Non-fiction writing allows us to inspect even the most familiar. A lot of non-fiction writing combats the obsession for life to be monumental and grand, while recognising that our daily endeavours and pursuits of the everyday are the one thing that ties us all together. We bring to you a reading list of upcoming memoirs from big names, all of whom are sure to provide incredible insight on the human condition.
The Outsider: A Memoir for Misfits by Vir Das
Vir’s story is one of cultural dissonance and identity exploration. He navigates life between worlds, never quite fitting in. The Outsider is more than just a memoir about Vir’s rise to comedic fame; it’s a powerful reflection on how being a misfit can shape one’s identity into something truly unique. Vir’s story speaks to anyone who has ever felt out of place, serving as a testament to the resilience and humor that can arise when you resist the urge to fit in, and stay true to who you are.
Book of Lives: A Memoir of Sorts by Margaret Atwood
Atwood reveals the narrative of her existence, connecting important junctures to the literary works that have influenced our written culture, from the harsh year that inspired Cat’s Eye to the Orwellian 1980s Berlin where she composed The Handmaid’s Tale. As we journey with her through the span of her life, greater depth is uncovered regarding her writing, the ties between real-life events and artistic creation, and the mechanisms of one of our most brilliant minds.
Bread of Angels by Patti Smith
The most personal of Smith's autobiographical works, Bread of Angels leads us through her adolescent period when the initial flashes of artistic expression and affection took root. Arthur Rimbaud and Bob Dylan emerge as inspirational creative figures as she starts to compose poetry, followed by lyrics, eventually merging both into the tracks of landmark albums such as Horses, Wave, and Easter. Sorrow and appreciation are woven throughout the years she spent raising her children, restructuring her existence, and finally, beginning to write again—the consistent element in a life driven by artistic independence.
Star of the Show by Dolly Parton
Containing compelling anecdotes and recollections from Parton's energetic life performing live, this volume emphasizes her characteristic acts and career-defining moments, from singing for her family to making her debut on the Grand Ole Opry stage and beyond. Overflowing with Parton's typical cleverness and heartfelt sincerity, Star of the Show: My Life on Stage is not merely a tribute to one of history's most beloved artists, but also an essential keepsake for, and a deeply personal message to, every admirer of the incomparable Dolly Parton.
Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run by Paul McCartney
This is the history, recounted by the members themselves, of a musical ensemble that became emblematic of an entire generation. Wings: The Story of a Band on the Run narrates the wild and unpredictable timeline of Paul McCartney and his newly formed group, from their humble beginnings in the early 1970s until their disbandment barely ten years later. Compiled from over 500,000 words of conversations with McCartney, his family, the other musicians in the band, and various key people involved, Wings documents the musical journey undertaken by a man seeking to establish his own identity following the dissolution of The Beatles.
Called by the Hills: A Home in the Himalaya by Anuradha Roy
Over twenty-five years, as Anuradha Roy became accustomed to living among forests where leopards roam freely, she began to encounter nature at its most fierce, beautiful and vulnerable – and bear witness to the destructive impact of global warming on the alpine ecosystem. Called by the Hills: A Home in the Himalaya is a tender and intimate portrait of a home, a community and a rugged, extraordinary landscape. Written with unsentimental clarity, humour and poignancy, this is an account of profound transformations.
Date 29-20-2025