Biography & Memoir

Auslander has written for decades about growing up in a dysfunctional household within an ultra-orthodox Jewish community. The title of his latest memoir comes from the Yiddish word for "yuck."

Novelist and memoirist Jill Ciment. Her new memoir, "Consent," begins when she was 17 and fell in love and had a sexual relationship with her married art teacher. He was 47, 30 years older than her. Even though he epitomized her romantic archetype and she wanted the relationship, she now wonders if a 17-year-old is capable of consent and if in today's language, he would have been considered a predator.

In a new memoir, Dunne writes about growing up in a family of storytellers, his complicated relationship with fame and the trauma the family experienced after the 1982 murder of his sister, Dominique.

In his memoir, Small Acts of Courage, Velshi traces his family’s journey, from India to South Africa — where his grandfather crossed paths with Mahatma Gandhi — to Kenya, Canada and the U.S.

Dubus talks about the injuries he faced as a carpenter and his relationship with his dad. His a new collection of personal essays is Ghost Dogs: On Killers and Kin. Originally broadcast in 2023.

McDonald's new memoir, What A Fool Believes, which he co-wrote with comedian Paul Reiser, chronicles his childhood in Ferguson, MO., his early years as a session musician and his decades-long career as a member of Steely Dan and The Doobie Brothers and as a solo artist.

Writer Carvell Wallace. He's written a new memoir called "Another Word For Love," which is about growing up in the '80s, unhoused for a time, separated from his mother, in adulthood building a life of stability for himself and his children through writing.

Co-founder of the feminist punk rock riot grrrl movement, musician, writer, and artist Kathleen Hanna. Her new memoir is called "Rebel Girl," which is also the name of one of the best-known songs by her band Bikini Kill. Kathleen Hanna spoke about her life and work with FRESH AIR's Ann Marie Baldonado.

Auster, who died April 30, rose to fame in the 1980s with The New York Trilogy novels. His memoir, Winter Journal, focused on the history of his body. Originally broadcast in 1997, 2004 and 2012.

Sante, who was assigned male at birth, says changing genders was a strange and electric idea that lived in the recesses of her mind for years. Then, in 2021, she was playing around with a gender-swapping feature on a face-altering app and she had a breakthrough.

In his new memoir,Daley writes about the foster care system at large, as well as the joy and pain he and Jason experienced as foster parents.

When she was starring in Funny Girl on Broadway, Streisand says she'd alter the music slightly each night. Her new memoir is My Name is Barbra. Originally broadcast Nov. 8, 2023.

Trotter, aka Black Thought, reflects on his childhood in Philly, his decades-long friendship with Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson. Trotter's memoir is The Upcycled Self. Originally broadcast Nov. 7, 2023.

In his new book, When I Was Your Age, Thompson shares stories from his life and career, including his early days at SNL and his estrangement from his longtime Nickelodeon co-star Kel Mitchell.

Atlantic writer McKay Coppins spent countless hours with the Utah senator and shares Romney's take on what Republican leaders privately think about Donald Trump. Coppins' book is Romney: A Reckoning.

In the new memoir, Worthy, Pinkett Smith writes about her marriage, her career in Hollywood, her upbringing in Baltimore and her friendship with the late rapper Tupac Shakur. She also chronicles her struggle with depression and her efforts to better understand and accept herself.

Safiya Sinclair, grew up in a Rasta family in Montego Bay, Jamaica. Her father is a reggae singer and guitarist. Her hair was twisted into dreadlocks until she was 19. She came to realize that for her, being Rasta meant living in a cage. It was through reading and writing poems that she came to better know herself and to break out of the cage and enter the larger world.

"I'm not a grown man — I'm a growing man," Alexander says. His new memoir started as a book of love poems, but ended up being a collection of essays and poems about love, divorce and raising children.

At 98, Carter is the oldest living president in U.S. history. After serving his term, he worked to promote safe housing, human rights and conflict resolution. Originally broadcast in '93, '95 and '96.

Michael Cecchi-Azzolina talks about what it's like to be a Maitre D' at the fanciest restaurants in New York City. He has worked in the business for three decades telling wealthy diners, celebrities and even the mafia whether or not they can have the table by the window. His memoir is called Your Table is Ready.