Memoir and real lives books for adults
139 award-winning books for adults. True stories, told by the people who lived them.
Fantasy and magic86Science fiction69Superheroes28Memoir and real lives139History98Funny109Manga124Horror and spooky48Crime and mystery57Adventure30Friendship and school25Family81Animals35Science and the real world130LGBTQ+ stories19
139 books, the first 120 shown
Winner2026It Rhymes with TakeiGeorge Takei2026 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir winner
Winner2025Feeding Ghosts: A Graphic MemoirTessa Hulls2025 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir winner
Winner2024Family Style: Memories of an American from VietnamThien Pham2024 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir winner
Winner2023Ducks: Two Years in the Oil SandsKate Beaton2023 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir winner
Winner2023Flung Out of SpaceGrace Ellis and Hannah Templer2023 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winner
Winner2022Run: Book OneJohn Lewis, Andrew Aydin, L. Fury, and Nate Powell2022 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir winner
Winner2021The Loneliness of the Long-Distance CartoonistAdrian Tomine2021 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir winner
Winner2020They Called Us EnemyGeorge Takei, Justin Eisinger, Steven Scott, and Harmony Becker2020 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winner
Winner2019Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the WorldPénélope Bagieu2019 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material winner
Winner2017March: Book ThreeJohn Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell2017 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winner
Winner2016The RealistAsaf Hanuka2016 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material winner
Winner2014The Fifth Beatle: The Brian Epstein StoryVivek J. Tiwary, Andrew C. Robinson, and Kyle Baker2014 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winner
Winner2013The Carter Family: Don't Forget This SongFrank M. Young and David Lasky2013 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winner
Winner2012Green River Killer: A True Detective StoryJeff Jensen and Jonathan Case2012 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winner
Winner2012Onward Towards Our Noble DeathsShigeru Mizuki2012 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material: Asia winner
Winner2010The PhotographerEmmanuel Guibert, Didier Lefèvre, and Frédéric Lemercier2010 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material winner
Winner2009What It IsLynda Barry2009 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winner
Winner2007Fun HomeAlison Bechdel2007 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winner
Winner2006Nat TurnerKyle Baker2006 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winner
Winner2004BlanketsCraig Thompson2004 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New winner
Winner2003One! Hundred! Demons!Lynda Barry2003 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New winner
Winner1992Maus IIArt Spiegelman1992 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint winnerThree Rocks: The story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created NancyBill GriffithWinner2024Three Rocks: The story of Ernie Bushmiller: The Man Who Created NancyBill Griffith2024 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winnerA Drifting LifeYoshihiro TatsumiWinner2010A Drifting LifeYoshihiro Tatsumi2010 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work winner
Nominee2026Ginseng Roots: A MemoirCraig Thompson2026 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint nominee
Nominee2026MuybridgeGuy Delisle2026 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2026Raised by GhostsBriana Loewinsohn2026 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2025I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together: A MemoirMaurice Vellekoop2025 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2025The Heart That Fed: A Father, a Son, and the Long Shadow of WarCarl Sciacchitano2025 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2025The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C. S. Lewis & J. R. R. TolkienJohn Hendrix2025 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2024A First Time for EverythingDan Santat2024 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2024In LimboDeb J.J. Lee2024 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2024Last on His Feet: Jack Jackson and the Battle of the CenturyAdrian Matejka and Youssef Daoudi2024 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2024Messenger: The Legend of Muhammad AliMarc Bernardin and Ron Salas2024 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2024The TalkDarrin Bell2024 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2024Thing: Inside the Struggle for Animal PersonhoodSamuel Machado and Cynthia Sousa Machado with Steven M. Wise2024 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2023Alfred Hitchcock: The Master of SuspenseNoël Simsolo and Dominique Hé, translation by Montana Kane2023 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2023Invisible Wounds: Graphic JournalismJess Ruliffson2023 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2023It's Lonely at the Centre of the Earth: An Auto-Bio-Graphic-NovelZoe Thorogood2023 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2022Factory SummersGuy Delisle2022 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2022ParenthesisÉlodie Durand [ fr ]2022 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2022The Secret to Superhuman StrengthAlison Bechdel2022 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2021Big Black: Stand at AtticaFrank “Big Black” Smith, Jared Reinmuth, and Améziane2021 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2021Dancing after TENVivian Chong and Georgia Webber2021 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2021I Don't Know How to Give Birth!Ayami Kazama2021 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee
Nominee2021Year of the RabbitTian Veasna, translation by Helge Dascher2021 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2020Good Talk: A Memoir in ConversationsMira Jacob2020 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2020GrassKeum Suk Gendry-Kim, translation by Janet Hong2020 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2020Kid GlovesLucy Knisley2020 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2020Making ComicsLynda Barry2020 Harvey Award for Book of the Year nominee
Nominee2019All the Sad SongsSummer Pierre2019 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2019Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic AdaptationAri Folman and David Polonsky2019 Eisner Award for Best Adaptation from Another Medium nominee
Nominee2019Belonging: A German Reckons with History and HomeNora Krug2019 Harvey Award for Book of the Year nominee
Nominee2019One Dirty TreeNoah Van Sciver2019 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2018Audubon: On the Wings of the WorldFabien Grolleau and Jerémie Royer2018 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2018Calamity Jane: The Calamitous Life of Martha Jane Cannary 1852–1903Christian Perrissin and Matthieu Blanchin2018 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2018Everything is FlammableGabrielle Bell2018 Harvey Award for Book of the Year nominee
Nominee2018HostageGuy Delisle2018 Harvey Award for Book of the Year nominee
Nominee2018Lennon: The New York YearsDavid Foenkinos, Éric Corbeyran, and Horne Perreard2018 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2018Lighter Than My ShadowKatie Green2018 Harvey Award for Book of the Year nominee
Nominee2018The Best We Could DoThi Bui2018 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2017Dark Night: A True Batman StoryPaul Dini and Eduardo Risso2017 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2017Glenn Gould: A Life Off TempoSandrine Revel2017 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2017Rosalie Lightning: A Graphic MemoirTom Hart2017 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2017Tetris: The Games People PlayBox Brown2017 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2017The Osamu Tezuka Story: A Life in Manga and AnimeToshio Ban and Tezuka Productions2017 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material: Asia nominee
Nominee2016Displacement: A TravelogueLucy Knisley2016 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2016Ghetto KlownJohn Leguizamo, Christa Cassano, and Shamus Beyale2016 Eisner Award for Best Adaptation from Another Medium nominee
Nominee2016Invisible Ink: My Mother’s Secret Love Affair with a Famous CartoonistBill Griffith2016 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2016The Story of My TitsJennifer Hayden2016 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2015Can't We Talk About Something More Pleasant?Roz Chast2015 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2015Dragon’s Breath and Other True StoriesMariNaomi2015 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2014Woman Rebel: The Margaret Sanger StoryPeter Bagge2014 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2013A Chinese LifeLi Kunwu and Philippe Ôtié2013 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2013Cruisin' with the HoundSpain2013 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint nominee
Nominee2013The Infinite Wait and Other StoriesJulia Wertz2013 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2012Marzi: A MemoirMarzena Sowa and Sylvain Savoia2012 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2012VietnamericaGB Tran2012 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2011Drinking at the MoviesJulia Wertz2011 Eisner Award for Best Humor Publication nominee
Nominee2011Picture This: The Nearsighted Monkey BookLynda Barry2011 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2011Special Exits: A Graphic MemoirJoyce Farmer2011 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2011Two GeneralsScott Chantler2011 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2010A.D.: New Orleans After the DelugeJosh Neufeld2010 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint nominee
Nominee2010Alec: The Years Have PantsEddie Campbell2010 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint nominee
Nominee2010Footnotes in GazaJoe Sacco2010 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2010MonstersKen Dahl2010 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2010StitchesDavid Small2010 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2010The Impostor's Daughter: A True MemoirLaurie Sandell2010 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2009Blue Pills: A Positive Love StoryFrederik Peeters2009 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2009FishtownKevin Colden2009 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2008Sentences: The Life of MF GrimmPercy Carey and Ronald Wimberly2008 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2008The Magical Life of Long Tack SamAnn Marie Fleming2008 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2008Town of Evening Calm, Country of Cherry BlossomsFumiyo Kōno2008 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material: Asia nominee
Nominee2007I Love Led ZeppelinEllen Forney2007 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2007Mom's CancerBrian Fies2007 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint nominee
Nominee2006EmbroideriesMarjane Satrapi2006 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2006True Story, Swear to GodTom Beland2006 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nominee
Nominee2006War's EndJoe Sacco2006 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint nominee
Nominee2005PersepolisMarjane Satrapi2005 Eisner Award for Best U.S. Edition of International Material nominee
Nominee2005Suspended in LanguageJim Ottaviani and Leland Purvis2005 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New nominee
Nominee2004Louis Riel: A Comic-Strip BiographyChester Brown2004 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint nominee
Nominee2004The Fixer: A Story from SarajevoJoe Sacco2004 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New nominee
Nominee2003After the SnooterEddie Campbell2003 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint nominee
Nominee2003Fair WeatherJoe Matt2003 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint nominee
Nominee2002FalloutJim Ottaviani, Janine Johnston, Steve Lieber, Vince Locke, Bernie Mireault, and Jeff Parke2002 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New nominee
Nominee2000Ethel & ErnestRaymond Briggs2000 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New nominee
Nominee1997Marilyn: The Story of a WomanKathryn Hyatt1997 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New nominee
Nominee1995Introducing KafkaD. Z. Mairowitz and R. Crumb1995 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New nominee
Nominee1995Our Cancer YearHarvey Pekar, Joyce Brabner, and Frank Stack1995 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: New nominee
Nominee1993Peep Show!Joe Matt1993 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Album: Reprint nomineeDo Admit: The Mitford Sisters and MeMimi PondNominee2026Do Admit: The Mitford Sisters and MeMimi Pond2026 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nomineeFela: Music is the WeaponJibola Fagbamiye, Conor McCreeryNominee2026Fela: Music is the WeaponJibola Fagbamiye, Conor McCreery2026 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nomineeGlobetrotters: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s World TourJulian Voloj and Julie RocheleauNominee2026Globetrotters: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bisland’s World TourJulian Voloj and Julie Rocheleau2026 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nomineeMy Life in 24 Frames Per SecondRintaroNominee2026My Life in 24 Frames Per SecondRintaro2026 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nomineePrecious RubbishKayla E.Nominee2026Precious RubbishKayla E.2026 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nomineeSurrounded: America's First School for Black Girls, 1832Wilfrid Lupano, Stéphane FertNominee2026Surrounded: America's First School for Black Girls, 1832Wilfrid Lupano, Stéphane Fert2026 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nomineeTalking to My Father's Ghost: An Almost True StoryAlex KrokusNominee2026Talking to My Father's Ghost: An Almost True StoryAlex Krokus2026 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nomineeDegrees of Separation: A Decade North of 60Alison McCreeshNominee2025Degrees of Separation: A Decade North of 60Alison McCreesh2025 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nomineeDjunaJon MacyNominee2025DjunaJon Macy2025 Eisner Award for Best Reality-Based Work nomineeSomething, Not Nothing: A Story of Grief and LoveSarah LeavittNominee2025Something, Not Nothing: A Story of Grief and LoveSarah Leavitt2025 Eisner Award for Best Graphic Memoir nominee