Autobiographies tell of famous lives, but rarely explore the interior -- *how* the those lives were lived. Memoirs, on the other hand, can tell the most interesting parts of anyone's lives, in the voices of those who lived them. Done well, the memoir allows us to not only read someone's life, but also to read their mind and their heart. This list brings together the stories told so well -- so lyrically, so humorously, so creatively -- that they're a pleasure to read whether you're familiar with the author or not.