Memoirs, Biographies, & Autobiographies I Read in 2021

  A Promised Land by Barack Obama offers a glimpse into the presidency of Barack Obama. Obama brings the reader into the story in what feels more intimate than it is. A Promised Land covers Obama's life up to the presidency and through a portion of his presidency. It's been called the first installment in his biography. His writing style is distinctive and, as he admits in interviews, sometimes verbose. Obama comes across as someone who thinks deeply and considers his moves carefully. I felt like I understood his reasoning for the decisions he made even when he didn't convince me they were the right decision. Overall, A Promised Land is a look inside the man, the President, the husband, the father, the citizen who is Barack Obama. Love him or hate him, he seems to know who he is and this book personifies that even more than his first two books did.

Love Warrior by Glennon Doyle prompted quite a reaction in me that resulted in the blog post, Masks of Me, on Write with TLC. I started this book fully expecting to hate it, and instead found it quite engaging, interesting, and relatable. I received the book as a gift for which I am grateful because I doubt I would've ever bought it for myself. As I read it, Doyle broke down my barriers and made me think about my own life. Her honesty and vulnerability in writing about her dark moments, her bad decisions, her mistakes, and her struggles touched me in ways I didn't expect. The whole premise of saving her marriage seemed like a side story to me and one I frankly didn't feel all that engaged in perhaps because I read Love Warrior already knowing what happened after the book was published. But even removing that from the story, this is really a book about facing a sense of not belonging and of trying to meet expectations and the harm society's expectations can cause.

Untamed by Glennon Doyle (also in nonfiction) continues Glennon Doyle's journey of self-discovery in a series of essay like stories from her life that are inspiring and empowering. While her story doesn't parallel mine, I could relate to her feelings of wanting to break from free from expectations. I could relate to the idea of wanting to live an unconventional but genuine life. Untamed is well written and engaging while also being an easy read.

The Bluebird Will Sing Tomorrow: Memoirs of Velma V. Morrison by Kitty Delorey Fleischman is written in an interesting way. Morrison told her story to Fleischman who wrote the memoirs and published them. Morrison led an interesting life and made interesting decisions. In some places, the writing felt a bit stilted, but I believe that came from the way Morrison shared her stories with Fleischman. For example, I found it odd when Morrison seemed to reference her husband as "Mr. Morrison" even after they married. Overall, though it was an interesting romance that was also a story of perseverance, success, failure, poverty, and wealth.

Yes Please by Amy Poehler shares the story of comedian Amy Poehler starting with her childhood. As she talks about her life and struggles in the comedy industry one can't help but feel inspired. She writes with a comedic flare that never takes anything too seriously but also doesn't hesitate to point a spotlight on serious moments.

Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton tells the story of a middle class girl whose politics are shaped by conflicting influences in her life. Clinton explores her struggles to find her place politically as well as telling her life story. She writes her story in a way that feels softer and more approachable than she is often perceived to be. She writes of disappointment and grief and hurt in ways that feel like a glimpse inside the armor she appears to wear. She discusses her roles as a lawyer, as a governor's wife, and as First Lady. She shares her thoughts and emotions about expectations, scandals, joys, personal triumphs, and personal problems in ways that feel at once honest and defensive. She talks about her marriage in a way that feels like it's trying to explain it not only to the reader but to herself. Her struggles to be a career woman, a wife, and a mother sound familiar and genuine. Yet, at other times, and perhaps this is because I waited so long to read this book, Living History feels like a book written to appeal to someone the writer doesn't think can be persuaded they have anything in common with her. 

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