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Exclusively from Everand: Biography & Memoir
Lauded biographies and memoirs from our very own publishing imprints.
Published on March 27, 2024
Roxane Gay & Everand Originals: My Year of Psychedelics: Lessons on Better Living
Gabrielle BellotThe third installment in the series from Everand and Roxane Gay, the beloved bestselling author of “Hunger,” “Bad Feminist,” and “Opinions.” In this fascinating and literally trippy memoir, acclaimed essayist and columnist Bellot shares the story of how magic mushrooms, ayahuasca, and other psychedelics transformed her life for the better.
Nazi Hunting: A Love Story: The husband and wife who, for six decades and counting, have made catching war criminals the family business
Nazi Hunting: A Love Story: The husband and wife who, for six decades and counting, have made catching war criminals the family business
Jess McHughBeate slapped German chancellor Kurt Georg Kiesinger, a former Nazi, across the face to call attention to his crimes. Her husband, Serge, held a former Nazi official at gunpoint. These are some of the flashier moments of the married couple’s dangerous, tireless, and wholeheartedly inspiring work bringing Nazis to justice. If ever you needed reassurance that ordinary people wield extraordinary power to do good, Serge and Beate’s story is it.
Roxane Gay & Everand Originals: You Are a Teen Mom: Instructions
Randa JarrarThe second installment in the series from Everand and Roxane Gay, the beloved bestselling author of “Hunger,” “Bad Feminist,” and “Opinions.” Memoirist, essayist, and novelist Randa Jarrar offers an honest and wholly original user’s manual on how to raise a happy and well-adjusted child with little help and even fewer resources, but a fierce willingness to live out loud.
See You on the Way Down: Catch You on the Way Back Up!
Greg BehrendtFrom “He’s Just Not That Into You” to “That Guy From That Thing,” from being Oprah’s relationship guru to rehab and cancer, comedian and author Behrendt has experienced many highs and lows. In this raw memoir, he takes readers behind the scenes of how just one phrase uttered while working on “Sex and the City” altered the course of his entire life — for better, for worse. Even during the darkest times, his humorous, generous spirit shines through.
Roxane Gay & Everand Originals: Built for This: The Quiet Strength of Powerlifting
Julia TurshenLet cookbook author Julia Turshen lift you up with her memoir about embracing her inner and outer strength. Turshen shares how she learned to appreciate her appetite for food, started powerlifting to marvel at all the things her body could do, and now knows the meat on her bones is “made of the things [she’s] capable of.” This title kicks off the Roxane Gay & series, a celebration of original voices and the human experience.
Shelter: A Love Letter to Trees
Ada LimónTake a leisurely walk through the woods and across the country in this homage to trees from award-winning poet Limón. This personal essay — told in brief and bittersweet vignettes — pays respect to the power, beauty, and mystery of our strong and silent companions. “Shelter” is perfect to read in the shade of a tree on a summer day.
People, Places, Things: My Human Landmarks
Chuck PalahniukPalahniuk knows how to tell a story in unexpected, fascinating ways, and this personal essay (a Scribd Original) from the “Fight Club” author doesn’t disappoint. Palahniuk shares the people, places, and things that shaped his writing growing up in the Pacific Northwest — from serial killers to secret gardens to Sears catalogs.
The Ghosts That Haunt Me
Steve RyanThis memoir from retired Toronto police detective Ryan is a sobering one for fans of true crime. Ryan reveals the day-to-day, year-to-year toll investigating murders takes on a person, as he describes six homicide cases — most involving children — that forever left him, his family, and his community scarred.
Year of the Nurse: A 2020 Covid-19 Pandemic Memoir
Cassandra Alexander “Year of the Nurse” is an unapologetic memoir by an ICU nurse who dealt first-hand with COVID. This book is full of righteous fury toward policy-makers and science-deniers, but it also displays moving empathy toward the nurses and patients who have lost family, friends, and faith. Learn what it's like to be a nurse during an unprecedented and mismanaged health emergency.
Travels With Maurice: An Outrageous Adventure In Europe, 1968
Gary OrleckOrleck shares the entertaining story of traveling across Europe in 1968 with an unlikely companion: the son of an Iranian billionaire who regularly rubbed shoulders with the high-powered and famous. “Travels With Maurice” brims with adventure, nostalgia, and friendship, complete with moving descriptions of notable European cities and their historical significance.
Quitting: Why I Left My Job to Live a Life of Freedom
Keith BoykinBoykin has quit unfulfilling jobs and let go of harmful mentalities long before these concepts became part of what's now referred to as the Great Resignation. And he wants you to know that it's okay if you, too, decide to call it quits on what doesn't suit you. This Scribd Original highlights Boykin's journey in moving away from high-profile, lucrative jobs to put his personal freedom first.
No One Here Is Like Me: Race, Family, and Fatherhood
Robert KingIn this Scribd Original, King, a writer-comedian and a dad, relays formative moments in his life when being both Black and white made him feel like he didnʼt belong (“If the ʻBlack cardʼ was a real thing, mine would only work at certain stores”), and how these experiences inform his outlook on parenting. Donʼt worry: There are plenty of dad jokes throughout.
Sins of the Founding Father: George Washington, the Indigenous Tribes, and the Decisions that Shaped America’s Future
Sins of the Founding Father: George Washington, the Indigenous Tribes, and the Decisions that Shaped America’s Future
Peter StarkHistorian Stark provides an insightful look at a little-known yet consequential defeat of U.S. forces by Indigenous tribes in 1791. The fallout from the battle raised questions about executive power that echo today in the Jan. 6 hearings.
Out of the Wreckage
Kirk YeagerWe’ve all seen wreckage from bombings: The skeletons of exploded cars, the rubble of broken buildings. Out of that utter chaos, Yeager, the FBI’s chief explosives scientist, assesses how this terrorism occurred and works intricately to unravel incidents step-by-step. In this enthralling Scribd Original, Yeager lifts the caution tape to walk us through two high-profile crime scenes.
Dispatches From Kyiv
The MillionsMillions staff writer Il’ja Rákoš’ “Dispatches From Kyiv” chronicles his harrowing and heartbreaking experiences in the early days of Russia’s war with Ukraine: “I expect the Russians are not done bombing things that are better left at peace. So far, that list includes kindergartens, hospitals, train stations, apartment blocks, dormitories, neighborhoods, rural townships, public squares and, at last count, one major university. If this is what ‘Russian liberation’ looks like, I’ll take slavery.”
The Road to Villa Page: A He Said/She Said Memoir of Buying Our Dream Home in France
Cynthia RoyceHome renovations are hard enough without DIY-ing a house halfway around the world from your current locale, in a country where you don’t speak the language. But that didn’t stop TV writers Cynthia and William Royce from leaving the U.S. for their dream house in France. (Which is “a ruin,” according to Cynthia.) This memoir chronicles all the hilarious mishaps of this extreme move.
Friends and Enemies: A Life in Vogue, Prison, & Park Avenue
Barbara AmielAmiel’s life is anything but boring, and she dishes freely in “Friends and Enemies.” The journalist and socialite’s memoir covers mental health, anti-semitism, betrayal, and beyond, including her husband Conrad Black’s legal battles and subsequent imprisonment. (Black was pardoned of his fraud conviction by President Trump in 2019.) With Amiel’s sharp opinions and shocking truths, this is no run-of-the-mill memoir.
Displaced: A Holocaust Memoir and the Road to a New Beginning
Linda SchwabIn a moving memoir, Schwab shares the story of surviving the Holocaust in Poland. From a Jewish ghetto to an underground cave in the countryside — and eventually a displacement camp in Germany — Schwab’s childhood was marred by fear, violence, and hatred. Through it all her family remained close and determined to survive. “Displaced” is an essential read for understanding history and the human spirit.
Dad on Pills: Fatherhood and Mental Illness
Chris GethardComedian and new father Gethard writes about his darkest fears as a dad who struggles with mental health (like that his son will also have a giant forehead full of suicidal thoughts) with humor and heart. For fellow mentally ill parents, Gethard’s hilarious personal essay is a reassuring pep talk, full of compassion, empathy, and kindness (and, OK, sometimes a few punches to the throat).
Jack and Rochelle: A Holocaust Story of Love and Resistance
Jack SutinAfter a brief, awkward meeting years before, fate brought Jack and Rochelle together during the height of World War II. They had fled their homes in Poland after witnessing atrocities against their families and neighbors. Together, as they fell in love, Jack and Rochelle joined the resistance against Hitler as Jewish partisans. “Jack and Rochelle” is more than a memoir, offering readers a moving story of enduring love and strength in the face of unspeakable evil.
You're Stepping on My Cloak and Dagger
Roger HallThough his work was highly serious, Hall offers ample humor and a lighthearted tone in this memoir of his time as an officer for the O.S.S., an American intelligence agency formed during World War II. Stories of parachuting gone awry and colorful characters met along the way make for a lively, entertaining read about an otherwise dark period of history.
The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop: A Memoir, a History
Lewis BuzbeeThose addicted to the fresh smell and crisp texture of a brand new book will surely connect with “The Yellow-Lighted Bookshop.” Author Buzbee weaves between memoir and history in this comforting and nostalgic story. You’ll hear about his evolution into avid-reader and bookshop-lover, along with the origins of the printed word and modern bookstores.
Rude Talk in Athens: Ancient Rivals, the Birth of Comedy, and a Writer's Journey through Greece
Rude Talk in Athens: Ancient Rivals, the Birth of Comedy, and a Writer's Journey through Greece
Mark Haskell SmithAristophanes, a comedic playwright of ancient Greece, was known (for better or worse) for his crass, razor-sharp humor — largely used to write well-aimed barbs at his fellow playwrights. In “Rude Talk in Athens,” author Smith (“Naked at Lunch”) explores what the ancient Athenians found hilarious, why, and how they used comedy to stick it to the man. This delightful audiobook is non-academic but still informative.
The Way of Imagination
Scott Russell SandersThis stirring collection of essays addresses our global economic crisis with hope. Sanders uses his own personal experiences to argue that imagination, art, and compassion are our most powerful tools for change. He also encourages us to realize that nature is part of us, not something to be used and abused.
Memoirs of a Wartime Interpreter: From the Battle for Moscow to Hitler's Bunker
Elena RzhevskayaThis memoir from Rzhevskaya, a female lieutenant for Russian forces during World War II, is a fascinating forgotten history. “Memoirs of a Wartime Interpreter” details Rzhevskaya’s attitudes and feelings about Germany and Russia, providing a hardly heard perspective to these two world powers. The book also details how she went about making sure Hitler really was dead.
Pure Act: The Uncommon Life of Robert Lax
Michael N. McGregorPart biography, part memoir, McGregor details the unexpected twists and turns in the life of poet Robert Lax, one of McGregor’s good friends. Lax lived a life worthy of his surname: Searching for simplicity, beauty, and wonder. There’s plenty here about leading an authentic life that’s particularly useful in our social media-addicted, busy, busy, busy society.
We Are Not Refugees: True Stories of the Displaced
Agus MoralesAs the world becomes increasingly interconnected, this globe-spanning book about the millions of people displaced from their homes is a must-read. Many people avoid the label “refugee,” and journalist Morales encourages readers to go beyond that term to see the humanity in those who have to flee for a wide variety of reasons.
A Summer with Montaigne: On the Art of Living Well
Antoine CompagnonWhat can we learn from humanist philosopher Michel de Montaigne, who wrote during the French Renaissance, about how to live well today? Professor Compagnon translates Montaigne’s meditations into 40 quick, accessible lessons on how to lead a more fulfilling life. Those lessons are just as relevant today as they were in the 16th century.
Fire in the Straw: Notes on Inventing a Life
Nick LyonsA memoir for old-school literary lovers. In unassuming, beautiful prose, Lyons, at almost 90 years of age, takes us through the times he took an unexpected turn in his well-read, well-lived life in academia, publishing (he founded Lyons Press), and fly fishing.
Venom Doc: The Edgiest, Darkest, Strangest Natural History Memoir Ever
Bryan G. FryIt’s safe to say Fry has something of an ego and possibly a death wish: He studies the world’s most dangerous animals trying to understand their venom and repurpose it for good. His memoir recounts his most frightening encounters (he’s been the victim of a mere 26 snakes) and is sure to please any thrill seekers.
The Barn at the End of the World: The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd
The Barn at the End of the World: The Apprenticeship of a Quaker, Buddhist Shepherd
Mary Rose O'ReilleyThe act of seeking spirituality has never had as many comedic moments as that of Mary Rose O’Reilley, whose journey leads her to tend sheep for a year. From Catholicism to Buddhism to the almost religious experience of leading large animals through their own life’s struggles, O’Reilley’s biography is a guide to learning to live consciously in a world that stands still for no woman.
In Winter's Kitchen: Growing Roots and Breaking Bread in the Northern Heartland
Beth DooleyEating locally and sustainably is undeniably the ideal way to live. But outside of the rich, temperate fields of California where the slow food movement in America took hold, there is a greater challenge. In places like Minnesota where the earth is hard and frozen for half the year, farmers still have to feed their communities all year long. “In Winter’s Kitchen” explores the foods, chapter by chapter, that sustain those communities, and the local food scenes that are thriving, even when it snows.
Another Life: On Memory, Language, Love, and the Passage of Time
Theodor KallifatidesDuring his career, Greek-born Theodor Kallifatides emerged as one of Sweden’s most respected authors, writing poetry, novels, plays, and film scripts. In his thoughtful, philosophical memoir, Kallifatides shares the complicated act of aging, experiencing crippling writer’s block in his late 70s, and his return to his beloved homeland of Greece. It’s a thought-provoking exploration of the passage of time, with commentary on cultural trends in modern Europe.
Black Imagination: Black Voices on Black Futures
Natasha MarinA stirring celebration of Black voices in the form of short stories and poetry. Dedicated to “the beauty, strength, and enduring resilience of Black People everywhere,” this collection brings together individual creators who reflect on, and revel in, Black joy, healing, and the imagining of a world where all Black folks are loved, safe, and valued. Moving narration from Daveed Diggs and Lena Waithe brings these diverse experiences to life — listen to them sparkle and shine.
The Sun and Her Stars: Salka Viertel and Hitler's Exiles in the Golden Age of Hollywood
The Sun and Her Stars: Salka Viertel and Hitler's Exiles in the Golden Age of Hollywood
Donna RifkindFor a period of time in the 1930s and ’40s, one of Hollywood’s top screenwriters was the incredible Salka Viertel, a Jewish woman and recent immigrant. She and her director husband became well-known for their infamous Sunday parties which attracted countless other entertainment luminaries, particularly those who, like Salka, escaped Germany as Hitler rose to power. Donna Rifkind’s debut book is like an invitation to these rollicking parties and a VIP look at the tumultuous and scandalous world its guests inhabited.
The Heart: Frida Kahlo in Paris
Marc PetitjeanFollowing the devastating news that her husband Diego Riviera wanted a divorce (after several transgressions, including his affair with her sister), Frida Kahlo set off for France. While there, she hobnobbed with fellow masters like Pablo Picasso, flourished creatively, and had a whirlwind romance with Michael Petitjean. Michael’s son Mark writes this captivating chronicle of a seldom-explored area of Kahlo’s life.
Dressed for a Dance in the Snow: Women's Voices from the Gulag
Monika ZgustovaDuring Stalin’s reign in Soviet Russia, at least 18 million people — from petty criminals to political prisoners — were sent to gulags in Siberia. Monika Zgustova collects the stories of nine women who spare no details of the horror and deprivation they endured in the infamous forced labor camps. Their testimonies radiate the power of the creative spirit as they speak of the strength they gained from sharing stories, poems, songs, and anything else that could bring a modicum of beauty into their unimaginably ugly situation.