Non-fiction: Inspirational People - Christchurch City LibrariesLike this list

17 items

• Between Two Kingdoms

  a Memoir of a Life Interrupted

  Jaouad, Suleika

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  Suleika Jouad does not hold back in this memoir of a vibrant woman knocked off her feet by leukaemia. Her drive to not only survive but make a meaningful life while staring down death is inspirational.

• Against All Odds

  Goldstein, Ellie

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  By the age of 21, Ellie Goldstein had been on the cover of Vogue, bought her own house and become a published author, all while advocating for others with Down’s Syndrome. When she was diagnosed at birth, the doctors were concerned about…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Untouchable Girls

  the Topp Twins's Story

  Topp, Jools, 1958-

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  The Topp Twins have put down their mics and picked up their pens to share their remarkable journey. This collection of photos and stories spans not only their careers as comedians and country musicians, but also their history of political…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings

  Angelou, Maya, 1928-2014

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  This 1969 coming-of-age memoir is raw and tragic, but is ultimately a remarkable story of courage and triumph over adversity. Set amidst violence, abandonment, and the racial oppression of 1930s/40s America, Angelou ultimately finds…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Redemption Songs

  a Life of Te Kooti Arikirangi Te Turuki

  Binney, Judith, 1940-2011

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  Te Kooti was one of the most famous Māori leaders of the nineteenth century, waging war against the colonial forces in defence of his people and land. In this compelling work of biography and history, Dame Judith Binney takes the reader…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• No Friend but the Mountains

  Writing From Manus Prison

  Boochani, Behrouz

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  Kurdish Journalist Behrouz Boochani was illegally detained on Manus Island after attempting to seek political asylum in Australia. This extraordinary book was written from his incarceration, painstakingly sent out via WhatsApp, and weaving…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• When Breath Becomes Air

  Kalanithi, Paul, 1977-2015

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  Paul Kalanithi was on the verge of completing his medical studies when he was diagnosed with Stage IV lung cancer at the age of 36. In this deeply moving and ultimately life-affirming memoir, he shares his courageous story, while…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Long Walk to Freedom

  the Autobiography of Nelson Mandela

  Mandela, Nelson, 1918-2013

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  In one of the most inspiring autobiographies of all time, Nelson Mandela leads us from his childhood, through his student days in Johannesburg, to his central role in the ANC’s fight against apartheid, and his twenty-seven year…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Twelve Years a Slave

  Northup, Solomon, 1808-1863

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  In this horrifying but ultimately inspirational nineteenth century memoir, Solomon Northup recounts his life from his beginnings as a free man in New York, to his harrowing kidnapping and consequent enslavement on the cotton plantations of…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Becoming

  Obama, Michelle, 1964-

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  From the South Side of Chicago, to the world’s most famous residence, Michelle Obama’s intimate and page-turning memoir takes us behind the scenes of her remarkable life and challenges and inspires us all to keep on Becoming. The Light We…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Conversations With RBG

  Ruth Bader Ginsburg on Life, Love, Liberty, and Law

  Rosen, Jeffrey, 1964-

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  In this intimate and extraordinary series of conversations with journalist and Law Professor, Jeffrey Rosen, Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg reflects on society, politics and the legal establishment, providing a very personal insight into her…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Recollections of My Non-existence

  Solnit, Rebecca, 1961-

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  In this poetic, political and powerful memoir by one of our greatest contemporary essayists, Rebecca Solnit writes of the process of becoming a writer and finding her voice, amidst a society and cultural narrative that prefers its women to…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Educated

  Westover, Tara

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  Tara Westover’s parents were radical survivalist Mormons, preparing for the End of Days in rural Idaho. At 17, Westover sought out her own education, and within a decade had earned a PhD from Cambridge. In this inspirational memoir,…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• How to Escape From Prison

  Wood, Paul, Dr

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  Paul Wood was 18 when he was convicted of murder. In this gritty and honest memoir, Wood charts his remarkable journey from a world of drugs, violence, gangs and prison, to a new life as a Doctor of Psychology, helping others to overcome…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• I Am Malala

  The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World

  Yousafzai, Malala, 1997-

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  Malala has become a name synonymous with strength, courage and determination. In this remarkable and powerful biography, Malala tells her story of bravery and her continuing fight for the rights of girls to be educated. She also provides a…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• After the Tampa

  From Afghanistan to New Zealand

  Nazari, Abbas, 1995-

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  Abbas Nazari was a young boy when his family, fleeing Taliban rule in Afghanistan, was rescued from a Norwegian freighter and resettled in Christchurch, New Zealand. Nazari excelled at school and now holds a Masters in Security Studies…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Man's Search for Meaning

  the Classic Tribute to Hope From the Holocaust

  Frankl, Viktor E. (Viktor Emil), 1905-1997

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  In this harrowing yet inspiring memoir Viktor Frankl chronicles his experience as an inmate in multiple WWII concentration camps. A psychiatrist by trade, Frankl filled his days of internment observing the psychology of camp life. He…Read moreRead more of this annotation