15 memoirs, from which it is impossible to break away

1. "Out of Africa," Karen Blixen

In 1913 the present territory of Kenya was a British colony called British East Africa. Karen Blixen moved back to her husband, the coffee magnate, who became richer after the First World War. Life on the mysterious continent seemed a fairy tale, while rose-colored glasses are not sleeping with the writer an eye.

Because of the constant infidelities of her husband's family broke up, and Karen had to quickly learn how to manage a coffee farm, to find a common language with the natives, and to deal with the whims of a difficult climate. The eponymous film adaptation of Memoirs with Meryl Streep in the title role won seven statuettes "Oscar" and three "Golden Globe".

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2. "The Pianist", Wladyslaw Szpilman

Polish pianist, composer and radio host Wladyslaw Szpilman published a book immediately after the Second World War. In it, he as honestly and in detail told about the German occupation, the loss of family, life in the ghetto and escape from it. For two years he had to wander through abandoned buildings, hiding from the Nazis and survive in all possible ways. In addition, Szpilman was involved in the resistance and tried to drive out the enemy from his native country.

Shortly before his death left an expanded edition of his memoirs. It includes excerpts from the diary of a German soldier Wilm Wilm Hosenfeld, who helped Spielmann survive the end of the war. The book has been translated into more than 30 languages. The life story of an outstanding pianist has also become known for the Oscar-winning film by Roman Polanski.

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3. "Whirlwind. Chronicle of the times of the personality cult ", Eugenia Ginzburg

In 1937, the journalist and writer Evgeny Ginzburg was accused of terrorist activities and sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. After that she was still eight years had been in exile in Magadan until she was rehabilitated. The horrors of repression and prison life she described in his autobiography, which is the homeland of the author refused to publish until 1988.

Autobiography Ginsburg - a history of torture, hunger and injustice of the Stalinist regime. In the book it is hard and unvarnished shows the helplessness of people in the face of a huge system of the machine, sweeping away everything in its path.

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4. "Autobiography" by Agatha Christie

Memoirs of Queen detective novels are very different from what you can read about her life in the Biographies. What they have devoted many pages, Agatha fit in a few lines. And those moments, which they did not pay special attention, in its version got the whole chapter. She wrote about how important it is to make it for her.

Writer almost ignored the job, telling a different story. It accounts fell two world wars, the betrayal of the beloved, hard divorce and illness. But with whatever difficulties she faced no, Christie found the strength to stand up and continue to live.

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5. "Girl, Interrupted," Susanna Kaysen

In the late '60s, when Susan was 18 years old, she went to a psychiatric hospital with a diagnosis of "borderline personality disorder" after a suicide attempt. Instead of a few weeks she was there for half a year. All that she knew about the world and himself, turned over to her upside down.

Imprisoned in four walls, she meets with patients and learning to survive in the institution. Staying in the hospital makes it to call into question the concept of "mental health" itself. In addition, Suzanne makes sure that the doctors a little idea about the nature of disease and how to treat them. Memoirs came when it was still not decided to publicly discuss such topics, and the courage of the author has earned worldwide recognition.

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6. "Angela's Ashes" by Frank McCourt

In the early XX century, the United States faced a wave of mass emigration from Ireland. People crossing the ocean in search of a better life, leaving home and family. Many were able to realize the American dream. But McCourt family less fortunate. Unsuccessful attempts to integrate into a new society and find their corner brought them back to Ireland.

However, and here they waited complexity. Rampant unemployment, poverty and drunkenness father made a small Frank to grow up quickly. He had to take the burden of responsibility and concern for the family, even though he was still a child. Honest story of his life and fight for it brought the author of the Pulitzer Prize in 1997.

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7. "The greatest lesson in life, or Tuesdays with Morrie," Mitch Ėlbom

When Mitch Ėlbom was a student, his path does not intersect a professor of sociology Morrie Schwartz, who taught at his own college. But as a journalist, he learned that Schwartz is suffering from a severe incurable disease, slowly leading to paralysis.

Ėlbom visited professors and imbued with its history. Their meetings became regular. Every Tuesday, Mitch came to Morrie. They were emotional conversations about life and death, love and family, about how important it is in all respects to give, not just take. Journalist reflected in the records of human thought, who was on his deathbed, and how these meetings have affected him. His memories have become one of the most widely read books in the genre of memoirs.

8. "Tostuemy drink to the dregs," Danelia

Danelia - one of the most famous and beloved domestic filmmakers and screenwriters. he created picturesThat immediately after the fall into the category of classics: "Gentlemen of Fortune", "Walking the Streets of Moscow", "Mimino", "Kin-Dza-Dza!».

In his autobiography, he appears more and gifted storyteller who can not break away from the stories. This is a collection of funny places, edifying adventures and accidents. The book, of course, a lot of movies, but even more about people, life, philosophy and love. The stories are illustrated by archival photographs and drawings.

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9. "Castle of Glass", Jeannette Walls

Family Janet was considered unusual. They were not at home, and they moved around the country in an old car. Parents too prized the freedom and did not trust the capitalist system in order to have a permanent job. Four children, though growing in love, were often left to themselves. They did not know what will happen in the evening for dinner and whether it will at all.

Author long did not want to talk about his strange childhood, but decided on this in order to get rid of the demons of the past and accept yourself. Memoirs made it one of the most famous journalists of the United States and raised a wave of questions about what should be the proper upbringing of children.

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10. "Funny house. Family tragicomedy "Alison Bechdel

Alison Bechdel - an artist who specializes in comics. Therefore there is nothing surprising in the fact that it has released an autobiography it is in the graphic novel format. It says a child and a lot of attention is paid to the relationship with their parents.

A huge shock for the girl was suicide of his father, who, as it turned out, was not completely honest with my family and could not open them. Another important topic was the sexual orientation of Alison and how she becomes accustomed to her own body. The structure of the comic like a maze. Author often returns to the topics mentioned above, adds to new information and highlights from a new angle.

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11. "Just kids", Patti Smith

History of Patti Smith - is a reflection of an era. She described the book is only a small part of his life, the end of the 60's - early 70-ies of the last century. But during that time there have been incredible in its scale events in the world, landing on moon, The flowering of the hippie, Woodstock Festival.

Patti youth held during this period. She composed songs, stood at the origins of punk rock and talked with Jack Kerouac, Andy Warhol and Jimmy Hendrix. But all these great men did not take it because the singer was in love. She wrote a book about the relationship with the photographer Robert Mapplethorpe, and turned a historical excursion into the generation of life.

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12. "My short story," Stephen Hawking

A quarter of a century after Professor Hawking briefly explained the history of the world of time, he decided to just briefly tell us about yourself. For years, it was precipitated by journalists and biographers who wish to unravel the mysteries of a scientist, and he finally gave up. Memoirs, published in 2013, follow a hero from early childhood. He talks about parenting, family relationships and education.

A huge part of the book is devoted to science. However, as Professor openly answers questions about his personal life and disease, which has completely changed the world for him, but not forced to give up or abandon his beloved work.

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13. "I - small. The unique story of courage, which shocked the world, "Christina Lamb, Malala Yousafzai

Malala Yousafzai - the youngest winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in history. She lived under the yoke of the Islamist organization and fought for the right of Pakistani girls get an education. Blog Malala Taliban seemed so powerful and dangerous that they organized the attack on her, when she was only 15 years old.

Her courage and faith in the justice made Woman an international symbol of the struggle for equality and freedom. Together with the journalist Christina Lamb Malala told the world its history dating back to the relatively quiet childhood, which was interrupted by the seizure of power by the Islamists and the regime change.

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14. "The seller of shoes," Phil Knight

Founder of Nike sports giant, one of the world's richest men and a philanthropist, donating millions of dollars to universities, Phil Knight has written the story of his life in 2016. His memoirs immediately hit the bestsellers of the business, because he honestly told about his thorny path to success.

It all started with a trip to Japan, where he liked the local brand of sneakers. Inspired by the idea of ​​imported shoes in the US, he returned home and contacted his accountant. Thus was born the company and appeared the most famous in the world of "tick".

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15. "Liars Club. Only deception will help you understand the truth, "Mary Karr

Liars Club Mary's father and his friends called in the evening, when they sat in a circle after work, drinking beer and herbs bikes. Mary was the only girl who was allowed to attend the meetings of these men.

In his debut work safely Carr talks about a difficult childhood. In an abandoned corner of Texas where she lived, she had to deal with alcohol abuse, the consequences of mental illness and violence. Not knowing the other life, she still did not want to stay in this hole and climbed to freedom in every way.

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