Inspiring Stories: The Best Biographies
A biography is a book someone writes about another person's life. It can be told in chronological order, highlighting the most significant events. Typically, the book in question tends to focus on the subject's area of expertise. For example, if the author is a writer, their biography will focus on their journey through literature.
The biography is also a literary genre, situated between the "memorialistic" volumes, the historical ones, and, in turn, the essayistic ones. This niche has its origin in the Parallel lives of Plutarch and the various From viris illustribus. In the Middle Ages, the lives of saints became famous. If you'd like to learn more, check out our list of the best biographies.
Best books on biographies
Diana: Her True Story in Her Own Words (2024), by Andrew Morton
Last year, the revised and updated version of the biography de One of the most beloved figures in European show business: Princess Diana of Wales, better known as Lady DiThis book, special in every way, was written in collaboration with Diana herself, who provided exclusive details about her life, changing many people's perceptions of the British monarchy.
The material was first released in 1992. Since then, those who followed the former princess's philanthropic career, as well as the breakup of her marriage, have had the opportunity to get to know her better. In this new edition, the author revisits the secret tapes he and Diana recorded, remembering her as an icon in life and a legend after her tragic death.
Quotes by Andrew Morton
- «On the eve of Diana's wedding, which took place at Clarence House, her mood was greatly improved when Charles sent her a signet ring engraved with the Prince of Wales's feathers and a loving card that read: 'I'm so proud of you, and when you arrive, I'll be there at the altar for you tomorrow. Look into their eyes and leave them speechless.'»
- "Like her father, Elizabeth had made the transition to become a living symbol of the monarchy, her name mentioned in prayers, her actions and her dogs now the daily fodder for the morning newspapers, her life in the hands of the nation."
García Márquez. The Journey to the Seed (2024), by Dasso Saldívar
Dasso Saldívar worked, investigated and traveled to the right places to solve the mystery of why García Márquez, one of the most famous writers in history, wrote his magnum opus. While this is a biography of the author, it is also a biography of his magnum opus: One Hundred Years of SolitudeAlong the way, Saldívar discovered that the Colombian Nobel Prize winner gave life to her novel, allowing her to return to her roots.
Likewise, two fundamental literary questions are answered here: who was García Márquez really? And what is the historical, cultural, familial, and personal reality that underlies one of the most widely read texts in the world. Dasso Saldívar's book is a reference for all Márquez fans. and his novel, as well as for those who wish to immerse themselves in an interesting story.
Quotes by Dasso Saldívar
- "In the early 1980s, I wrote my first long story titled 'Anatolia,' which won the Jauja Short Story Prize in Valladolid. I continued writing stories, about seven or eight, until I suddenly realized I wasn't writing a collection of stories (it was called 'Tales of Return,') but rather several chapters of what could be a novel." (Interview on Eluniversal.com)
- "Great poetry was therefore my primary source of nourishment while writing the novel, for it truly teaches us to creatively use words and to see the world and life in their essence." (Interview on Eluniversal.com)
Stephen Hawking: His Life and Work (2012), by Kitty Ferguson
We've already talked about a princess and a Nobel Prize winner in Literature. What better way to continue than with one of the most brilliant physicists in the history of humanity? In this case, Ferguson, known for her ability to translate the language of theoretical physics for a non-scientific audience, It featured the collaboration of both Stephen Hawking himself and his closest collaborators.
This volume was first published over twenty years ago. Now, the author returns with an updated version, revealing a very human Hawking, from his birth, through the harrowing onset of his neurodegenerative disease, to his growing fame, and his struggle to understand the nature and behavior of the universe and the laws that affect it.
Kitty Ferguson Quotes
- "We don't know what proportion of the significant evidence about the universe science excludes. Perhaps almost none. Perhaps so large a proportion that any body of knowledge that excludes it is merely a caricature. Perhaps something in between, so that science finds the truth, but not the whole truth."
- "It is not for any of us to take the attitude that all evidence for God is false, inappropriate, simply because it is evidence for God, or even because it is outside the realm of science."
Autobiography of Marilyn Monroe (2019), by Rafael Reig
Norma Jeane Mortenson, known to the world as Marilyn Monroe, was the biggest star Hollywood ever produced. However, Despite her great success and talent, she was often reduced to the role of the "dumb blonde", forced to play weak, plot-driven roles with little dialogue. What actor could excel in a medium that pigeonholes and objectifies them in this way?
What few people know is that Norma was not only a brilliant person, but she was one of the first women in the industry to fight for a more active role in film. Despite all this,This great girl spent her last years clinically depressed, with several suicide attempts under his belt and a longing for love that often reached the limits of insanity.
Quotes by Rafael Reig
- "I read Joyce, Freud, and Thomas Wolfe. I've always been interested in culture, even if it's surprising. Believe it or not, back in the days when I barely had enough money to eat, I'd already opened a bookstore account."
- "Going home. That's the only path in life. That's all there is to it. There's nothing else." But I don't have a home. I've never had a home. No one has ever left a light on for me by the front door, or in the hallway. No one is waiting for me anywhere."
Federico's Journey (2024), by Ana Bernal Triviño
This book brings together the three volumes of the trilogy dedicated to the characters and figure of the writer Federico García LorcaSomething very interesting about the text is that it gives voice to the most iconic female protagonists of the author's work. In the first part, they come to life to reclaim their destiny. In the second, they must confront the darkness and violence of the male protagonists.
Finally, in the third, Federico himself returns to life to face his tragic end and settle unfinished business, while wandering through magical places full of memories that are, at the same time, part of the poet's real life. It could be said that this work is a bold, feminist revision of Lorca's work., a fantasy that explores memory, creativity and identity.
Quotes by Ana Bernal Triviño
- "But you're not alone... you have your sisters," Rosita added. "We've always been alone in our room."
"You can have company and still be completely alone. You can have company and still feel it like a yoke."
- "I prefer poor people and freedom of spirit and thought, to wealthy people and a poor spirit."
Churchill: The Biography (2019), by Andrew Roberts
This may be the best biography of Winston Churchill ever written, and that's because its author, a renowned British biographer and military historian, had access to documents never before shared, such as the private diaries of King George VI, who used to meet with the politician regularly. The charm of this work lies in its rich documentation, a treasure for all history lovers.
This wealth of documentary evidence allowed Andrew Roberts to expose Churchill like never before, exploring the character's human reality, including his troubled relationship with his father and the events that led to his downfall. Through this text, The reader will have the opportunity to get closer to the Second World War from the perspective of the legendary prime minister.
Quote by Andrew Roberts
- "Neatly chosen words; carefully structured phrases; a cumulative argument; the use of analogy; the display of eccentricities... These are the five rhetorical pillars of the greatest orator of his generation."
Autobiography. Agatha Christie (2019), by Agatha Christie
Many of the queen of crime's readers and critics suggest that, if there is one compelling work among her books, it is her autobiography. Even today, so many years after her death, some of the events that led her down the path of literature remain closely guarded. However, In this book, Agatha herself reveals details about her happy childhood and her two marriages.
This woman, successful like few others in her time, knew how to maintain mystery both inside and outside of her novels, demonstrating not only that she understood the world in which she lived very well, but that she was happy to inhabit it. Christie's vision of existence and human relationships is a must-see. for those who enjoy biographies, and, above all, suspense.
Agatha Christie Quotes
- "I learned that you can't go back, that the essence of life is moving forward. …
- "The best recipe for a detective novel: the detective should never know more than the reader."
