Celebrating We Love Memoir Day!

By Kristin Brynteson, Director, NIU STEAM

August 31 is We Love Memoir Day!

To celebrate, we’d like to share a few of our favorite memoirs, biographies and autobiographies.  

I have always been a voracious reader. Getting lost in a good book is my favorite way to unwind and relax. If you looked at my bookshelf, you would see a very eclectic mix of sci-fi, fantasy, who-done-its, romantic comedy, YA novels and everything in between. It is a strange and wonderful mix of storytelling. The perfect place to get lost when I need to. Most of the time when I settle in for a long read, I reach for fiction. Something far removed from reality. However, I do occasionally crave a bit of inspiration from real-life stories.

I’ll admit it – I love a good memoir. I enjoy the personal approach to storytelling. A memoir helps me reflect on my own life and provides insight and perspective into the lives of others. A good memoir is a story of hope, grit, sacrifice, passion and perseverance.    

Currently I am reading three very different memoirs. Each one gives a peek into the lives of some amazing people.   

• Path to the Stars: My Journey from Girl Scout to Rocket Scientist, by Sylvia Acevedo. She tells the story of how Girl Scouts changed her life and led her on a path to become a rocket scientist at NASA and the former CEO of Girl Scouts. As a former girl scout myself, I’m enjoying her amazing story and her easy storytelling style.   
• Bell Labs Memoirs: Voices of Innovation, byMichael Geselowitz, et.al. This book is a series of twelve stories about individuals who were part of the innovative spirit of Bell Labs from the 1950s through the 1970s. It’s interesting to me because of my family connection with the telecommunications industry. Both my husband and I were the last of three generations who worked in telecommunications. It is cool to see how the industry grew and hear from some of the people who made it happen.  
• InnovateHERs by Barbara Kurshan and Kathy Hurley. This is less a memoir and more of a collection of interviews. Kurshan and Hurley interviewed 29 women entrepreneurs and put their stories together in this book. I enjoy picking it up and reading one when I need a bit of insight and inspiration.  

To supplement my list of favorites, I asked the NIU STEAM Team (past and current) about their favorite memoirs and this is what they shared:

• The Girl Who Thought in Pictures by Julia Finley Mosca, shared by Stephanie Dietrich. “The picture book version of The Girl Who Thought in Pictures by Julia Finley Mosca is one of my favorite books to share with kids to inspire them to use their uniqueness to create positive, impactful change.”
• The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, shared by Kerri Sosnowski, is a moving, often disturbing, look into the life of a woman whose childhood was shaped by alcoholism and homelessness. “This memoir helped frame my perspective on those issues with a better understanding of how children can survive and eventually thrive despite so many obstacles and challenges.”
• The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba, shared by Judy Dymond. “It is an inspiring story for youth that illustrates how one young person made a difference in his community.  Everyone has the power to make a difference in our greater community.”
• Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee, shared by Judy Dymond. “This story is awe inspiring! We need to recognize the talents of those around us. STEAM fields are important to solving the challenges of today and tomorrow.” 
• Educated by Tara Westover, shared by Debbie Kerman, is a moving story of perseverance in the pursuit of your own dreams rather than limiting yourself to following someone else’s plans for your future. “It also reminds us that it’s never too late to do the things you want to do.”
• Memories of a Theoretical Physicist, a biographical memoir by Joseph Polchinski, shared by Jack Kraus, is an excellent and inspiring read. “The author does a great job at illustrating the beautiful and rewarding creative process behind the physics he mastered over the course of his life.”
• Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration by Ed Catmull and Amy Wallace, shared by Hal Brynteson. “I enjoyed seeing how Pixar grew into what it is today. Interesting look at the power of creativity.” 
• Breakthrough by Jack Andraka, shared by Hal Brynteson. “I read it years ago when I was in high school. I remember it having an impact. It was a taste of what scientific research is from the high school perspective.”  
  • Gifted Hands by Ben Carson, shared by Grace Wilson Biokoro, is an inspiring autobiography about a neurosurgeon whose life story inspires people of all ages to cultivate a culture of learning, studying and tenacity. “Anyone, no matter how disadvantaged, impoverished or deprived, has the potential to succeed.”