Hyperbole and a Half: Unfortunate Situations, Flawed Coping Mechanisms, Mayhem, and Other Things That Happened

Talking as Fast as I Can: From Gilmore Girls to Gilmore Girls

Lauren Graham

The actress who played Lorelai Gilmore shares essays about her career. She focuses on her time in Hollywood and the revival of her show.

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Either/Or

Søren Kierkegaard1992

A collection of papers presents two life philosophies: the aesthetic pursuit of pleasure and the ethical commitment to duty.

playful → meditative

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No Archive Will Restore You

Julietta Singh2018

The author examines the history of her own body through the lens of race, desire, and pain. It is a collection of fragments and academic theory.

playful → meditative, still memoir

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The Red Book: Liber Novus

C.G. Jung2009

A psychologist records his visions and internal dialogues in an illuminated manuscript created during a period of intense self-exploration.

playful → dreamlike

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You're Never Weird on the Internet

Felicia Day2015

The actress and creator of 'The Guild' recounts her life as a homeschooled child, her gaming addiction, and her career in digital media.

Same playful register, still humor

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Naked

David Sedaris

A collection of autobiographical essays covering a suburban childhood, drug use, and odd jobs. The author uses self-deprecation to recount his life.

playful → wry, still humor

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The World's Strongest Librarian

Josh Hanagarne2013

A librarian with Tourette Syndrome uses weightlifting to manage his tics. He recounts his Mormon upbringing and his struggle with his symptoms.

playful → warm, still humor

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Catch Me If You Can: The True Story of a Real Fake

Frank W. Abagnale

A teenager poses as a pilot, doctor, and lawyer to cash millions in fraudulent checks. He evades the FBI across several countries.

Same playful register, still memoir

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House to House: An Epic Memoir of War

David Bellavia

An American infantry sergeant provides a room-by-room account of the Second Battle of Fallujah. It focuses on close-quarters urban combat.

playful → tense, still memoir

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Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor

Clinton Romesha

A Medal of Honor recipient provides a tactical account of the 2009 Battle of Kamdesh at Combat Outpost Keating.

playful → propulsive, still memoir

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The Education of Henry Adams

Henry Adams

A man writes a sardonic third-person account of his life and his failure to adapt to the technological shifts of the late 19th century.

playful → sardonic, still memoir

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No Archive Will Restore You

Julietta Singh2018

The author examines the history of her own body through the lens of race, desire, and pain. It is a collection of fragments and academic theory.

playful → meditative, still memoir

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Confessions

Augustine of Hippo

A 4th-century bishop writes a spiritual autobiography addressed to God. He recounts his sinful youth and his eventual conversion to Christianity.

playful → meditative

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Wasted

Marya Hornbacher1998

A detailed memoir of the author's decade-long struggle with anorexia and bulimia. It documents hospitalizations and the physical decay of the body.

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A House in the Sky

Amanda Lindhout2013

A freelance journalist is kidnapped in Somalia and held for fifteen months. The memoir details her captivity and the conditions she endured.

playful → tense, still memoir

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A River in Darkness

Masaji Ishikawa2018

A man describes his thirty-six years living in North Korea after moving there from Japan. He recounts extreme poverty and his eventual escape.

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