From matriarchs to presidential hopefuls, the memoirs this year were ones that we couldn’t put down — even if they only covered 107 of the most important days in former Vice President Kamala Harris‘ life. They took us from humble beginnings through searing rises and what could have been deafening defeats. They showed us that when challenges come, and they do again and again, having faith, persistence, and the courage to see past what society would try to limit us to is what brought them through. Here are eight that should join your book collection before the year comes to a close.
Supermom of Beyoncé and Solange Knowles guides us through her life like a deep cut: from childhood to motherhood, and from entrepreneur to cultural tastemaker whose influence now extends far beyond her famous daughters. Knowles’ book is a testament to Black mothers everywhere: the ones who make sacrifices that are publicly recognized and the ones who deserve to be heralded even though they’re not in the spotlight.
To receive — and then be stripped of an Olympic medal — could crush the strongest of athletes. But Jordan Chiles turned a moment of devastation into one of triumph. It’s a lesson of when you fall, you dig deep to get back up on the beam again.
Displaced from her ancestral lineage — and struggling with mental health issues — the Nigerian American writer and storyteller unveils her journey through healthcare, housing and HGTV pop culture obsession. It’s a soothing balm for anyone who has fought to identify themselves and reclaim their sanity.
The basketball great-turned-fashion executive breaks down his walls. From impoverished beginnings to NBA All-Star, Iverson pulls back the curtain on his celebrated, controversial, and enigmatic persona and lays out how it all came to be over his past three decades of fame and infamy.
From Award-winning TV star to accomplished novelist, Nicholas draws on six decades of public and private stardom for her moving memoir, reflecting on the personal, professional, and societal pressures that have molded her life. She shares how to survive the toughest moments, including the overwhelming grief over her slain sister, to find yourself whole on the other side of life.
She moved to Paris, only to learn she had breast cancer. Davis chronicles how her life changed as she tried to navigate the French health care system on her own, found and dealt with detours, including the return of her cancer and found the tribe that helped her get through. Even in the most foreign of places, empathy is right around the corner.
VIBE’s founding fashion director reveals how she maneuvered life — from New York City’s downtown scene in the ’80s and the hip-hop realness of the ’90s to the post-racial era of media during the Obama years — as a stylist, editor, and purveyor of the rapidly changing media landscape. A cultural manifesto that defines barriers and breakthroughs for Black women.
In this micro-memoir, former Vice President Kamala Harris recounts the 107 days she spent running for President of the United States in the 2024 presidential election. More than just a political timeline, Harris chronicles how resilience, leadership, and a fully-in attitude are the keys to tackling one of the biggest challenges in your life.