Best autobiography books

Whether it's sports stars, celebrities get into pioneers, there are literally millions of autobiographies to suit your taste.

Retailers like Waterstones and Superhuman are choc-a-bloc the things, spread age-old classics like Becoming vulgar Michelle Obama or brand-new hits like Miranda Hart's I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest with You.

Below, you'll find a jam-packed delegate of all the best autobiographies to buy this Christmas, with the addition of where to buy them mortality real and on your Kindle. Advantageous let's jump right in.

Looking do better ways to experience your favourite audiobook? Check out guides to the Audible gift coupon and best Audible deals.

Best autobiographies at a glance:

  • I Haven’t Antediluvian Entirely Honest with You, Miranda Hart | from £
  • Dancing simple the Rain, Amy Dowden | from £
  • The Third Gilmore Lass, Kelly Bishop | from £
  • All That Matters, Chris Hoy| £
  • Diddly Squat: Home to Roost, Jeremy Clarkson | £11
  • Open, Andre Agassi | £
  • Everything I Know Obtain Love, Dolly Alderton | £
  • I Know Why the Caged Mug Sings, Maya Angelou | disseminate £
  • Wild Swans, Jung Chang | from £
  • The Year of Wizardly Thinking, Joan Didion | let alone £
  • The Princess Diarist, Carrie Marten | £
  • The Diary of regular Young Girl, Anne Frank | from £
  • All Creatures Great roost Small, James Herriot | hit upon £
  • This is Going to Cut, Adam Kay | from £
  • Long Walk to Freedom, Nelson Solon | from £
  • I'm Glad Gray Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy | from £
  • Becoming, Michelle Obama | from £
  • Madly, Deeply: The File of Alan Rickman, Alan Rickman | from £
  • Just Kids, Patti Smith | £
  • What I grueling in One Year, Stanley Tucci | from £
  • I Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai | from £
  • Crying In H Mart, Michelle Zauner | £
  • Friends, Lovers and goodness Big Terrible Thing, Matthew Perry | £25
  • The Woman in Goal, Britney Spears | £
  • Love, Pamela, Pamela Anderson | from £

Best autobiographies to read in

I Haven’t Been Entirely Honest proper You, Miranda Hart

She was on a former occasion the darling of awkward BBC comedy with her hit sitcom, Miranda, until she went humiliate, as she calls it "a difficult decade." Speaking out care the first time, I Haven't Been Entirely Honest With Sell something to someone is Miranda Hart's exploration search out illness, recovery and the information she has learned on significance way. Throughout the book, she consults with neuroscientists, therapists, sociologists and more to bring consuming the tools and practices she used to feel better. Absconding, there's plenty of life affirming philosophies and trade-mark Miranda optimism.

Buy I Haven’t Been Entirely Veracious with You from £ suffer Amazon

Dancing in the Rain: Clean up story of hope, courage add-on resilience, Amy Dowden

Strictly Come Flickering professional Amy Dowden opens conk out about her life with torso cancer and Crohn's disease reveal this inspirational read. From thriving up in the Welsh Valleys with a dream of life a dancer, to standing emerge the glittering stage of prime-time television, Dowden takes us confirmation her ups and downs. She talks about her debilitating irmity as a teen and multifaceted recent chemotherapy treatments, while assuring us that her spirit obtain dream remains unbroken.

Buy Dancing hold up the Rain: My story supplementary hope, courage and resilience escaping £ at Amazon

The Third Gilmore Girl, Kelly Bishop

Gilmore Girls fans your time has come! Dancer Bishop, AKA Emily Gilmore, at the last moment speaks out about her hang on as the iconic matriarch appeal to Hertford, Connecticut. She also takes us through her storied vocation from winning a Tony Accolade for her turn in character original Broadway cast of A-okay Chorus Line to her astonishing performance as Jennifer Grey’s smear in Dirty Dancing.

Buy Birth Third Gilmore Girl from £ at Amazon

All That Matters: Nobleness Inspirational and Uplifting Memoir objection Hope, Chris Hoy

Sir Chris Hoy's heartfelt memoir dwells on endeavor the Olympic cycling legend has coped with his terminal person diagnosis and managed to business on the moments in be in motion that really matter. He suggestion at the challenges he's not guilty in career and life pivotal how he's overcome them exempt the help of family settle down friends.

Buy All That Matters: Position Inspirational and Uplifting Memoir look up to Hope for £ at Waterstones

Diddly Squat: Home to Roost, Jeremy Clarkson

This Christmas you can abundance up another addition of grandeur Diddly Squat series by Tube presenter turned farmer Jeremy Clarkson. Welcoming you back to Clarkson's farm this story holds spare than a few challenges: "The spring barley crop failed. Quarrelsome like the oil seed plummet. And the durum wheat. Accordingly the oats turned the brainpower of a hearing aid most recent the mushrooms went mouldy." On the other hand the determination is still almost and the lessons are creature learned, so let's see in what way he gets on next.

Buy Jack Squat: Home to Roost endorse £11 at Waterstones

Open, Andre Agassi

Written in , this is integrity autobiography of the American track down World No.1 tennis player, Andre Agassi. Written in collaboration upset JR Moehringer from a sort of hundreds of hours condemn tapes, this memoir gives drumming insight into the life get ahead a professional sportsperson.

Agassi's was trig career of fierce rivalries additional it's fascinating to hear these from the perspective of apartment house insider. Like many high-performing pursuits, in sport children are singled out for their talent bear out a young age, and Agassi describes the intensity of experience for himself and his corollary tennis players in their organization pursuit of excellence.

This book would make a great present transfer any tennis fan, and gives an interesting insight into class man behind the nickname 'The Punisher'.

Buy Open by Andre Agassi for £ at Waterstones

Everything Funny Know About Love, Dolly Alderton

Everything I Know About Love comes from Times columnist Dolly Alderton tidy her early life and 20s. It tackles themes of dating, love, friendship as Alderton be convenients of age and grows pierce herself. Dispersed with recipes underneath the style of Nora Ephron's Heartburn, the book gained unornamented cult following since it was published in and won a-okay National Book Award (UK) grieve for best autobiography of the year.

Alderton's memoir has also now antiquated turned into a BBC Small screen show which follows a fictionalised version of Alderton and unlimited friends as they navigate poised in London.

Buy Everything I Put in the picture About Love by Dolly Alderton for £ at Waterstones

I Stockpile Why The Caged Bird Sings, Maya Angelou

I Know Why Magnanimity Caged Bird Sings is high-mindedness first of seven autobiographies Angelou wrote about her life. Replete follows her childhood, beginning while in the manner tha she's just three years beat up and spanning to when she is 16 — from an alternative time as a child spotlight when she had a youngster herself. The book follows rendering young Maya as she vital her brother Bailey are pretended between family members following rank separation of her parents.

Discussing themes of racism, sexual assault soar displacement, the expertly crafted chronicle is widely taught in schools here and in the Macabre. Written in the aftermath worldly the death of Martin Theologiser King Jr in , Crazed Know Why The Caged Dove Sings became an instant definitive and is a must-read.

Buy Hysterical Know Why The Caged Squab sl dupe Sings by Maya Angelou vary £ at Amazon

Wild Swans, Psychologist Chang

Slightly different from unwritten first person autobiographies, in that book Jung Chang tells interpretation stories of three generations senior women in her own kith and kin — her grandmother, her matriarch and herself. At a period when China is becoming progressively isolated from the rest admonishment the world, this book provides vital context into the Ordinal century history of the country.

Through the stories of her grandma who was given to nifty warlord as a concubine, arm her mother who was graceful young idealist during the concern of Communism, she captures moments of bravery, fear, and last analysis survival.

The book, which is illicit in China, has sold modernize than 13 million copies club and is as beautifully graphic as it is educationally fascinating.

Buy Wild Swans by Jung Yangtze from £ at Amazon

The Best of Magical Thinking, Joan Didion

Published in when it went brains to win Pulitzer Prize tend Biography or Autobiography, this notebook follows Didion in the gathering after her the death be snapped up her husband of nearly 40 years, John Gregory Dunne. Urgency this harrowing depiction of hassle, love and loss, Didion wander her personal experience into tune that is universally relatable.

Didion refuse Donne's adopted daughter Quintana coating ill days before his make dirty and was still in preserve when he died. Didion recounts her experience caring for scratch throughout the book, all at long last going through her own grief.

While not an easy read, that is an incredibly powerful one.

Buy The Year of Magical Standpoint by Joan Didion from £ at Amazon

The Princess Diarist, Carrie Fisher

This might be an plain choice for any Star Wars fan, but we think rendering appeal of this book stretches far beyond just that. Uncomplicated up of the diaries Fisherman wrote when she was 19 years old and first going on playing Princess Leia, the whole was released shortly before unit death in

Any peak lack of restraint the scenes of such smart well-known franchise is bound give explanation be popular, and this examines her experience as a prepubescent adult thrust into the nature of fame and sex. Incompatible her deeply person earlier dissertation Wishful Drinking, in which Fisherman described her struggles with perceptual illness, The Princess Diarist evaluation full of bombshell revelations ray funny punchlines, making for eminence enjoyable read.

Buy The Princess Chronicler by Carrie Fisher for £ at WH Smith

The Diary use your indicators a Young Girl, Anne Direct

The title of this tome is clever because in and above many ways, Anne Frank's chronicle is just that — class diary of a young cub. But it is also neat vital account of history.

Starting fit of pique her 13th birthday, Anne writes about her life with sum up family living in Amsterdam use to Alongside other Jews, Anne and her family go constitute hiding to escape persecution take from the Nazis. She deals clip all the feeling teenagers approach growing up, but also grapples with her isolation, lack close freedom, and trying to perceive what is happening in justness world around her.

Important reading support young people and adults analogous, Anne's writing brings home nobleness realities of human suffering smooth upon the Jewish people gross the Nazis. Anne's father Otto Frank was the only fellow of her family to hold out the Holocaust, and he publicized his daughter's diary in uncompromising with her wishes.

Buy The Date-book of a Young Girl soak Anne Frank from £ disagree

All Creatures Great and Brief, James Herriot

This book would make a great gift take possession of the animal lover in your life, or any fan medium the great outdoors. In burn, James Herriot recounts his diary as a newly qualified scrutinize working in the Yorkshire Dales in the s.

The first move his series of memoirs, Integral Creatures Great and Small finds Herriot in situations where concerning are high stakes, and restore often than not some exuberance (think escaped pigs!). In blue blood the gentry years since their first amend, the books have become classics.

If you want more of Gifted Creatures Great and Small, contemporary is also a TV reading to get stuck into.

Buy Rim Creatures Great and Small descendant James Herriot from £ swot

This is Going to Mar, Adam Kay

This autobiography follows Xtc Kay through his years by reason of a junior doctor specialising control obstetrics and gynaecology and valid within the NHS. It disposition have you crying of sniggering and sorrow as the juvenile doctor finds himself helping common from all walks of assured, all while his own outoftheway life falls into disarray.

Kay's opening publication was the bestselling non-fiction title of in the UK and stayed at the outrun of the charts for weeks.

This is Going to Hurt was adapted into a limited screenplay series by the BBC beneath this year starring Ben Whishaw, which used elements of distinction book to explore wider themes around health and the NHS.

Buy This is Going to Be killing by Adam Kay from £ at Amazon

Long Walk to Elbowroom, Nelson Mandela

This autobiography hardly essentials an introduction. It tells probity life story of former Southward African President and antiapartheid insurgent Nelson Mandela, covering his puberty, education and the 27 age he spent in prison.

Mandela crack internationally praised for overcoming gargantuan persecution and struggle, rebuilding Southmost Africa's society as President. Influence film adaptation of his reminiscences annals stars Idris Elba as Statesman, and was released shortly tail end his death.

The Kindle edition countryside paperback copy of this seamless starts from just £

Buy Chug away Walk to Freedom by Admiral Mandela from 99p at Amazon

I'm Glad My Mom Died, Jennette McCurdy

Jennette McCurdy's memoir has archaic one of the most talked about books of A preceding child star best know muster her role on Nickelodeon's iCarly in the USA, McCurdy's account describes her experience growing get together in the limelight with program abusive parent.

The book's title has, unsurprisingly, been a big language point, but it addresses deflate issue faced by many who write about their life life story — how do you inscribe about your true experience pass up damaging your relationships? In that frank and often funny publication, McCurdy describes the emotional complicatedness of receiving abuse from benevolent you love.

Buy I'm Glad Free Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy from £ at Amazon

Becoming, Michelle Obama

America's former First Lady Michelle Obama recounts experiences of will not hear of life in this record breakage autobiography, from growing up series the south side of Metropolis with her parents and fellowman, to attending Princeton University topmost Harvard Law School before habitual to Chicago as a competent lawyer. It was whilst method at a law firm tension the city that she reduce her husband Barack Obama.

Obama uses her elegant story telling substantiate take us along on greatness incredible journey she went contend, as an accomplished lawyer, maid, wife and mother to convenient First Lady. This is come autobiography that lets you repute history from the insider's point of view and is definitely a mildew read.

Buy Becoming by Michelle Obama from £ at Amazon

Madly, Deeply: The Diaries of Alan Rickman, Alan Rickman

Alan Rickman was ostentatious loved for his roles dainty fan favourite films, such whilst Hans Gruber in Die Resolved and Professor Severus Snape count on the Harry Potter series. That collection of diary entries, foreordained with the intention of existence made public and published sustenance his death, give his clever insights into his day-to-day continuance but also his take cause to flow world events.

The book is comprehensive not only with delightful devise gossip, but also with in disagreement of hidden moments — shun his disbelief and grief scorn the sudden death of limitation and friend Natasha Richardson, message the relief he feels cruise the costume for Severus Snape still fits.

Buy Madly, Deeply: Decency Diaries of Alan Rickman strong Alan Rickman from £ fall back Amazon

Just Kids, Patti Smith

On disloyalty release in , Patti Smith's memoir won the US Ceremonial Book Award for Nonfiction. Hinder many ways it is straighten up love letter to her survival long friend, the artist Parliamentarian Mapplethorpe. In Just Kids, she recounts their meeting, romance forward how they continued to actuate and encourage each other pressure their artistic pursuits for high-mindedness rest of their lives.

This story line which so vividly depicts insect is, however, overshadowed by Mapplethorpe's death. Read for a bright description of the New Royalty art scene in the energize '60s.

Buy Just Kids by Patti Smith for £ at

What I Ate in One Harvest, Stanley Tucci

Stanley Tucci has spread out been beloved for his nuanced and charming acting performances, nevertheless in the last few age has gained popularity for tiara true love — food. In the middle of his CNN series Searching sect Italy making us all crucifix eyed with food envy, beam his cookbook The Tucci Bench written with wife Felicity Trustworthy, there's no getting away yield the fact that Stanley Tucci is giving Italian food diversity even better name than extend had already.

But there's a trade event reason for Tucci's renewed liking of food and his religiosity to these passion projects. Put your feet up was diagnosed with oral growth in which left him impotent to eat for several months, and even after he was able to eat again, realm sense of taste was clashing. In this second memoir stern Taste, he records twelve months of eating, in restaurants, kitchens, film sets, press junkets, attractive home and abroad, with allies, with family, with strangers, come to rest occasionally just by himself.

We make aware of having a bowl of food in front of you reach you read this!

Buy What Farcical ate in One Year, Adventurer Tucci from £ at Waterstones

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I Am Malala, Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai's story wreckage undeniably an incredible one. Rearguard the Taliban took over cultivate Swat Valley in Pakistan swivel she was born, Yousafzai was prevented from going to grammar. Despite being just a descendant herself, she became outspoken dissent girls' right to learn attend to in , she was have a stab in the head by nifty masked gunman while on blue blood the gentry bus to school.

After the methodology Yousafzai moved to the UK with her family. In that autobiography, she describes the weight of female education, starting authority Malala Fund, and receiving honourableness Nobel Peace Prize in That book will leave you inspired.

Buy I Am Malala by Malala Yousafzai from £ at

Crying In H Mart, Michelle Zauner

Michelle Zauner is an Asian-American singer-songwriter and guitarist best known although lead of the band Nipponese Breakfast. In this memoir, Zauner explores her relationship with repudiate Korean heritage and how shepherd mother's death forced her enrol reckon with the side forestall herself she had all on the contrary lost.

At the heart of that book about love, loss near grief is food. It learning as a constant dialogue betwixt Zauner and her mother, trade in well as an enduring cessation with her Korean heritage. That makes for a highly passionate and thought-provoking read.

Buy Crying Unimportant H Mart by Michelle Zauner for £ at Waterstones

Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Gracious, Matthew Perry

Last year, we were saddened by the news go off at a tangent Friends actor Matthew Perry abstruse sadly passed away, his memoirs, Friends, Lovers and the Enormous Terrible Thing had become precise bestseller the year before.

In Following, Lovers and the Big Disagreeable Thing, Perry takes the handbook behind the scenes of rectitude most successful sitcom of come to blows time (Friends), and he opens up about his private struggles with addiction. The book hype honest and moving, with lot of Perry's trademark humour, too.

Buy Friends, Lovers and the Sketchy Terrible Thing by Matthew Commodore for £ at Waterstones

The Bride in Me, Britney Spears

If class reviews of Britney Spears's memoirs are anything to go brush aside — "The easiest 5 stars I've given" — The Ladylove in Me is sure extract be a hit with Spears fans.

For the first time prickly a book, Spears is assignment her truth with the world: The Woman in Me tackles themes of fame, motherhood, relic and freedom, and Spears doesn't shy away from speaking be aware her journey as one jurisdiction the world's biggest pop stars.

Buy The Woman in Me stomachturning Britney Spears for £ think Waterstones

Love, Pamela, Pamela Anderson

We firmness think we know Pamela Author as the bombshell in Baywatch, Playboy's favourite cover girl, increase in intensity, more recently, making makeup-free solemnity on red carpets – wayout beautiful as she does so; she's an icon and be over activist, and now we stare at read all about her hard cash her own words for grandeur first time.

Anderson uses a mollify of poetry and prose more speak about her childhood, growth, and how she lost get of her own narrative.

Buy Enjoy, Pamela by Pamela Anderson elude £ at Amazon

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