Lake Bluff Library Adult Reading Lists

This vibrant memoir tracing a celebrated writer's creative journey blends personal stories with reflections on curiosity, discovery and the writing life while offering inspiration and practical insights for anyone pursuing a path shaped by wonder and imagination.
(Description from NoveList)

For many, it can feel like change takes too long, and it might seem that we have not moved very far. But political activist Kareem Abdul-Jabbar believes that public protest is a vital part of affecting change, even if that change doesn’t come “right now.”
(Description from NoveList)

You’ve heard about the tantrums, the seething, the storming out of court, yes. But what about E. Jean’s side of the story? What about the flight suits, the bottle of green Chartreuse, and the bob?
(Description from NoveList)

Thrust onto the public stage at fifteen years old after the Taliban’s brutal attack on her life, Yousafzai quickly became an international icon known for bravery and resilience. But away from the cameras and crowds, she spent years struggling to find her place in an unfamiliar world. Now, for the first time ever, Malala takes us beyond the headlines in a vulnerable, surprising memoir that buzzes with authenticity, sharp humor, and tenderness.
(Description from NoveList)

Drawing on in-depth research and exclusive interviews with those closest to her, a journalist explores the real Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy behind the tabloid headlines and frenzy amidst today's cultural reckoning about the way our media treats women, revealing a multifaceted woman worthy of our attention regardless of her husband and untimely death.
(Description from NoveList)

From the opening piano notes of “Thunder Road,” to the final outro of “Jungleland” – with American anthems like “Born to Run” and “Tenth Avenue Freeze Out” in between – Bruce Springsteen’s seminal album, Born to Run, established Springsteen as a creative force in rock and roll. With his back against the wall, he wrote what has been hailed as a perfect album, a defining moment, and a roadmap for what would become a legendary career.
(Description from NoveList)

The global icon, award-winning singer, songwriter, producer, actress, mother, daughter, sister, storyteller, and artist tells the unfiltered story of her life. (Description from NoveList.)

With her arrival on the music scene in the early 1980s, Madonna generated nothing short of an explosion taking the nation by storm with her liberated politics and breathtaking talent. But Madonna was more than just a pop star. Everywhere, fans gravitated to her as an emblem of a new age, one in which feminism could shed the buttoned-down demeanor of the 1970s and feel relevant to a new generation. Amid the scourge of AIDS, she brought queer identities into the mainstream, fiercely defending a person's right to love whomever they wanted. Despite fierce criticism, she never separated her music from her political activism. And, as an artist, she never stopped experimenting.
(Description from Amazon)

So, I've written a book. Having entertained the idea for years, and even offered a few questionable opportunities, I have decided to write these stories just as I have always done, in my own hand. This certainly doesn't mean that I'm quitting my day job, but it does give me a place to shed a little light on what it's like to be a kid from Springfield, Virginia, walking through life while living out the crazy dreams I had as young musician. From hitting the road with Scream at 18 years old, to my time in Nirvana and the Foo Fighters, drumming for Tom Petty or meeting Sir Paul McCartney at Royal Albert Hall, I look forward to focusing the lens through which I see these memories a little sharper for you with much excitement. (Description from Amazon)

Despite being hailed as one of the best guitarists of his era, George Harrison, battled feelings of inferiority. He was often the butt of jokes from his bandmates and, typically, was allowed to contribute only one or two songs per Beatles album out of the dozens he wrote. Now, acclaimed Beatles biographer Philip Norman examines Harrison through the lens of his numerous self-contradictions. Compared to songwriting luminaries John Lennon and Paul McCartney he was considered a minor talent, yet he composed such masterpieces as "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" and "Here Comes the Sun," and his solo debut album "All Things Must Pass" achieved enormous success, appearing on many lists of the 100 best rock albums ever.
(Description from catalog)

Unflinching, honest, and surprisingly life-affirming, Last Rites demonstrates why Ozzy transcended his status as 'The Godfather of Metal' and 'The Prince of Darkness' to become a modern-day folk hero and national treasure.
(Description from NoveList)

When Liz Phair shook things up with her musical debut, Exile in Guyville—making her as much a cultural figure as a feminist pioneer and rock star—her raw candor, uncompromising authenticity, and deft storytelling inspired a legion of critics, songwriters, musicians, and fans alike. Now, like a Gen X Patti Smith, Liz Phair reflects on the path she has taken in these piercing essays that reveal the indelible memories that have stayed with her. (Description from NoveList.)

In this intimate, deeply candid memoir, Lionel revisits hilarious and harrowing events to inspire all who doubt themselves or feel their dreams don’t matter. Even with its turbulence, loss, and near-calamity, Lionel’s journey takes us on a thrill ride and delivers a memoir for the ages—reminding us of the power of love to elevate our own lives and our world.
(Description from NoveList)

An unstinting memoir by the pop artist and fashion icon traces the story of her life before and after fame, the role of faith in her achievements and her difficult decision to step out of the limelight. (Description from NoveList.)

A collection of biographical essays on gender, sexuality, race, beauty, Hollywood and the realities of modern women also shares the author's wrenching experiences as a survivor of sexual assault.
(Description from catalog)

Noah's path from apartheid South Africa to the desk of The Daily Show began with a criminal act: his birth. Born to a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother, at the time such a union was punishable by five years in prison. As he struggles to find himself in a world where he was never supposed to exist, his mother is determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence, and abuse that would ultimately threaten her own life.
(Description from catalog)

This sweeping portrait of Clint Eastwood's life and career captures his evolution from iconic on-screen tough guy to masterful director while revealing how his persona and choices reflect the shifting tides of American culture and identity.
(Description from NoveList)

Chronicles the life of a trailblazing Cuban American who revolutionized television and brought laughter to millions as Lucille Ball's beloved husband on I Love Lucy, leaving a legacy that continues to influence American culture today.
(Description from NoveList)

The actor shares personal stories and observations about illness and health, aging, the strength of family and friends, and how perceptions about time affect the consideration of mortality. (Description from catalog.)

In this poignant, heartfelt, and funny memoir, Fox tells the story of playing two landmark roles at the same time. Using new interviews with the cast and crew of both projects, the result is a vividly drawn and eye-opening story of creative achievement by a beloved icon.
(Description from NoveList)

Academy Award–winning actor Sir Anthony Hopkins delves into his illustrious film and theater career, difficult childhood, and path to sobriety in his honest, moving, and long-awaited memoir.
(Description from NoveList)

Happy Days, The Andy Griffith Show, Gentle Ben—these shows captivated millions of TV viewers in the ’60s and ’70s. Join award-winning filmmaker Ron Howard and audience-favorite actor Clint Howard as they frankly and fondly share their unusual family story of navigating and surviving life as sibling child actors. (Description from Amazon)

From the Academy Award winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction. (Description from NoveList.)

An emotionally honest memoir by an actor, director, and author who found his start as an 80s Brat pack member. (Description from NoveList)

Sheen broke into movies in the 1980s, playing a hoodlum in Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, a young soldier in Platoon, and an ethically compromised trader in Wall Street. But somewhere along the way, Sheen descended into a vortex of extracurricular activities. Now sober, Sheen delivers a clear-eyed narrative of his highs and lows with humor, candor, and a vivid, captivating writing style that is uniquely his.
(Description from NoveList)

The former child star reflects on aging with confidence and empowerment, challenging societal stereotypes about women growing older, while sharing personal experiences and insights to encourage women to reclaim their power and redefine the narrative around aging.
(Description from NoveList)

The Academy, Tony, and Emmy Award-winning actor and trailblazer tells her stunning story, looking back at her life and six-decade career. (Description from catalog)

Recounts the author's journey from life inside Elvis’s inner circle to finding independence after their divorce, navigating grief, single motherhood, and personal reinvention as she built a life beyond fame, ultimately transforming tragedy and loss into strength and purpose.
(Description from NoveList)

Longtime Jeopardy! host and television icon Alex Trebek reflects on his life and career. (Description from catalog.)

On the eve of his 100th birthday, Dick Van Dyke brings us this autobiographical collection of stories, reflections, and life advice on how he’s maintained a zest for life. Here, he reveals his secrets for maintaining your joie de vivre and making the most out of the life you’ve been given.
(Description from NoveList)

For the very first time, Judi Dench opens up about every Shakespearean role she has played throughout her seven-decade career, from Lady Macbeth and Titania to Ophelia and Cleopatra. In a series of intimate conversations with actor & director Brendan O'Hea, she guides us through Shakespeare's plays with incisive clarity, revealing the secrets of her rehearsal process and inviting us to share in her triumphs, disasters, and backstage shenanigans.
(Description from catalog)

Traces Miranda's path from a friendly but isolated child to the winner of multiple Tonys and Grammys for Broadway hits Hamilton and In the Heights, a global chart-topping sensation for songs in Disney's Moana and Encanto, and the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize and a MacArthur Genius Grant.
(Description from NoveList)

Nate Bargatze used to be a genius. That is, until the summer after seventh grade when he fell off a cliff, hit his head on a rock, and “my skull got, like, dented or something.” Before this accident, he dreamed of being “an electric engineer, or a doctor that does brain stuff, or a math teacher who teaches the hardest math on earth.” Afterwards, all he could do was stand-up comedy (Nate's family disputes this entire story). But the “brain stuff” industry’s loss is everyone else’s gain because Nate went on to become one of today’s hottest comedians.
(Description from NoveList)

The long-awaited memoir from Margaret Atwood, author of The Handmaid’s Tale and The Testaments, unfolds her story. As we travel with her along the course of her life, more and more is revealed about her writing, the connections between real life and art, and the workings of one of our greatest imaginations.
(Description from NoveList)

In 2000, Elizabeth Gilbert met Rayya. They became friends, then best friends, then inseparable. When tragedy entered their lives, the truth was finally laid bare: The two were in love. They were also a pair of addicts, on a collision course toward catastrophe. All the Way to the River is a landmark memoir that will resonate with anyone who has ever been captive to love and who yearns, at long last, for liberation.
(Description from NoveList)

A darkly funny and deeply honest memoir exploring a daughter's complex relationship with her famous, elusive mother, the impact of dementia, blending humor, heart and raw reflection on loss, family and identity.
(Description from NoveList)

The Hollywood icon best known for her role in "Star Wars" shares interconnected essays exploring her life as the child of Hollywood royalty, adventures on the sets of "Star Wars," and struggles with bipolar disorder.
(Description from catalog)

In this celebration of style, from the moment she entered the public eye during her husband’s U.S. Senate campaign through her time as the first Black First Lady and today as one of this country’s most influential figures, Michelle Obama shares how she uses the beauty and intrigue of fashion to draw attention to her message.
(Description from NoveList)

Kengor delivers an engaging and gripping deep dive into the life and times of Robert Francis Prevost, whose election to the Chair of St. Peter on May 8, 2025, stunned the world as the first American pope.
(Description from NoveList)

Toni Morrison, Nobel Laureate and one of our most beloved writers, has inspired generations of readers. But her artistic genius is often overshadowed by her monumental public persona, perhaps because, as Namwali Serpell puts it, “she is our only truly canonical black female writer—and her work is highly complex.”
(Description from NoveList)

Toni Morrison's lectures on the American canon, illuminating the relationship between race, the arts, and life beyond the page.
(Description from NoveList)

Journalist, historian, and longtime Blume aficionado Mark Oppenheimer pens a multidimensional portrait of the acclaimed author through extensive interviews with Blume herself, invaluable access to her papers and correspondence, and thoughtful analysis of Blume's beloved novels.
(Description from NoveList)

The sexual assault that stunned the world. A courageous woman’s rallying call for shame to "change sides." For the very first time, Gisèle Pelicot tells her story.
(Description from NoveList)