All summer long, life’s been a whirl.
Holidays, outdoor get-togethers, kids sports, patriotic parties, you’ve been really busy. So maybe now it’s time to squeeze a few minutes out of this week for yourself. Time to try one of these biographies on great lives…
If your grill is hot, then simmer down with “Rowdy Girl: Confessions of a Vegan Cattle Rancher” by Renee King-Sonnen (Bloomsbury, $32.00), a true story of a rancher’s wife who must come to terms with her own desire to not eat the creatures her husband raises. Her solution is gutsy; getting it done isn’t easy but it’s exciting. Animal lovers will love this book; meat-eaters may find a game-changer here.
So you’ve spent months following American current events, and your head spins. So read “The Art of Becoming a Citizen: A Memoir” by Gail Godwin (Bloomsbury, $25.99) and take a moment to think about what kind of citizen you aim to be. Yep, this memoir is very thought-provoking, but it’s also a meditation on the way things are, how the past can reflect the future and what you want to do about it – or even if you want to do anything. Controversial? Maybe, but also very sober and eye-opening.
Do summertime and music belong together in your mind? Then you’ll love reading “Ringo: A Fab Life” by Tom Doyle (ECW, $23.95), a book about a Beatle. Not only does this biography start at the beginning, but it then brings readers relatively up-to-date on the Starr and his life today. When you’re done with that book, find “Mr. Moonlight: Brian Epstein and the Making of the Beatles” by Philip Norman (Da Capo, $32.50). Before the Beatles were one of the world’s greatest bands, filled with some of the world’s best talents, they were a dream that had to be built. Here, you’ll read about the man who did it – arguably, one of the best managers of all time. Enjoy the interviews here, the memories and the history, and a sad story that might make you wonder what if Brian Epstein had never met John, Paul, George, or Ringo…
Yep, summertime is great, but it can be less-than-thrilling, and in “After Shock: Learning to Reinhabit My Body After Illness” by Dr. Rana Awdish (St. Martin’s Press, $29.00), you’ll read about a physician who receives a medical diagnosis nobody wants, learning to heal from it, and the surprising conclusions doing so brought to her. Also look for “The Solo Honeymoon” by Laura Murphy (Dutton, $29.00), a story of an almost-marriage, an unthinkable tragedy, and a brave, life-altering healing trip that might ultimately bring you to tears.
Not enough? If you need more (or other) biographies, then head to your favorite bookseller or librarian and ask to be escorted to the biography / memoir section, then ask for suggestions. You’ll find lots of books to read about the powerful, the passionate, the passive, and the playful that live among us. In the meantime, check out the above and give these memoirs a whirl.
c.2026. various publishers
$23.95 – $32.50
various page counts
