Goodreads' Top 15 Most Read Biographies & Memoirs Of 2026 (So Far)

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Biographies and memoirs have a unique ability to give insight into a person's soul, bringing us closer to them in a way sometimes only heartfelt words can. 2026 has been a major year for heavy-hitting nonfiction releases, as deeply touching and reflective books like "A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides" by Gisèle Pelicot and "You With the Sad Eyes" by Christina Applegate hit shelves. Both have proven hugely popular with readers, sitting alongside several other poignant biographies and memoirs that have remained bestsellers for years.

To find out which other real-life stories also have readers gripped in 2026, we picked out the biographies and memoirs on Goodreads' Readers' Most Read Books of the Reading Challenge (So Far) list. We then ranked them according to their user-given rating out of 5.0 at the time of writing. Based on we found, it's clear that tales of survival, strength, and grief remain as significant as ever.

In "A Marriage at Sea: A True Story of Love, Obsession, and Shipwreck,"  journalist Sophie Elmhirst tells Maurice and Maralyn's real 1970s love story. The unlikely couple take on a crazy challenge; sailing away together on a homemade boat. But tragedy strikes when they're shipwrecked halfway through their journey from England to New Zealand. All they have between them is a raft — and their love. The biography, which also dives into Maurice and Maralyn's lives beyond their romance, was nominated for the 2025 Goodreads Awards in the Readers' Favorite History and Biography category. At the time of writing, it has a 3.79 average score on Goodreads from more than 80,100 ratings.

"Elmhirst gets it right with the skillful narrative, excellent and confident lyrical prose, and pacing that never falters," one Goodreads reviewer stated. A second gushed, "This story touches on love, faith, endurance, courage and loss. This story elicited such a range of emotions in me, and left me thinking about the strength of love and one's courage in the face of hardship. An incredible read."

Journalist Dolly Alderton tells her own story in "Everything I Know About Love," which has a 3.92 Goodreads rating from more than 72,200 ratings at the time of writing. In her own, often humorous, words, Alderton takes readers through the ups and downs of coming of age in the 2010s, recounting her experiences of rollercoaster love, friendship, and building a career. She also peppers her personal and honest memoir with the likes of lists and recipes that have helped her along the way.

"It's a memoir rich with wisdom, fun storytelling and gorgeous, raw, stirring writing. [I'm] so thankful for dolly's vulnerability in publishing this masterpiece, and I'll never forget it and all it taught me," wrote one Goodreads user. A second praised the way Alderton told her story out of chronological order to mirror the confusion and chaos in her life.

"Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage" tells author Belle Burden's story. At the time of writing, it has a 4.05 average Goodreads score from over 375,400 ratings and dives into Burden's life. It focuses on the event 2020 — the year of the pandemic and the end of her marriage. This memoir looks back at Burden's relationship with her now ex-husband and how she dealt with one of the most difficult times in her life.

One Goodreads reviewer admired Burden's honesty, writing, "How incredibly brave of Belle to share such intimate parts of herself in this way, and to encourage her daughters and other women to look out for themselves, protect their independence, and stay aware of the warning signs." Another, who enjoyed the memoir as an audiobook read by the author, wrote, "I found 'Strangers' to be an inspiring, poignant, and captivating memoir." It's also a memoir actor Emmy Rossum thinks everyone should read, so you'll be in great company picking up a physical copy or downloading it to your e-reader.

Actor Christina Applegate (who has transformed from sitcom star to MS advocate) has been very open about her chronic health struggles, and she gets particularly candid in "You With the Sad Eyes." The "Dead to Me" actor also takes readers on a journey through her life, from her days as a child actor to her career defining role on "Married... with Children." She also delves into her struggles with body image issues. The book has been rated on Goodreads over 55,600 times at the time of writing and has an average score of 4.12.

In one five-star review, a Goodreads user shared, "This book will stay with me forever. To write with such raw honesty when you're dealing with chronic incurable illness is a gift." A second five-star review read, "Her storytelling is raw, honest, and surprisingly funny in places you wouldn't expect."

"Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism" by Sarah Wynn-Williams narrowly missed out on our top 10, but still has an impressive 4.12 Goodreads rating at the time of writing from over 161,800 ratings. This memoir details Wynn-Williams' time working for Facebook/Meta and the shocking truths she learned during her seven years with the social media giant. It was nominated for Readers' Favorite Memoir at the 2025 Goodreads Choice Awards.

"This was SO interesting and informative," wrote one Goodreads user. A second praised Wynn-Williams' writing skills and brutal honesty, even in the face of legal action from Facebook/Meta. A third reviewer wrote, "This is a compelling, horrifying, enraging story from someone who had a front/row seat to some of the worst things one of our most powerful companies has done. Sarah Wynn Williams is an excellent storyteller, clear-eyed, insightful, and incisive."

"The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women" is Kate Moore's deeply inspiring biography about the many working women exposed to radium around the 1910s. Despite getting seriously ill, the group fought tirelessly to ensure companies took responsibility for harming so many people, while fighting for more intense regulations and worker's rights. The book earned the Goodreads Choice Award for History and Biography in 2017 and has a high 4.15 average score at the time of writing from over 200,200 ratings.

In a five-star review, one reader stated, "What makes 'The Radium Girls' so fascinating is that Moore brings these girls to life with her meticulously-researched details. She shows that they aren't just tragic figures but also deeply sympathetic souls." A second shared how deeply absorbed in the women's stories they became thanks to Moore's in-depth writing. "What a wonderfully informative, sad, hopeful and interesting book. I learned a lot," they said.

Lena Dunham is the notorious star and creator of the show "Girls" and has also made a name for herself as an outspoken activist. Her memoir, "Famesick," details not only her rise to fame, but offers insight into her decades-long health issues. Dunham's story is told in three acts and also includes impactful stories about the dark sides of worldwide recognition and how she dealt with the unexpected success of "Girls." The book has been rated more than 121,600 times on Goodreads at the time of writing and boasts an average score of 4.16.

"It's so beautifully written, vulnerable, self aware, obviously very funny and gives so much nuance to a person that has their entire life been considered to be too much," read one five-star Goodreads review. A second recommended the audiobook, which is read by Dunham, while another highlighted how many shocking yet honest moments the book contained.

Those with an interest in World War II history will find Christine Kuehn's "Family of Spies" particularly fascinating. The historical biography shines a light on Kuehn's ancestors, who acted as spies for Japan and Nazi Germany. Kuehn also ties her family's story with insightful historical facts about the many spies of the time, who played an integral part in how the war played out. The historical biography has been rated over 19,800 times on Goodreads and has a 4.20 score at the time of writing.

One Goodreads user commended Kuehn for her meticulous research and wrote, "This is a jaw-dropping and astounding debut." They added, "The details may be shocking or unsettling for some readers, but I thought that overall, this story was exceptionally well written and well edited." In another review, a second reader stated, "This is a true page turner that will shock, enlighten and educate the reader about long held secrets."

"Crying in H Mart" by Michelle Zauner of the band Japanese Breakfast was the 2021 Goodreads Choice Award winner for Readers' Favorite Memoir and Autobiography. With a high average score of 4.22 from more than 654,200 ratings at the time of writing, readers clearly love Zauner's stunning retelling of growing up in the U.S. as an Asian-American. The musician takes readers through her days visiting her grandmother in Korea, to her time in college, to her efforts to break into the music industry. She also provides a behind-the-scenes look at her love life and the effect her mom's devastating cancer diagnosis, and subsequent death, had on her.

One reader highlighted how much this celebrity memoir, which makes a great book club pick, tells the story of Zauner's relationship with her late mom. "This intense, emotional, thought provoking memoir reflects the complex nature of mother and daughter relationship with representing Korean culture, traditions, rituals, hierarchical patterns," they said. "The author wrote it so brilliantly that you will feel that you are also a member of their family and feel all the emotions along with Michelle and her mother," wrote a second.

"The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom" is a touching and at times distressing memoir from Shari Franke. Shari is the eldest daughter of six children and a member of the 8 Passengers YouTube family, who shared their lives in vlogs and once boasted millions of followers. Behind the screen though, Shari and her siblings were abused by their mother, Ruby Franke. Shari's vulnerable retelling of her harrowing experiences earned the book a Goodreads Choice Award in 2025 for Readers' Favorite Memoir. The honest non-fiction story has been rated over 229,500 times on Goodreads and has a 4.25 average score at the time of writing.

One reader praised Shari for bravely telling her story while still allowing her siblings anonymity. A second echoed that, sharing, "This book had an opportunity to be something that stirred the pot more, but Shari humbly shared her experiences without needing to add new, shocking facts." Another wrote, "Shari does not hold back and you can feel in the writing that she is twisted between the horror and disgust of what she and her siblings have been through, and the dutiful feeling that she should love Ruby because she is her Mother."

Jennette McCurdy was a child star who appeared on the tween hit "iCarly." But there's nothing PG about her 2025 memoir, "I'm Glad My Mom Died." One of the best memoirs from a former child star has a huge 1.6 million Goodreads ratings at the time of writing and a 4.42 average score. It also won a Goodreads Choice Award in 2022 for Readers' Favorite Memoir and Autobiography. In the extremely candid re-telling of her life, which includes plenty of candor and dark humor, McCurdy delves into her childhood troubles, predominantly her complicated relationship with her mother.

"I really appreciated Jeannette's writing style in this book. She's very cut and dry and to the point. No flowery language or metaphors. That writing style made it feel really raw, transparent, and honest. And it very much feels like Jeannette's voice," wrote one impressed reviewer wrote of the book Goodreads users crowned one of the best new releases of 2026 (so far). Another recommended listening to the poignant memoir as an audiobook (which is read by McCurdy), while a third shared, "I think she tackled very difficult topics with ease and I really appreciated the raw honesty of her words."

The 2018 memoir "Educated" by Tara Westover has more than 1.99 million Goodreads ratings at the time of writing (the most of any book on our rundown) and a 4.46 average score. Westover recalls her experience growing up cut off from the outside world. Following her tough childhood, in which she wasn't encouraged to learn via traditional methods, Westover went against her family's wishes and attended traditional school for the first time as a teenager. This empowering and unique autobiography won Readers' Favorite Memoir and Autobiography at the 2018 Goodreads Choice Awards.

"This is an amazing book. It makes you realize how easy your life is. And how strong folks like Tara are to be able to rise above their beginnings and be able to fight back against the attempts of family to hold them down," wrote one Goodreads user, who praised Westover's frank and honest words. "There's really no words to describe it, but I'd start with moving, inspiring, shocking and un-put-downable," said a second.

"Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice" by Virginia Roberts Giuffre made headlines across the world. The 2025 Goodreads Choice Award nominee for Readers' Favorite Memoir shines the spotlight on the late Giuffre's difficult experience surviving human trafficking and other forms of abuse. The book also covers the allegation of sexual misconduct she made against Andrew Mountbatten Windsor (the former Prince Andrew), which he has denied, and her connection to the disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. The gripping and raw memoir has a 4.49 score and over 134,600 ratings on Goodreads at the time of writing.

"'Nobody's Girl' is the most painful and devastating memoir that I've ever read," said one Goodreads reviewer, who pointed out Giuffre's words can enable the reader to better understand and support victims of sexual abuse. "This book broke my heart and will stay with me forever. She was so brave, such a candid storyteller, and she was stronger than she gave herself credit for," another wrote. "Nobody's Girl" is also one of Goodreads' top 15 reader recommended audiobooks of 2026 (so far).

Patrick Radden Keefe looks at the Sackler family, one of the richest dynasties in the world, in "Empire of Pain: The Secret History of the Sackler Dynasty." In the Goodreads Choice Awards winner for Readers' Favorite History and Biography in 2021, Keefe examines how the uber wealthy family's production and marketing of the painkiller OxyContin brought them so much money and immense power. It has a strong 4.53 score on Goodreads and over 154,900 ratings at the time of writing.

"'Empire of Pain' is a staggering, whipping, relentlessly infuriating book that swallows you whole as soon as you step inside," one five-star review read, praising Keefe's research skills. "This is A+ reporting and storytelling. The story of the Sackler family is expertly laid out for the reader," another wrote. "Riveting and sickening. Investigative journalism at its best," they concluded.

The deeply disturbing abuse Gisèle Pelicot suffered at the hands of her now ex-husband and the multiple men he invited to abuse her shocked the world. Pelicot tells her harrowing story in "A Hymn to Life: Shame Has to Change Sides," but goes beyond simply retelling the repulsive actions of her former husband. Instead, in one of Goodreads' most popular books of 2026 (so far), Pelicot also discusses her childhood and shares a defiant statement about shifting shame from victims onto the accused. The candid book has more than 44,900 ratings and a high 4.65 average Goodreads score at the time of writing.

Released in February 2026, Pelicot's book has a seriously impressive 70% five-star ratings on Goodreads. One five-star review read, "This is so deeply personal and Gisèle Pelicot excels at making her readers understand how torn she was and is." A second reader poignantly wrote in their review, "This is entirely compelling. It is gripping in the most horrifying and fundamental way. Once begun, it is nearly impossible to put down. You are not consuming a story; you are bearing witness." They added, "'A Hymn to Life' is devastating."

If you or someone you know is dealing with domestic abuse, you can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1−800−799−7233. You can also find more information, resources, and support at their website.

To curate this list, we analyzed the biographies and memoirs on Goodreads list of Readers' Most Read Books of the Reading Challenge (So Far) as of October 2026. The books did not have to be published in 2026, however, they needed to be popular with readers in this calendar year. We ordered our ranking according to each book's user-given average score out of 5.0 at the time of writing. We also consulted reader reviews to help determine where to rank certain titles with similar ratings. To be eligible, the biography and/or memoir had to be listed amongst the book's genre on Goodreads. If you're looking for a more comprehensive roundup of all the books avid readers have been picking up and downloading in 2026, check out our ranking of Goodreads' top 15 most read books of 2026 (so far).