Best Selling Autobiography Books 2018
Why We Can’t Stop Reading About Other People’s Lives
There’s something a little nosy about all of us, isn’t there? We love a good peek behind the curtain, especially when that curtain hides a celebrity’s messy kitchen or a rock star’s wild tour bus. In 2018, the bookstores were packed with memoirs that felt less like homework and more like binge-watching a reality show, but with better grammar. These weren’t dusty, dry histories; they were fist-pumping, tear-jerking, laugh-out-loud stories that made you feel like you were sitting right next to the author.
The best part? You didn’t need to be a literature snob to enjoy them. These books were written in plain, punchy language, perfect for reading on a beach or during a lunch break. They hooked you with the first page and didn’t let go until you knew every secret, failure, and triumph.
The Queen of Telling It Like It Is
If there was one autobiography that ruled 2018, it was Tara Westover’s Educated. Now, you might think, “A memoir about getting a PhD? Pass.” But hold on—this is a wild ride about a girl who grew up in a survivalist family in the mountains, never saw a doctor, and had no birth certificate. Her dad thought the government was coming to get them, and her brother was, well, not nice.
What makes it so entertaining is the sheer unbelievability of her childhood. You’ll find yourself gasping, laughing nervously, and then cheering when she sneaks off to take the ACT for the first time. It’s like a camping trip gone horribly wrong, but with brilliant insights about learning and freedom. You don’t need to love school to love this book—you just need to love a good survivor story.
The Rock Star with a Heart of Gold
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum, we had Dave Grohl’s The Storyteller, which technically hit shelves later, but the buzz in 2018 was all about his live readings and snippets. Wait—that’s 2021. Let’s rewind. In 2018, the big musical memoir was Carrie Fisher’s The Princess Diarist… no, that was 2016. Okay, the real 2018 gem was Geddy Lee’s My Effin’ Life? No, that’s 2023. Let me straighten my facts!
The actual smash-hit music memoir of 2018 was Elton John’s Me. And boy, is it a hoot! It’s written like he’s chatting with you over a cup of tea—if that tea was spiked with champagne. He talks about his crazy outfits, his tantrums, and his deep, deep loneliness, all with a wink and a self-deprecating joke. You don’t have to know a single song by him to enjoy the drama.
“I’m not sure what’s more shocking: the things I did, or the fact that I survived to write about them.” — A common feeling in these books.
A Memoir That Feels Like a Hug
For a cozy, warm read, you couldn’t beat Michelle Obama’s Becoming. Released in November 2018, it was the book that every grandma, every cool aunt, and every college student carried around. But don’t mistake it for a boring political lecture. It’s a deeply personal story about growing up on the South Side of Chicago, dealing with a husband who’s a little too calm, and finding her own voice.
The entertainment comes from her inside jokes and tiny details, like how she and Barack negotiate who takes out the trash. You’ll laugh at her stories about living above a moldy apartment, and you’ll cry when she talks about her dad. It’s simply a story about a woman who never lost her sense of humor, even when walking into the White House. That’s the magic—you feel like you’re her best friend by page ten.
The Crazy, Fun, and Sometimes Messy
Let’s not forget the pure popcorn fun of Tiffany Haddish’s The Last Black Unicorn. This one hit earlier and just kept selling. It’s not a polished, elegant memoir—it’s a hilarious, raw, and sometimes jaw-dropping collection of stories about her life in foster care, her rough stand-up days, and her crazy dates. She writes like she talks: loud, honest, and with zero filter.
You’ll want to read pages out loud to your friends. She’ll have you cracking up one minute and feeling choked up the next. That’s the special sauce of 2018’s best sellers—they don’t just tell you what happened; they make you feel like you were there, ducking for cover or raising a glass.
So, What’s the Big Deal?
These books are entertaining because they remind us that nobody’s life is perfect. The authors trip, fail, and make fools of themselves—just like us, but with better lighting. They also give you a sneaky sense of hope: if they can survive that mess, maybe your Tuesday isn’t so bad.
Grab one of these on a rainy weekend. You’ll get a front-row seat to a life you’ll never live, and you’ll probably laugh until your sides hurt. That’s a pretty good deal for the price of a paperback.
