Award Winning Books: Biography/Memoir/Autobiography

Final Negotiations

A Story of Love, Loss, and Chronic Illness
Revised and Expanded Edition

Carolyn Ellis

International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry Best Book Award, 2019

A poignant autoethnography that reflects back forty years on loving someone chronically ill

416 pages | 6 x 9

ORDER

Fireweed

A Political Autobiography

Gerda Lerner

Outstanding Achievement Recognition by the Wisconsin Library Association Literary Awards Committee, 2003
A BookSense top 76 pick in the category, "Life Stories of Some Famous and Not-So-Famous Women," March/April 2003
A PW Book of the Day, June 2002

A beautifully written, dramatic memoir from one of women's history's founders

408 pages | 7 x 10 | 24 halftones

ORDER

Forklore

Recipes and Tales from an American Bistro

Ellen Yin

Ellen Yin, winner of the 2023 James Beard Award for Outstanding Restaurateur
Winner of a Pewter award in the Gold Ink Awards in the cookbook category, 2008
Winner of the Gold ADDY Award — Publication Design — Cover, 2008
Winner of the Silver ADDY Award — Publication Design — Editorial Spread or Feature, 2008

True-life tales and scrumptious recipes from Philly's trendsetting restaurant

288 pages | 8 x 9.25 | 115 color illustrations

ORDER

Hapa Girl

A Memoir

May-lee Chai

Named one of the Notable Books in the Kiriyama Prize, 2008
Honorable Mention at the Gustavus Myers Outstanding Book Awards, 2007

A vivid depiction of the racism suffered by a mixed-race family in rural South Dakota

232 pages | 5.5 x 8.25 | 12 halftones

ORDER

I Walked with Giants

The Autobiography of Jimmy Heath

Jimmy Heath and Joseph McLaren

Best Book of the Year from the Jazz Journalists Association, 2011

A life in music portrayed by an NEA jazz master and his legendary friends

344 pages | 6 x 9 | 35 halftones

ORDER

A Life in the Struggle

Ivory Perry and the Culture of Opposition

George Lipsitz

Anisfield-Wolf Book Award in Race Relations, 1989

The life story of a grassroots, civil rights activist

320 pages | 6 x 9

ORDER

The Memoirs of Wendell W. Young III

A Life in Philadelphia Labor and Politics

Wendell W. Young III

Francis Ryan, recipient of the 2022 John C. Brennan Award for Labor Education from the Pennsylvania Labor History Society

A behind-the-scenes look at a legendary Philadelphia labor leader and how he shaped local and national politics in profound ways

296 pages | 6 x 9 | 28 halftones

ORDER

Not from Here, Not from There/No Soy de Aquí ni de Allá

The Autobiography of Nelson A. Díaz

Nelson A. Díaz

Nelson Diaz, recipient of the 2020 National Hispanic Hero Award, presented by the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute

A lively autobiography by a community activist, judge, and public advocate who blazed a trail for Latinos in Philadelphia

280 pages | 6 x 9 | 1 figure, 19 halftones

ORDER

Paper Son

One Man's Story

Tung Pok Chin, with Winifred C. Chin

Outstanding Academic Title, Choice, 2001

A rare, first person account of an experience shared by thousands of Chinese

184 pages | 5.5 x 8.25 | 16 halftones

ORDER

Putting the Horse before Descartes

My Life's Work on Behalf of Animals

Bernard E. Rollin

Lifetime Achievement Award for Excellence in Research Ethics from Public Responsibility in Medicine & Research, 2016

A pioneer in animal ethics tells his story

304 pages | 6 x 9

ORDER

Rubble Films

German Cinema in the Shadow of the Third Reich

Robert R Shandley

Outstanding Academic Title, Choice, 2002

An insightful analysis of German film in the immediate postwar era

240 pages | 6 x 9 | 19 halftones

ORDER

Silent Gesture

The Autobiography of Tommie Smith

Tommie Smith and David Steele

Author Tommie Smith received the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the ESPYs, 2008
Named one of two “Adult Nonfiction Honor Books” by The Black Caucus of the American Library Association (BCALA)., 2008
Nominated for an NAACP Image Award in the category “Outstanding Literary Work – Biography/Autobiography”, 2008

The story of the most famous protest in sports history, written by one of the men who staged it

288 pages | 6 x 9 | 16 halftones

ORDER

Softly, with Feeling

Joe Wilder and the Breaking of Barriers in American Music

Edward Berger

Association for Recorded Sound Collections' Award for Excellence in the category of Best Historical Research in Recorded Jazz, 2015

The story of Joe Wilder, who broke musical and racial barriers

400 pages | 6 x 9 | 1 table, 35 halftones

ORDER

Swingin' at the Savoy

The Memoir of a Jazz Dancer

Norma Miller and Evette Jensen

Norma Miller is a recipient of the 2003 National Endowment for the Arts National Heritage Fellowships

A celebration of a life of dancing the Lindy Hop

304 pages | 6 x 9 | 1 figure, 52 halftones

ORDER

Whisper Not

The Autobiography of Benny Golson

Benny Golson and Jim Merod

Association for Recorded Sound Collections' award for Best History Book in the category of Best Historical Research in Recorded Jazz, 2017
One of the Best Jazz books of 2017 by New York City Jazz Record

A funny, touching, and insightful memoir from one of the last surviving members of the greatest generation of American jazz musicians

352 pages | 6 x 9 | 33 halftones

ORDER

White Boy

A Memoir

Mark D. Naison

Mark Naison is the recipient of the Poe Award for Literary Excellence of the Bronx County History Society, 2004

A life on the front lines of academic and social change

240 pages | 6 x 9

ORDER