Recommendations based on Lives Other than My Own: A Memoirby Emmanuel Carrère

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

  1. 84, Charing Cross Road

    by Helene Hanff
    A 20-year correspondence between an American book lover and a London bookseller.

    This charming classic, first published in 1970, brings together twenty years of correspondence between Helene Hanff, a freelance writer living in New York City, and a used-book dealer in London. ... (Goodreads)

  2. If This Is a Man • The Truce

    by Primo Levi
    A memoir of Primo Levi's time in Auschwitz and his journey home. The Truce follows his travels through war-torn Europe.

    'With the moral stamina and intellectual poise of a twentieth-century Titan, this slightly built, dutiful, unassuming chemist set out systematically to remember the German hell on earth, steadfastly ... (Goodreads)

  3. The Adversary: A True Story of Monstrous Deception

    by Emmanuel Carrère
    A true story of a man who deceives his family, friends, and colleagues for years, leading to a shocking and tragic end.

    On the Saturday morning of January 9, 1993, while Jean Claude Romand was killing his wife and children, I was with mine in a parent-teacher meeting... With these chilling first words, acclaimed ... (Goodreads)

  4. Survival in Auschwitz

    by Primo Levi
    True story of a man's struggle to survive in a Nazi concentration camp.

    The true and harrowing account of Primo Levi’s experience at the German concentration camp of Auschwitz and his miraculous survival; hailed by The Times Literary Supplement as a “true work of art, ... (Goodreads)

  5. The Story of Art

    by E.H. Gombrich
    Comprehensive overview of art history, from prehistoric to modern times.

    The Story of Art, one of the most famous and popular books on art ever written, has been a world bestseller for over four decades. Attracted by the simplicity and clarity of his writing, readers of ... (Goodreads)

  6. Open

    by Andre Agassi
    Autobiographical account of a tennis star's career, struggles, and personal growth.

    From Andre Agassi, one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court, a beautiful, haunting autobiography. Agassi’s incredibly rigorous ... (Goodreads)

  7. The Power of Myth

    by Joseph Campbell
    A conversation between Joseph Campbell and Bill Moyers on the role of mythology in human life, exploring universal themes and archetypes.

    The Power Of Myth launched an extraordinary resurgence of interest in Joseph Campbell and his work. A preeminent scholar, writer, and teacher, he has had a profound influence on millions of people. ... (Goodreads)

  8. How to Stop Worrying and Start Living

    by Dale Carnegie
    Advice on overcoming worry & anxiety and living a happier, more fulfilled life.

    The book 'How to stop worrying & start living' suggest many ways to conquer worry and lead a wonderful life. The book mentions fundamental facts to know about worry and magic formula for solving ... (Goodreads)

  9. The Year of Magical Thinking

    by Joan Didion
    A woman's reflections on life and death after the sudden loss of her husband.

    'An act of consummate literary bravery, a writer known for her clarity allowing us to watch her mind as it becomes clouded with grief.' From one of America's iconic writers, a stunning book of ... (Goodreads)

  10. Maus II: A Survivor's Tale: And Here My Troubles Began

    by Art Spiegelman
    A graphic novel recounting a Holocaust survivor's harrowing experience and his son's attempt to reconcile with his father's past.

    Acclaimed as a quiet triumph and a brutally moving work of art, the first volume of Art Spieglman's Maus introduced readers to Vladek Spiegleman, a Jewish survivor of Hitler's Europe, and his son, a ... (Goodreads)

  11. The Collected Schizophrenias: Essays

    by Esmé Weijun Wang
    A collection of essays exploring the author's experiences with mental illness and the societal stigma surrounding it.

    An intimate, moving book written with the immediacy and directness of one who still struggles with the effects of mental and chronic illness, The Collected Schizophrenias cuts right to the core. ... (Goodreads)

  12. It Chooses You

    by Miranda July
    A collection of stories and interviews about the author's experience buying items from people who advertised them in the PennySaver classifieds.

    In the summer of 2009, Miranda July was struggling to finish writing the screenplay for her much-anticipated second film. During her increasingly long lunch breaks, she began to obsessively read the ... (Goodreads)

  13. Wave

    by Sonali Deraniyagala
    Memoir of a family's tragic loss in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, and a woman's journey of resilience and recovery.

    On the morning of December 26, 2004, on the southern coast of Sri Lanka, Sonali Deraniyagala lost her parents, her husband, and her two young sons in the tsunami she miraculously survived. In this ... (Goodreads)

  14. Heavy

    by Kiese Laymon
    A memoir of a black man's struggle with weight, trauma, and identity in America.

    *Named a Best Book of 2018 by the, New York Times,, Publishers Weekly,, NPR,, Broadly, Buzzfeed (Nonfiction), The Undefeated,, Library Journal ,(Biography/Memoirs),, The Washington Post ... (Barnes & Noble)

  15. Meditations

    by Marcus Aurelius
    Reflections on Stoic philosophy, exploring the nature of existence and how to live life.

    Written in Greek by the only Roman emperor who was also a philosopher, without any intention of publication, the Meditations of Marcus Aurelius offer a remarkable series of challenging spiritual ... (Goodreads)

  16. The Problem of Pain

    by C.S. Lewis
    Exploration of the philosophical and theological implications of pain and suffering.

    For centuries Christians have questioned why, if God is good and all-powerful, he allows us to suffer pain. C.S. Lewis sets out to disentangle this knotty issue, but adds that, in the end, no ... (Goodreads)

  17. The Missionary Position: Mother Teresa in Theory and Practice

    by Christopher Hitchens
    A critical examination of the life and works of Mother Teresa, exploring her motivations and impact.

    Among his many books, perhaps none have sparked more outrage than The Missionary Position , Christopher Hitchens's meticulous study of the life and deeds of Mother Teresa. A Nobel Peace Prize ... (Goodreads)

  18. Heart Berries

    by Terese Marie Mailhot
    A memoir of a First Nations woman's journey through trauma, mental illness, and healing. Raw, poetic, and unflinching.

    Heart Berries is a powerful, poetic memoir of a woman's coming of age on the Seabird Island Indian Reservation in the Pacific Northwest. Having survived a profoundly dysfunctional upbringing only to ... (Goodreads)

  19. Men We Reaped

    by Jesmyn Ward
    A memoir examining the death of five young African-American men, and the societal issues that contributed to their demise.

    Named one of the Best Books of the Century by, New York, Magazine, Two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward (,Salvage the Bones, Sing, Unburied, Sing,) contends with the deaths of five young ... (Barnes & Noble)

  20. Chicken with Plums

    by Marjane Satrapi
    A whimsical story of a man's quest for fulfillment amidst the chaos of life.

    In November 1955, Nasser Ali Khan, one of Iran's most celebrated tar players, is in search of a new instrument. His beloved tar has been broken. But no matter what tar he tries, none of them sound ... (Goodreads)

  21. Pensées

    by Blaise Pascal
    Reflections on faith, reason and the human condition, presenting a defense of Christianity.

    Blaise Pascal, the precociously brilliant contemporary of Descartes, was a gifted mathematician and physicist, but it is his unfinished apologia for the Christian religion upon which his reputation ... (Goodreads)

  22. The Medium is the Massage

    by Marshall McLuhan
    Examining how media shapes and influences society.

    The Medium is the Massage is Marshall McLuhan's most condensed, and perhaps most effective, presentation of his ideas. Using a layout style that was later copied by Wired , McLuhan and ... (Goodreads)

  23. Why Buddhism is True: The Science and Philosophy of Meditation and Enlightenment

    by Robert Wright
    An exploration into understanding how Buddhist philosophy and practices can bring about enlightenment.

    From one of America’s greatest minds, a journey through psychology, philosophy, and lots of meditation to show how Buddhism holds the key to moral clarity and enduring happiness. Robert Wright ... (Goodreads)

  24. Levels of Life

    by Julian Barnes
    A memoir of love and grief, exploring the stages of mourning and the human condition.

    Julian Barnes's new book is about ballooning, photography, love and grief; about putting two things, and two people, together, and about tearing them apart. "You put together two things that have not ... (Goodreads)

  25. Priestdaddy

    by Patricia Lockwood
    A memoir about a daughter's relationship with her eccentric, former-priest father.

    From Patricia Lockwood - a writer acclaimed for her wildly original voice - a vivid, heartbreakingly funny memoir about having a married Catholic priest for a father. Father Greg Lockwood is unlike ... (Goodreads)

  26. 'Tis

    by Frank McCourt
    Sequel to Angela's Ashes, following Frank McCourt's journey to America and his struggles to adapt to a new life.

    Dopo aver raccontato, nelle "Ceneri di Angela", la sua infanzia "infelice, irlandese e cattolica" come il più atroce e ilare dei mondi possibili, McCourt ci trasporta qui nell'America del secondo ... (Goodreads)

  27. Teacher Man

    by Frank McCourt
    A memoir of the author's 30-year career as an English teacher in New York City.

    McCourt's long-awaited book about how his thirty-year teaching career shaped his second act as a writer. Nearly a decade ago Frank McCourt became an unlikely star when, at the age of sixty-six, he ... (Goodreads)

  28. On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

    by Stephen King
    A series of personal reflections on the art of writing, and the power of story-telling.

    "Long live the King" hailed Entertainment Weekly upon the publication of Stephen King's On Writing. Part memoir, part master class by one of the bestselling authors of all time, this superb volume is ... (Goodreads)

  29. Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking

    by Marcella Hazan
    An exploration of Italian cuisine, featuring time-honored recipes and techniques.

    The most important, consulted, and enjoyed Italian cookbook of all time, from the woman who introduced Americans to a whole new world of Italian food. Essentials of Italian Cooking is a culinary ... (Goodreads)

  30. The Best We Could Do

    by Thi Bui
    A family's journey of remembrance, reflecting on the immigrant experience.

    National bestseller 2017 National Book Critics Circle (NBCC) Finalist, ABA Indies Introduce Winter / Spring 2017 Selection, Barnes & Noble Discover Great New Writers Spring 2017 Selection, ALA 2018 ... (Barnes & Noble)