6 Captivating Memoirs By Women To Inspire You This Summer

If you're looking for compelling summer reads that feature incredible true stories told by women, then check out our list of hot summer memoirs.

1. Accidental Soldier: A Memoir of Service and Sacrifice in the Israel Defense Forces by Dorit Sasson

As a dual American-Israeli citizen, Dorit Sasson tried to make life as a college student in New York work. When she realized she needed to distance herself from her neurotic mother and completely shift the direction of her life, she volunteered for the Israel Defense Forces. A story of self-discovery and courage, Accidental Solider provides a private look into Sasson’s two years in the war zone, along with the faith and strength that helped her survive.

2. Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West

The uproarious memoir of Lindy West begins during her shy childhood, in which she tried to conceal her big body and even bigger personality. To convincing the world that fat people have worth to accidentally becoming the voice for them and others who aren’t often heard, West blends her humor and inspiration to tell the tale of a how to survive in a world where women and feminists aren’t always treated fairly and that being loud and proud is actually a good thing.

3. Is it Evil Not to be Sure by Lena Dunham

Lena Dunham shares her personal diary entries from fall 2005 to spring 2006 in this 54-page memoir. Dunham’s private observations show a witty and all-too-realistic glimpse of what it’s like for a young person to finally reach adulthood. Plus, all the proceeds benefit Girls Write Now, an organization that helps young women tell their own stories.

4. In The Country We Love by Diane Guerrero

Diane Guerrero, who stars on Orange is the New Black and Jane the Virgin, opens up about her personal life in In the Country We Love: My Family Divided. Guerrero discusses the adversity she faced after her parents were deported when she was just 14-years-old and the support of family friends that helped her get through school and eventually become an actress. This eye-opening memoir sheds light on the struggles that undocumented families face and how one girl wasn’t going to let it stop her from succeeding.

5. Where Am I Now?: True Stories of Girlhood and Accidental Fame by Mara Wilson

Best known for her roles in Matilda and Mrs. Doubtfire, Mara Wilson gives an inside look about what it’s like growing up in front of the camera; from being the only child on movie sets to first learning about sex on the set of Melrose Place. Wilson’s humorous literary voice tells the story of growing up as a young female in the spotlight (and eventually stepping out of it) and the road of self-acceptance, discovery and everything in between.

6. Walking with the Muses: A Memoir by Pat Cleveland

Pat Cleveland was making her clothes in a Harlem tenement dreaming of a bigger life before walking runways around the world. This memoir from one of the first black supermodels follows the path to her success and all of the adventures that go along with being a model in the sixties and seventies. From walking the runway alongside Anjelica Huston to sharing the dance floor with Andy Warhol, Walking with the Muses captures Cleveland’s larger than life experiences and sheds a light on the ups and downs of being a trailblazer.