We Love Memoirs Day!

August 31st is known as We Love Memoirs Day! And boy, do we ever! Many of us at the Sandy and Hoodland Libraries are swapping some of our favorite memoirs, and we thought we'd share a few with you!

Kat Aden Recommends: 

A Sense of the World by Jason Roberts

It is about an incredible 18th century travel who climbed Mt. Vesuvius while it was active and he happened to also be blind! It's an incredible peek into that century and their approach to medicine as well as their ableist attitudes and an honest account of an absolutely incredible person who defied the odds of his century. 

Brianna Chase Recommends: 

The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

A beautiful journey through a women's experience handling her deep love for her family and how she handles setting boundaries with them as she gets older. Jeannette lived a highly unusual childhood and the way she balances the traumatic with the love and admiration is very compelling. 

To Shake the Sleeping Self by Jedidiah Jenkins

I am fascinated by journeys that take people out of their ordinary lives and they are then shaped and changed through the challenges of that journey. Jed is a very thoughtful person and writer. His insights encourage self-reflection. 

Felicite Toney Recommends: 

I'm Glad My Mom Died by Jeannette McCurdy

Abuse doesn't always look the way we expect it to. Maybe that's because it's so familiar or because it's coming from someone we love deeply. For McCurdy, she lived through years of abuse from her mother without realizing it. This is her story. (The author, a former child actor, narrates the audiobook).

Ducks: Two Years in the Oil Sands by Kate Beaton (graphic memoir)

Darkness, isolation, harassment -- these are a few of the themes found in Kate Beaton's graphic memoir of the two years she spent working in the Canadian oil sands. There is so much depth in this story, you'll be left thinking about it long after you've finished reading it. (Great recommendation for book clubs). 

Alex Steinmetz Recommends: 

Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen

This memoir circles around Kaysen's time in a psychiatric hospital when she was 18 years old. She paints a portrait of psychiatric care in the 60s, as well as her relationship with other patients. This book sticks with you long after you've finished reading it. 

Blood, Bones, & Butter by Gabrielle Hamilton

If you are a foodie, you will love this book. Eschewing the typical culinary school to restauranteur path, Hamilton writes about the importance that food held to her family, and how she reluctantly became a chef. 

All of these memoirs are currently available in the LINCC catalog. What's your favorite memoir?