The House of My Mother by Shari Franke was an incredibly captivating book about the influence of family vlogging on Shari Franke and her siblings. Coming into this book, I had a lot of knowledge on this case as I grew up watching 8 Passengers. Like many of their fans, I also was incredibly shocked at hearing about the trauma and sadistic influence that Jodi Hildebrant and Ruby Franke had on the family.
The Ugly Cry: A Memoir is a heartfelt, humorous nonfiction novel that revisits the author’s childhood. Raised by her fiercely independent grandmother in New York, Danielle has a life filled with unexpected challenges and hilarious lessons. The memoir dives into Danielle’s experiences growing up in a busy family environment, including her mother’s absence, struggles with racism as a Black girl in a white town and the resilience she had.
The book Shoe Dog by Phil Knight is a memoir by the great Phil Knight, in which he describes his journey as an aspiring businessman who wishes to fulfill his “Crazy Dream” of starting his own startup footwear company. Shoe Dog depicts the uncertainty in the business world, which is shown in this memoir through the adversity and triumphs in his creation of Nike.
One Dead Spy tells the story of Nathan Hale, a young American patriot who becomes a spy for George Washington during the American Revolution. Hale's bravery and resourcefulness led him on a series of daring adventures, from sneaking behind enemy lines to escaping from British soldiers. With his quick wit and clever disguises, Hale proved himself to be a valuable asset to the Continental Army. But did his luck run out when he was captured by the British?
Unbroken, a nonfiction book, written by Lauren Hillenbrand, is an autobiography told through events of World War II. Louis Zamperini was one of the best runners in high school and college and set records. Louis Zamperini just wanted to participate in the Olympics and live out his dreams. However, as he was set to go to the Olympics, WWII started, and he had to join the army. He endures many challenges to try and survive, from surviving sharks and starvation to the horrendous conditions of POW camps.
Shoe Dog is a memoir written by the creator of Nike. It talks about how the multi-billion-dollar company started from scratch. This book shows how Nike got its first sales and employees. It talks about how going to Japan was very influential to Nike’s success and that starting a new company has many challenges. This book keeps you hooked through all of the twists and turns such as going bankrupt and getting sued.
The life of a First Lady might seem like a dream, but Michelle Obama's memoir, Becoming, reveals the complexities behind the role. Through this deeply emotional and insightful book, Obama chronicles her journey from a racially segregated childhood to becoming one of the most influential women of our time. As the first African American First Lady, she transformed the White House into a beacon of inclusivity and championed causes for women and girls both in the U.S. and globally.
“She's the most important person in the world [but] her family [lives] in poverty.” This is the truth engraved in every page of the book. In a society full of racial inequality, those of darker skin are secretly used as test subjects in the medical world. They are lured into hospitals, claiming to offer “free” treatment. But the actual price they pay at the end of the day is beyond monetary value. One such victim was a Black mother, Henrietta Lacks.
George Takei’s graphic novel They Called Us Enemy is an interesting story of the racial injustices suffered by Japanese-Americans during World War II. It follows Takei’s family as they suffer the effects of Pearl Harbor, the fear of Japanese spying, and the movement of Japanese-Americans into internment camps. Takei frames the story incredibly well and is an incredible book everybody should read. It shines a deep, reflective light on the dangers of widespread fear and paranoia.
Born a Crime is the autobiography of Trevor Noah, comedian and host of The Daily Show, detailing his experiences growing up in South Africa during and after apartheid. Noah was born to a black Xhosa mother and a white Swiss father, a union that was illegal under apartheid laws. The book explores his struggles with identity, his complicated relationship with his mother, and the challenges of navigating life as a biracial child in a society rife with racial tension.
