Best Autobiographies

The Private Life of Chairman Mao by Dr. Li Zhisui

R1- never mind.

Men, Women and Tenors. It's by soprano Frances Alda. It deserves a mention for the title alone, though on DL we might prefer an exclamation point instead of a full stop at the end of the title?

Wishful Drinking and Shockaholic, both by Carrie Fisher. Very funny and well-written books. She does the audiobook for Shockaholic and is very engaging and conversational.

My Mother was Nuts - Penny Marshall

Guts -Kristen Johnston

The Autobiography of Malcolm X. I'm not even that into the whole racial militancy thing, but it was just a really well written, absorbing book.

Penny’s books is just hilarious and I’ve rarely seen an addict take accountability and the suffering it takes to get and stay clean like Johnston wrote about.

Send Yourself Roses -Kathleen Turner

No nonsense, humorous and honest. She’s not delusional like some I could mention.

In Spite of Myself by Christopher Plummer

A charming book on his life and career, as well as a witty history of the North American and London theatre. I recommend the audiobook, narrated by Plummer in his rich mid-Atlantic accent. He was a silver tongued devil.

R4 Totally agree. Carrie Fisher was a wonderful writer. So good at blending humor and pathos.

Known and Unknown by Donald Rumsfeld.

He is an arrogant bastard, but to listen (on Audible) to his views on the Cold War, Vietnam, Watergate, Nelson Rockefeller, Reaganomics, and eventually the invasion of Iraq was fascinating.