Popular Biographies and Autobiographies
Here are 8 wonderful biographies and autobiographies about people you may or may not recognize, but will surely find fascinating.
Let Her Fly: A Father's Journey by Ziauddin Yousafzai
The story of Malala Yousafzai, the girl who stood up to the Taliban, is known all over the world. This is about her father, in his own words, from his life before the Talibanization of Mingora, to his family’s flight to the United Kingdom after Malala was shot. It is a powerful portrait of a father’s anger and pain, but also his unwavering hope for the world.
In His Own Words by Nelson Mandela
This is an extraordinarily moving and powerful collection of inspiring speeches from pivotal moments in the life of Nelson Mandela, from the eve of his imprisonment to his release twenty-seven years later, as well as his acceptance of the Nobel Peace Prize, his election as South Africa's first black president, and more. With forewords by Bill Clinton and Kofi Annan.
Born to Be Posthumous: The Eccentric Life and Mysterious Genius of Edward Gorey by Mark Dery
Known for his delightfully macabre works, which included Broadway sets, books and book covers, and the opening credits to Mystery on PBS, Edward Gorey was one of the most original artists of the 20th century. Dery’s fantastic biography provides the most in-depth examination of his life to date, and is sure to bring new fans into the fold.
Trailblazer: A Pioneering Journalist's Fight to Make the Media Look More Like America by Dorothy Butler Gilliam
Dorothy Butler Gilliam had a 50-year-career as a journalist, and this searing memoir recounts her time as an ambitious professional who broke barriers. Her position as a black woman journalist helped her in the fight for social justice, and made her witness to incredible and heartbreaking moments in history.
The Upside: A Memoir by Abdel Sellou
The inspiration for the new movie starring Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston! Sellou was a wisecracking immigrant newly released from jail when he met a wealthy man recently paralyzed from the neck down after a paragliding accident. The unlikely friendship that formed between them changed both their lives.
Muhammad: Prophet of Peace Amid the Clash of Empires by Juan Cole
Cole, a preeminent Middle East expert, gives a thorough account of the beginnings of Islam and the Prophet Muhammad, who believed peace was the rule and not the exception.
Born with Teeth: A Memoir by Kate Mulgrew
Mulgrew, the sultry-voiced actress from such shows as Orange is the New Black and Star Trek: Voyager, shows she has an incredible gift for storytelling in her revealing memoir. Covering chapters in her life such as being brought up by unconventional Irish Catholics, and her successes and failures as she chased her dream of being an actress, Mulgrew’s life story is sure to resonate with everyone.
Blood Letters: The Untold Story of Lin Zhao, a Martyr in Mao's China by Lian Xi
The astonishing tale of Lin Zhao, a poet and journalist arrested by the authorities in 1960 and executed eight years later, at the height of the Cultural Revolution. Drawing on Lin Zhao's prison writings and others from the years before her arrest, as well as interviews with her friends, her classmates, and other former political prisoners, this powerful book shows what true courage and faith look like in the face of evil.
