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Genres › Autobiography

Walden
Henry David Thoreau
48 days •
ⓘ 1854 • Not just a reference for pithy thinkpieces on smartphones, Thoreau's sojourn by Walden Pond is an early social experiment seeking self-reliance, self-fulfillment, and happiness.
Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Frederick Douglass
16 days •
ⓘ 1845 • One of the most influential pieces of literature in the abolitionist movement, former slave and famous orator Frederick Douglass retells his life as a slave.
The Narrative of Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth
14 days •
ⓘ 1850 • The remarkable story of Sojourner Truth, from her slavery in rural New York to her work as a traveling preacher, social reformer, and counselor of former slaves.
Twelve Years a Slave
Solomon Northup
30 days •
ⓘ 1853 • The narrative of Solomon Northup, a black man born free in New York before the Civil War who was tricked, kidnapped, and sold into slavery in the south.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Benjamin Franklin
24 days •
ⓘ 1791 • Politician, philosopher, printer, scientist, international celebrity, and one of the most colorful of the founding fathers. Franklin tells of his life in his own words.
The Road
Jack London
18 days •
ⓘ 1907 • London's autobiography of his time trying to survive as a hobo in one of the worst economic slumps in U.S. history: from hopping freight trains to joining Kelly's Army.
My Prisons
Silvio Pellico
20 days •
ⓘ 1832 • Italian writer and poet Silvio Pellico recounts his harrowing years of imprisonment after being arrested - and nearly sentenced to death - for his revolutionary actions against Austrian despotism.
Confessions of an English Opium-Eater
Thomas De Quincey
12 days •
ⓘ 1821 • A captivating account of addiction - describing both the pleasures and pains of opium - in which dreams, visions, memory, and pain are all interwoven.
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
89 days •
ⓘ 1885 • An autobiography focusing on Grant's military career during the Mexican-American War and the American Civil War. Published posthumously by Mark Twain.
The Education of Henry Adams
Henry Adams
66 days •
ⓘ 1918 • Born into a family including two past Presidents, Henry Adams recounts his history - and that of the country - through success, failure, and war.
Confessions of St. Augustine
Augustine of Hippo
39 days •
ⓘ 400 • In this theological landmark, Augustine describes his sinful youth and conversion to Christianity, alongside spiritual meditations and insights. One of the first Western autobiographies.
South!
Ernest Shackleton
46 days •
ⓘ 1919 • The story of Shackleton's harrowing 1915 expedition to Antarctica in which 28 men fight to survive after being marooned on an ice flow.
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano
Olaudah Equiano
25 days •
ⓘ 1789 • The unforgettable autobiography of Olaudah Equiano, recounting his enslavement in West Africa, forced voyage to America, and struggle for freedom.
Sea and Sardinia
D.H. Lawrence
25 days •
ⓘ 1921 • Lawrence recounts his trip through Sicily to the interior of Sardinia alongside his wife.
Twenty Years at Hull House
Jane Addams
35 days •
ⓘ 1910 • The memoir of social worker, sociologist, philosopher and reformer Jane Addams focusing on the settlement house she created in Chicago.
Letters Written During a Short Residence in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
Mary Wollstonecraft
17 days •
ⓘ 1796 • A travel memoir and record of Wollstonecraft’s strained relationship with Gilbert Imlay, as well as the last publication of her life.
A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson
Mary Rowlandson
7 days •
ⓘ 1682 • In the midst of King Philip's War in colonial Massachusetts, Native Americans capture Mary Rowlandson. She experiences eleven weeks with them until being released to her family.
The Worst Journey in the World
Apsley Cherry-Garrard
67 days •
ⓘ 1922 • A record of the ill-fated Scott expedition to the South Pole from 1910-1913.
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Harriet Jacobs
29 days •
ⓘ 1861 • Jacobs shares her experiences as a slave, describing the particular horrors of being an enslaved woman, in an appeal to abolish slavery.
Martin Eden
Jack London
45 days •
ⓘ 1909 • The semiautobiographical story of impoverished seaman Martin Eden who dreams of literary fame, pursuing his goals with aggression in a condemnation of individualism.
The Man-Eaters of Tsavo
John Henry Patterson
23 days •
ⓘ 1907 • An account of the two lions who killed and consumed dozens of workers during the construction of a railway in Kenya.
Josephine E. Butler
Josephine E. Butler
30 days •
ⓘ 1909 • Autobiography of Victorian feminist and social reformer Josephine Butler, who fought for women's suffrage, against human trafficking and child prostitution.
My Reminiscences
Rabindranath Tagore
21 days •
ⓘ 1912 • Renowned Bengali poet, composer, and artist Rabindranath Tagore provides brief autobiographical glimpses into his life.
The Story of My Life
Helen Keller
12 days •
ⓘ 1903 • Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing at a young age, recounts her life and in particular her experiences being taught by Anne Sullivan.
Twenty-Two Years a Slave
Austin Steward
26 days •
ⓘ 1857 • An autobiography of Steward's enslavement, escape, and life as a free man before the Civil War.
My Inventions
Nikola Tesla
8 days •
ⓘ 1919 • An autobiography of the famous inventor, engineer, and futurist Nikola Tesla, assembled from a series of articles Tesla wrote for "Electrical Experimenter."
Seven Pillars of Wisdom
T.E. Lawrence
85 days •
ⓘ 1926 • A dramatic memoir from "Lawrence of Arabia" including the Arab Revolt during the First World War.
A Voice from Harper's Ferry
Osborne Perry Anderson
7 days •
ⓘ 1859 • A firsthand account of John Brown's raid on Harpers Ferry - a turning point in the fight against slavery - by the only surviving black combatant.
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