I’ve read I’m Glad My Mother Died and Educated via audiobook, both of which were read by the author. I think that this method can sometimes help you connect, since you can hear the emotion in the speaker’s words. Maybe give audiobooks a try!

That said, memoirs and biographies are certainly not everyone’s cup of tea - I tend to avoid them unless it’s a person I am particularly interested in (or, in the case of McCurdy’s and Westover’s books, my spouse highly suggested them).

Finally, you picked pretty heavy memoirs, focused on traumatic childhoods and complex, abusive relationships with the authors’ parents. Perhaps a more lighthearted memoir of a comedian may be a good place to start. Steve Martin, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Mindy Kaling all have memoirs that are generally well-reviewed (I haven’t read any of them in a while though).

At the end of the day, contrary to popular opinion, memoirs are kind of a niche thing to enjoy. They’re super popular because of celebrity culture and the fact that they’re relatively easy to write and sell. If you don’t like them, don’t force it! Life is too short.

Edit: Michelle Obama’s memoirs are amazing as well!