Memoir as a genre of books is one I have come to enjoy and appreciate over the last year. During my commute to work, I wanted to listen to audiobooks and though I prefer reading fiction, when listening to a book I actually prefer non-fiction. Consequently, I have discovered a number of memoirs that I really enjoyed. In this article, I will list my four favourites.
1 The Third Gilmore Girl by Kelly Bisschop
While the title is a little misleading, (I went into this thinking it would mostly be about her time on Gilmore Girls), I was pleasantly surprised. Bisschop talks about her entire career in the showbusiness and her personal life, as the two have always been closely intertwined. When listening to a memoir, it is always so much better when it is narrated by the author themselves, and Kelly Bisschop did a wonderful job doing so. I have only one word to describe both the book and Kelly Bisschop herself: Fabulous.
2 Dinner for Vampires by Bethany Joy Lenz
The subtitle is a clear indication of what her memoir is about: Life on a Cult TV Show (While Also in an Actual Cult!). The most important takeaway for me is that you can never truly judge a situation as an outsider if you have never been through it yourself. People, myself included, often think people who join a cult are really naive to be manipulated as such and fall into the trap. Reading from the perspective of a person who went through it, shows exactly how it can happen, and that it is never as black and white as it seems. Lenz opens up and places herself in a vulnerable position, both in the book itself and by writing it. Not only does she share how she got into a cult, but also how she got out, which shows her strength.
3 The Woman in Me by Britney Spears
Everyone knows Britney Spears as a true pop icon of the 2000s and her life was led in the spotlight. Articles and photographs show a woman going crazy after the pressure of fame got too much, but in The Woman in Me, Spears finally gets to tell her own story. It is a heartbreaking one, and while I hope the media and paparazzi have changed since then, it is still important for these stories to come out. Not only so Spears can move forward, change the narrative about herself and her family and regain control over her life, but also to make a difference for the next generations.
4 I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
With this title, McCurdy instantly drew the attention of thousands of people, and it sets the scene for how extreme the relationship with her mother was. This book is about more than that relationship, but also about growing up as a child actress on famous Nickelodeon shows and the struggles she endured because of her controlling mother and problematic director. Despite what the title might imply, McCurdy manages to convey her story in a respectful way, displaying a level of maturity and strength that I really admire. Similar to The Woman in Me, this book is important for exposing the toxic circumstances many actors and singers had/have to work in, and ensuring improvement.
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