Memoir Text List: This list details other options for your students. A wide range of interests and social, political and historical events in United States and world history are incorporated. Students may also research other possible titles according to interests in the humanities.
A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier by Ishmael Beah details the life of Ishmael and his memories as a child soldier for Sierra Leone Armed Forces. His parents and brother were killed by the Revolutionary United Front and is a true tale of losing one's innocence because of a country divided. Ishmael bravely spoke at a United Nations event in the U.S. about his experiences as a child soldier.
I'm Down by Mishna Wolff
This is a memoir that tackles racial tensions in a humorous way for people of all ages and races can appreciate. Mishna grew up in a black community and tried to fit into white and black America as she grow up. Her father identified with the black community and wanted his children to see the beauty of different cultures.
Ghosts of War:The True Story Of A 19-Year-Old GI by Ryan Smithson
After joining the Army Reserves post 9/11, Ryan Smithson was deployed to Iraq as an Army engineer at the tender age of 19. Students will read along as Smithson details his harrowing journey for what it means to be an American.
Surviving the Angel of Death:The Story of a Mengele Twin in Auschwitz by Eva Kor and Lisa Rojany Buccieri.
Check with your students if this text may be too painful to read. This memoir gives a poignant account about first hand memories from their internment in Auschwitz. It is a quick read and gives a beautiful glimpse into two twins' struggle for survival. *Note: Students may need to contact local archives or town programs for Holocaust survivors to contact for interviews.
