10 Spiritual Memoir Books To Dive Into
Photo by Yaroslav Shuraev
Memoir is one of the most powerful genres of books. It gives the reader an authentic and personal view into a real person’s thoughts, emotions, struggles, hopes, and fears. When we read firsthand stories of people’s lives, it can bring us both comfort and clarity to ourselves and our own stories.
The list below contains brave memoirs by thoughtful people whose stories were affected and shaped by faith. No matter what you believe, these stories each have the power to touch your soul and inspire your faith.
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01 | Traveling Mercies by Anne Lamott
Lamott tells a strikingly honest and beautiful story of the glimmers of God in the midst of a difficult life.
02 | A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller
A master of theological memoir, Miller tells the story of what happened when he began to see his life as a story as it was being turned into a movie.
03 | The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom
The famous and harrowing true story of a concentration camp survivor who worked to save Jews from a Nazi invasion, and how her faith was present in the midst of destruction and evil.
04 | Surprised by Oxford by Carolyn Weber
Both witty and heartbreaking, this story, taking place in picturesque Oxford, England, follows the author’s gradual and grand path through doubt and towards God.
05 | God’s Smuggler by Brother Andrew
Reading like a spy thriller, this memoir tells the true and thrilling story of Brother Andrew’s conversion and eventual life smuggling bibles to the most hostile places in the world.
06 | What’s So Amazing About Grace? by Philip Yancey
Through richly told personal stories, Yancey explores the power of God’s grace in his life and offers deep theological thoughts on what it can mean for all of us.
07 | The Pastor by Eugene Peterson
The personal memoir of beloved pastor, writer, and translator of The Message bible. Through telling his story, Peterson discovers what a life reflecting God actually looks like.
08 | I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The story behind the lauded and loved writer, poet, and speaker, Maya Angelou. The author details the difficult and terrible events in her life that could’ve given her reason to abandon God and the church, but ultimately was the making of her unshakable faith.
09 | Surprised by Joy by C. S. Lewis
The memoir from the brilliant mind behind The Chronicles of Narnia and one of the most respected theological minds of the 20th century, Lewis walks the reader through his early life as a skeptic and what ultimately led him to a life of faith.
10 | Life of the Beloved by Henri Nouwen
Originally written as a response to a question from a Jewish friend of his, Life of the Beloved his undoubtedly one of Nouwen’s greatest works. In it he explains the boundless love that God has for all of us in language that is profound, true, and simple.
In short…
By interacting with someone else’s story, you’ll gain deeper insight into your own, helping to touch your soul and inspire your faith even further.