Recommendations based on The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiographyby Sidney Poitier

* statistically, based on millions of data-points provided by fellow humans

  1. The Color of Water: A Black Man's Tribute to His White Mother

    by James McBride
    A memoir of a black man's journey to understand his white mother's past and how it shaped his own identity.

    Touches readers of all colors as a vivid portrait of growing up, a haunting meditation on race and identity, and a lyrical valentine to a mother from her son. Who is Ruth McBride Jordan? A ... (Goodreads)

  2. Lucky Man

    by Michael J. Fox
    Michael J. Fox's memoir about his life, career, and battle with Parkinson's disease.

    In September 1998, Michael J. Fox stunned the world by announcing he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease – a degenerative neurological condition. In fact, he had been secretly fighting it for ... (Goodreads)

  3. All Over But the Shoutin'

    by Rick Bragg
    Memoir of a young man's journey from poverty to achieving the American Dream.

    The extraordinary gifts for evocation and insight and the stunning talent for storytelling that earned Rick Bragg a Pulitzer Prize for feature writing in 1996 are here brought to bear on the ... (Goodreads)

  4. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

    by Maya Angelou
    Autobiographical account of a Black woman's journey to find her identity in a prejudiced society.

    Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide. Her life story is told in the documentary film And Still I Rise, as seen on PBS’s American Masters. Here is a book as ... (Goodreads)

  5. The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio: How My Mother Raised 10 Kids on 25 Words or Less

    by Terry Ryan
    A mother's determination to keep her family afloat through creative writing competitions.

    The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio is based on the true story of housewife Evelyn Ryan, who helped support her husband, Kelly, and their 10 children by winning jingle-writing contests. Kelly failed ... (Wikipedia)

  6. The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream

    by Barack Obama
    A political memoir that explores Obama's vision for America and his hopes for the future of the country.

    The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama's call for a new kind of politics—a politics that builds upon those shared understandings that pull us together as Americans. Lucid in his vision of America's ... (Goodreads)

  7. Always Looking Up: The Adventures of an Incurable Optimist

    by Michael J. Fox
    Michael J. Fox's memoir about his life with Parkinson's disease and how he maintains a positive outlook despite the challenges.

    There are many words to describe Michael J. Fox: Actor. Husband. Father. Activist. But readers of Always Looking Up will soon add another to the list: Optimist. Michael writes about the hard-won ... (Goodreads)

  8. Succulent Wild Woman

    by S.A.R.K.
    An invitation to reclaim the wild nature of being female.

    This book is my glowing invitation to you—to live a rich, succulent life! I explore love, sexuality, romance, money, fat, fear and creativity. It's a little bit like reading my diary – with ... (Goodreads)

  9. Official Book Club Selection: A Memoir According to Kathy Griffin

    by Kathy Griffin
    Comedian Kathy Griffin recounts life stories and anecdotes from her career.

    Official Book Club Selection is Kathy Griffin unplugged, uncensored, and unafraid to dish about what really happens on the road, away from the cameras, and at the star party after the show. (It's ... (Goodreads)

  10. The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love that Lasts

    by Gary Chapman
    Understanding individual love language to strengthen relationships and build lasting love.

    Over 12 million copies sold! ,, A, New York Times, bestseller for 10 years running., Falling in love is easy. Staying in love—that’s the challenge. How can you keep your relationship fresh and ... (Barnes & Noble)

  11. Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done

    by Larry Bossidy
    A guide to effective execution of business strategies, emphasizing on leadership, people, and processes.

    "Execution, may very well be the best business book of the year, and one of the most useful to have come around in a long time. This smart and pithy book focuses on a simple though vexing challenge: ... (Goodreads)

  12. Awakenings

    by Oliver Sacks
    Exploring the effects of a mysterious sleeping sickness, the power of hope and human resilience.

    Awakenings is a 1973 non-fiction book by Oliver Sacks. It recounts the life histories of those who had been victims of the 1920s encephalitis lethargica epidemic. Sacks chronicles his efforts in the ... (Goodreads)

  13. A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose

    by Eckhart Tolle
    A spiritual guide to finding peace and purpose in life, by transcending the ego.

    The highly anticipated follow-up to the 2,000,000 copy bestselling inspirational book, "The Power of Now" With his bestselling spiritual guide "The Power of Now," Eckhart Tolle inspired millions of ... (Goodreads)

  14. Why Men Love Bitches

    by Sherry Argov
    Guide to understanding male behavior and building healthy relationships.

    From Doormat to Dreamgirl—A Woman's Guide to Holding Her Own in a Relationship Do you feel like you are too nice? Sherry Argov's Why Men Love Bitches delivers a unique perspective as to why men are ... (Goodreads)

  15. Committed: A Skeptic Makes Peace with Marriage

    by Elizabeth Gilbert
    A candid exploration of marriage, examining its ups and downs with a humorous and skeptical eye.

    At the end of her bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love , Elizabeth Gilbert fell in love with Felipe, a Brazilian-born man of Australian citizenship who'd been living in Indonesia when they met. ... (Goodreads)

  16. Lies My Teacher Told Me: Everything Your American History Textbook Got Wrong

    by James W. Loewen
    Exposing the inaccuracies in American history textbooks and exploring the forces that shaped them.

    “Every teacher, every student of history, every citizen should read this book. It is both a refreshing antidote to what has passed for history in our educational system and a one-volume education in ... (Barnes & Noble)

  17. The Seat of the Soul

    by Gary Zukav
    Exploring how we can access deeper levels of understanding, transforming our lives through spiritual guidance.

    Argues that humans are evolving from a species that seeks power based on the perception of the senses to one seeking power based on spiritual values. ... (Goodreads)

  18. The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo

    by Tom Reiss
    Epic biography of the original Count of Monte Cristo, a forgotten black hero of the French Revolution.

    Here is the remarkable true story of the real Count of Monte Cristo – a stunning feat of historical sleuthing that brings to life the forgotten hero who inspired such classics as The Count of Monte ... (Goodreads)

  19. The Autobiography of Martin Luther King, Jr.

    by Martin Luther King Jr.
    A vivid account of MLK Jr.'s life, detailing his experiences in the civil rights movement.

    This definitive box set includes all the landmark speeches of the great orator and American leader Martin Luther King, Jr., from his inspirational "I Have a Dream" to his firey "Give Us the Ballot." ... (Goodreads)

  20. A Girl Named Zippy

    by Haven Kimmel
    A charming account of growing up in rural Indiana, exploring the joys and hardships of life.

    When Haven Kimmel was born in 1965 in Mooreland, Indiana, it was a sleepy little hamlet of three hundred people. Nicknamed "Zippy" for the way she would bolt around the house, this small girl was ... (Goodreads)

  21. Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking

    by Susan Cain
    An exploration of the power of introversion, examining the implications of modern society's emphasis on extroversion.

    The book that started the Quiet Revolution, At least one-third of the people we know are introverts. They are the ones who prefer listening to speaking; who innovate and create but dislike ... (Goodreads)

  22. The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss, and Long-term Health

    by T. Colin Campbell
    A comprehensive study on the relationship between nutrition and health, revealing the benefits of a plant-based diet.

    Even today, as trendy diets and a weight-loss frenzy sweep the nation, two-thirds of adults are still obese and children are being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, typically an “adult” disease, at an ... (Goodreads)

  23. The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success: A Practical Guide to the Fulfillment of Your Dreams

    by Deepak Chopra
    A concise guide to achieving success and fulfillment through spiritual principles and practices.

    This is a book you will cherish for a lifetime, for within its pages are the secrets to making all your dreams come true. Based on natural laws that govern all of creation, this book shatters the ... (Barnes & Noble)

  24. Let's Explore Diabetes with Owls

    by David Sedaris
    A collection of humorous essays and stories, exploring the absurdities of everyday life through the lens of the author's unique perspective.

    A guy walks into a bar car and... From here the story could take many turns. When this guy is David Sedaris, the possibilities are endless, but the result is always the same: he will both delight you ... (Goodreads)

  25. We Were Eight Years in Power: An American Tragedy

    by Ta-Nehisi Coates
    An exploration of the Obama years, and the racial injustices that still plague America.

    "We were eight years in power" was the lament of Reconstruction-era black politicians as the American experiment in multiracial democracy ended with the return of white supremacist rule in the South. ... (Goodreads)

  26. Born Standing Up: A Comic's Life

    by Steve Martin
    A memoir of the comedian's rise to fame, from the early days of stand-up comedy to the heights of success.

    In the midseventies, Steve Martin exploded onto the comedy scene. By 1978 he was the biggest concert draw in the history of stand-up. In 1981 he quit forever. This book is, in his own words, the ... (Goodreads)

  27. The Autobiography of Malcolm X

    by Malcolm X
    A gripping account of one man's transformation from criminal to civil rights leader.

    Alternate cover for ISBN 9780345350688 Through a life of passion and struggle, Malcolm X became one of the most influential figures of the 20th Century. In this riveting account, he tells of his ... (Goodreads)

  28. Modern Romance

    by Aziz Ansari
    A humorous exploration of contemporary love, using the latest research and personal anecdotes.

    At some point, every one of us embarks on a journey to find love. We meet people, date, get into and out of relationships, all with the hope of finding someone with whom we share a deep connection. ... (Goodreads)

  29. Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly

    by Anthony Bourdain
    A humorous and unflinching account of life in restaurant kitchens, exploring the culture and camaraderie of the culinary world.

    A deliciously funny, delectably shocking banquet of wild-but-true tales of life in the culinary trade from Chef Anthony Bourdain, laying out his more than a quarter-century of drugs, sex, and haute ... (Goodreads)

  30. Infidel

    by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
    A memoir of a woman's journey of faith, identity, and self-liberation.

    One of today’s most admired and controversial political figures, Ayaan Hirsi Ali burst into international headlines following the murder of Theo van Gogh by an Islamist who threatened that she would ... (Goodreads)