In 2023 Prince Harry’s hugely controversial, tell-all, no holds barred memoir Spare became the fastest-selling non-fiction book of all time, after shifting 1.43 million copies during its first day on sale in the UK, US, and Canada.

In the UK it sold 467,183 print copies in its first week to become the fastest-selling non-fiction book since Nielsen BookScan records began and took the Official Top 50 number one spot, outstripping its nearest rival by more than a quarter of a million copies. It is also the sixth-fastest-selling of any title published since records began. Only the final three original Harry Potter books and the 2016-published playscript Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol, have sold faster. 

The non-fiction record was previously held by Barack Obama’s fourth book, A Promised Land, which sold 887,000 copies during its release day.

Before Prince Harry and Barack Obama released their record-breaking books, the title of fastest-selling non-fiction book belonged to Michelle Obama, whose memoir Becoming sold 725,000 copies on its first day.

Spare was ghostwritten by American novelist and journalist J.R. Moehringer, who also wrote memoirs for tennis legend Andre Agassi and billionaire Phil Knight. And his own memoir, The Tender Bar. Both Shoe Dog by Knight and Open by Agassi are two of our favouriote memoirs here at LoveReading.

Love it or loathe, Spare made waves and got us thinking about other memoirs we have loved. We've selected a batch of our favourite memoirs which might just pique your interest. Keep scrolling and see what you think. 

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