There's something uniquely captivating about stepping into someone else's shoes, isn't there? Whether it's the raw, unfiltered honesty of a memoir or the meticulously researched insights of a biography, these books offer us a window into lives lived, challenges overcome, and wisdom gained. Here at Booxies, we believe there's no better way to expand your horizons and spark meaningful conversations than by diving into the powerful narratives of real people. So, if you're ready to be inspired, enlightened, and perhaps even transformed, join us as we reveal our top picks for the best memoirs and biographies to add to your reading list this year!

Best Biographies and Memoirs This Year (so far)

Careless People: A Story of Where I Used to Work by Sarah Wynn-Williams

Shocking and darkly funny, Careless People gives you a front-row seat to the decisions that are shaping our world and the people who make them. Welcome to Facebook.

Sarah Wynn-Williams, a young diplomat from New Zealand, pitched for her dream job. She saw Facebook's potential and knew it could change the world for the better. But, when she got there and rose to its top ranks, things turned out a little different.

From wild schemes cooked up on private jets to risking prison abroad, Careless People exposes both the personal and political fallout when boundless power and a rotten culture take hold. In a gripping and often absurd narrative, Wynn-Williams rubs shoulders with Mark Zuckerberg, Sheryl Sandberg and world leaders, revealing what really goes on among the global elite - and the consequences this has for all of us.

Candid and entertaining, this is an intimate memoir set amid powerful forces. As all our lives are upended by technology and those who control it, Careless People will change how you see the world.

Find Me at The Jaffa Gate by Micaela Sahhar

What does the daughter of a Nakba survivor inherit? It is not property or tangible heirlooms, nor the streets and neighbourhoods of a father’s childhood and the deep roots of family who have lived in one place, Jerusalem, for generation upon generation.

Fixing her gaze on moments, places and objects – from the streets of Bethlehem to the Palestinian neighbourhoods of the New Jerusalem – Micaela Sahhar assembles a story of Palestinian diaspora. Find Me at the Jaffa Gate is a book about the gaps and blank spaces that cannot be easily recounted, but which insists on the vibrant reality of chance, fragments and memory to reclaim a place called home.

‘Micaela Sahhar’s Find Me at the Jaffa Gate is one of the most inventive, thought-provoking and captivating chronicles of Palestinian diasporic life I’ve had the pleasure of reading. It is a memoir written by a poet, poetry written by a novelist, literature written by an academic – it is all these things at once, insisting with a gentle yet unwavering confidence in the power of its unique, brilliantly evocative and genre-defying voice. Sahhar’s love for her family, homeland, the details and intimacies of everyday life; for language, history, archives, photographs and the treasured ephemera of a life in diaspora, shine through every line. The result is a book in which every word is deliberate, each line commands attention, each chapter is a world within a world.’ – Randa Abdel-Fattah, academic and writer, author of 11 Words for Love 

Always Home, Always Homesick by Hannah Kent

In a land of ethereal beauty, within a culture soaked in myth, a young woman discovers the story that will change her life.

In 2003, seventeen-year-old Australian exchange student Hannah Kent arrives at Keflavík Airport in the middle of the Icelandic winter.

That night she sleeps off her jet lag and bewilderment in the National Archives of Iceland, unaware that, years later, she will return to the same building to write Burial Rites, the haunting story of Agnes Magnúsdóttir, the last woman executed in Iceland. The novel will go on to launch the author's stellar literary career and capture the hearts of readers across the globe.

Always Home, Always Homesick is Hannah Kent's exquisite love letter to a land that has forged a nation of storytellers, her ode to the transcendent power of creativity, and her invitation to us all to join her in the realms of mystery, spirit and wonder.

The Bank Robber's Boy by Peter Norris

This is the against-all-odds story of Peter Norris, the son of one of Australia’s most wanted criminals, and his struggle to escape his father’s shadow.

Born into a life of crime, Peter’s earliest memories are shaped by the chaos of his father’s criminal exploits. Torn from home to home and running from heist to heist, his childhood was marked by violence, betrayal, and upheaval.

In this compelling memoir, Peter exposes the truth of his turbulent upbringing. As the youngest son of Clarence “Clarry” Norris, a notorious fugitive, Peter recounts the powerful love and loyalty that bound him to his father, creating a profound inner struggle between the allure of the underworld and the desire for normalcy.

Faced with a heart-wrenching decision at just 12 years old, Peter had to choose between following his father's criminal path or seizing a lifeline. The memoir moves from the underbelly of 1970s Sydney to the outskirts of Melbourne, highlighting a troubling chapter in Australian history when Peter and other innocent children were sent to abusive institutions.

Ultimately, Peter rises from the ruins of his troubled past, embarking on a remarkable journey of self-discovery and growth. He defies the odds to become a successful CEO, world-class athlete, and motivational speaker.

The Bank Robber’s Boy is the unfiltered account of innocence on the edge of law and one young boy’s unyielding determination to overcome his past.

Frog by Sally Gould

'Frog', a term of endearment for intensive care paramedics, derives from the notion that everything they touch croaks. Sally Gould delivers a gripping and heartfelt memoir that dives into the unpredictable, often absurd, and sometimes heartbreaking reality of life as a paramedic.

Life as a paramedic, writes Sally Gould in this candid, witty memoir, can be traumatic, gross, dull, hilarious, magical. To make the cut, you need to be able to think outside the square, keep calm in the midst of chaos, be in possession of a strong stomach, and simply brush it off when patients die. That’s on top of having a profound understanding of the human body, plus the skills to counter its failings. It also helps to have a highly developed and oftentimes dark sense of humour.

But behind the sirens and the life-or-death scenes, and the absurdity of non-urgent callouts, a paramedic’s career is very different to how most people imagine it. Based on years of meticulously kept journals, Frog is an intimate look at the human cost of the job and the cumulative effect of trauma. Sally shares a personal story that is searingly honest and truly inspiring, one which offers a heartfelt tribute to the resilience, courage and camaraderie that define the high-stakes world of emergency medicine.

We absolutely love a good memoir or a bio, visit this link for a full list of our memoir/biography collection.

As we close the covers on this exploration of incredible memoirs and biographies, we hope you've found a new story to lose yourself in, or perhaps even been inspired to explore our Build Your Own Booxies option on our website.  Because here at Booxies, we believe in the power of a good book – not just to entertain, but to connect, to enlighten, and to offer a unique glimpse into the human experience. Whether you're seeking a profound personal journey or a deep dive into the life of a historical figure, we're passionate about helping you discover that perfect read, perhaps even paired with some delightful Australian treats. So, happy reading, and we look forward to helping you curate your next literary adventure,