Wishful Drinking

Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

Anthony Bourdain2000

A professional chef details the chaotic reality of New York restaurant kitchens. He describes the drug use, stress, and trade secrets of the industry.

Same sardonic register, still memoir

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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.

sardonic → meditative

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The Gulag Archipeligo 1918-1956: An Experiment In Literary Investigation I - Ii.

Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

A history of the Soviet forced labor camp system based on survivor reports and the author's own imprisonment. It documents state-run repression.

sardonic → bleak, 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.

Same sardonic register, still memoir

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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.

sardonic → playful, still memoir

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The Year of Living Biblically: One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Bible as Literally as Possible

A.J. Jacobs

A journalist spends one year attempting to follow every rule and commandment in the Bible as literally as possible.

sardonic → playful, still memoir

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Waiter Rant: Thanks for the Tip-Confessions of a Cynical Waiter

Steve Dublanica

An anonymous server recounts his daily experiences and frustrations working in a high-end New York restaurant.

Same sardonic register, still memoir

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Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster

Jon Krakauer

A journalist recounts the 1996 Everest disaster. He details the logistical failures and the storm that killed several climbers.

sardonic → tense, still memoir

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The Sun and Her Flowers

Rupi Kaur2017

A collection of short, illustrated poems organized into five stages of growth. It covers themes of loss, trauma, and self-healing.

sardonic → earnest

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Pillow Thoughts

Courtney Peppernell2016

A collection of short poems and prose pieces organized by emotional state. It focuses on themes of heartbreak, healing, and loneliness.

sardonic → tender

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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.

Same sardonic register, 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.

sardonic → meditative, still memoir

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M Train

Patti Smith2015

A musician travels to various cafes and gravesites around the world. She reflects on her late husband, her favorite books, and her daily rituals.

sardonic → elegiac, still memoir

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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.

sardonic → 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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