Currently, I’m reading Raising a Rare Girl by Heather Lanier, which is about her experience raising her daughter, Fiona, who was born with Wolf-Hirschorn Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.

And now, on to the list, in no particular order, my must-read memoirs:

1. Educated – Tara Westover- Educated is Tara Westover’s memoir about growing up in a survivalist family in rural Idaho, isolated from mainstream society, and her incredible journey to earn a PhD from Cambridge University, detailing her struggles with abuse, radical beliefs, and the painful process of self-invention and breaking from her family to find her own identity through education. 
2. A Child Called “It” – Dave Pelzer- A Child Called “It” is a harrowing, bestselling memoir by Dave Pelzer that recounts the extreme abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of his emotionally unstable, alcoholic mother in Daly City, California, during the 1960s and early 1970s. The book details his survival in one of California’s most severe child abuse cases. 
3. Born a Crime– Trevor Noah- Born a Crime is Trevor Noah’s funny and heartfelt memoir about growing up mixed-race in apartheid South Africa, where his very existence was illegal; the book chronicles his mischievous childhood, navigating different cultures and languages, and his complex, loving relationship with his strong, rebellious mother, Patricia, who defied racial laws to give him a better life, all while facing poverty, violence, and the eventual freedom of post-apartheid South Africa. 
4. The Glass Castle– Jeannette Walls- The Glass Castle is Jeannette Walls’ memoir about her chaotic, impoverished childhood with eccentric, nomadic parents who promised to build a magnificent glass castle but often left their kids to fend for themselves amidst neglect and hardship, teaching them resilience and self-sufficiency as they eventually escaped to New York City to build successful lives, all while grappling with their parents’ destructive alcoholism and artistic idealism. 
5. When Breath Becomes Air– Paul Kalanithi-When Breath Becomes Air is Paul Kalanithi’s poignant memoir about his journey as a gifted neurosurgeon diagnosed with terminal lung cancer at 36, forcing him to confront mortality and redefine meaning as he transitions from healer to patient, balancing his impending death with the joy of becoming a father to his daughter, Cady, ultimately exploring the profound questions of life, death, and what makes a life worth living.