The best-selling memoirs of 2018

From former first ladies to debut authors, this year's top-selling memoirists are a varied bunch.

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The No. 1 best-selling Amazon book of the year isn’t a cookbook, self-help book, novel, or nonfiction epic: It’s a memoir. A memoir that wasn’t even published until mid-November, that is, rocketing up the charts in just a little over a month. Not bad for a genre that is often considered oversaturated, eh?

So we wondered: Which other memoirs sold exceptionally well this year?

We limited our search to memoirs published in 2018, which is why Anthony Bourdain’s best-selling Kitchen Confidential isn’t on the list, nor is Viktor E. Frankl’s Man’s Search for Meaning. The remaining four titles are stories from a mix of celebrities, government officials, and a debut author who became an instant literary darling. In descending order, here are the best-selling memoirs of 2018:

4. Whiskey in a Teacup by Reese Witherspoon

Reese Witherspoon may be best known for her work as an actress in hits like Legally Blonde, Walk the Line, and Cruel Intentions, but did you know she’s one of the most accomplished producers of modern books-turned-blockbusters in Hollywood? Witherspoon was instrumental in turning titles like Gone Girl, Wild, and Big Little Lies into Hollywood productions. Now Witherspoon is entering the authorial side of the industry with Whiskey in a Teacup: What Growing Up in the South Taught Me About Life, Love, and Baking Biscuits. The No. 1 New York Times best-seller is part memoir, part lifestyle guide, and 100% charm.