回忆录是一种文学体裁。是以第一人称写作的。回忆录描述的是作者对一个人、一群人，或一段时间、一个地方的回忆，内容大部分是真实的，但是也有一些文学艺术上的虚构，也会有作者对事物的主观感受、印象，可能与事实有出入，但一般不会影响其真实性。回忆录准备写作时，有些搜集被描写对象的详细资料，可以采取访谈，查找历史资料，访问被描写人的亲属等等方式。有些则只凭个人记忆撰写。有时为了艺术性，还要适当的加入一些虚构情节，若是写人，多会征求被描述人或其家属的同意。一些集体回忆也常成为回忆录的题材。

自传是回忆录的一种，作者大部分是被描述人自己或者是被描述人口述由他人记录整理。自传有很大的主观性，作者可能因为各种原因而淡化，虚构，隐瞒，曲解一些事情，所以，这只是一种不太准确的描述。但是自传也有其优点，比如一些很琐碎，很私人，很隐密的事情可能会出现在其中。它比别的传记更加人性化。

A memoir (from French: mémoire: memoria, meaning memory or reminiscence) is a collection of memories that an individual writes about moments or events, both public or private that took place in the subject's life. The assertions made in the work are understood to be factual. While memoir has historically been defined as a subcategory of biography or autobiography since the late 20th century, the genre is differentiated in form, presenting a narrowed focus. A biography or autobiography tells the story of a life, while a memoir often tells a story from a life, such as touchstone events and turning points from the author's life. The author of a memoir may be referred to as a memoirist.