Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, Bookish Wisdom earns from qualifying purchases. This doesn’t change our picks or your price.
Quick answer: If you loved Becoming by Michelle Obama, try Educated by Tara Westover, Born a Crime by Trevor Noah, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou, The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls, Wild by Cheryl Strayed and The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama.
Becoming is the memoir of Michelle Obama, from her childhood on the South Side of Chicago through Princeton and Harvard Law, her career, her marriage to Barack Obama and eight years as First Lady. It’s warm, funny and honest, and it became one of the best-selling memoirs of all time. Readers loved its mix of personal story and larger lessons about identity and growth. The picks below share its resilience, family stories and powerful voices. They are mostly memoirs by women, with a few other perspectives, and they suit adult and older teen readers.
Table of Contents
Why Readers Love Becoming
Readers love Becoming because Michelle Obama writes as someone you could talk to. She describes her family, including her father’s multiple sclerosis and her mother’s steady strength, in loving detail, and she’s candid about her doubts, her frustration with politics and the loneliness of public life. The book is structured in three parts, becoming me, becoming us and becoming more, which gives it a clear shape. Many readers say they were inspired to reflect on their own paths, and book clubs choose it for the discussion about who we become and why.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick below shares at least one thing readers loved about Becoming: its characters, its mood, its setting or the questions it raises. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious choices, and we noted the genre and who each book suits best in the table, so you can scan for the right fit before you read the blurbs.
We kept every description spoiler-free and flagged mature content where it matters, since some of these books are written for adults and others suit teens. If you’re not sure where to start, the tips near the end of this list match each pick to what you loved most. The FAQ at the bottom answers the questions readers ask most often.
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Type | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educated | Tara Westover | Memoir | Learning as transformation |
| Born a Crime | Trevor Noah | Memoir | Humor and resilience |
| I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings | Maya Angelou | Memoir | A classic of voice and courage |
| The Glass Castle | Jeannette Walls | Memoir | Unconventional families |
| Wild | Cheryl Strayed | Memoir | Walking through grief |
| Know My Name | Chanel Miller | Memoir | Courage and healing |
| Bossypants | Tina Fey | Memoir | Funny and insightful |
| Maybe You Should Talk to Someone | Lori Gottlieb | Memoir | Therapy and change |
| Crying in H Mart | Michelle Zauner | Memoir | Grief and food |
| Hunger | Roxane Gay | Memoir | Brave honesty about the body |
| A Promised Land | Barack Obama | Memoir | The other half of the story |
| The Light We Carry | Michelle Obama | Self-help memoir | More from Michelle Obama |
| Greenlights | Matthew McConaughey | Memoir | A quirky, upbeat voice |
| I’m Glad My Mom Died | Jennette McCurdy | Memoir | Brutal honesty and humor |
| Just Kids | Patti Smith | Memoir | Art and friendship |
1. Educated by Tara Westover
Westover grows up in a survivalist family in Idaho without formal schooling and eventually earns a PhD from Cambridge. It’s an honest, gripping story about education and family loyalty.
2. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
The comedian’s story of growing up in apartheid South Africa as the son of a Black mother and a white father, a relationship that was illegal. It’s funny, moving and full of love for his mother.
3. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The first of Angelou’s autobiographies, covering her childhood in Arkansas and California. It’s lyrical, painful and powerful, and a cornerstone of American literature.
4. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
Walls describes growing up with brilliant, irresponsible parents who moved the family constantly and often left the children hungry. It’s honest, affectionate and shocking.
5. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
After her mother’s death, Strayed hikes the Pacific Crest Trail alone with little experience. It’s funny, raw and moving.
6. Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Miller writes about the aftermath of her assault, her victim impact statement that went viral and her path toward recovery. It’s powerful and beautifully written. Content note: sexual assault.
7. Bossypants by Tina Fey
The comedy writer and actress tells stories about growing up, working in comedy and balancing career and family. It’s quick and very funny.
8. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
A therapist becomes a patient and tells stories about her clients and her own life. It’s warm, funny and wise.
9. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
The musician writes about losing her Korean mother to cancer and finding connection through cooking. It’s tender and beautiful.
10. Hunger by Roxane Gay
Gay writes about her relationship to food and her body after trauma. It’s candid and difficult, and a major book about self-acceptance. Content note: sexual assault.
11. A Promised Land by Barack Obama
The first volume of the former president’s memoir, covering his early career through the first term. It’s long, thoughtful and well written.
12. The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama
A follow-up that shares lessons for staying hopeful and grounded in uncertain times. It’s warm and practical.
13. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
The actor shares stories and advice from his life, in a journal-like style. It’s funny, bold and different.
14. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy
The former child actress writes about her controlling mother, her career and her recovery from an eating disorder. It’s darkly funny and moving.
15. Just Kids by Patti Smith
The punk poet’s memoir of her friendship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe in 1960s and 1970s New York. It’s lyrical and a National Book Award winner.
How to Pick Your Next Memoir After Becoming
- Want stories of education? Educated.
- Want humor? Born a Crime and Bossypants.
- Want classic voices? I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings.
- Want healing journeys? Wild and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone.
- Want more Michelle Obama? The Light We Carry.
- Check content notes. Know My Name, Hunger and The Glass Castle discuss trauma.
What Makes a Great Memoir?
A great memoir does more than tell what happened. It reflects on why events mattered and how they changed the author, using honest storytelling and a distinct voice. The best memoirs, like Becoming and Educated, mix scenes, details and reflection, and they let the reader draw their own conclusions. They also make private experience universal: you don’t have to be a First Lady or live in a survivalist family to recognize the feelings of ambition, doubt and love.
Memoirs by Women to Read Next
Women’s memoirs have never been more varied. Wild by Cheryl Strayed describes a solo hike after loss. Hunger by Roxane Gay explores body image and trauma. I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy is a candid account of child stardom and a difficult mother. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner is a tender story of grief and food. Whatever your interests, there’s a memoir waiting that speaks to them, and reading several in a row is a good way to see the range of women’s voices.
Audiobooks for Memoir Lovers
Many memoirs shine as audiobooks, especially when read by the author. Michelle Obama narrates Becoming herself, as does Trevor Noah for Born a Crime. Hearing the author’s voice adds humor, warmth and emotion, and it can make a long book feel intimate. If you’re short on time, try listening on a commute or while doing chores. Some listeners enjoy following along with a print copy for the photographs and notes, and many find they remember more when they use both formats.
Using Memoirs in Book Clubs
Memoirs make excellent book club picks because each reader brings their own experiences. Good discussion questions include: What moment changed the author most? How did family shape them? What would you have done differently? Which part felt most honest? Many clubs pair a memoir with a documentary or a related novel. If members disagree about the author’s choices, that usually produces a lively discussion. Remember to be kind: these are real people’s lives, and some stories are painful to share.
Discussion Questions for Becoming
Becoming offers rich material for conversation. What shaped Michelle Obama’s confidence as a child? How did her parents’ values influence her? What did she find hardest about life in the White House? How does she describe balancing her own career with her husband’s? And what does the title mean to you? Members may share their own stories of becoming, and the discussion often moves quickly from the book to personal experience. It’s a good choice for groups that want warmth and honesty.
Reading More About First Ladies and Public Life
If Becoming made you curious about public life, there are many other books to try. Laura Bush’s Spoken from the Heart, Hillary Clinton’s Living History and Betty Ford’s The Times of My Life are memoirs by other First Ladies. For broader views, The Residence by Kate Andersen Brower tells the story of the staff who work in the White House. Reading several lets you compare how different women handled public scrutiny, and how the role has changed across time.
Memoirs for Young Readers
If you want to share this kind of story with a teen, there are excellent editions written for younger readers. Becoming has a young readers’ edition, and Born a Crime has an adaptation titled It’s Trevor Noah: Born a Crime. Unbroken also has a version for young adults. These editions keep the heart of the stories while trimming the most mature material, which makes them good choices for middle school and high school classrooms and for families who like to read together.
Related: Becoming summary and key takeaways and Educated summary and key takeaways.
Frequently Asked Questions
What book is most like Becoming?
Educated by Tara Westover and Born a Crime by Trevor Noah are the closest matches in tone and popularity.
What are the best memoirs by women?
Becoming, Educated, Wild, Know My Name and I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings are among the most celebrated.
Is Becoming appropriate for teens?
Yes. There is a young readers’ edition, and the original is suitable for mature teens.
Should I listen to Becoming as an audiobook?
Many readers say yes, since Michelle Obama narrates it herself.
What should I read after Becoming?
Try Educated, Born a Crime or her follow-up, The Light We Carry.