The Greatest Showman (P.T. Barnum)

In 'The Salt Path', Raynor Winn shares the true story of her and her husband Moth's journey. Just days after learning that Moth was terminally ill, they lost their home and livelihood due to a legal battle. With almost no money and no place to go, they decided to walk the 630-mile South West Coast Path from Somerset to Dorset, via Devon and Cornwall. The book chronicles their struggles with homelessness, their encounters with nature and other people, and the transformative impact of their journey. It also addresses themes of resilience, the stigma of homelessness, and the healing power of nature. The memoir is known for its lyrical descriptions of the natural world and the deepening relationship between Raynor and Moth as they navigate their challenging circumstances.

The Bell Jar is a thinly veiled autobiography that follows Esther Greenwood, a talented and ambitious college student, as she experiences a mental breakdown. The novel begins with Esther's unfulfilling summer internship as a guest editor for a women's magazine in New York City, where she grapples with identity and societal norms. Upon returning home, Esther's mental health deteriorates, leading to several suicide attempts and eventual hospitalization. The novel explores her treatment, including electroconvulsive therapy, and her gradual recovery under the care of a progressive psychiatrist. It also critiques the limited roles available to women in the 1950s and the brutal psychiatric treatments of the time.