Autobiographies of Ordinary People with Extraordinary Stories

Titanic: A Survivor's Story is the autobiography of Walter Lord, a survivor of the Titanic sinking.

Up from Slavery is the autobiography of Booker T. Washington, an African American educator and civil rights leader who was born into slavery and escaped to freedom.

Man's Search for Meaning is the autobiography of Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust.

Educated is the autobiography of Tara Westover, a woman who grew up in a survivalist family in Idaho and overcame poverty and lack of education to become a successful businesswoman.

A Million Little Pieces is the autobiography of James Frey, a man who overcame addiction and became a successful author.

The Emperor of All Maladies is the autobiography of Siddhartha Mukherjee, a physician and scientist who overcame cancer and became a successful advocate for cancer awareness.

The Pursuit of Happyness is the autobiography of Chris Gardner, a man who overcame homelessness and became a successful entrepreneur.

The Gift of Fear is the autobiography of Gavin de Becker, a security expert and author who overcame abuse and became a successful advocate for domestic violence awareness.

Unbroken is the autobiography of Louis Zamperini, a man who overcame a disability and became a successful athlete.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is the autobiography of Rebecca Skloot, a woman who overcame poverty and became a successful scientist.

The Glass Castle is the autobiography of Jeannette Walls, a woman who overcame a learning disability and became a successful author.

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings is the autobiography of Maya Angelou, a woman who overcame racism and became a successful civil rights leader.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly is the autobiography of Jean-Dominique Bauby, a man who overcame a physical disability and became a successful artist.

The Noonday Demon is the autobiography of Andrew Solomon, a man who overcame a mental illness and became a successful advocate for mental health awareness.

The Beautiful Things That Await Us is the autobiography of Anthony Kiedis, the lead singer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, who overcame a drug addiction and became a successful musician.