The memoirs of Lena Dunham, “Not That Kind of Girl,” released this spring in the US, have become a genuine sensation. It’s an honest, brilliantly written book that captures with rare precision the experience of living with a chronic illness in a world that prizes ambition and productivity above all else.
But the conversation doesn’t end there: there are other—equally captivating and atmospheric—women’s memoirs. Vogue Ukraine has gathered six books worth turning to after “Not That Kind of Girl.”
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“Faithfull: An Autobiography” by Marianne Faithfull
The life of British singer and actress Marianne Faithfull was so eventful and dramatic that she published three books of memoirs over twenty years. Yet, “Faithfull: An Autobiography” remains her seminal work—the most sincere and ruthlessly candid.
It’s a story of her childhood, her meteoric rise as a pop star in the 1960s, her high-profile relationship with Mick Jagger, and her heroin addiction that led to homelessness. And—as a counterpoint—her return to herself through music and the album “Broken English.” This is a book that inevitably prompts the question: “Have I even lived at all?”
“Just Kids” by Patti Smith
“Just Kids” is not merely the story of the relationship between American singer and poet Patti Smith and photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Above all, it’s a narrative about dedicating one’s life to art—without guarantees, without a plan, but with absolute faith.
This book effortlessly transcends the memoir genre, transforming into a literary portrait of an era. It is replete with artistic and literary allusions, transporting the reader back to a New York where all you needed was a suitcase, a copy of Illuminations, and a dream to begin a new life.
“I’ll Never Write My Memoirs” by Grace Jones
Grace Jones, the Jamaican-American singer, model, and actress, is one of the most groundbreaking pop icons of her time. Her memoirs are a journey through aesthetic and cultural epochs: from the windy shores of Jamaica to the dazzling lights of Studio 54 and the chaotic New York of the 1990s. These are not just recollections but a series of vivid, ironic, and sometimes brutally honest stories about the world of celebrities. And in these stories, everyone gets their due—from Madonna to Lady Gaga and Rihanna.
“Prozac Nation” by Elizabeth Wurtzel
“Prozac Nation” became not just the literary debut of American journalist Elizabeth Wurtzel but a cultural phenomenon. For the first time, the experience of depression was articulated so openly—without filters, without romanticization, with painful accuracy.
Wurtzel became the voice of a urban generation: successful, educated, yet emotionally exhausted individuals. As Lena Dunham notes, it’s a “foundational text about depression, anxiety, and the coming-of-age of a young woman in the new psychopharmacological era of the 1990s.” And if you’ve ever felt “on the edge,” this book will resonate profoundly.
“I’m Glad My Mom Died” by Jennette McCurdy
In this memoir, Jennette McCurdy tackles one of the most complex and controversial subjects—abusive relationships with parents. With irony and almost surgical precision, she describes how she was drawn into an acting career as a child, initiated by her mother, which led to eating disorders and deep psychological trauma. It’s a story about separation—not just physical but also emotional—from relationships that society often idealizes.
“My Little Place in the Country” (Strangeland) by Tracey Emin
For Tracey Emin, an artist whose work has always been deeply autobiographical, writing a memoir was inevitable. In “Strangeland,” she revisits her life without any filters: from her childhood in the seaside town of Margate to the chaotic art world of the 1990s.
This is a text about vulnerability and self-destruction, but also about the strength to speak about oneself aloud. “Here I am—broken, mad, anorexic, alcoholic, childless, beautiful woman,” she writes. “I never thought it would all turn out like this.”