Top 10 autobiography books 2017

Learn more. New to Goodreads? Get great book recommendations! Start Now. Want to Read. Shelving menu. Want to Read Currently Reading Read. Rate it:. Many came to believe that tough measures — such as stringent drug and gun laws and "pretext traffic stops" in poor African American neighborhoods — were needed to secure a stable future for black communities.

Some politicians and activists saw criminals as a "cancer" that had to be cut away from the rest of black America. Others supported harsh measures more reluctantly, believing they had no other choice in the face of a public safety emergency. Drawing on his experience as a public defender and focusing on Washington, D. The result is an original view of our justice system as well as a moving portrait of the human beings caught in its coils.

But can adaptation by natural selection really account for everything we see in nature? Deep in tropical jungles around the world are birds with a dizzying array of appearances and mating displays: Club-winged Manakins who sing with their wings, Great Argus Pheasants who dazzle prospective mates with a four-foot-wide cone of feathers covered in golden 3D spheres, Red-capped Manakins who moonwalk.

In thirty years of fieldwork, Prum has seen numerous display traits that seem disconnected from, if not outright contrary to, selection for individual survival. Pulitzer Prize winner Ron Chernow returns with a sweeping and dramatic portrait of one of our most compelling generals and presidents, Ulysses S. All too often he is caricatured as a chronic loser and an inept businessman, or as the triumphant but brutal Union general of the Civil War.

Millions of readers of Little House on the Prairie believe they know Laura Ingalls—the pioneer girl who survived blizzards and near-starvation on the Great Plains, and the woman who wrote the famous autobiographical books. But the true saga of her life has never been fully told. Revealing the grown-up story behind the most influential childhood epic of pioneer life, she also chronicles Wilder's tumultuous relationship with her journalist daughter, Rose Wilder Lane, setting the record straight regarding charges of ghostwriting that have swirled around the books.

Amid the throngs of people I spot my husband Marten. It feel as if fate is telling me something. In Down the DrainJulia Fox, known for her striking role in Uncut Gems and her influential presence in pop culture, presents a penetrating account of her tumultuous life. This bestselling memoir goes beyond the glitz and glamour, revealing the intimate details of her struggles.

From a challenging childhood split between Italy and New York City to overcoming addiction and adversity, Fox's narrative is raw and profoundly authentic. Her transformation from a troubled past to a fashion icon and actress is evidence of her resilience and the power of staying true to oneself. Her story resonates with anyone who has faced life's trials with unflinching honesty and emerged stronger.

The year is and I just landed in the grand metropolis of New York City. The moment we step off the plane and my little feet hit the pavement, I drop my suitcase and cross myself. Despite my basic knowledge of the English language, I feel more comfortable speaking my native tongue. I was born in Italy and have spent the last few years in Saronno, a small town in the province of Varese, where the city eerily feels like the remnants of what was once a charming little town.

But I see past the shitty graffiti coating the pastel pink—colored walls. I even lived here for a while, before disaster struck. But today feels like the very first time. And after the mess that went down last time, this is a fresh start, a chance to wipe the slate clean and try again. I wave at the strange people passing by, and they stare back at me with confusion and alarm.

My dad yanks me away and tells me to stop doing that. This is going to be a tough habit to break. I just nod, trying my best to absorb any little bit of information to make this transition easier. For him. My dad summons a yellow taxi cab with a wave of his hand, as if he were a magician. He tosses my little red suitcase, stuffed with my most precious possessions, into the trunk, and I climb onto the tan leather seats that are cracked and reek of cigarette smoke.

My dad tells him the address and the driver, sporting a turban and aviator sunglasses, lets out a thick cloud of smoke. As we sit in silence crossing the boroughs on our way to Manhattan, I immediately notice how all the billboards advertising movies depict guns and violence. Everything is so colossal here. The towering buildings cast shadows that stretch as far as my wide eyes can see, while the people, who look nothing alike, bustle around as if part of some grand dance.

I feel miniature too, but not in an insignificant way. I feel small in a way that feels exciting, like I have yet to be discovered. Martin Kemp, an emblematic figure of the 80s music and style revolution, recaptures this vibrant era in Ticket to the World: My 80s Story. Kemp, known for his role in Spandau Ballet and as a symbol of the decade's New Romantics top 10 autobiography books 2017 transformation, offers readers a beautifully written trip through the neon-lit streets of 80s pop culture.

His memoir is a nostalgic celebration of the era's music, fashion, and the exuberant spirit of change. Kemp shares his personal growth amidst the backdrop of this dynamic decade, providing a personal portrait of an artist at the forefront of a cultural shift, making this book an essential read for fans of 80s culture and music. A motif, a little gimmick to remind you just how often they cropped up over the course of the decade.

To spare your sanity and mine I decided against it in the end. We went by many names at the start of the decade, when no one knew what to make of us. The Blitz Kids. The Dandies in Hand-Me-Downs. The Cult with No Name. Eventually we became known as the New Romantics. That was the name that stuck and the name that would echo around the globe as the years marched on.

I still think of the New Romantics as the last great pop culture, even now. It says nothing of our attitude.

Top 10 autobiography books 2017

We embodied the prevailing mindset of that era. Of individuality. We were a vision of hope. A vision of ambition. We were brighter than the cameras of our day could capture and we left a hell of a legacy. So when you think back and laugh at your backcombed hair, your smeared turquoise eyeshadow, your shoulder pads and your puffy taffeta dress, you should know that it was more than just some weird fashion.

However you engaged with it, you were part of the future. They are plundering it in much the same way that the New Romantics plundered everything and anything that had gone before them — to take it and make it their own. The s made me. I can go pound for pound with anyone who wants to highlight awful outfits, ridiculous hair and pretentious poses.

But I loved the s and I want you to love them too. So here, between these covers, is my attempt to record the decade as I lived it. If you were there, I want you to recall it. To reach out, touch it. We analyze statistics from the millions of books added, rated, and reviewed on Goodreads to nominate 15 books in each category. Opening round official nominees must have an average rating of 3.

Write-in votes may be cast for eligible books with any average rating, and write-in votes will be weighted by the book's Goodreads statistics to determine the top five books to be added as official nominees in the Semifinal Round. A book may be nominated in no more than one genre category, but can also be nominated in the Debut Novel category.

Only one book in a series may be nominated per category. An author may receive multiple nominations within a single category if he or she has more than one eligible series or more than one eligible stand-alone book. Learn more. Categories Fiction.