Biography Books & Memoirs

What is the difference between biography books and memoirs?

A biography tells a person’s life through another writer’s research and perspective. An autobiography is presented as the subject’s own life account, while a memoir often concentrates on particular experiences or periods. This collection includes these different approaches, alongside other non-fiction.

Which biographies are listed?

Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs and Einstein offer book-length studies of two very different lives. The collection also includes Rumi’s Secret by Brad Gooch and a Nelson Mandela title by Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara. Check the intended readership and format: a shorter illustrated biography is a different choice from a detailed adult study.

Looking for a first-person life story?

Long Walk to Freedom is Nelson Mandela’s autobiography. Born a Crime by Trevor Noah recounts experiences from his South African childhood, including life during apartheid and its aftermath. The listings also include Losing My Virginity by Richard Branson and I Am Malala.

Are all the books about public leaders?

No. The selection also includes personal experience, cultural lives and other non-fiction. Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb and Nine Lives by William Dalrymple provide further subjects to explore through their individual descriptions.

How should you choose a life story?

Consider the person or period that interests you, then compare the writer’s approach. An authorised biography, an independent biography and a memoir can offer different perspectives. Check the exact title, author and edition when seeking a particular account.