The Best Memoirs for Moms (To Add to Your TBR List!)

Though you may recognize her face from news headlines, Gisèle Pelicot’s memoir takes a different approach to the assault investigation that changed her life. Step by step, she recounts the final decade of her marriage, the hidden abuse that turned her world inside out, and how she eventually became a global figure for sexual assault victims everywhere.

In March 2020, Belle Burden was like any other happily married woman in the United States: navigating the early days of the pandemic with her family by her side. Then—practically overnight—her husband became someone she didn’t recognize, exiting her life swiftly and leaving Belle heartbroken and lost. In Strangers, she revisits her marriage, searching for clues that her husband wasn’t who she thought he was. With the turn of each page, she charts a path for women drowning in their heartbreak to find their way back to themselves.

Christinia Applegate grew up on sets and in the spotlight, but You With the Sad Eyes will take her readers a step further—into all the moments, good and bad, that the camera didn’t catch.

Releases March 3, 2026

Brandy was the teenage “it girl” with a platinum album at 15, her own TV series Moesha, and the first onscreen Black Cinderella. But inside,  she was struggling. In her memoir millennials will love, Brandy crafts a moving narrative about what it takes to face your past head-on.

Releases March 31, 2026

A peek behind the curtain of the remarkable creator of Girls and the bestselling author of Not That Kind of Girl, Lena Dunham immerses her readers in a journey that questions the cost of creative ambition.

Releases April 14, 2026

Comedian Taylor Wolfe (AKA @thedailytay on social) takes her readers on a journey that is all too familiar: the classic ups and downs of motherhood, and what it takes to carry ourselves through even the busiest (and most turbulent) seasons of our lives.

Releases April 28, 2026

Like so many women, Sarah Hoover had an outline for her life: college, husband, and baby. But when she looked her son in the eyes, she didn’t feel any of that life-altering joy she’d always been told about. Thus begins a recount of the realities of postpartum depression and motherhood, told with a candid honesty that Hoover pulls off effortlessly. Plus, a TV series adaptation of The Motherload is currently in development.

Rachel Cusk’s memoir divided readers after it was published in 2001. Some called her a terrible mother, while others defended her—including Oprah, who invited her on her show. A Life’s Work holds such power over readers because it’s honest and fresh, giving its audience a realistic education in breastfeeding, toddler groups, and what it means to survive, one day at a time.

Maya Angelou’s extraordinary life has been documented in multiple books, but now, she tells the most deeply personal story of them all: her relationship with her mother. Her memoir spans years of hurt, pain, abandonment, and an eventual reconnection imbued by a newfound sense of love and respect for her mother.

A page-turning chronicle of family love and heartbreak, Tina Knowles’ journey from a young girl in Galveston to the powerful public figure we know and love is one of unconditional love and female empowerment. Most of all, it’s a family saga driven forward by the multigenerational wisdom of mothers and daughters.

All Lucy Knisley ever wanted was kids, yet when she finally tried for them, all that followed was miscarriages, fertility issues, and a pregnancy weighed down by health complications. This hilarious and informative memoir chronicles her journey from the first pregnancy test to the birth of her child. It will especially resonate with any moms out there who struggled with getting pregnant.

Kelly Coorigan’s mother always told her that—in their family—she was the glue and her father was the glitter. Kelly, however, didn’t care about mothers and fathers. She just wanted to grow up and travel. Soon, she finds herself broke in Australia. When she takes a nannying job out of desperation, she has to take care of young kids in a foreign country while her mother’s voice is always in her ear. Now, she will reconsider everything she thought she knew about the woman who raised her.

As the world’s youngest female head of government, Jacinda Ardern was forced to juggle a climate crisis, a global pandemic, and a volcanic eruption all while caring for her home country of New Zealand. Yet, she handled it with empathy and compassion—and the world took notice. But what was going on behind the scenes? Her stunning memoir takes readers inside her home life, where a young leader balanced a people who were relying on her with the aches and pains of first time motherhood.

From the legendary author of The God of Small Things and The Ministry of Utmost Happiness comes a moving memoir centered on the unstable relationship Roy shares with her mother, the woman who shaped her as a person and a writer. With the passion and political clarity of her novels, you won’t be able to put this one down.

When Genevieve (Gwen) Kingston’s mother passed, she left behind a gaping hole in her daughter’s heart—as well as a chest of letters and gifts, designated for all the birthdays and milestones her mother would miss. Did I Ever Tell You? opens with just three packages left: engagement, marriage, and first baby. Thus begins a tale of grief, strength, and the unconditional love of a mother.

Sure to resonate with mothers spread thin by the demands of their family, Everyone But Myself tells the story of an elementary school librarian and mother of two boys who grapples with a mental health crisis she never saw coming. With the turn of each page, readers will discover how Chavez found her way back to herself—and how they can, too.

This moving story is a testament to Spear’s strength and resilience throughout her career. Though heartbreaking, The Woman in Me is a page-turner and a good audiobook listen—it’s read by award-winning actress Michelle Williams.

Whether for her music or fashion, Jessica Simpson became one of the most talked about women in the world. In her memoir, she uses the journals she’s kept since she was a teenager to share her inner monologue and most intimate struggles.

This heartbreaking story is hard to read at times, and chronicles the childhood and young adulthood of iCarly star Jennette McCurdy, particularly the lengths to which her mother would go to keep her daughter in the spotlight. McCurdy shares how she worked through years of eating disorders, anxiety, and shame to finally come out stronger on the other side.

From the Emmy award winning actress who is a household name comes a series of essays that reveal all: her nerdy, youthful days, her one-sided college romances, and—most of all—a familiar truth: You’re no one until someone calls you bossy.

From the beloved star of Gilmore Girls comes an honest tale of the ups and downs of one’s life and career. Graham shares about her days crashing on her aunt’s couch during pilot season and waitressing in New York City, weaving each story together with her down-to-earth and relatable voice.

In this hilarious memoir, the Saturday Night Live head writer will take you behind the scenes of a touring stand up comedian, from performing in rural college cafeterias to opening for Dave Chappelle at Radio City Music Hall. Through each accomplishment (and setback), you’ll learn what shaped the voice of some of the funniest skits on television.

From the beloved Academy Award winning actor comes a tale of unflinching honesty, unconventional wisdom, and how to live life with greater satisfaction. Most of all, McConaughey shows his audience how to catch more greenlights—and to realize that reds and yellows eventually turn green, too.

Get a glimpse inside the world of the now late Friends star Matthew Perry. From his move to Los Angeles in childhood to his times as a teenage tennis star, Perry weaves a tale of ambition and struggle, eventually leading us to the day he got his dream role.

An Oprah’s Book Club Pick, award-winning actress Viola Davis tells the story of how she went from a crumbling apartment in Central Falls, Rhode Island to New York City and beyond. Her story is deeply reflective and uplifting, showing readers how to find one’s voice against all odds.

In this hilarious memoir, the creator of The Mindy Project and Never Have I Ever—and a key writer and producer of The Office—takes you on a tour of her unconventional rise to fame, as well as offers her best advice on romance, friendship, and Hollywood. With several convenient breaks for errand runs, this is one you won’t be able to put down. If you love Kaling’s work, you’ll want to grab her other book of personal essays, Why Not Me?

In You Got Anything Stronger? actress Gabrielle Union is at her most vulnerable, weaving together stories of her surrogacy journey, rapidly expanding career, and all the other challenges she faced as a Black mother, actress, and woman fighting against racist institutions within the entertainment industry and out. It is beautifully honest, sure to make women and mothers everywhere feel seen and heard.

One of the most acclaimed books of our time, Educated is the story of a young girl who left her survivalist family to obtain an education. Her journey takes her across states and oceans to Harvard and Cambridge University. Soon, she’ll go so far she’ll wonder if there is ever a way back home.

In this tale of family, food, and grief, Michelle Zauner proves herself to be much more than just a singer-songwriter. Her memoir spans years, from early days as one of the few Asian American kids in her town to college days performing small gigs with her band. When her mother is diagnosed with terminal cancer, Michelle is brought back to her Koreanness in full, relishing in the gifts of language and food her mother left her.

A searing portrait of the viciousness of grief and loss, Didion chronicles the Christmas of 2003, when her daughter fell ill with septic shock and her husband passed from a heart attack. Her survival will be an inspiration to anyone who has ever lost someone and a testament to the resilience of women and mothers.

Their father was inspirational when sober, and destructive when drunk. Their mother never wanted to raise a family at all. The Walls children, then, were left to raise themselves. Soon, they found their way to New York, darkened by the shadow of their parents, who chose to be homeless even as their children prospered. The Glass Castle chronicles the strength and resilience of the Walls Children, despite being weighed down by a deeply dysfunctional family.

She was known as Emily Doe to the world when her letter shocked millions—a victim impact statement addressed to the man who sexually assaulted her, and went instantly viral. Her memoir examines her story from a different angle. In Know My Name, she reclaims her identity and tells a story of trauma, power, and the strength one can find within their own words. One page at a time, she challenges a system that is set up to protect perpetrators.

This intimate, powerful, and bestselling memoir invites readers into the world of former First Lady Michelle Obama, from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her days raising two daughters in the White House. Each story is achingly honest and moving, laying out every triumph and disappointment for the reader to see.