers, music videos, and more, providing a comprehensive journey through BTS's defining moments. Complete with a milestone timeline, Beyond the Story stands as a comprehensive archive, encapsulating everything about BTS within its pages.

Being Henry

By henry winkler.

Brilliant, funny, and widely-regarded as the nicest man in Hollywood, Henry Winkler shares the disheartening truth of his childhood, the difficulties of a life with severe dyslexia and the pressures of a role that takes on a life of its own. Since the glorious era of  Happy Days  fame, Henry has endeared himself to a new generation with roles in such adored shows as  Arrested Development and  Barry , where he’s revealed himself as an actor with immense depth and pathos. But Being Henry  is about so much more than a life in Hollywood and the curse of stardom. It is a meaningful testament to the power of sharing truth and of finding fulfillment within yourself.

What Are You Doing Here?

By floella benjamin.

Actress, television presenter, member of the House of Lords – Baroness Floella Benjamin is an inspiration to many. But it hasn't always been easy: in What Are You Doing Here?   she describes her journey to London as part of the Windrush generation, and the daily racism that caused her so much pain as a child. She has gone on to remain true to her values, from breaking down barriers as a Play School presenter to calling for diversity at the BBC and BAFTA to resisting the pressures of typecasting. Sharing the lessons she has learned, imbued with her joy and positivity, this autobiography is the moving testimony of a remarkable woman.

by Elton John

Elton John is one of the most successful singer/songwriters of all time, but success didn't come easily to him. In his bestselling autobiography, he charts his extraordinary life, from the early rejection of his work to the heady heights of international stardom and the challenges that came along with it. With candour and humour, he tells the stories of celebrity friendships with John Lennon, George Michael and Freddie Mercury, and of how he turned his life around and found love with David Furnish. Me is the real story of the man behind the music. 

And Away...

By bob mortimer.

National treasure and beloved entertainer, Bob Mortimer, takes us from his childhood in Middlesborough to working as a solicitor in London in his highly acclaimed autobiography. Mortimer’s life was trundling along happily until suddenly in 2015 he was diagnosed with a heart condition that required immediate surgery and forced him to cancel an upcoming tour. The book covers his numerous misadventures along his path to fame but also reflects on more serious themes, making this both one of the most humorous and poignant celebrity memoirs of recent years. 

by Walter Isaacson

Based on interviews conducted with Steve Jobs, Walter Isaacson's biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is filled with lessons about innovation, leadership, and values and has inspired a movie starring Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet and Seth Rogen. Isaacson tells the story of the rollercoaster life and searingly intense personality of creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized the tech industry. Although Jobs cooperated with this book, he asked for no control over what was written and put nothing off limits, making this an unflinchingly candid account of one of the key figures of modern history.

Maybe I Don't Belong Here

By david harewood.

When David Harewood was twenty-three, his acting career began to take flight and he had what he now understands to be a psychotic breakdown. He was physically restrained by six police officers, sedated, then hospitalized and transferred to a locked ward. Only now, thirty years later, has he been able to process what he went through. In this powerful and provocative account of a life lived after psychosis, critically acclaimed actor, David Harewood, uncovers a devastating family history and investigates the very real impact of racism on Black mental health.

Scenes from My Life

By michael k. williams.

When Michael K. Williams died on 6 September 2021, he left behind a career as one of the most electrifying actors of his generation. At the time of his death, Williams had nearly finished his memoir, which traces his life in whole, from his childhood and his early years as a dancer to his battles with addiction. Alongside his achievements on screen he was a committed activist who dedicated his life to helping at-risk young people find their voice and carve out their future. Imbued with poignance and raw honesty,  Scenes from My Life  is the story of a performer who gave his all to everything he did – in his own voice, in his own words.

The best political and historical autobiographies

The fall of boris johnson, by sebastian payne.

Sebastian Payne, Whitehall Editor for the Financial Times, tells the behind-the-scenes story of the fall of former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson. After being touted saviour of the Conservative Party, it took Johnson just three years to resign after a series of scandals. From the blocked suspension of Owen Patterson to Partygate and the Chris Pincher allegations, Payne gives us unparalleled access to those who were in the room when key decisions were made, ultimately culminating in Boris's downfall. This is a gripping and timely look at how power is gained, wielded and lost in Britain today.

Charles III

By robert hardman.

Meet the man behind the monarch in this new biography of King Charles III by royal expert and journalist Robert Hardman. Charting Charles III’s extraordinary first year on the throne, a year plighted by sadness and family scandal, Hardman shares insider details on the true nature of the Windsor family feud, and Queen Camilla’s role within the Royal Family. Detailing the highs and lows of royal life in dazzling detail, this new biography of the man who waited his whole life to be King is one of 2024’s must-reads. 

by Sung-Yoon Lee

The Sister , written by Sung-Yoon Lee, a scholar and specialist on North Korea, uncovers the truth about Kim Yo Jong and her close bond with Kim Jong Un. In 2022, Kim Yo Jong threatened to nuke South Korea, reminding the world of the dangers posed by her state. But how did the youngest daughter of Dear Leader Kim Jong Il, his ‘sweet princess’, become the ruthless chief propagandist, internal administrator and foreign policymaker for her brother’s totalitarian regime? Readable and insightful, this book is an invaluable portrait of a woman who might yet hold the survival of her despotic dynasty in her hands.

Long Walk To Freedom

By nelson mandela.

Deemed 'essential reading for anyone who wants to understand history' by former US President, Barack Obama, this is the autobiography of one of the world's greatest moral and political leaders, Nelson Mandela. Imprisoned for more than 25 years, president of the African National Congress and head of South Africa's anti-apartheid movement, the Nobel Peace Prize winner's life was nothing short of extraordinary. Long Walk to Freedom vividly tells this story; one of hardship, resilience and ultimate triumph, written with the clarity and eloquence of a born leader. 

The Diary of a Young Girl

By anne frank.

No list of inspiring autobiographies would be complete without Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl . Charting the thirteen-year-old's time hiding in a 'Secret Annex' with her family to escape Gestapo detection, this book (which was discovered after Anne Frank's death), is a must-read, and a testament to the courage shown by the millions persecuted during the Second World War. 

The best literary autobiographies

Winner of Pulitzer Prize in Memoir, Stay True  is a deeply moving and intimate memoir about growing up and moving through the world in search of meaning and belonging. When Hua Hsu first meets Ken in a Berkeley dorm room, he hates him. A frat boy with terrible taste in music, Ken seems exactly like everyone else. For Hua, Ken represents all that he defines himself in opposition to – the mainstream. The only thing Hua, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, and Ken, whose Japanese American family has been in the US for generations, have in common is that, however they engage with it, American culture doesn’t seem to have a place for either of them. 

A Fortunate Woman

By polly morland.

Funny, emotional and imbued with great depth, A Fortunate Woman is an exploration of the life of a country doctor in a remote and wild wooded valley in the Forest of Dean. The story was sparked when writer and documentary maker Polly Morland found a photograph of the valley she lives in tucked inside a tattered copy of John Berger’s  A Fortunate Man . Itself an account of the life of a country doctor, the book inspired a woman doctor to follow her vocation in the same remote place. And it is the story of this woman that Polly Morland tells, in this compelling portrait of landscape and community.

Father and Son

By jonathan raban.

On 11 June 2011, three days short of his sixty-ninth birthday, Jonathan Raban suffered a stroke which left him unable to use the right side of his body. Learning to use a wheelchair in a rehab facility outside Seattle and resisting the ministrations of the nurses overseeing his recovery, Raban began to reflect upon the measure of his own life in the face of his own mortality. Together with the chronicle of his recovery is the extraordinary story of his parents’ marriage, the early years of which were conducted by letter while his father fought in the Second World War.

Crying in H Mart

By michelle zauner.

This radiant read by singer, songwriter and guitarist Michelle Zauner delves into the experience of being the only Asian-American child at her school in Eugene, Oregon, combined with family struggles and blissful escapes to her grandmother's tiny Seoul apartment. The family bond is the shared love of Korean food, which helped Michelle reclaim her Asian identity in her twenties. A lively, honest, riveting read.

The Reluctant Carer

By the reluctant carer.

The phone rings. Your elderly father has been taken to hospital, and your even older mother is home with nobody to look after her. What do you do? Drop everything and go and help of course. But it's not that straightforward, and your own life starts to fall apart as quickly as their health. Irresistibly funny, unflinching and deeply moving, this is a love letter to family and friends, to carers and to anyone who has ever packed a small bag intent on staying for just a few days. This is a true story of what it really means to be a carer, and of the ties that bind even tighter when you least expect it. 

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23 best autobiographies that everyone should read at least once in their lifetime

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Autobiographies hold a unique and captivating allure. They provide readers with an intimate window into the real-life, thoughts, and experiences of extraordinary individuals, as seen through their own eyes at critical moments of history and culture. The best memoirs can be a blend of so many genres: they can feel like a page-turning thriller, an inspirational story that serves as a mental health-boosting self-help guide or be a witty and hilarious read.

In a time when most of us are looking for a compelling distraction from the endless social media doom scrolling, an autobiography written by a beloved figure has the ability to capture your imagination and transport you to a wild world. Some of the best autobiographies of all time are the first-hand life stories from pop stars, fashion designers, and political activists. So, we've rounded up an edit of the best autobiographies that range from classics to pop culture celebrity reads – and as varied as they are, they all deserve a thorough read,  at least  once in your lifetime.

Compiling this list was tricky, but there were some that just had to be included without question. Anne Frank's The Diary of a Young Girl  and Nelson Mandela's Long Walk to Freedom  are both high up on our must-read list, for their honest and often heart wrenching descriptions of living through extreme discrimination and will stay with you long after you’ve finished.

Elsewhere, we’ve included some of the best autobiographies that have been written over the course of the past few years - and which have gone on to smash records and be reported on worldwide. Case in point: Price Harry’s Spare and I’m Glad My Mom Died – two titles which continue to be discussed heatedly across the globe.

Classic autobiographies such as A Moveable Feast and the more recent My Year of Magical Thinking are ones you will want to savour every page of – and don’t read Trevor Noah’s Born a Crime without being prepared to laugh out loud wherever you are.

Ahead, our edit of the best autobiographies and biographies of all time available as audiobooks, paperback, hardback and on Kindle.

Best autobiographies 2023

I am Malala

Malala. When has a first name been so universally renowned, a word use to denote strength and superhuman resolve. Her autobiography is an extraordinary memoir that resonates as a beacon of courage and determination. Malala's unyielding pursuit of education, even in the face of such danger, demonstrates her unbreakable spirit. She transports readers to a world where the simple act of going to school is an act of revolution. Through her depiction of the chaos that ensued when the Taliban took control of the Swat Valley, her personal journey of become intertwined, showcasing the power of education to uplift communities. Her account of surviving an assassination attempt and her continued advocacy for girls' education leave an indelible impact. One young voice can ignite change, reminding us that even in the darkest times, a single spark can illuminate an entire world.

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When Becoming was published it was a global literary event, selling over 17 million copies and counting. What must it feel like to be in the heart of the storm, standing by the side of a President whilst trying to raise a family and maintain your identity. Former First Lady Michelle Obama writes as elegantly as she speaks, her powerful voice shines through this intimate revelation of a life both extraordinary and relatable. With grace and candour, she invites readers into her journey from the South Side of Chicago to the White House. Her narrative is an ode to resilience, family, and self-discovery, showing how personal growth shapes public impact. Obama's insights into her role as First Lady and her advocacy for education and empowerment works seamlessly alongside the more intimate anecdotes that makes reading this feel like a conversation with a close friend, who just happens to be one of the most recognisable women alive.

I’m Glad My Mom Died

If this is the first time you have heard of this book, where have you been hiding? It has spent a mammoth YEAR on the New York Times Bestseller list since it was published, selling millions of copies worldwide. A raw, courageous, and controversial memoir that confronts the aftermath of loss in complicated relationships. McCurdy's unfiltered prose delves into the complexity of grief and the healing process, painting a vivid picture of her emotional journey. Her vulnerability is visceral as she grapples with conflicted emotions and explores her own identity in the shadow of her mother's death. McCurdy's candid storytelling captures the nuances of pain, anger, and eventual acceptance. With honesty and insight, she invites readers to accompany her on a path of self-discovery and resilience.

In the UK, Spare is the fastest selling non-fiction book ever, breaking all records. Whatever your views on the royal family, why this book was written and indeed how this book was written, we felt compelled to include it given the huge amount of interest and the conversations it sparked. We at @thebibliofilles both had very different reactions to it, the prose is disjointed in parts but the insight it gave into being one of the most recognisable faces on the plant, talked about in the world’s press every day was astounding. To go through the loss of a parent under the scrutiny and gaze of millions is a singular experience that Spare details intimately. Prince Harry is at times jaw-droppingly honest about his life, from going to the army to meeting his wife and this is a book that will continue to be referenced and discussed for many years.

A Long Walk to Freedom

From one of the greatest leaders the world has ever known, taking us through one of the most important turning points in recent history. This monumental autobiography distils the spirit of resilience and the triumph of justice. From his childhood in rural South Africa to his decades-long fight against apartheid, Mandela's narrative is one of courage and unwavering conviction. His steadfast commitment to freedom and equality resonates through every page, portraying a life inextricably linked with his nation's struggle. The book chronicles not just the trials of imprisonment, but the power of forgiveness and reconciliation that led to South Africa's transformation. This is a book that serves as a living testimony of history, whilst providing a masterclass in leadership and the power needed to heal an entire country.

What person alive has not worn or seen the Nike sign? Selling over 25 million copies, the autobiography of the Nike founder and CEO is the embodiment of the ultimate American dream, which seeps with passion and resilience. With candid sincerity, Knight takes readers on a rollercoaster journey through the company's inception, sharing the highs, lows, and relentless determination that shaped its success. Shoe Dog isn't just about business; it explores entrepreneurship and the power of unwavering ambition. Knight's vivid storytelling captures the struggles of building a company from the ground up, showcasing the risks and sacrifices involved. His blend of personal anecdotes, industry insights, and a touch of humour crafts an engaging narrative that resonates with aspiring entrepreneurs, and anyone fascinated by the genesis of iconic brands.

This is one of those books that you will think about for years after reading it. When it was released there wasn’t a coffee or bookshop that didn’t have people discussing Educated. This captivating memoir unfolds like a journey from darkness to enlightenment. Raised in a strict and isolated household, Westover's quest for knowledge becomes a transformative odyssey. Her story exquisitely depicts the power of education to liberate the mind and the soul. Through her remarkable resilience, she navigates a path from ignorance to self-discovery, challenging deeply ingrained beliefs. The prose is both haunting and hopeful, capturing the dichotomy of her experiences. Educate is an unflinching exploration of the human capacity for change, illustrating how learning can dismantle barriers and shatter confines. Westover's story resonated with us at @thebibliofilles long after the last page.

Priest Daddy

When this was published in 2017, it launched Lockwood’s career and received rave reviews internationally. Priestdaddy is a riotous and introspective memoir that delves into the eccentric world of her unconventional family, led by her father—a former Lutheran priest turned Catholic. Lockwood's razor-sharp wit and irreverent prose create a unique lens through which to explore themes of religion, family dynamics, and personal identity. The narrative balances humour with poignant observations, offering a nuanced look at the intersection of faith and doubt. Lockwood's candid portrayal of her family's quirks and complexities reveals a universal truth about the complexity of love and relationships. As she navigates the absurdities of her upbringing and grapples with her own journey, readers are treated to a refreshingly honest, hilarious, and thought-provoking exploration of the human experience.

Just As I Am

Cecily Tyson was an award winning and ground breaking American actress, known for her portrayal of fierce characters. Her autobiography has inspired so many, from fellow actors to politicians (Obama says she shaped the course of history), a powerful and candid memoir that traces the remarkable journey of an iconic thespian. Tyson recounts her life from humble beginnings to becoming a trailblazing figure in the entertainment industry, and she doesn’t hold back from the challenges she faced as a Black woman in Hollywood and her unyielding commitment to roles that defied stereotypes. Through her introspection, she sheds light on the personal sacrifices, professional triumphs, and the profound impact of her work on representation. At her core she was a storyteller and this reads like a propulsive thriller, resonating with authenticity, honesty, and a deep sense of purpose.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Ann Frank

One of the most imprtant books ever published which everyone should read, The Diary of a Young Girl is a book that we at @thebibliofilles hold so close to our hearts. An enduring and indelible testament to the human spirit's resilience amid the heaviest of darkness. This diary represents the power of literature, both on the world and on societies understanding of history. Through Anne's intimate musings, the Holocaust's horrors are humanized in the searing voice of a Jewish child never to grow old. Her poignant insights, penned within the confines of her secret annex her family were hiding in during the World War, offer a stark contrast to the outside world's cruelty. This true story is a heartrending portrayal of a girl coming of age amidst adversity, her dreams and fears echoing across generations. Anne's voice is a beacon, illuminating the importance of remembrance, tolerance, and the pursuit of a better world. A timeless, haunting masterpiece that will affect every single reader long after they have finished the final page.

Know My Name

This is one of the most powerful and thought-provoking books we at @thebibliofilles have ever read, and we urge every single reader to buy a copy. Miller was the anonymous victim in a rape trial, and her victim impact statement went globally viral, inspiring, and empowering millions of victims. An unflinching memoir that redefines courage and reclaims agency, written with innate power, Miller chronicles her harrowing journey as a survivor of sexual assault, transcending the confines of victimhood to waking up an internet phenomenon, capturing the rollercoaster of emotions. With remarkable vulnerability, she peels back the layers of trauma, exposing the scars inflicted by both the crime and the justice system. Her resilience shines as she reclaims her identity and narrative. Miller's narrative is a force of nature, the ending so hopeful, the change she brought so important, you will find yourself recommending it to everyone you know.

The Year of Magical Thinking

Joan Didion was a literary legend, and her memoir is one of her most acclaimed books, winning a National Book Award and being in the final shortlist for the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Critics Circle Award. The Year of Magical Thinking is an emotionally charged account of Didion facing the unthinkable. In the wake of her husband's sudden death and her daughter's serious illness, Didion offers a raw and unflinching account of the human experience of loss. Through her precise prose, she dissects the complexities of mourning, grappling with the irrational hope that her husband might return. Balancing vulnerability with intellectual rigor, Didion's exploration of grief's labyrinthine nature is haunting and deeply moving. Her unvarnished introspection resonates with anyone who has faced loss, which is why it is still such a popular autobiography. illuminating the strange and unpredictable ways we cope with tragedy and offering the reader hope.

Eat Pray Love

Sometimes a book is so powerful that it can enter into societies psyche, its very title becoming part of our language. With over 10 million copies sold worldwide, this memoir changed so many lives, sending travellers to India and Bali and inspiring so many to reset their priorities. Elizabeth Gilbert's soul-searching memoir is a captivating journey of self-discovery. She had everything a modern woman was supposed to want--husband, country home, successful career--but instead of feeling happy and fulfilled, she was consumed by panic and confusion. This book charts her year-long expedition across Italy, India, and Indonesia, searching for balance, spirituality, and healing after a painful divorce. Gilbert's candid introspection, peppered with humour and vulnerability, invites readers into her personal odyssey. While some may find privilege in her ability to embark on such a voyage, the universal pursuit of happiness and purpose makes her story hugely relatable.

Born A Crime

So many readers have raved about the hilarity, wit and keen observations made in this popular autobiography from such a beloved TV personality. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah is a remarkable memoir that seamlessly blends humour, insight, and poignant reflection. Noah's storytelling prowess shines as he depicts the tumult of his upbringing in apartheid-era South Africa as a mixed-race child, born to a black mother and a white father. He is incredibly open about his experiences with racial and cultural identity, poverty, and the absurdities of prejudice. His ability to find joy and comedy in even the darkest moments adds a layer of relatability and accessibility, making this an enjoyable read even with a serious subject matter. Through the lens of his own life, Noah illuminates broader themes of resilience, social injustice, and the power of laughter to transcend adversity.

A Moveable Feast

A classic autobiography from one of the most important writers of the last century, a moveable feast was published posthumously and received a huge amount of praise and adoration. Paris comes alive as the backdrop to a mesmerizing account of the author's formative years. With his inimitable, exquisite prose, Hemingway paints a vivid picture of 1920s Paris, where artistic luminaries converge. His recollections are a literary time capsule, transporting readers to cafes, bookshops, and conversations with Gertrude Stein, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and more. Amidst the artistic fervour, Hemingway reflects on his struggles, successes, and the bittersweet romance with his first wife, Hadley. The narrative's simplicity belies its depth, capturing the essence of a transformative era and the pursuit of creative authenticity. You will want to devour this like we did at @thebibliofilles - a poignant, reflective work, A Moveable Feast offers a glimpse into the life of a literary giant and the era that shaped him.

This is Going to Hurt

When this was published you could not go onto a train, bus, or plane without someone reading this book. Adam Kay's This Is Going To Hurt is a gut-wrenchingly hilarious and eye-opening memoir that peels back the curtain on life as a doctor in the NHS.. From heartbreaking moments to laugh-out-loud escapades, he offers an unfiltered look at the highs and lows of the profession. Beyond the humour, the book also addresses the gruelling demands and bureaucratic hurdles faced by healthcare professionals. Kay's witty anecdotes and razor-sharp humour provide a unique perspective on the challenges and absurdities of working in the medical field, which is why this also resonated with international readers.

Patti Smith

This book is so achingly cool and contemporary and is a timeless snapshot of an iconic time in New York. Patti Smith's award winning Just Kids is an exquisite coming of age memoir that unveils her unique journey through the vibrant New York City art scene of the 1960s and 70s. With lyrical prose, Smith recounts her intimate relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, painting a vivid portrait of their artistic collaboration and deep bond. The book beautifully captures their struggles, dreams, and the fervent energy of a creative generation. Smith's storytelling is both poetic and honest, immersing readers in a world where bohemian ideals intersect with the realities of ambition and love. A mesmerising blend of autobiography and cultural history, Just Kids is a timeless tribute to friendship, art, and the unrelenting pursuit of artistic expression.

We had to include this autobiography as it a raw and compelling ace of a memoir that made huge waves when it was published. With unvarnished honesty, Agassi bares his soul, recounting his rise from a reluctant prodigy to a tennis icon. The narrative's power lies in Agassi's candid revelations – his love-hate relationship with the sport, family dynamics, and internal battles. The book unflinchingly tackles his struggles with identity and the pressures of fame, painting a vivid picture of both the exhilarating highs and crushing lows of professional tennis. Agassi's prose is as intense as his playing style, gripping readers with every page. A tale of redemption, resilience, and self-discovery, written with the ghostwriter who went on to write Spare with Prince Harry.

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings

Let us count the ways we love Maya Angelou. It would be impossible to quantify the lasting legacy of this literary titan, and no list of the best autobiographies is complete without the masterpiece that is I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings, which resonates with profound strength and vulnerability. The first volume of a seven-part autobiography, Angelou explores the complexities of racism, identity, and womanhood. Her prose dances off the page, every word exactly where it needs to be. Her resilience in the face of adversity is astonishing, overcoming a painful childhood of extreme poverty and cruelty, paints a vivid picture of her coming-of-age journey to greatness. The narrative's raw honesty exposes both the scars of prejudice and the triumphs of the human spirit, a symphony of pain and triumph, each page a testament to the power of resilience and self-discovery. Angelou’s words echo through generations, urging us to confront our past and strive for a more just future.

This graphic autobiography broke so many barriers and is widely regarded as one of the best books of the century. Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi is a captivating graphic memoir that navigates the tumultuous history of Iran through a personal lens. Satrapi's evocative black-and-white illustrations and poignant storytelling capture her coming-of-age amidst the Iranian Revolution and its aftermath. Through her eyes, readers witness the cultural shifts, political upheavals, and individual struggles that shaped her identity. The memoir's intimate portrayal of family dynamics and friendships amidst adversity adds depth to the historical context. By combining the personal and political, Satrapi creates a vivid narrative that humanizes complex events and will stay with you long after the final page.

The Chiffon Trenches - André Leon Talley

André Leon Talley was a renowned and important fixture on the fashion scene, a celebrated journalist, creative director and editor-at-large of Vogue. The Chiffon Trenches is a must-read autobiography giving readers intimate insight into the world of runways and magazine politics. Talley's storytelling weaves a tapestry of glamour, ambition, and the complexities of the industry. From his early days to his tenure at Vogue, he reflects on his experiences with remarkable candour. The book not only explores the highs of his career but also looks at the challenges he faced as a trailblazing African American figure. The prose is as elegant as the garments he describes in this behind-the-scenes look at an iconic era.

The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Surely one of the most important autobiographies ever published, and now a literary classic. The Autobiography of Malcolm X is an unfiltered and searing chronicle of a transformative life. Malcolm X's journey from a troubled youth to a charismatic civil rights leader is powerfully captured in his own words, as told to Alex Haley, the author of Roots. Through candid reflections, he exposes the systemic racism, injustice, and personal struggles that shaped his evolution. The book serves as a testament to Malcolm X's unwavering commitment to black empowerment and his unapologetic critique of societal inequalities. It challenges readers to confront uncomfortable truths about America's history while highlighting the potential for radical change. A compelling blend of autobiography and social commentary, this work remains a pivotal and thought-provoking exploration of identity, activism, and justice, its one we at @thebibliofilles think about years after reading.

Crying in H Mart

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner is a profoundly moving memoir published in 2021, that weaves together themes of grief, identity, and cultural heritage. Zauner's lyrical prose offers a poignant exploration of growing up mixed race, her relationship with her mother, who battled cancer, and the complex connections between food, memory, and family. Through her heartfelt storytelling, she navigates the emotional landscape of loss and the quest to understand her Korean heritage. The book is a bittersweet journey of self-discovery, touching on the universal experiences of longing, belonging, and the impact of cultural assimilation. With vulnerability and grace, Zauner creates an intimate tapestry that resonates with anyone who has grappled with their past while forging their own path.

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Do you love to hear all about a person's life, especially those that have had extraordinary experiences? Take your pick of the best autobiographies written by some of our favourite people here at The Works. You'll find the latest celebrity and comedian autobiographies here as well as autobiographies from people who have had interesting lives.

At the age of sixty, and having lived with Parkinson’s disease for over ten years, Guy Deacon CBE set out on one last adventure: to drive solo from his home in the UK 18,000 miles and through twenty-five countries to Cape Town on the southern tip of Africa. This incredible journey, across Europe and down the full length of Africa, took the former British Army officer over twelve months. Along the way, he broke down five times, underwent one emergency evacuation, and took 3,650 prescription pills. There are only a handful of vehicles each year which attempt this difficult journey; many never complete it. Ongoing conflicts in Libya, South Sudan, Mozambique and many other countries make any journey exceptionally dangerous. In central Africa, road conditions, particularly in the rainy season, often make the going treacherous. Further hazards include illegal checkpoints, extortion, contaminated fuel and a lack of services. Guy drove, lived and slept in his VW Transporter, often in remote spots, hundreds of miles from the nearest village or town. Reliant on patchy GPS, he often got lost. His journey was, quite simply, an incredible feat by a man travelling alone with Stage 3 Parkinson’s disease, when simply putting on a pair of shoes can take half an hour. But not only did Guy’s journey fulfil a childhood dream to drive the length of Africa, his mission was also to raise global awareness of Parkinson’s disease, for which there is currently still no cure. Product Information:  • ISBN: 9781802471885 • Author: Guy Deacon • Publisher: Ad Lib Publishers Ltd • Format:  Paperback • Pages: 240 • Dimensions: 20 x 13 x 2cm

Being a Rambling Man was what I always wanted to be, to live the way I damn well pleased. I've met the weirdest and most wonderful people who walk the Earth, seen the most bizarre and the most fantastic sights - and I've rarely come across something I couldn't get a laugh at. I don't think I've ever had a bad trip. Well, apart from in the 1970s, but that's a whole other story... When Billy set out from Glasgow as a young man he never looked back. He played his banjo on boats and trains, under trees, and on top of famous monuments. He danced naked in snow, wind and fire. He slept in bus stations, under bridges and on strangers' floors. He travelled by foot, bike, ship, plane, sleigh - even piggy-backed - to get to his next destination. Billy has wandered to every corner of the earth and believes that being a Rambling Man is about more than just travelling - it's a state of mind. Rambling Men and Women are free spirits who live on their wits, are interested in people and endlessly curious about the world. They love to play music, make art or tell stories along the way but, above all, they have a longing in their heart for the open road. In his joyful new book, Billy explores this philosophy and how it has shaped him, and he shares hilarious new stories from his lifetime on the road. From riding his trike down America's famous Route 66, building an igloo on an iceberg in the Arctic, playing elephant polo (badly) in Nepal and crashing his motorbike (more than once), to eating witchetty grubs in Australia, being serenaded by a penguin in New Zealand, and swapping secrets in a traditional Sweat Lodge ritual in Canada, Rambling Man is a truly global adventure with the greatest possible travel companion.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781399802574 • Author: Billy Connolly  • Publisher:  Two Roads • Format:  Hardback • Pages:  320 • Dimensions: 16.4 x 3.6 x 24.3 cm

From the detective who helped catch the Golden State Killer, a memoir about investigating America's toughest cold cases, and the rewards - and toll - of a life spent solving crime. For a decade, from 1973, The Golden State Killer stalked and murdered Californians in the dead of night, leaving entire communities afraid to turn off the lights. Then he vanished, and the case remained unsolved. In 1994, when cold-case investigator Paul Holes came across the old file, he swore he would unmask GSK and finally give these families closure. Twenty-four years later, Holes fulfilled that promise, identifying 73-year-old Joseph J. DeAngelo. Headlines blasted around the world: one of America's most prolific serial killers had been caught. That case launched Paul's career into the stratosphere, turning him into an icon in the true-crime world. But while many know the story of the capture of GSK, until now, no one has truly known the man behind it all.  Product Information: • ISBN:  9781472270399 • Author:  Paul Holes • Publisher:  Wildfire • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  288 • Dimensions:  12.9 x 2.4 x 19.8 cm

From declaring my love to Vanessa Redgrave to being fed cockroaches by Steve Buscemi, from turnip-based comedy with Blackadder to being farted on by Arnold Schwarzenegger, from Graham Norton's sofa to Alan Cumming's campervan, my life has been (and continues to be) a riotous adventure. Oh Miriam! has been such a constant refrain in my life, said in all kinds of tones - laughs, surprised gasps and orgasmic sighs (I'm hoping for all those from you as you read on!) - that it had to be the title of this book. And with a castlist that stretches from Churchill to di Caprio, Dahl to Dietrich, Princess Margaret to Maggie Smith, I've got so much more to tell you and so much more to say. My chapters range from 'How to Stay Married' to 'Don't Let the Bastards Get You Down'. Discover how to break the thickest conversational ice; why swearing is actually good for you (though not on the Today programme); the unexpected things I actually learnt at school and what my Spice Girl name would be. Not to mention my Tale of the Unexpected and my very own Vagina Monologue. Buckle up and join me on another unforgettable adventure, but this time through my heart and head...  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781399803359 • Author: Miriam Margolyes • Publisher:  John Murray • Format:  Hardback • Pages:  336 • Dimensions: 15.29 x 1.78 x 23.39 cm 

A definitive and intriguing biography of Max Verstappen, Formula 1's superstar, Lewis Hamilton's great rival and the three-time winner of the World Drivers' Championship. No Hollywood scriptwriter could possibly have envisioned the breathless, adrenaline-pumping climax to the 2021 Formula 1 season. On the very last lap of the final race of an unbelievably arduous and controversial season, Red Bull's Max Verstappen nervelessly overtook the seven-time World Champion Lewis Hamilton of Mercedes to clinch the first place that thrust the young prodigy to the narrowest of victories and to his first World Drivers' title. He followed up by taking the 2022 and 2023 titles as well. Verstappen may only be 26 years of age, but the Dutch motorsport sensation has an incredible record in F1. This young man has already left an indelible mark on the sport. The son of F1 driver Jos, Verstappen junior quickly stepped out of his father's shadow: his youthful charisma, ferocious speed, fearless driving style and refusal to back down mark him out as a true champion. And the phenomenal success of Netflix's Drive to Survive documentary series has elevated his worldwide popularity still further. Widely respected motorsport writer and F1 insider Mark Hughes is perfectly placed to write the most authoritative narrative on Verstappen's incredible rise through the ranks to F1 glory. Hughes' immaculate credentials and first-rate access enable him to generate fresh and fascinating insights, and to paint a fully-rounded and richly-textured portrait of one of the most exciting young sportsmen on the planet.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781472299048 • Author:  Mark Hughes • Publisher:  Headline • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  352 • Dimensions:   15.4 x 3.6 x 23.6 cm

Paul Merson’s wonderfully moving and brutally honest memoir of battling addiction for three decades. For twenty-one years Paul Merson played professional football. He won two First Division titles with Arsenal and was one of the finest players of his generation. But for thirty years Paul Merson has also been an addict. Alcohol, drugs, gambling: a desperately unenviable cocktail of addictions and depression which has plagued his entire adult life and driven him to the verge of suicide. ‘I’ve come to realise that I’m powerless over alcohol … I’m an alcoholic. My drinking and gambling have left a lot of wreckage.’ Until recently the drinking and gambling were still raging. ‘I wanted to kill myself. I couldn’t go on anymore. I just couldn’t see a way out.’ Then something clicked. ‘One day, I was walking home from the pub late on a Sunday evening, and I thought to myself: I’ve had enough of feeling like this, every day of my life. I rang up Alcoholics Anonymous the next day, and since then I haven’t had a drink.’ Hooked will kick-start a crucial national conversation about addiction, depression and the damage they wreak. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781472282569 • Author: Paul Merson • Publisher: Headline • Format: Paperback • Pages: 304 • Dimensions: 13.02 x 1.91 x 20 cm

The long-awaited return of the comedy national treasure... Blockbusters, Baywatch… Mastermind, Moonlighting… Porridge, Parkinson… Peter Kay takes you on a journey into the wonders of TV –back to the days when Dusty Bin was a household name, Robin of Sherwood was a pin-up and the Brookside siege was the event of the year. For a young telly-loving Peter growing up in Bolton, TV meant Sunday bath nights with a black-and-white portable, the unbridled excitement of the new Christmas TV guide and his elderly neighbour’s inconvenient hearing problem. Here, for the first time, he collects his TV memories and adventures together in this brilliant book. Join Peter as he finds success on the small screen, leaving his own unique footprint in the golden age of TV: from making tea at Granada Studios and marching along to ‘(Is This the Way to) Amarillo’ to hanging out in the Rovers Return, having run-ins with Bernard Manning and starring in possibly the worst Doctor Who episode of all time. You’ll go behind the scenes of the legendary Phoenix Nights, take The Road to Nowhere with Max & Paddy and discover how Peter created his BAFTA-winning performance in Car Share. So sit back and enjoy a journey through the wonderful world of television. Endearing, sidesplittingly funny and utterly unforgettable – T.V. sees Peter Kay at his vivid, nostalgic and hilarious best.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780008623319 • Author: Peter Kay • Publisher: HarperCollins • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  320 • Dimensions:  15.9 x 3.6 x 24 cm

Dive into the incredible career of one of the biggest celebrities of all time, Will Smith! This brave and inspiring autobiography traces his learning curve to a place where outer success, inner happiness, and human connection are aligned. Along the way, Will tells the story in full of one of the most amazing rides through the worlds of music and film that anyone has ever had. From a fearful child in tense West Philadelphia home to one of the biggest rap stars of his era and then one of the biggest movie stars in Hollywood history, with a string of box office successes that will likely never be broken, is an epic tale of inner transformation and outer triumph, and Will tells it astonishingly well. But it's only half the story. Will Smith thought, with good reason, that he had won at life- not only was his own success unparalleled, his whole family was at the pinnacle of the entertainment world. Only they didn't see it that way- they felt more like star performers in his circus, a seven-days-a-week job they hadn't signed up for. It turned out Will Smith's education wasn't nearly over. This memoir is the product of a profound journey of self-knowledge, a reckoning with all that your will can get you and all that it can leave behind. Written with the help of Mark Manson, is the story of how one exceptional man mastered his own emotions, written in a way that can help everyone else do the same. Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781529158281 • Author:  Will Smith & Mark Manson • Publisher:  Penguin • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  432 • Dimensions:  12.9 x 2.7 x 19.8 cm 

BAFTA-winning actor, creator of a myriad of unforgettable characters from Lady Whiteadder to Professor Sprout, Miriam Margolyes, OBE, is the nation's favourite (and naughtiest) treasure. Now, at the age of 80, she has finally decided to tell her extraordinary life story - and it's well worth the wait. Find out how being conceived in an air-raid gave her curly hair; what pranks led to her being known as the naughtiest girl Oxford High School ever had and why Bob Monkhouse was the best (male) kiss she's ever had. From declaring her love to Vanessa Redgrave to being told to be quiet by the Queen, this book is packed with brilliant, hilarious stories. With a cast list stretching from Scorsese to Streisand, a cross-dressing Leonardo di Caprio to Isaiah Berlin, This Much Is True is as warm and honest, as full of life and surprises, as its inimitable author. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529379907 • Author: Miriam Margolyes • Publisher: John Murray • Format: Paperback • Pages: 448 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.8 x 3.2 cm

The Boy Who Drew Auschwitz presents a rare living testimony through the eyes of a child who had the unique ability to observe and remember every detail around him and chose to document it all. Thomas Geve was just 15 years old when he was liberated from Buchenwald concentration camp on 11 April 1945. It was the third concentration camp he had survived. Upon arrival at Auschwitz- Birkenau, Thomas was separated from his mother and left to fend for himself in the men’s camp of Auschwitz I, at the age of 13. During the 22 months he was imprisoned, he was subjected to, and forced to observe first-hand, the inhumane world of Nazi concentration camps. On his eventual release Thomas felt compelled to capture daily life in the death camps in more than eighty profoundly moving drawings. Infamous scenarios synonymous with this dark period of history were portrayed in poignant but simplistic detail with extraordinary accuracy. Despite the unspeakable events he experienced, Thomas decided to become an active witness and tell the truth about life in the camps. He has spoken to audiences from around the world and continues to raise awareness about the Holocaust.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9780008406394 • Author:  Thomas Geve • Publisher:  HarperCollins • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  352 • Dimensions: 12.9 x 2.7 x 19.8 cm

The story of pop legend Dusty Springfield from the people who knew her, from her troubled childhood to 60s mod queen and enduring music icon. Dusty Springfield was one of our greatest pop singers. From 60s hits like ‘I Only Want to be With You’, ‘Son of a Preacher Man’ and ‘You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me’ to her 80s collaboration with the Pet Shop Boys and beyond, she was a musical pioneer and the very essence of authentic white soul. A member of the US Rock and Roll and UK Music Halls of Fame, international polls have named Dusty among the best female pop artists of all time. Twenty-five years after her passing, she continues to fascinate and inspire. This classic biography is based on over forty-five original interviews with close friends and people who worked with her, including Sir Tom Jones, Lulu, legendary arranger Ivor Raymonde, and the late, great Atlantic Records trio, Jerry Wexler, Tom Dowd and Arif Mardin, with whom she recorded her classic album Dusty In Memphis. The book fully explores her life and legacy, from a troubled Home Counties childhood to 60s mod queen and solo star, to her struggles with addiction and mental health issues, to her status as an influential LGBT heroine and enduring pop icon.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781789295863 • Author:  Lucy O'Brien • Publisher:  Michael O'Mara • Format:  Paperback • Pages:  304 • Dimensions:  12.9 x 2.2 x 19.8 cm

So, I’ve written a book. I have decided to write these stories just as I have always done, in my own hand. The joy that I have felt from chronicling these tales is not unlike listening back to a song that I’ve recorded and can’t wait to share with the world, or reading a primitive journal entry from a stained notebook, or even hearing my voice bounce between the Kiss posters on my wall as a child.  From hitting the road with Scream at 18 years old, to my time in Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, jamming with Iggy Pop or playing at the Academy Awards or dancing with AC/DC and the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, drumming for Tom Petty or meeting Sir Paul McCartney at Royal Albert Hall, bedtime stories with Joan Jett or a chance meeting with Little Richard, to flying halfway around the world for one epic night with my daughters…the list goes on.  I look forward to focusing the lens through which I see these memories a little sharper for you with much excitement.  Product Information: • ISBN: 9781398503724 • Author: Dave Grohl • Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK • Format: Paperback • Pages: 384 • Dimensions: 19.8 x 13 x 2.7 cm

Get Changed is for the countless women out there who are wondering whether they know who they are anymore. Loss of identity is an experience all too familiar to Instagram style guru and professional stylist Kat Farmer. In her own life, she found that fashion helped her regenerate herself and rediscover her confidence. In Get Changed, Kat's authentic, down-to-earth voice, trademark humour, and insights into some of her personal anxieties make you feel like she's right there in the room with you. The book delivers the personal stylist experience to readers, a step-by-step practical guide to building the ultimate new wardrobe. Borrowing from the structure of a recipe book, the prep, the ingredients and the method, Kat breaks down the process with easy-to-remember tips and tricks; the reader will come away inspired and confident that they can build a wardrobe of clothes they love. Most importantly, Kat will show that finding your confidence again and discovering the new you can be as simple as getting changed. The book covers all the basics - sorting out and assessing your current wardrobe, working out what works for your body type and your lifestyle, how to shop successfully, key wardrobe pieces (crucially that will work together) all tackled with Kat's helpful, warm and funny approach. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781784727789 • Author: Kat Farmer • Publisher: Mitchell Beazley • Format: Hardback • Pages: 256 • Dimensions: 21.4 x 17.2 x 2.6cm

In his first full-length autobiography, comedy legend and national treasure Billy Connolly reveals the truth behind his windswept and interesting life. Born in a tenement flat in Glasgow in 1942, orphaned by the age of 4, and a survivor of appalling abuse at the hands of his own family, Billy's life is a remarkable story of success against all the odds. Billy became a folk musician with a genuine talent for playing the banjo. But it was his ability to spin stories, tell jokes and hold an audience in the palm of his hand that truly set him apart. As a young comedian Billy broke all the rules. He was fearless and outspoken, but his stand-up was full of warmth and silliness too. His startling, hairy 'glam-rock' stage appearance - wearing leotards, scissor suits and banana boots - only added to his appeal. Billy's stand-up comedy continued- for over 50 years, in fact - until a double diagnosis of cancer and Parkinson's Disease brought his remarkable live performances to an end. Since then, he has continued making TV shows, creating extraordinary drawings... and writing. Product Information: • ISBN: 9781529318272 • Author: Billy Connolly • Publisher: Two Roads • Format: Paperback • Pages: 400 • Dimensions: 19.6 x 12.6 x 3.4 cm

Global superstar, songwriter, singer and Princess of Pop Britney Spears tells all in her heartfelt and honest memoir that portrays her rise to fame, tumultuous relationship with her father, controversial conservatorship, widely documented mental health struggles and so much more. Battling with a parent to take control of your own life at the age of 39 seems impossible. But this is where superstar Britney Spears found herself, 13 years into a conservatorship constructed by her father. In June 2021, the whole world was listening as she spoke in open court for the first time, delivering a bombshell statement in which she described the complex legal arrangement as abusive and condemned the actions of her own father, Jamie. The impact of voicing her truth was undeniable, and it changed the course of her life and the lives of countless others. The Woman in Me reveals for the first time her incredible journey and the strength at the core of one of the greatest performers in pop music history. Written with remarkable candour and humour, Spears's ground-breaking book illuminates the enduring power of music and love and the importance of a woman telling her own story, on her own terms, at last. Product Information:  • ISBN: 9781398522541  • Author: Britney Spears • Publisher: Gallery UK • Format:  Paperback • Pages: 288 • Dimensions:  13 x 1.7 x 19.8cm

The seven rules to follow to realise your true purpose in life-distilled by Arnold Schwarzenegger from his own journey of ceaseless reinvention and extraordinary achievement, and available for absolutely anyone. The world's greatest bodybuilder. The world's highest paid movie star. The leader of the world's sixth largest economy. That these are the same person sounds like the setup to a joke. But this is no joke. This is Arnold Schwarzenegger. And this did not happen by accident. Arnold's stratospheric success happened as part of a process. As the result of clear vision, big thinking, hard work, direct communication, resilient problem-solving, open-minded curiosity, and a commitment to giving back. All of it guided by the one lesson Arnold's father hammered into him above all: be useful. As Arnold conquered every realm he entered, he kept his father's adage close to his heart. Written with his uniquely earnest, blunt, powerful voice, BE USEFUL takes readers on an inspirational tour through Arnold's toolkit for a meaningful life. Arnold shows us how to put those tools to work, in service of whatever fulfilling future we can dream up for ourselves. He brings his insights to vivid life with compelling personal stories, life-changing successes and life-threatening failures alike--some of them famous, some told here for the first time ever. Too many of us struggle to disconnect from our self-pity and connect to our purpose. At an early age, Arnold forged the mental tools to build the ladder out of the poverty and narrow-mindedness of his rural Austrian hometown, tools he used to add rung after rung from there. Now he has shared that wisdom with all of us. As he puts it, no one is going to come rescue you -- you only have yourself. The good news, it turns out, is that you are all you need.  Product Information:  • ISBN:  9781529146530 • Author: Arnold Schwarzenegger • Publisher:  Ebury Edge • Format:  Hardback • Pages:  288 • Dimensions: 14.4 x 2.8 x 22.2 cm

Buying Autobiographies

Autobiographies are one of the most popular genres of non-fiction books. They provide inspiration, entertainment and insight into some incredible stories. We've pulled together some FAQs to help you find the best autobiographies. 

What is the difference between an Autobiography and a Biography?

An autobiography is a self-written account of one's own life, while a biography is a written narrative of someone's life, often penned by another author.

What makes a good autobiography to read?

A good autobiography is dependent on what you are looking for. Some people like funny autobiographies, while others look for compelling tales of adventure that will inspire them. Whatever the genre, all autobiographies will feel authentic and have a compelling narrative and vivid descriptions that make you feel like you are there.

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35 Of The Best Autobiographies To Get Stuck Into, From Britney Spears' To Julia Fox's

Though fiction is perfect for escapism , occasionally somebody's real life story is just as captivating, fascinating and dramatic as stories of make believe.

This is proven time and time again when a bombshell autobiography is released and its contents subsequently dominate conversations, newspaper columns and magazine front covers. Looking for proof? Look no further to pop icon Julia Fox 's best-selling autobiography, Down The Drain or Jennette McCurdy's divisive I'm Glad My Mom Died.

Whether it's from someone who has lived a life in the public eye and has finally decided to put their experiences into words for the first time, or somebody accelerated to prominence from a single, extraordinary incident which they want to recount in full, there's a reason autobiographies top the bestseller charts again and again.

From Michele Obama 's to Malala Yousafzai's and Shonda Rhime's here are some must-read autobiographies that should be fixtures on your bookshelves.

Down the Drain - Julia Fox

One of the most outspoken pop icons of our time, Julia Fox reveals all in this authentic memoir detailing her life so far. From a troubled childhood which forced her to grow up early to toxic relationships and addictions that temporarily controlled her life to finally making it out on the other side.

The House of Hidden Meanings - RuPaul

Quite literally the biggest name in drag queen stardom, RuPaul bares all in his autobiography which tells his lived experience of going from poverty to discovering the power of performance and self-acceptance.

Through navigating difficul relationships with his parents to moulding his identity in the drag scenes of Atlanta and New York and his marriage with his husband Georges LeBar, no detail is left out.

Audible The Woman in Me - Britney Spears

One of the most highly anticipated autobiographies in contemporary times, Britney Spears' The Woman In Me is all about the musician taking control of her own narrative, after being denied of it, for so long. From the highs and lows of her career to her conservatorship, Spears brings for an insightiful and emotional read.

Takeaway: Stories From A Childhood Behind The Counter - Angela Hui

Having grown up in rural Wales above her family’s Chinese takeaway shop, Angela Hui looks at the bitter reality of racism in the UK while showcasing the importance of food and culture in this memoir. If you love Takeaway as much as we do, be sure to check out the Migration Museum in Lewisham, which currently has an immersive recreation of the family business for an exhibition which was co-curated by Hui.

I'm Glad My Mom Died - Jennette McCurdy

Nickelodeon child star Jenette McCurdy wrote this heartbreaking memoir centred around the difficult relationship she had with her abusive mother, who died of cancer in 2013. Divided into the before and aftermath of her death, the narrative dives into the story of McCurdy’s career, including a disturbing producer she worked with, her struggle with mental health, and the turbulent grieving process she experienced. It’s definitely not a light read by any means, but one that will stick with you forever.

The Lonely City: Adventures in the Art of Being Alone - Olivia Laing

By exploring famous artists’ lives, scientific research, and Laing's own lived experiences with solitude, this international bestseller takes a poignant look at what it means to feel alone. Ultimately, she reframes loneliness as a way to connect, which makes this surprisingly comforting. While this masterpiece was written in 2016, it is an even more powerful read post-lockdown. If you’re still struggling mentally from the aftermath of COVID, this is definitely one for you…

Crying in H Mart - Michelle Zauner

Zauner, the singer behind indie-pop band Japanese Breakfast, writes this thoughtful memoir about identity and loss. She was one of the very few Asian Americans at her school in Oregon, and as she grew older, she began to feel less and less connected to her Korean heritage – until she turned 25 and her mum was diagnosed with terminal cancer. Ultimately, it was this grief that led her to embrace her family’s culture in a way she never had before.

Brown Baby: A Memoir of Race, Family and Home - Nikesh Shukla

From the author who edited The Good Immigrant , Shukla's B rown Baby is a memoir everyone needs on their bookshelf. Hilarious at times, heartbreaking at others, and informative from the outset and throughout, this book remains hopeful while discussing a breadth of potentially heavy topics like love, grief, and fatherhood.

Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic - Alison Bechdel

The inspiration behind the Olivier Award nominated musical of the same name, Fun Home is a truly phenomenal graphic memoir that looks at the strained relationship between the author and her gay father, who passed away just two weeks after she came out to him. Bechdel handles tragedy with care, painting a thoroughly three dimensional portrait of her complicated father, while managing to inject humour into what could have easily been a solely bleak story.

I Heard What You Said - Jeffrey Boakye

Boakye reflects on his experience as both a Black student and a Black teacher in Britain, analysing racism in the education system and offering an exploration into how we can work to dismantle white supremacy in classrooms and beyond.

Virago I Might Regret This: Essays, Drawings, Vulnerabilities and Other Stuff - Abbi Jacobson

Abbi Jacobson, Broad City co-creator and the mastermind behind A League of Their Own, was going through a break-up when she decided to take a road trip across the US by herself. Her journey (both literally and figuratively) is captured with this collection of essays and musings. Join her on the ride and get inspired to channel Abbi and savour solitude.

Persepolis: The Story of an Iranian Childhood - Marjane Satrapi

Satrapi invites us into her childhood growing up amidst the Iranian Revolution up to her early adult years in Austria with this critically acclaimed graphic memoir. Persepolis is a must-read for everyone, especially for those of us in the West. We also highly recommend the animated film of the same name that was adapted from this book.

Orion I Am Malala - Malala Yousafzai

Everyone knows her name, but Malala's 2013 autobiography details the events in her life up to and after she was shot in the head by the Taliban in her home country of Pakistan. From blogging anonymously for the BBC under a pseudonym to campaign for girls education, through to the last thing she remembers before a gunman stormed her school bus and shot her, the autobiography is inspirational, riveting and hopeful.

Becoming - Michelle Obama

One of the bestselling memoirs of recent times, Michelle Obama's book is a page-turner. The former First Lady recounts her upbringing in Chicago, her successful career as a lawyer, meeting her husband Barack Obama, moving into the White House and 'breaking royal protocol' with the Queen with equal doses of humility and pride.

Ebury Press How To Be a Woman - Caitlin Moran

On the bookshelves of many young women up and down the UK, the Times columnist recounts her own personal experiences while weaving them into discussions about womanhood and feminism. From abortion to weddings to pubic hair, there are no stones left unturned.

Canongate Books Reasons to Stay Alive - Matt Haig

Haig starts Reasons To Stay Alive with the worst moment of his life: the mental health breakdown in his early twenties that almost drove him to suicide. With hindsight, the author writes of all the reasons he's so glad he is still alive, which he wasn't able to consider or appreciate when in the depths of crippling depression.

Penguin Classics The Autobiography of Malcolm X - Malcolm X

A result of the many hours of interviews between the civil rights leader and journalist Alex Haley, this must-read book documents Malcolm's childhood, including the murder of his father at the hands of the Ku Klux Klan, his rise in the Nation of Islam and the differences in his activism compared to Martin Luther King. The autobiography was published in 1965, months after the giant of the civil rights movement was shot dead.

Simon & Schuster UK Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE - Phil Knight

The co-founder and creator of Nike explains how he became the architect of one of the most coveted, recognisable and - still - very profitable consumer brands in this honest memoir.

Viking A Promised Land - Barack Obama

The long-awaited memoir of the 44th president of the United States was released at the end of 2020 chronicling the life and times of the first Black president of the United States.

Viking Know My Name: The Survivor of the Stanford Sexual Assault Case Tells Her Story - Chanel Miller

Four years after her powerful victim impact statement against convicted sex offender and Stanford university swimmer Brock Turner went viral, Chanel Miller waived her right to anonymity to tell her story of being a sexual assault survivor. Credited with changing the conversation about rapes on college campuses, Miller's brave memoir became a bestseller.

Olivia Blair is Entertainment Editor (Luxury) at Hearst UK, working across ELLE, Esquire and Harper's Bazaar. Olivia covers all things entertainment and has interviewed the likes of Margot Robbie, Emma Stone, Michaela Coel and Ryan Gosling over the years.

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10 of the best autobiographies

Forget fiction, the most interesting, frustrating, and heartbreaking stories come from real-life. Whether it’s a gut-punching loss, a life-affirming experience, a phenomenal achievement, or just the minutiae of everyday life in a mad family, we all have rich and unique backstories.

But, admittedly, some tales make for more captivating reading than others – hence why, much to our collective dismay, we haven’t all got bestselling autobiographies. And yet, even if you’ve got the bones of a beguiling story, it takes a certain magic to turn it into a memoir that people actually want to read.

With that in mind, we’ve rounded up those who’ve mastered the art of the autobiography, each of whom, in their own unique way, traverses the tragedy, joy, mundanity, and tenderness of lives well- (or not-so-well-) lived.

Here’s our pick of 10 of the wildest, frankest, and most fascinating autobiographies.

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner

Anyone who’s ever experienced a devastating and world-shaking loss – and even those who haven’t – will feel a visceral response to Michelle Zauner’s phenomenal memoir,  Crying in H Mart . In it, Zauner, the lead vocalist of wondrous pop band  Japanese Breakfast , grapples with her connection to her Korean identity as she navigates her mother’s terminal illness and untimely death. It’s a candid, heart-wrenching exploration of how food connects us to our heritage and our loved ones, even when they’ve passed, and of the turbulent, tender, sometimes-suffocating, but always treasured relationship between mother and daughter.

Dreams From My Father  by Barack Obama

Published over a decade before he became President of the United States,  Barack Obama ’s extraordinarily candid memoir,  Dreams From My Father , sees the political figure retrace his parents’ lives – from Kansas to Indonesia – and confront his father’s absence and tragic, premature death. The enthralling tale follows Obama through childhood, college, and eventually to his father’s home country of Kenya, where he begins to face up to his own understanding of his identity and sense of belonging as a mixed-race person in America.

This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay

In  This is Going to Hurt , a diaristic telling of life as an NHS doctor, comedy writer and former junior doctor  Adam Kay shares frank, funny, and horrifying tales of the realities of working on a hospital ward. Detailing sleepless nights, patient anecdotes – some stupid, some heartwarming – and shocking tales of the mistreatment and neglect that doctors have to endure,  This is Going to Hurt is an essential read and moving homage to the heroes of our health service. In fact, it’s so good, it’s even got its own BAFTA-winning TV adaptation .

Prozac Nation by Elizabeth Wurtzel

When Elizabeth Wurtzel published her phenomenal, hugely influential memoir  Prozac Nation , she was just 27 years old – but she was no stranger to the weight of the world by then. The book traces the writer’s experience with depression, from early childhood through to adulthood, and her eventual treatment with the antidepressant Prozac. Sharing agonising detail of the suffocating effects of perpetual sadness, Wurtzel’s raw, dazzling memoir is credited with opening up the dialogue about mental health. It’s also just beautifully written, with haunting, gut-punching lines like, “If you are chronically down, it is a lifelong fight to keep from sinking”.

Take Away: Stories From a Childhood Behind the Counter  by Angela Hui

Angela Hui ’s warm and poignant memoir,  Take Away: Stories From a Childhood Behind the Counter , tells the story of the journalist’s upbringing in a Chinese takeaway in rural Wales. Traversing hilarious, happy memories, like helping her parents prep food after school and the comfort of being surrounded by her home culture, as well as the terror and turmoil of financial insecurity and racist attacks,  Take Away is a beautiful ode to Hui’s childhood and culinary heritage, as well as a stark and vital exploration of the experience of being othered in contemporary Britain.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

In her devastating memoir,  The Year of Magical Thinking , the inimitable Joan Didion attempts to make sense of the sudden death of her husband and the hospitalisation of their daughter, who also tragically died just months before the book’s publication. One of the most influential and profound books about grief,  The Year of Magical Thinking sees Didion examine and re-examine the days, weeks, and months before and after her husband’s passing, and painstakingly ruminate on the intricacies of his death. Haunted by his absence, Didion tells of the futile gesture of leaving his shoes out for when he returns; her own form of magical thinking.

Pour Me by A.A. Gill

In his frank memoir,  Pour Me , journalist  A.A. Gill reflects on his past struggles with alcoholism, meditating on what and who he lost during times of bleary-eyed inebriation, and how he clawed his way out to sobriety via writing. Bursting with humour, self-reflection, and passionate examination of his past and present,  Pour Me is a candid, unflinching exploration of Gill’s fascinating and turbulent life.

I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy’s provocatively-titled memoir,  I’m Glad My Mom Died , is heartbreaking, darkly funny, and tenaciously truthful in equal measure. In it, the former  iCarly and  Sam & Cat protagonist recalls her experience of growing up as a child star with an overbearing mother. Determined to fulfil her mum’s acting dream, McCurdy adhered to her authoritarian demands when it came to restricted eating, laborious makeovers, and equal share of her income. But, when her mother dies, and she begins to reflect on the resulting struggles of such a pressurised childhood – including anxiety, addiction, and a penchant for toxic relationships – rather than feel heavy with grief, McCurdy feels like a weight has been lifted for the first time. In  I’m Glad My Mom Died , she details it all with astonishing and commendable honesty and wit.

Gotta Get Theroux This: My Life and Strange Times in Television by Louis Theroux

Nobody does an interview quite like  Louis Theroux . The charming journalist has won the hearts of the nation – and the world – with his wild, weird, and insightful documentaries, which see him take viewers everywhere from prisons and extremist rallies to psychiatric hospitals and into the homes of your favourite (and least favourite) celebs. Along the way, he’s tried his hand at everything from wrestling and  rapping to gambling and swinging, and in his memoir,  Gotta Get Theroux This: My Life and Strange Times in Television , he invites the reader behind-the-scenes of it all. With his trademark wit and wry observations, Theroux tells the story of how he got here, and shares the secrets of his unforgettable, idiosyncratic career.

Priestdaddy by Patricia Lockwood

Patricia Lockwood decided to write her memoir,  Priestdaddy – a comedic, eternally silly trip into the poet’s family life – when, “penniless and exhausted”, she and her husband were forced to move back in with her parents. Tracing her upbringing with her eccentric, charismatic, Catholic priest father and riddle-speaking mother, Lockwood grapples with the joy and darkness of her childhood, and details how she formed an individualised worldview, separate from the imposed traditionalism of her formative years. It’s a vivid, hilarious, and truly mad journey through the life of a magically talented writer.

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Money blog: Bar charges holidaymakers £690 for two drinks; savers have a rare opportunity - but it might be the last hurrah

Welcome to the Money blog, your place for personal finance and consumer news and tips. Leave a comment on any of the stories we're covering below.

Thursday 4 July 2024 14:30, UK

• Barclaycard cutting minimum repayments - but it could cost you a lot of money
• Bar charges holidaymakers £690 for two drinks
• Great British mortgage divide - as people pay off all debt seven years earlier in some parts of country
• New record high for US stocks - as FTSE indexes also up
• M&S to launch clothing repair service

Essential reads

• Savings Guide:  Savers have a rare opportunity - but it might be the last hurrah
• Cheap Eats : Two Michelin-starred chef reveals his favourites in Birmingham
• Women in Business : 'We don't get invited to golf' - The women who coordinated pregnancies to start virtual cancer care business and raised £5m
• Basically... What is income tax?
• Money Problem : 'I hired a car via EasyJet but they are directing my complaint to someone else - what can I do?'
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

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Consumer spending on car purchases has risen three times faster than for public transport journeys, new figures show.

Around £57.4bn was spent in the UK on new and used cars in 2023, up 6% on five years earlier, according to AA analysis of Office for National Statistics data.

By comparison, consumer spending on public transport - including rail, buses, flights and taxis - was £60.9bn, representing a 2% increase on five years ago.

AA head of roads policy Jack Cousens claimed the figures highlight how vital motoring was for people in the UK, as well as the country's finances.

He said: "These latest ONS figures underline the UK's reliance on cars and the huge amounts of money they generate for the economy - not to mention VAT on that spending, and other tax.

"Cars are not just necessary but essential on so many levels. Even if a significant amount of car use was transformed into take-up of public transport, the impact on the economy and other income generation would be dramatic.

"Just think how much councils would lose if a high percentage of cars stopped turning up to their car parks or needing parking permits, and getting fined.

"The key question is whether what consumers spend on cars would translate into income for public transport and cover the cost of infrastructure investment to enable that.

"It seems that getting travelling consumers to fork out for their own transport and its maintenance, and then tax the heck out of them, is a pretty good deal for the public purse."

Running a car also accounted for a large chunk of the £78.6bn spent on what is described as the operation of personal transport, with spending on fuel and lubricants up 20% since 2018 to £41.7bn.

New car purchases down

But despite the fact more consumers are spending money on cars than on public transport, the number of purchases of new cars by private buyers has declined for nine months in a row, new figures show.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said 67,625 new cars were registered by private consumers in June, down 15.3% from 79,798 during the same month last year.

Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, said: "With average new car prices rising almost 40% over the last five years, it's clear cost is the culprit.

"Manufacturers are responding with discounts but they're failing to keep pace, which is forcing many buyers to opt for a used alternative.

"Whoever forms the next government needs to address electric car affordability and provide long-term stability for the market."

Environmental impact

Despite comments from the AA, the billions of pounds spent by consumers every year on cars is having a clear effect on UK roads - where overall traffic levels in 2023 were 2.2% higher than the previous year.

More cars on the roads means more air pollution, which is among the biggest environmental health risks facing people in the UK.

Burning petrol and diesel fuel creates harmful by products like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, while vehicles emit carbon dioxide, the most common human-caused greenhouse gas.

Even electric vehicles produce particulate matter from the friction between their tyres and the road.

Researchers from University College London estimated that 48,625 adults die prematurely each year in the UK due to particulate matter pollution. 

Presently, 79% of the UK exceeds the World Health Organization's (WHO) annual mean guideline for safe fine particulate matter levels. 

A Greek restaurant has faced criticism for its "rip off" prices.

Holidaymakers have been warned to stay away from DK Oyster on the popular holiday island of Mykonos, which has received swathes of bad reviews on  Tripadvisor .

The restaurant, which describes itself as being an "oasis of ultimate luxury and extravagance", has an average star rating of two on the website - although, in the interests of balance, it has 4.8 on Google reviews.  

Angry punters say they were lured into buying a drink at DK Oyster after being told the sunbeds were free, only for the prices for those drinks to be sky-high.

Among the latest to complain is Lori E, who said she returned home from her Greek holiday to see a charge of $876 (£690) for two drinks.

She wrote: "Total rip off! Make sure you get a receipt before leaving and check your credit card because they over charge. 

"Was told beds were free to sit it if we order food or drink. No problem....ordered 2 drinks which we afterwards saw were 51 euros each. 

"If that wasn't crazy enough we returned to the states and had a $876 charge on our account. FOR 2 DRINKS!!!"

The tourists are now trying to dispute the charge with their credit card company after never receiving a paper copy of a receipt.

Responding to the Tripadvisor review, DK Oyser said: "Our sunbeds come with minimum consumption, so we encourage all visitors to check the menus, before placing their orders. 

"I would like to note that our menus are displayed on blackboards near the entrance, showing the prices of our food and drinks to keep our guests informed."

Other reviews claim DK Oyser charged them £253 for sea bass and £100 for a jumbo shrimp that "wasn't cooked properly".

DK Oyster has been contacted for comment.

Iceland is set to partner with parenting website Mumsnet to launch a range of children's products.

Mumsnet CEO Justine Roberts, and the brand's partnership director Sarah Murray-Muncila, met with members of Iceland's innovation team last week to work on the products.

According to The Grocer , the new products will hit the stores in early 2025.

"We've been working on something truly special in partnership with Iceland Foods," Mumsnet said.

"Big things are happening for little ones."

Iceland has launched several new collaborations in recent months, including exclusive products with brands such as Slimming World, MyProtein and boxer Tyson Fury's Furocity.

It's not just a big day in the UK with voters heading to the polls but also in the US with 4 July celebrations taking place.

And there's plenty to celebrate for those with a stake in US stocks. 

Last night, there was another record high for the S&P 500 index that tracks the share price performance of the 500 largest companies listed on US stock exchanges.

The performance of companies on the tech firm-heavy New York-based NASDAQ too reached a new high.

It came as Elon Musk's Tesla saw its share price reaching a six-month high, along with the rise and rise of trillion-dollar AI microchip maker Nvidia.

Today and tomorrow will likely be quieter as the US markets close. 

In the UK, both the Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 100 and 250 indexes are up - 0.76% in the list of 100 most valuable companies and 0.42% in the 101st to 250th most valued firms. 

While the pound does by buy less euro than it did earlier this month, with £1 equal to €1.18 it's still buying more than during most of the last year.

Against the dollar, sterling has held the gains of the last few weeks and a pound will get you $1.2749. 

There is no let up for motorists as the oil price is sticking around the two-month high mark. A barrel of the benchmark Brent crude oil costs $86.59.

As house prices continue to rise, so too does the age at which young people can expect to own their own home. 

Unfortunately, even the ceiling of the term "young people" isn't far off from being challenged - with fresh research suggesting that the average age of a first-time buyer in the UK is 33 years and 8 months old, according to Mojo Mortgages . 

In comparison, in 1960, the average first-time buyer was 23 years old, according to separate research by Keepmoat Homes. 

Comparatively, however, the average age of a first-time buyer in 2014 was 32 years, 6 months old, according to the Office for National Statistics. 

During the same period, the average price of a house in the UK rose from around £188,000 (January 2014) to £282,000  ( January this year). 

Back to today's figures - and those in Wales are able to buy their homes the youngest, with the data suggesting the average first-time buyer there is 31 years old. 

Naturally, the older you buy a home, the later in life you'll pay off a mortgage. 

With an average mortgage length of 30 years, it seems the average UK first-time buyer isn't expected to be mortgage-free until they are 63 years and 8 months old.

And if you live in the capital, you'll surpass the current retirement age at 66 years, 8 months. 

Here's a full breakdown of how old first-time buyers are, the average mortgage length and age they can expect to be mortgage-free by region... 

A lot of people have had to renegotiate or extend their mortgages thanks to soaring interest rates in recent years - and the data from Mojo tells us a little about that too.

The study found extending your mortgage term by 10 years (to 35 years) will cost today's average first-time buyer an extra £110,640, which may impact later life planning and their pension.

Barclaycard is cutting the minimum amount its customers have to repay each month.

While the move may sound like good news on the surface, it could well mean you're in debt for longer and end up paying more interest. 

At the moment, most Barclaycard customers have a minimum repayment of 3.75% of their balance, 2.5% of their balance plus interest, or £5. 

But, from 22 July, that will change to the highest amount out of: 

• 1% of their balance
• 1% of their balance plus interest

This means if you are currently only paying the minimum on your card, you'll likely repay less each month. 

But, minimum amounts are designed to keep people in debt for as long as possible, and lowering them just makes this period even longer.

MoneySavingExpert says the change means it could now take a customer with a £1,000 debt an extra decade to pay it off, if they only pay the minimum amount.

On average, it says it will take 19 years and three months to clear and the interest will total £1,655. 

Founder of MoneySavingExpert Martin Lewis says the change is "worryingly under the radar" and urged customers to check if their repayments are set to the minimum amount.

"Minimum repayments have always been credit card firms' secret weapon. Letting people repay little looks appealing – hence why Barclaycard says this is about 'flexibility'. Yet it takes flexibility to kick your own backside, and this will hurt some just as much," he said.

A Barclays spokesperson told Sky News: "We regularly review our products and from July, some Barclaycard customers will see changes to their minimum monthly payments, alongside adjustments to the APR.

"Customers will benefit from a reduction in their minimum monthly repayment and the vast majority have no change to APR, while some will receive a decrease.

"We have made these changes to increase flexibility for our customers and have been clear in our communications that paying more than the minimum can help customers clear their balance sooner and pay less interest." 

Marks and Spencer is to launch a clothing repair service next month.

The retail giant has teamed up with clothing repair and alterations experts SOJO, which was founded in 2021 by Josephine Philips, to give clothes "another life".

From August, M&S customers will be able to book a bespoke repair service through a new online hub, "M&S Fixed by SOJO".

Repairs will start from £5 and be carried out by SOJO's in-house repair team.

The items will then be returned directly to the customer's doorstep within seven to 10 days.  

Richard Price, managing director of clothing and home at M&S, said: "Through the launch of our repair service, we're making it even easier for customers to give their clothes another life, whether they are using our new repair service or long-standing clothes recycling scheme."

This week, Savings Champion research and development manager  Daniel Darragh gives  an overview of the savings market right now and reveals the best rates on offer across a range of accounts…

On the topic of savings rates, he says...

It is great to see that rates have remained steady throughout the year, despite frequent speculation over when the Bank of England would be decreasing the base rate. 

This means that, with inflation slowly dropping month on month (and finally hitting the Bank's target of 2% in May) there are now more accounts that beat inflation than ever before, meaning savers have a rare opportunity to really increase the purchasing power of their money.

That being said, the Bank of England has signalled that it will cut the base rate at some point in the year, and with the election result looming in the next few days, the decision may be taken sooner rather than later. 

Such a decrease will see borrowing and savings rates likely fall – so this may be the last hurrah for savers to get some of the best rates seen in years.

This explains why longer-term fixed rates are lower than shorter term – called an inverted curve, which indicates that we can expect interest rates to fall over the next few months and years. 

So, while locking your money away for, say, five years, may earn you a lower interest rate now than a one-year term could currently earn you, that might not be the case in a year's time when and if interest rates fall as predicted – meaning your hard-earned funds increase much more in value over a five-year term than they would in renewing one-year terms every year. 

That being said, the last few years have shown us how unpredictable and quickly economic conditions can turn!

Another interesting and important shift we have seen of late is that ISA rates, particularly on variable rate ISAs, have kept pace with, and in some cases outstripped, those of non-ISA accounts. 

As an example, the best non-current account linked, non-ISA easy access account is paying 5.07% via the Flagstone platform, versus the best non-current account linked ISA account paying 5.17% with Plum on new ISA funds. 

Of course, funding of ISA accounts is limited to the current limit of £20,000 per tax year, but this shift shows that ISAs have become increasingly popular again, as more savers find they are breaching their Personal Savings Allowance (PSA) with smaller and smaller amounts.

Hawksmoor is reportedly looking at funding options which could see the steak restaurant chain valued at around £100m.

Investment bank Stephens has been hired to run the process for the business, which is currently seeking opportunities to expand outside the UK.

Hawksmoor currently has three restaurants outside the UK, which are located in New York City, Chicago and Dublin. It has 10 other sites, including seven in London.

Private equity firm Graphite Capital owns 51% of Hawksmoor. If new investment comes in, co-founders Will Beckett and Huw Got are expected to retain their minority stake and continue to run the business.

Beckett said: "We've got a great relationship with Graphite, and together we are getting to know the US investment community in more depth. As that continues, an opportunity may emerge that we wish to explore together."

The Co-operative Bank is withdrawing its switching deal this week, leaving people just days to get £150 for free. 

New customers, who switch using the CASS system, can bag £75 upfront for opening a standard current account or an Everyday Extra account. 

They can then get paid £15 a month for five months if they also open a Regular Saver account. 

Anyone making the switch will receive the initial £75 within seven days of meeting all the qualifying criteria. 

This includes setting up two direct debits, depositing at least £1,000, making a minimum of 10 card transactions and registering for online or mobile banking. 

All of these tasks need to be completed within 30 days of making the switch. 

To qualify for the extra £75, you have to open a Regular Saver account before the last day of the month you receive the free cash incentive and deposit £50. 

The offer is due to be withdrawn on Friday 5 July.

The average monthly rent being asked outside London has hit a record high of £1,316 , according to Rightmove. 

The new record across Britain means that average advertised rents outside the capital are around 7% higher than a year earlier, the property website found. 

London has the highest rent prices in the country with an average of £2,652 per month, it said. 

The South East has the second highest at £1,836, which is a 6% rise since last year. 

The cheapest region is the North East, which typically costs £894 a month. 

Rightmove has urged the next government to accelerate housebuilding and incentivise landlords to invest in more homes for tenants. 

A budget supermarket chain has announced higher welfare standards for its chickens . 

Aldi has said it will introduce improved stocking density requirements for its fresh chicken suppliers, which will mean the birds have 20% more space than the industry standard. 

The extra space will let the chickens engage in "natural behaviours" such as stretching their wings, dust bathing and roaming, it said. 

"Animal welfare is of paramount importance to us," said Aldi's managing director of buying, Julie Ashfield.

"We're already one of the UK's largest providers of responsibly farmed chicken and we've been working hard with our suppliers to reduce stocking density to help us improve the living conditions of these animals even further." 

The move is due to be completed by October 2024. 

Younger adults find financial jargon harder to learn than a foreign language, according to new research.

A survey of 2,000 adults by Klarna revealed that 64% of Gen Z (people born from 1997 onwards) consider picking up basic foreign words easier than understanding terms such as "APR", "capital gains" and "compound interest".

When it came to millennials (people aged between 28 and 43 in 2024), 57% said learning a new language was harder.

Survey respondents said the top three most confusing finance terms were "AMC" (asset management company), "IFA" (independent financial adviser) and "adverse credit".

"AER" and "compound interest rate" also made the list of the jargon people find most baffling.

Klarna is now calling for the winner of Thursday's election to "prioritise financial inclusion" in the school curriculum.

A spokesperson for the buy now, pay later service said: "Whilst foreign languages of course open up opportunities and cultural experiences, financial inclusion is just as important."

We're aiming to help you bust the jargon of complex financial terms through our Basically... series. Here are just a few examples...

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Hollywood & media deaths in 2024: photo gallery & obituaries.

• Buzz Cason Dies: Songwriter Of Pop Classic ‘Everlasting Love’ Was 84

By Greg Evans

NY & Broadway Editor

More Stories By Greg

• Broadway’s ‘Suffs’ Disrupted When Activists Unfurl Sign Calling The Tony-Winning Musical A “White Wash”
• Rusty Golden Dies: Country Musician & Songwriter, Son Of Oak Ridge Boys’ William Lee Golden Was 65

Buzz Cason , the Nashville singer, songwriter and producer best known for “Everlasting Love,” the buoyant Motown-style pop song covered numerous times and appearing in many films since Robert Knight recorded the original in 1967, died June 16 at his home in Franklin, Tennessee. He was 84.

His death was announced by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. A cause of death was not specified.

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Other artists who have covered the song, written by Cason with writing partner Mac Gayden, include Gloria Estefan, Rex Smith and Rachel Sweet , U2, German singer Sandra, Australian pop group Town Criers, UK boy band Worlds Apart and even the cast of the BBC series Casualty, who recorded a Top 5 version for charity in 1998.

According to The New York Times citing music rights organization BMI, the many versions of “Everlasting Love” have received more than 10 million plays to date, making it one of the most successful songs in any genre to come out of Nashville.

The song has also found its way onto various movie and TV shows, including a memorable 1994 episode of daytime soap The Bold and The Beautiful , in which cast members Bobbie Eakes and Jeff Trachta performed a duet as part of a concert storyline. The U2 version was included in the 2003 film Veronica Guerin starring Kate Blanchett, and a cover by Jamie Cullum was included on the 2004 soundtrack of Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason.

Most recently, the song was prominently featured in a key scene of the 2021 Kenneth Branagh film Belfast , in which star Jamie Dornan, as the character Pa, serenades his wife with “Everlasting Love” at a dance. The song was featured prominently in the film’s trailers.

In 1962, his song “Soldier of Love,” co-written with Tony Moon, was recorded by Beatles favorite Arthur Anderson, with the Fab Four recording a live BBC version in 1963. Other artists who have covered the song include Pearl Jam, Little Steven and Marshall Crenshaw.

By the mid-1960s he had joined the Nashville Beach Boys-esque group Ronny & the Daytonas, writing the band’s 1966 Top 40 hit ballad “Sandy.” Later in the decade, he teamed with songwriter Bobby Russell in a music publishing venture that resulted in Russell’s songs “Honey” (recorded by Bobby Goldsboro) and “Little Green Apples” (O.C. Smith, Roger Miller, and many others) becoming hits.

Cason published his autobiography Living The Rock ‘n’ Roll Dream in 2004.

He is survived by wife Victoria Cason; daughters Tammy, Kristy and Leah; sons Taylor and Parker; and other extended family.

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