The Compelling Memoirs You Have To Read

Some call it navel-gazing. We call it too good to put down.

As much as we adore fiction, a good memoir really has a huge emotional impact on the reader, because it has the benefit of being true (unless it's by James Frey, in which case, never mind). Whether it's Maya Angelou or Tina Fey or Barack Obama, everyone has a story to tell, and it's just a pleasure to be invited in.

The memoirists featured range from acclaimed poets to former slaves to humorists to rock stars. Their stories are engrossing, heartbreaking, unbelievable at times, and often hilarious. They're honest and raw, inviting you to chew on their own highly personal experiences as you meditate on your own. They're just filled with life.

It's always an appropriate time to delve into, and learn from, the life experiences of another. Ahead we’ve gathered our favorite memoirs and autobiographies. Book reports are due next week, okay?