Who Knew
Barry Diller
Who Knew by Barry Diller is a candid, high-voltage memoir from one of America’s most influential media executives, tracing an extraordinary life from humble mailroom beginnings to shaping the landscape of television, film, and the internet. With surprising honesty and sharp insight, Diller reflects on his early years in Hollywood, his meteoric rise through ABC and Paramount, and his role in launching groundbreaking ventures such as the Fox Broadcasting Company and IAC’s digital empire. In his unmistakable voice, Diller offers an unvarnished look at the business of entertainment and media—revealing how he backed iconic films and hit TV shows, embraced bold programming instincts, and navigated creative clashes with industry titans. He also brings readers inside the digital revolution, recounting his early recognition of the internet’s promise and his leadership of brands that came to define online life. Beyond business, Who Knew is deeply personal. Diller writes about his upbringing in a distant yet affluent family, the fear and freedom of his emerging identity as a gay man, and his long, unconventional love story and marriage to fashion designer Diane von Fürstenberg. His reflections on personal struggles, relationships, regrets, and fulfillment make this more than a corporate chronicle—it is a vivid coming-of-age and coming-into-self story. Intimate, insightful, and refreshingly frank, Who Knew blends Hollywood lore, sharp business acumen, and genuine self-reflection. It stands as both a primer on modern media and a testament to a life defined by curiosity, risk, and relentless reinvention.
Chasing Hope
Nicholas D. Kristof
Chasing Hope: A Reporter’s Life by Nicholas D. Kristof is a powerful, deeply personal memoir from one of the most respected journalists of our time. A Pulitzer Prize–winning columnist for The New York Times, Kristof takes readers from his childhood on a small Oregon farm to the front lines of the world’s most consequential events, offering an unflinching look at a life spent bearing witness to both human suffering and human resilience. Over his decades-long career, Kristof reported from more than 150 countries, covering moments such as the Tiananmen Square protests, civil war in Yemen, genocide in Darfur, and the waves of addiction and despair affecting working-class America. He shares hair-raising experiences and hard-won lessons from the field, showing how journalism can expose injustice, give voice to the voiceless, and spur action even amid danger and heartbreak. But Chasing Hope is not just a chronicle of crises. It introduces the remarkable people Kristof met along the way—from dissidents and aid workers to ordinary citizens confronting extraordinary challenges—and explains how these encounters shaped his belief that even in the darkest moments, there are reasons for optimism. Balancing vulnerability, courage, humility, and purpose, this memoir reveals the personal costs and moral rewards of pursuing truth in a complex world. Candid, inspiring, and rich with global perspective, Chasing Hope is a testament to the enduring power of journalism and the enduring possibility of human progress.
Becoming
Michelle Obama
An intimate, powerful, and inspiring memoir by the former First Lady of the United States. Michelle Obama invites readers into her world, chronicling the experiences that have shaped her—from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago to her years as an executive balancing the demands of motherhood and work, to her time spent at the world’s most famous address. With unerring honesty and lively wit, she describes her triumphs and disappointments, both public and private, telling her full story as she has lived it—in her own words and on her own terms.
Unbroken
Laura Hillenbrand
A biography of Louis Zamperini, an Olympic runner whose life took a harrowing turn when he became a bombardier in World War II. After his plane crashed in the Pacific, he survived weeks at sea, only to be captured by the Japanese. This is a story of survival, resilience, and the strength of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable adversity.
The Wolf of Wall Street
Jordan Belfort
Dive into the outrageous and true story of Jordan Belfort, a stockbroker who lived a life of unbridled hedonism and corruption on Wall Street. From humble beginnings to founding his own brokerage firm, Stratton Oakmont, Belfort's journey is a wild ride filled with drugs, hookers, and financial schemes. A cautionary tale of greed and excess, this memoir offers a satirical reconstruction of one of the wildest rides in Wall Street history.
Walk in My Combat Boots
James Patterson
An anthology of true stories from American soldiers, offering a raw and intimate look into their experiences in combat and the challenges they face both on and off the battlefield. From harrowing firefights to the emotional toll of war, this book shares the sacrifices and bravery of those who serve.
Dear Life
Rachel Clarke
In 'Dear Life', Rachel Clarke, a palliative care doctor, shares profound and deeply moving stories from her clinical experience, exploring themes of love, loss, hope, and the essence of living in the face of death. With unflinching honesty and heartfelt compassion, she invites readers to contemplate the beauty and fragility of life, offering a powerful reminder of what truly matters.
This is Going to Hurt
Adam Kay
A hilarious and heartbreaking memoir based on the diaries of a junior doctor working in the UK's National Health Service (NHS). Experience the brutal hours, intense pressure, and darkly comedic moments of life on the front lines of medicine.