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Quick answer: If you read Jennette McCurdy, read Educated, Crying in H Mart, Hunger and The Glass Castle. All are honest memoirs about hard families, grief and finding your own voice.
Jennette McCurdy, the former child actor, wrote I'm Glad My Mom Died (2022) about her childhood, her mother's control and her struggles with eating disorders and fame. It is darkly funny, direct and moving. The books below offer similar candid memoirs about difficult families, trauma and healing.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Educated | Tara Westover | Adult | memoir of education |
| Crying in H Mart | Michelle Zauner | Adult | grief and food |
| Hunger | Roxane Gay | Adult | body and trauma |
| The Glass Castle | Jeannette Walls | Adult | hardship and resilience |
| Maybe You Should Talk to Someone | Lori Gottlieb | Adult | therapy memoir |
| Born a Crime | Trevor Noah | Adult | funny and moving |
| Spare | Prince Harry | Adult | royal memoir |
| Finding Me | Viola Davis | Adult | actor's journey |
| Bossypants | Tina Fey | Adult | comic memoir |
| Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? | Mindy Kaling | Adult | funny essays |
| Open | Andre Agassi | Adult | sports memoir |
| Greenlights | Matthew McConaughey | Adult | stories and lessons |
| Yes Please | Amy Poehler | Adult | comic memoir |
| Girl, Interrupted | Susanna Kaysen | Adult | memoir of hospitalisation |
| Know My Name | Chanel Miller | Adult | survivor memoir |
1. Educated by Tara Westover
A woman raised off the grid teaches herself and goes to university. Powerful and moving.
Best for: memoir of education.
2. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
A musician writes about her Korean mother and food. Touching and honest.
Best for: grief and food.
3. Hunger by Roxane Gay
Gay writes honestly about trauma and body image. Fierce and tender.
Best for: body and trauma.
4. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
A woman recalls growing up poor with eccentric parents. Compelling and honest.
Best for: hardship and resilience.
5. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb
A therapist becomes a patient. Warm, funny and wise.
Best for: therapy memoir.
6. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Noah recounts growing up in apartheid South Africa. Humorous and humane.
Best for: funny and moving.
7. Spare by Prince Harry
The Duke of Sussex tells his own story of grief and family. Candid and widely discussed.
Best for: royal memoir.
8. Finding Me by Viola Davis
Davis writes about poverty and her rise as an actor. Honest and inspiring.
Best for: actor's journey.
9. Bossypants by Tina Fey
Fey recalls her career and the comedy business. Funny and sharp.
Best for: comic memoir.
10. Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling
Kaling writes about friendship and fame. Light and breezy.
Best for: funny essays.
11. Open by Andre Agassi
Agassi recounts his tennis career and his difficult relationship with his father. Candid and gripping.
Best for: sports memoir.
12. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey
The actor reflects on his life through short notes. Eccentric and warm.
Best for: stories and lessons.
13. Yes Please by Amy Poehler
Poehler mixes stories and advice. Funny and generous.
Best for: comic memoir.
14. Girl, Interrupted by Susanna Kaysen
Kaysen recalls her time in a psychiatric hospital. Short and haunting.
Best for: memoir of hospitalisation.
15. Know My Name by Chanel Miller
Miller reclaims her story after a sexual assault case. Powerful and lyrical.
Best for: survivor memoir.
How to Choose
For intense family stories choose Educated or The Glass Castle. For grief and healing pick Crying in H Mart or Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. For celebrity memoirs read Spare, Finding Me or Open. For humour try Bossypants or Yes Please. Many of these deal with abuse, loss and mental health, so check content notes first. Audiobooks read by the authors give memoirs an extra emotional edge, and Jennette McCurdy narrates her own. If you choose one companion book, pick the one that matches the part of McCurdy's story that struck you. Choose Educated for family control, Hunger for body image, Crying in H Mart for grief and Maybe You Should Talk to Someone for therapy. Take your time, because memoirs this honest are best read slowly. If you prefer lighter celebrity memoirs after something this heavy, Mindy Kaling and Amy Poehler offer a gentler tone.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is I'm Glad My Mom Died about?
McCurdy's childhood as an actor under an abusive, controlling mother.
Who wrote it?
Jennette McCurdy.
When was it published?
2022.
Is it funny?
It has dark humour, but the subject is serious.
Does it contain difficult topics?
Yes, including abuse, eating disorders and grief.
Does she narrate the audiobook?
Yes.
Is it a bestseller?
Yes, it was a major bestseller.
What should I read next?
Try Educated or Crying in H Mart.
Is I'm Glad My Mom Died appropriate for teens?
It is an adult memoir with mature themes, so it suits older teens with care.
Are there other memoirs by former child actors?
Yes, though fewer are as candid; Mara Wilson's Where Am I Now? is a notable example.
Is there a sequel to I'm Glad My Mom Died?
McCurdy has since published other work, so check current listings for her latest.
Is it a good audiobook?
Yes, many readers recommend the audiobook because McCurdy narrates it herself.
Is it a good gift?
Yes, for readers who enjoy candid memoirs, though the themes are heavy.
What age should read it?
It is written for adults, so older teens should read with care.