6 Of The Best Multicultural Memoirs To Add To Your Reading List

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Nonfiction books can range from sweeping histories to biting cultural criticisms, but the power of a well-crafted memoir is completely unmatched. Taking on many forms and styles, these publications focus on the experiences of the author, exploring significant events and drawing meaning from the personal. In this way, while we're always game for a glimpse behind the Hollywood curtain, there are plenty of non-celebrity memoirs with important stories to tell.

Multicultural memoirs are a meaningful example of the medium. This nonfiction subgenre often highlights underrepresented perspectives, providing insight into mingling ethnic, racial, and social diasporas. In addition to having the capacity to shine a light on historical and political events, such books typically explore themes of identity, community, race, and assimilation.

So, whether you're looking for a thought-provoking book club selection or wanting to delve into some new perspectives, we've compiled a list of some of the most TBR-worthy multicultural memoirs. Given that the genre can explore traumatic events and dark themes, readers are encouraged to practice discretion and consult trigger warnings when necessary.

"Whiskey Tender" by Deborah Jackson Taffa marks the first entry on our list, with the 2024 title exploring the conflict between American assimilation and Indigenous identity. Born on California's Yuma reservation and raised in New Mexico's Navajo territory, the author melds her experiences as a mixed-tribe girl in the '70s and '80s with her family's varied history, highlighting the cultural sacrifices of her ancestors and the false promises of assimilation. "I wanted to write a memoir that transcended trauma to show how I survived and came to thrive as an adult," Taffa told PEN America. "I think future generations deserve a funny, tender story of survival."

In addition to being a Finalist for the 2024 National Book Award, "Whiskey Tender" has a 4.13 average star rating on Goodreads, with reviewers highlighting how effectively the author weaves together cultural, familial, and personal storytelling threads for an enlightening read. The exploration of identity and belonging, examined through Taffa's own personal and cultural experiences, also stands out and resonates with many readers. Overall, memoir-loving readers interested in Indigenous culture, family histories, and intersecting identities should pick up this title ASAP.

Next, "Ordinary Girls" by Jaquira Díaz is a multicultural memoir that explores racial and ethnic identities while also landing among nonfiction titles to read for Pride Month. The 2019 release explores the author's childhood and tumultuous adolescence growing up in Puerto Rico before relocating to Miami, Florida. While Díaz must contend with her intersecting identities, being mixed race and queer, and adapt to a new community, her household faces pressures of its own as the family unit fractures and her mother's mental health condition worsens. Though she faces violence, sexual assault, and depression, Díaz's story is ultimately one of triumph as she journeys to become the girl she's aspired to be.

The award-winning memoir, boasting both a Whiting Award and a Florida Book Awards Gold Medal, averages 4.03 stars on Goodreads. As the memoir details very dark and vulnerable topics, reviewers highlight how Díaz combines candid storytelling with lyrical and moving prose. The exploration of girlhood and friendship is another notable aspect, with additional themes ranging from drug abuse and mental health to queerness and race. Given this praise, "Ordinary Girls" is definitely a multicultural memoir to add to your TBR.

Not only is "Beautiful Country" a must-read memoir, but the Qian Julie Wang title also ranks among the best Read With Jenna book club picks of all time. In the 2021 release, Wang recounts her family's experience immigrating from China to New York City in the '90s, leaving behind their well-established lives for an existence of sweatshop labor and poverty. "I wrote 'Beautiful Country' with the hope that readers will experience it as a train ride back into that familiar, joyful, and sometimes terrifying forest of childhood," the author told Penguin Random House. "More than an immigrant narrative or an Asian American story, at bottom, the book is an exploration of what it means to be human, and what it means to make a home."

Nominated for a 2021 Goodreads Choice Award, the memoir maintains a 4.17-star rating on the reading platform. Readers praise Wang for how she reconstructs her childhood memories, noting that the adolescent perspective feels very authentic. Though many of the memoir's events are traumatic and deeply troubling, the narrative is infused with childhood wonder and hopeful developments, merging to create a beautiful and emotional tale. With this in mind, readers interested in childhood-centered stories, immigrant experiences, or Asian American perspectives should keep this much-loved memoir in mind.

While graphic novels aren't everyone's go-to, the medium can lend itself to very compelling memoirs. "Persepolis," a series written by Marjane Satrapi and translated by Anjali Singh, is regarded alongside Art Spiegelman's "Maus" as one of the best memoir comics of all time, with the 2000 publication being a coming-of-age story set against the Iranian Revolution. While the author spends her childhood in Tehran during a period of political upheaval, feeling the distinct impact of Western influence, she's also thrust into an unfamiliar culture when attending high school in Vienna. "For me, there were so many misunderstandings and so many mistakes concerning my country that I wanted to tell the story in a way that people would understand it better," Satrapi told Asia Society.

The award-winning graphic novel, which was adapted to film in 2007, boasts a 4.40-star rating on Goodreads, with the illustrated component being a major appeal for readers. Reviewers note that the memoir provides valuable insight into Middle Eastern politics of the '80s and '90s while also exploring girlhood and family dynamics with a loving touch. Combining a unique perspective with candor and wit, "Persepolis" is a graphic novel that multicultural memoir-readers need to add to their shelf.

Though we've focused on titles from non-Hollywood figures, there are actually well-written celebrity memoirs that double as great multicultural picks. "Born a Crime," written by comedian Trevor Noah, is a great example. Published in 2016, the coming-of-age story chronicles Noah's experience being born to a Black Xhosa mother and White Swiss father during South Africa's apartheid, with his parents' interracial relationship and Noah's resulting birth being a crime. As a result, the author's existence is forced to be kept secret until South Africa is liberated from White rule, and he can finally live his life in the light.

With a 4.49 average rating on Goodreads, the NAACP Image Award-winning memoir is noted as combining the author's signature humor with important topics like colonialism, race, and gender roles. Both Noah's experiences as a mixed-race individual and his relationship with his mother rank as exceptional elements for readers, with the collection of essays being deemed compulsively readable. Several readers also recommend the audio version of "Born a Crime," which is narrated by Noah himself. Whichever way you plan to pick it up, this ranks among multicultural memoirs that deserve a space on your reading list.

Mourid Barghouti's "I Saw Ramallah" rounds out our list of multicultural memoirs, with the 1997 publication being regarded as an important work in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Following the Six-Day War of 1967, Barghouti, a Palestinian poet and writer, spends thirty years displaced from his homeland, struggling to find identity and security across cities and countries. When he finally returns to Ramallah, the city he grew up in is unrecognizable in the aftermath of Israeli occupation, with what he deems an "idea of Palestine" being all that remains.

Barghouti's poetic writing, moving reflections, and touching lamentations are often-praised aspects of "I Saw Ramallah," with the title having a 4.20-star rating on Goodreads. Additionally, reviewers assert that the memoir is both enlightening and engaging, providing a very humanized perspective on a major political conflict. Deftly exploring themes of exile, memory, and loss, this multicultural memoir is a must-read for those interested in Palestinian diaspora, Middle-Eastern history, and the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

To curate this list, we selected memoirs from authors of diverse cultural backgrounds, ranging from the marginalized identities of the U.S., such as Indigenous Americans and immigrants, to people of color from across the world. We excluded titles from WASP (White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant) individuals, including WASP authors traveling or living abroad, and instead focused on the intersection of non-dominant identities.

We identified standout books from the genre using recommendation lists across the web and limited our selections to those with an average Goodreads rating of at least 4 stars. We also favored award-nominated and highly acclaimed titles, aiming to curate a list of memorable, poignant memoirs. Lastly, we used author interviews and online reviews to tailor our recommendations.