swap_horiz Zelda Alternatives

1

Master of the Senate

The third volume in Robert Caro's series on Lyndon B. Johnson, this 2002 Pulitzer Prize-winning biography details his ti...

American Political Caro Lbj

9.4 Excellent

2

The Passage of Power

Published in 2012, this fourth volume of Robert Caro's biography covers Lyndon B. Johnson's transition to the presidency...

American Political Caro Lbj

9.3 Excellent

3

The Path to Power

Published in 1982, Robert Caro's book is the first volume in his acclaimed biographical series detailing the early life...

American Political Caro Lbj

9.2 Excellent

4

Means of Ascent

This 1990 book is the second volume in Robert Caro's acclaimed biographical series, focusing on Lyndon B. Johnson's cont...

American Political Caro Lbj

9.1 Excellent

5

The Glass Menagerie

Tennessee Williams's 1944 memory play, classified here as biography due to its highly autobiographical elements about hi...

American Drama Family Williams

9.1 Excellent

6

Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant

Published in 1885, this military memoir by the 18th U.S. President details his service during the American Civil War and...

Military American Autobiography Civil War

9.0 Excellent

7

Boswell's Life of Samuel Johnson

James Boswell's 1791 biography is considered a masterpiece of English literature, offering a vividly detailed portrait o...

18TH Century Literature British Boswell

9.0 Excellent

8

Truman

David McCullough's 1992 biography, which won the Pulitzer Prize, provides a comprehensive look at the life of the 33rd U...

American 20TH Century Political Mccullough

8.8 Great

9

The Executioner's Song

Norman Mailer's 1979 Pulitzer Prize-winning true crime narrative chronicles the life and execution of convicted murderer...

American True Crime Mailer Capital Punishment

8.8 Great

10

Walden

Henry David Thoreau's 1854 memoir details his experiences living alone in a cabin near Walden Pond, reflecting on simple...

Philosophy American Memoir Thoreau

8.8 Great

11

Washington: A Life

This Pulitzer Prize-winning 2010 biography by Ron Chernow provides a comprehensive look at the life of the first Preside...

18TH Century American Founding Father Chernow

8.7 Great

12

Shoe Dog

This 2016 memoir by Nike co-founder Phil Knight chronicles the early, risky years of building the iconic global sportswe...

Business American Nike Memoir

8.7 Great

13

Born Standing Up

Steve Martin's 2007 memoir chronicles his intense early comedy career and the development of his groundbreaking, absurdi...

Martin American Comedy Memoir

8.7 Great

14

Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Ron Chernow's 1998 biography chronicles the life of John D. Rockefeller, the American business magnate who founded the S...

Business American Gilded Age Chernow

8.6 Great

15

Samuel Johnson

John Wain's 1975 biography details the life of 18th-century English writer and lexicographer Samuel Johnson, exploring h...

18TH Century Literature British Bate

8.6 Great

16

Grant

Written by Ron Chernow in 2017, this comprehensive biography explores the military and political career of the 18th US P...

Military American 19TH Century Chernow

8.5 Great

17

John Keats

Walter Jackson Bate's 1963 Pulitzer-winning biography provides a deeply researched account of the brief life and brillia...

Literature British Romantic Era Bate

8.5 Great

18

Darkness Visible

William Styron's 1990 memoir chronicles his severe bout with clinical depression, profoundly shifting public discussions...

American Mental Health Memoir Depression

8.5 Great

19

Liar's Poker

Michael Lewis's 1989 memoir details his brief career as a bond salesman at Salomon Brothers, offering a scathing look at...

Finance American Memoir Lewis

8.5 Great

20

The Seven Storey Mountain

Thomas Merton's 1948 spiritual autobiography details his journey from a restless young academic to a devout Trappist mon...

American Spiritual Memoir Monastic

8.5 Great