The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls is a memoir that tells the story of an unconventional family and their journey through poverty, homelessness, alcoholism, and resilience. This novel has become widely acclaimed since its publication in 2005 due to its captivating storytelling style and emotionally charged narrative. Through the honest yet heartbreaking account of her life, growing up with an alcoholic father and eccentric mother, Walls provides readers with a window into the struggles faced by many people living in poverty across America.

The narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass is an important piece of American literature. Written by abolitionist leader and former slave Frederick Douglass, it was first published in 1845. It tells his story as a slave, detailing his struggles for freedom and his efforts to end slavery throughout the United States. This autobiographical work has been praised for its insight into slavery from a firsthand perspective and its literary merits.

The Color of Water is a memoir written by James McBride in 1996. It tells the story of his mother, Ruth McBride Jordan, and her experience as an African-American woman growing up in the early 20th century. In this book, McBride chronicles his mother's life from childhood to adulthood while exploring themes such as racism, identity, and family dynamics. 

Farewell to Manzanar is a memoir written by Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston and James D. Houston in 1973. The book recounts the experiences of a Japanese-American family who were forcibly relocated from their home in California during World War II and sent to an internment camp at Manzanar, located near Lone Pine, California. Through vivid descriptions of her childhood memories, Jeanne tells the story of life inside the camp with humor and emotion as she struggles to make sense of what has happened while trying to maintain hope for a better future outside its walls.

The Other Wes Moore is a nonfiction book written by journalist and author, Wes Moore. It tells the story of two boys who share the same name growing up in Baltimore during the 1980s and 1990s. Despite their similarities, they both go on to have drastically different lives; one ends up becoming a veteran in the army, a Rhodes scholar, a White House fellow, and a successful businessman, while the other goes to prison for murder. Through interviews with family members, friends, and teachers of each man, as well as court documents and archival research from various sources such as newspaper articles, this compelling narrative illuminates how even those born under similar circumstances can take very different paths in life due to decisions made along the way. As such, it has become an important work within literature that serves not only as a reminder of our own individual responsibility, but also shines light on issues like poverty's impact on communities throughout America.

A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah is an autobiographical account of his life as a child soldier in Sierra Leone. This powerful story follows Ishmael’s harrowing journey from innocence to brutality and back again, offering readers a unique insight into the effects of war on children. The novel has become one of the most widely read books about modern warfare and its devastating consequences.

In 1967, 18-year-old Susanna Kaysen finds herself admitted to McLean Hospital after a suicide attempt. Her doctor concludes that she must be institutionalized after speaking to her for just 20 minutes. She agrees, mostly because she is exhausted. Although she denies it, doctors diagnose her with borderline personality disorder, leading to an unexpected 18-month stay in the psychiatric ward.