31st August is We Love Memoirs Day! They say that truth is stranger than fiction, which is one of the reasons I’m addicted to the incredible real-life stories offered by memoirs. There’s no need for fictional heroines when you can read about women who stand out for their education, compassion, drive, activism or resilience.

Here is a list of the five best memoirs written by women I have ever read, to give you a boost of empowerment and inspiration:

Educated by Tara Westover

Summary: Tara Westover grew up in a survivalist family in rural Idaho, with a dangerously obsessive father and a damaged mother. Shunning formal education, they insulated Tara from any knowledge of the world beyond their land. Her love for learning helped her survive this childhood and ultimately escape, going on to study at Harvard and Cambridge.

Why I Chose It: Westover’s journey is pretty harrowing at times, but reading about how she steadfastly stuck to her own path, struggled for independence, and forged a place for herself in a world unfamiliar to her for so long makes for an inspiring story.

The Trauma Cleaner by Sarah Krasnostein

Summary: Sarah Krasnostein is initially drawn to write about Sandra Pankhurst, the owner of a successful trauma cleaning company, because of the lives she touches through her work. Every day, Sandra offers her unique empathy to those abandoned by the rest of society, from drug addicts to severe hoarders.

However, the story that soon becomes of greatest fascination is the extraordinary journey of the trauma cleaner herself.

Why I Chose It: Okay, I know I’m slightly cheating with this one, as it’s a biography, not a memoir! I couldn’t leave out my absolute favourite non-fiction read of 2020 though.

The Trauma Cleaner is compassionate and gorgeously written, plus it’s refreshing for a trans woman’s gender journey to be presented, not voyeuristically, but as only one component of a rich individual identity.

The Salt Path by Raynor Winn

Summary: In a single week, Ray’s husband is diagnosed with a rare terminal illness, and they lose their beloved home in a financial catastrophe. Reeling from these devastating events and with barely a penny to their name, they decide to hike the South West Coast Path together - all 630 miles of it.

Each step forward becomes their only purpose, and the couple finds a form of strength and peace as they prepare for whatever the path is leading them towards.

Why I Chose It: The Salt Path is a must-read for anyone who loves hiking and the great outdoors! While the situation that Raynor Winn finds herself facing may be extreme, many people will relate to the solace and hope that she discovers in the natural world.

You can read a full review of The Salt Path here.

Zami by Audre Lorde

Summary: Zami is a Carriacou word that can be loosely translated to ‘love between women’. A fitting title for the memoir of Audre Lorde, who resolutely keeps love at the centre while she struggles to create a space for herself as a Black lesbian coming of age in 1940s and 50s New York.

Why I Chose It: This is the book that I credit for making me fall in love with memoirs. Described as a “biomythography”, it is written in a lush poetic style that demands each sentence be savoured. Audre Lorde uses her own life experiences to frame a compelling call for women’s solidarity and intersectional feminism.

You can read a full review of Zami here.

The Prison Doctor by Amanda Brown

Summary: After the frustrations of working as a GP cause Dr Amanda Brown to impulsively walk out of her job, she is looking for a new challenge.

This memoir recounts her time as a doctor in some of the UK’s toughest criminal institutions. It invites us into the mind of a woman with incredible strength, and offers an unflinching view of the lives that have been placed in the hands of the criminal justice system - for better or worse.

Why I Chose It: I really enjoy career-based memoirs, finding out about the amazing jobs that some people do while the rest of us sit behind a desk. Yet The Prison Doctor is about so much more than one woman’s career path, however dramatic and adrenaline-pumping that may be.

Dr Brown’s book also powerfully critiques the problems of the justice system from a unique perspective - a rare listening ear who exists not to judge the prisoners she encounters, but to help and to heal them.

Disclaimer: We have an affiliate deal with the Bookshop, meaning that if you use any of the links here to buy the products, we take a tiny cut. By shopping with the Bookshop, you can support local independent book stores and us – double win. You can also support us via Patreon or a one-off donation.

Written by Florence Edwards

Book Blog

Articles We Think You'll Love