35 Inspiring Biographies Everyone Should Read (original) (raw)
The greatest biographies ever written
When someone is in the public eye, we often feel like we know them personally, despite never having met them. That’s where biographies come in. The best biographies offer insight into someone’s life and provide us with a new perspective on the world. By reading about pivotal figures from both history and the present who have faced different challenges and circumstances than we have, we can gain a deeper understanding of others, develop more empathy and help forge our own paths. And while autobiographies and memoirs can lend an air of intimacy, biographical nonfiction books give you a more unbiased view of a person and an era.
Whether you’re an avid reader of biographies looking for lesser-known titles, or are new to the genre and want an introduction to the best of the best, we’ve got something for you. We put together a cross-section of books that were recommended by authors or other literary experts, as well as critically acclaimed and reader-recommended books that shine a light on some of the most fascinating and influential people of all time. These picks rank not just among the greatest biographies ever but also some of the best books of all time, so you’re definitely in for a treat.
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Begin Again: James Baldwin’s America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own by Eddie S. Glaude
For fans of: The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race, edited by Jesmyn Ward
In these tumultuous times, average citizens and leaders alike have been turning to the words of James Baldwin, one of the greatest writers on race in America. In this 2020 biography of Baldwin, author Eddie S. Glaude weaves Baldwin’s life and words from newly surfaced interviews with the state of racial tension in America today. In doing so, he shines Baldwin’s insight from the past onto current events and lights a path toward a better future. Begin Again was named one of the best books of the year by Time, the Washington Post and the Chicago Tribune, and won the prestigious Stowe Prize.
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The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk by Randy Shilts
For fans of: We Are Everywhere: Protest, Power, and Pride in the History of Queer Liberation by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown
You may have seen the 2008 film Milk starring Sean Penn, but this biography goes deeper into Harvey Milk’s personal life and career. It also goes wider in applying Milk’s story as a parallel for so much of what was happening to the gay community in the United States at the time. As one of the first openly gay public officials, Milk was a target, and his life was tragically taken before we could see the full potential of his charismatic leadership. Written in 1982 by San Francisco reporter Randy Shilts, this book has aspects that are now dated (compared to newer LGBTQ books), but it vividly captures the outlook and political complexity of San Francisco in the 1970s.
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The Crusades of Cesar Chavez: A Biography by Miriam Pawel
For fans of: Bolivar: American Liberator by Marie Arana
A finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award and winner of the California Book Award, this 2014 release can easily be considered one of the best biographies of all time. It’s the first comprehensive biography of Cesar Chavez, one of the most influential Latinx figures in American history. Chavez’s remarkable life, mind and journey from migrant worker to movement leader is written poignantly and with nuance by Miriam Pawel, a Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist.
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Alice Walker: A Life by Evelyn C. White
For fans of: The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou by Maya Angelou
Alice Walker has given us some of the most celebrated and beloved books, including The Color Purple, which made her the first Black woman to win a Pulitzer Prize. In this comprehensive 2004 biography, Evelyn C. White conducts extensive research and numerous interviews and draws connections between Walker’s early life events, societal ills and the brilliant writer that Walker would become. Whether you’ve read Walker’s work or not, this is a biography you won’t want to miss.
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In Love and Struggle: The Revolutionary Lives of James and Grace Lee Boggs by Stephen M. Ward
For fans of: Living for Change: An Autobiography by Grace Lee Boggs
In this dual biography from 2016, Stephen M. Ward (professor of Afroamerican and African Studies at the University of Michigan) skillfully crafts the rarely told story of James and Grace Lee Boggs. A true power couple, these intellectual and revolutionary minds were instrumental in the struggle for Black freedom. Hailing from different backgrounds, they moved along parallel paths until they converged in Detroit. Ward’s deep knowledge of the city shines through as well, making In Love and Struggle a fascinating read for anyone interested in U.S. history, activism, labor movements or love stories.
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The Brontë Cabinet: Three Lives in Nine Objects by Deborah Lutz
For fans of: A Memoir of Jane Austen: And Other Family Recollections by James Edward Austen-Leigh
Perhaps three of the most famous sisters in literary history, Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë have delighted and awed readers with their collective works for nearly 200 years. That fascination continues in this 2015 biography by Deborah Lutz, which comes recommended by biographer Natalie Dykstra, emerita professor of English at Hope College and the author of Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner.
“The Brontë Cabinet: Three Lives in Nine Objects brilliantly reveals the inner lives of Charlotte, Emily and Anne Brontë by taking up, in detail, nine objects in their household, including tiny handmade books, needlework items and a bracelet of entwined hair,” Dykstra says. “Lutz’s plunge into the ‘private lives of objects’ brings the sisters incredibly close through the things they touched and used in their daily lives. So we get to see Charlotte reciting poetry while her fingers are busy with a patchwork quilt; Emily, whom Charlotte described as ‘a solitude-loving raven,’ out on her beloved Yorkshire moors with her walking stick; Anne writing poetry on her portable desk that carried papers, letters, seals, ink and writing pens. Lutz’s unforgettable account is a reminder that objects can also resurrect the ‘daily living and breathing’ of biographical subjects.”
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Clemente: The Passion and Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero by David Maraniss
For fans of: Game Changers: Dean Smith, Charlie Scott, and the Era That Transformed a Southern College Town by Art Chansky
Yes, Clemente is a book for sports fans, but it’s also for anyone who admires trailblazers and humanitarians. With narrative pacing that will sweep away any reader, Pulitzer Prize winner David Maraniss shows us why Pittsburgh Pirate Roberto Clemente meant so much to so many in this 2006 release. Born in Puerto Rico, he broke barriers in baseball and felt a responsibility to help wherever he could. He died while trying to bring aid to Nicaragua, ending a bright light of a life far too soon.
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Triumph: The Untold Story of Jesse Owens and Hitler’s Olympics by Jeremy Schaap
For fans of: Game Changers: The Unsung Heroines of Sports History by Molly Schiot
Another biography for sports fans and world-history lovers, this 2007 in-depth account of Jesse Owens’s inspiring victories is an illuminating page-turner. Sports journalist and ESPN contributor Jeremy Schaap brings us to the 1936 Olympics in Berlin with vivid prose. We see what Owens was up against both at home and abroad, and how his wins reverberated across the world. Owens’s gold medals were both a personal triumph and a triumph against Nazi ideology. Triumph is a fascinating read—particularly if you’re unfamiliar with Owens.
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Heartbeat of Struggle: The Revolutionary Life of Yuri Kochiyama by Diane Carol Fujino
For fans of: O nly What We Could Carry: The Japanese American Internment Experience edited by Lawson Fusao Inada and Hubert Harrison: The Voice of Harlem Radicalism, 1883–1918 by Jeffrey B. Perry
The public first became widely aware of Yuri Kochiyama when Malcolm X was assassinated. She was the woman who was by his side and cradled his head as he left this world. Activist, professor and author Diane Carol Fujino weaves archival research and interviews in Heartbeat of a Struggle to show who Kochiyama was before and after this moment, and how her early experiences led to a life dedicated to activism and solidarity-building between Black and Asian American communities. From the internment of Japanese Americans to the Black movement in Harlem and beyond, this first biography of Kochiyama, published in 2005, uncovers important and rarely discussed moments in U.S. history.
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Gandhi: The Years That Changed the World, 1914–1948 by Ramachandra Guha
For fans of: Wangari Maathai: Visionary, Environmental Leader, Political Activist by Namulundah Florence
Though everyone has heard of Gandhi and may even have some of his quotes framed, few know the story of his life. This 2018 biography takes us from his departure from South Africa to his assassination: the years of his remarkable life that changed the world the most dramatically. Author Ramachandra Guha is an acclaimed historian, and as one of the greatest biographies ever, this serves not only as the story of a revolutionary but also as a lesson in India’s complex social structures.
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Lafayette in the Somewhat United States by Sarah Vowell
For fans of: The Wordy Shipmates by Sarah Vowell
If you’ve seen Hamilton, you probably remember the Marquis de Lafayette as the fun-loving young pal of Alexander Hamilton. In this original biography, a bestseller from 2015, author Sarah Vowell makes General Lafayette’s story just as entertaining as his portrayal in the musical. The Frenchman’s fast-paced, international life and his time in Washington’s army take center stage, which enables us to meet a cast of famous characters through his eyes, including Thomas Jefferson, Marie Antoinette and Benjamin Franklin.
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Endgame by Frank Brady
For fans of: The Immortal Game: A History of Chess by David Shenk
If you love The Queen’s Gambit and enjoy a good biography, then Frank Brady’s 2011 take on real-life chess genius Bobby Fischer may be your perfect read. “Frank Brady isn’t the first to write a biography on Bobby Fischer, and he won’t be the last, but Endgame is singular in its dismantling of the ‘mad genius’ trope,” says Andrew Lipstein, author of The Vegan. “In thorough yet propulsive prose, Brady untangles the ‘mad’ part of Fischer’s personality from the ‘genius’ (though the two often appeared together). What results is a satisfying story that ultimately leaves the moral questions surrounding Fischer’s legacy up to the reader—a monumental feat for any biography.”
But what if you’re not that into chess? Not a problem, says Lipstein: “Chess lovers will drink in the occasional plunges into game strategy, but every reader will find themselves immersed in one of the most complicated minds of our modern era.”
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The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss
For fans of: Black Spartacus by Sudhir Hazareesingh
Hands down one of the best biographies, The Black Count won the Pulitzer in 2013. Famed novelist Alexandre Dumas (known for The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers) drew inspiration from the life of his father, Alex Dumas. What wasn’t included in his stories was that his father was the son of a slave—a Black man in a White world. Born in 1762 in Saint-Domingue, the young Alex moved to France, where he rose in the ranks to become a highly regarded general. His story, told years later in this 2012 biography, is arguably more fascinating than his son’s fiction.
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Wong Kar-Wai: Auteur of Time by Stephen Teo
For fans of: Hitchcock (Revised Edition) by Francois Truffaut
With the popularity of Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, audiences took notice of star Tony Leung. Those in the know recognize Leung from his early work, most notably films like Days of Being Wild, Chungking Express, In the Mood for Love and _2046—_all directed by the iconic Wong Kar-Wai. In this first book-length biography of the legendary director, released in 2005, readers get a behind-the-scenes look at Hong Kong cinema, as well as insight into Kar-Wai’s influences and how he redefined the film industry.
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Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith
For fans of: Secrets of Royal Women: Fascinating Biographies of Queens, Princesses, Duchesses, and Other Regal Women by Marlene Wagman-Geller and Queen Liliuokalani: The Hawaiian Kingdom’s Last Monarch, Hawaii History, A Biography by Kale Makana
If you can’t get enough of The Crown on Netflix, this 2012 biography will be your cup of tea. This is author Sally Bedell Smith’s third biography of a member of the royal family, and her expertise in making connections and presenting research shines. Smith takes us into the meeting rooms, social activities and international tours that fill Queen Elizabeth II’s life. We see the effects of constantly being in the public eye and get to know a seemingly untouchable person on a human level—reminding us that she was once just a young girl who took on a monumental responsibility.
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Cocktails with George and Martha: Movies, Marriage, and the Making of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Philip Gefter
For fans of: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? by Edward Albee
Are you a movie buff? Do you enjoy watching Oscar-winning films? Maybe you loved reading the original Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf by Edward Albee? If any of these are true, you’ve found your next read. This 2024 treat of a book is the kind of well-crafted tale that does its subject justice while still managing to spill all the tea.
“Cocktails with George and Martha isn’t a biography, per se, but because it wonderfully and deliciously chronicles the making of the Oscar-winning movie, you learn so much about both the brilliant playwright Edward Albee, whose play had such a profound impact on the cultural landscape of the 1960s, and the ultra-talented director Mike Nichols,” says Kate White, author of The Last Time She Saw Him. “I felt both in awe and inspired when I finished reading it. And if that’s not enough, you also get some very juicy tidbits about the stars of the movie, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.”
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A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee’s Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Melissa Fleming
For fans of: The Barefoot Woman by Scholastique Mukasonga and Jordan Stump and T he Last Girl: My Story of Captivity, and My Fight Against the Islamic State by Nadia Murad
Some biographies interest us because we are fans of their famous subjects. Other biographies, like this 2017 release, grip us because they tell untold stories we could only otherwise imagine. This biography of Doaa Al Zamel, a 19-year-old Syrian refugee, makes vivid a crisis that often feels too overwhelming to comprehend. Her story is one of too many like it, and her humanity makes it impossible to look away. If you haven’t read this book yet, start a book club and spread the word. This is a story that needs to be heard.
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Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster by Stephen L. Carter
For fans of: My Beloved World by Sonia Sotomayor and Una Marson by Lisa Tomlinson
Another biography written about a little-known but immensely impactful person, Invisible comes from an insider’s view with nuanced objectivity. You may not have heard of Eunice Hunton Carter, but after reading this 2018 biography written by her grandson, you won’t be able to forget her. The granddaughter of slaves and one of the first women to graduate from Smith College with both a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in four years, Carter was the only prosecutor sharp enough to bring down Lucky Luciano, a dangerous Mafia boss.
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Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik
For fans of: Good and Mad: The Revolutionary Power of Women’s Anger by Rebecca Traister
This 2015 release is not your typical biography: It’s peppered with Ruth Bader Ginsburg quotes, illustrations, anecdotes and pop culture references. In fact, it might remind you of something you’d scroll through on the internet. That’s because co-author Knizhnik created the wildly popular Notorious R.B.G. Tumblr. Co-author Carmon interviewed Justice Ginsburg for MSNBC (and sat down with her to fact-check this book), so you can be sure you’re getting well-researched facts as well as entertainment in this bestseller. A perfect read for anyone who misses RBG, may she rest in peace and power.
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Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston by Valerie Boyd
For fans of: Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo” by Zora Neale Hurston
Writer Zora Neale Hurston’s colorful life and personality make for excellent reading. Hurston was a prolific author who created boundary-pushing work in just about every genre, and her 2003 biography by Valerie Boyd also touches upon important figures and events. With friendships that included Langston Hughes, rivals that included Richard Wright, and a life span that included the Harlem Renaissance, the Great Depression, World War II and the beginning of the civil rights movement, Hurston’s life was as full and complex as her novels.
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The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell
For fans of: Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
This book from 1791 remains the gold standard for modern biographies. Johnson—a poet, essayist, biographer and lexicographer—is best known for publishing A Dictionary of the English Language in 1755, widely considered one of the best dictionaries ever published. Although not much is known about Johnson’s early life, this biography showcases the rise of Johnson’s tremendous career and details his ability to overcome adversity, including his struggles with anxiety, hearing loss, partial blindness and behavioral tics diagnosed posthumously as Tourette’s syndrome.
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Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin
For fans of: John Lewis: The Last Interview and Other Conversations by Melville House with Jelani Cobb and Madame President: The Extraordinary Journey of Ellen Johnson Sirleaf by Helene Cooper
This 2005 biography by historian Doris Kearns Goodwin profiles the life of America’s 16th president, as well as four members of his cabinet who served with him from 1861 to 1865. Critics consider Team of Rivals, which won the 2006 Lincoln Prize, to be one of the most insightful and readable portraits of Lincoln because it focuses on personalities, not politics—exploring how Lincoln managed to build relationships with some of his former rivals.
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Ninth Street Women by Mary Gabriel
For fans of: Frida in America: The Creative Awakening of a Great Artist by Celia Stahr
This 2018 biography by Mary Gabriel takes readers into the world of women painters whose work left a lot of glass on the ground. It’s not the usual art history book either. As biographer Brad Gooch, author of Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring, explains it, “Most biographies are close-ups; the Great Man or Woman gives us an enigmatic Mona Lisa smile that seduces us into the story of their lives, often told cradle to grave. In Ninth Street Women, Mary Gabriel gives us a street scene instead. And what a street it is: Ninth Street in the 1950s and the pioneering women painters who worked there, such as Joan Mitchell and Elaine de Kooning, creating thrilling work while breaking the glass ceiling of the art world.”
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The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
For fans of: The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee
Written by award-winning science writer Rebecca Skloot, this 2001 release tells the story of Henrietta Lacks, a poor Black tobacco farmer and mother of five who died from an aggressive form of cervical cancer in 1951, at age 31. Before she died, researchers harvested cells from her tumor without her knowledge or her family’s permission. Those cells—which now number in the billions and are known as HeLa cells—became one of the most crucial tools in the field of medicine. Throughout the book, Skloot expertly weaves a discussion of race and ethics into this tale of scientific discovery.
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John Adams by David McCullough
For fans of: Dear Abigail: The Intimate Lives and Revolutionary Ideas of Abigail Adams and Her Two Remarkable Sisters by Diane Jacob
It’s easy to see why critics love this 2002 Pulitzer Prize–winning portrait of our second president. Written by American historian and esteemed author David McCullough, John Adams is a soaring, powerful read. It takes the reader on an in-depth journey of Adams’s early life and through his presidency and marriage to Abigail. While it focuses on politics, it’s also a love story and a study of human nature and loyalty. And it was so well received that it spawned the critically acclaimed book-to-movie adaptation of the same name on HBO.
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Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson
For fans of: Aiming High: Masayoshi Son, SoftBank, and Disrupting Silicon Valley by Atsuo Inoue
Reading this article on a smartphone? You likely have Steve Jobs to thank for that. Written by notable biographer Walter Isaacson, this 2011 book provides readers with a never-before-seen, unrestricted and unfiltered glimpse into the Apple founder’s life. Isaacson based the book on more than 40 interviews that he held with Jobs over a period of several years while Jobs was terminally ill, as well as hundreds of interviews he conducted with Jobs’s family members, friends and colleagues. Jobs was and still is widely considered one of the world’s greatest innovators, and this book presents a concise yet intricate look at the man behind the myth.
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Let Us Now Praise Famous Men by James Agee
For fans of: American Exodus: The Dust Bowl Migration and Okie Culture in California by James N. Gregory
Not so much a singular biography as a collection of biographies, this 2001 book profiles the hardships that three sharecropper families faced during the Great Depression. Along with photographer Walker Evans’s stark images, the book details the suffering endured by the three poverty-stricken families as they struggle to survive the Dust Bowl’s harsh conditions. Although it wasn’t commercially successful at the time, Let Us Now Praise Famous Men is now widely considered to be a pillar of exemplary journalism.
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Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman
For fans of: The Nearest Exit May Be Behind You by S. Bear Bergman
Another collection of biographies, this 2010 book is the follow-up to Gender Outlaw, Kate Bornstein’s groundbreaking and genre-breaking memoir about her transformation from man to woman. In this sequel, Bornstein and co-author S. Bear Bergman turn our attention to the next generation of artists, creatives and professionals across the trans spectrum. Through essays, conversations and art, we get to see some of the beautiful diversity in the trans community.
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Ten Days a Madwoman: The Daring Life and Turbulent Times of the Original “Girl” Reporter, Nelly Bly by Deborah Noyes
For fans of: Madhouse: A Tragic Tale of Megalomania and Modern Medicine by Andrew Scull
In 1887, reporter and Pittsburgh native Nelly Bly feigned insanity at a Manhattan boarding house so that she would be involuntarily committed to a 10-day stay at the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island and could report on the horrific conditions present at the clinic. Bly’s exposé, aptly titled Ten Days in a Mad-House, was the obvious catalyst for this biography by Deborah Noyes, which also delves into Bly’s entire reporting career, up to the time of her death. While the book, published in 2017, is marketed as middle school nonfiction, its focus on sexism in the workplace, mental health and gender norms make it a must-read for adults too.
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Lydia Maria Child: A Radical American Life by Lydia Moland
For fans of: Louisa May Alcott: A Personal Biography by Susan Cheever
You have probably heard of writer Lydia Maria Child without even realizing it, and this profoundly riveting 2022 biography from Lydia Moland brings her powerful personal story to life. “Like most readers, I knew little about Child when I first picked up this biography,” says James Marcus, author of Glad to the Brink of Fear: A Portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson. “I was aware, of course, of her poem ‘Over the River and Through the Woods,’ which Americans have been belting out on Thanksgiving Day for nearly two centuries. What I didn’t know was that Child was among the first successful female authors of her era, whose self-help volumes and children’s tales sold in huge numbers. Even more impressive: Her commitment to the abolition of slavery, which began in 1833, effectively wrecked her career, since readers and booksellers alike were outraged by her political activism.” Marcus highly recommends the book, calling it “a deeply inspiring, often fascinating read.”
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Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert
For fans of: Havel: A Life by Michael Žantovský and Churchill: Walking with Destiny by Andrew Roberts
This 1991 biography details the life and career of one of the world’s greatest leaders: Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, who served as the British Prime Minister from 1940 to 1945, and then again between 1951 and 1955. This book highlights aspects of Churchill’s life that are seldom discussed: his childhood and upbringing as a wealthy aristocrat, his early career in the army and government, his advocacy of the Labor Party and, of course, his leadership during World War II.
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Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson
For fans of: Einstein’s Wife: The Real Story of Mileva Einstein-Marić by Allen Esterson and David C. Cassidy, with Ruth Lewin Sime
Yes, Albert Einstein was a genius, and plenty has already been written about the physicist’s Nobel Prize–winning scientific discoveries. Where this 2007 book differs, however, is in its examination of the aspects of Einstein’s life that made him human and relatable. Because of Einstein’s “sassy attitude,” for example, he was unable to find a job after graduating from Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich, where he studied physics. One of the best biographies on Einstein, the book discusses how Einstein’s insolent personality served as the impetus for his groundbreaking discoveries and also explores his often rocky relationships with his wives, other women, his children and his colleagues.
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Eleanor Roosevelt: The Early Years by Blanche Wiesen Cook
For fans of: I t’s Up to the Women by Eleanor Roosevelt and All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation by Rebecca Traister
The first of a three-volume set by noted history professor Blanche Wiesen Cook, this 1992 biography looks at the woman who was often referred to as the greatest First Lady the United States has ever had. In this volume, Cook explores the early parts of Roosevelt’s life, including her birth into a wealthy family that was torn apart by alcoholism, an unhappy childhood that stemmed from the early death of her parents, her education at a private finishing school and her marriage to FDR.
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Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow
For fans of: The Federalist Papers by Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay
Are you a fan of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Hamilton? If so, this 2020 biography by Pulitzer Prize–winning author Ron Chernow is a must-read. The book—jokingly referred to as “Hamiltome” because of its hefty size—chronicles the life of this Founding Father. It starts with Hamilton’s humble beginnings as an orphan, then winds its way through his service as a staunch patriot in George Washington’s army. It also showcases Hamilton’s meteoric rise to become the first Treasury Secretary of the United States before ending with his death, which came at the hands of a duel with Aaron Burr.
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Kamala’s Way: An American Life by Dan Morain
For fans of: The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris and Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama
Whether you are into hope-scrolling or simply reading biographies related to the continuously unprecedented times we live in today, Kamala’s Way: An American Life by Dan Morain should probably be at the top of your TBR pile. This book, published in 2021, provides a compelling chronicle of the life—and family backstory—of the first female vice president of the United States, Kamala Harris. Not only does she have an impressive portfolio of public service behind her, but she is also the daughter of two immigrants. Written by Dan Morain, a former Los Angeles Times reporter, the book provides close details on Harris’s work over the years in what some have described as a book-length résumé. Given that she is now campaigning for the next presidency, that may be something helpful to see.
ABDULLAH DURMAZ/GETTY IMAGES
FAQs
What are biography books?
Biographies are nonfiction books about a person’s life. They may look broadly at the full span of a person or focus on a particular time period or aspect of interest—like someone’s early years or the years leading up to a particular event. Biographies are grounded in facts and supported by documents, letters and journals, quotations and collected research.
What is the difference between a biography, an autobiography and a memoir?
Biographies always have both the advantages and disadvantages of being written by someone else: someone who is at least one degree apart from the subject. They provide a different perspective, holding up a mirror to reflect their subject.
Autobiographies, however, are written by the subject of the book. While they also focus on facts and use documents and quotations, they can be a bit inspirational and emotive because they’re written in the first person. You often get a lot more personal insights and ideas from autobiographies, but you have to be more mindful of personal bias as well as blindspots or the fickleness of memory. Becoming by Michelle Obama is pretty easily classifiable as an autobiography.
And now for memoirs. While they are written by the main subjects themselves, they often read more like a novel. They also tend to play more with memory, use more literary devices and can sometimes mix reality up a bit (like exact chronology) for the sake of the emotional or personal truths being shared. Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner is a good example of a memoir.
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About the experts
- Natalie Dykstra is a biographer and professor emerita of English at Hope College, where she teaches literature and writing, including a course on biography and narrative literature. She’s the author of the biographies Clover Adams: A Gilded and Heartbreaking Life and Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner. She was founding director of the New England Biography Seminar at the Massachusetts Historical Society, where she was elected a fellow.
- Brad Gooch is the author of several biographies, including Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring and Flannery: A Life of Flannery O’Connor, a National Book Critics Circle Award finalist and New York Times Notable Book of the Year. He is also a Guggenheim fellow in biography.
- Andrew Lipstein is the author of The Vegan, a New York Times Critics’ Pick of the Year. His next book, Something Rotten, hits shelves on Jan. 21, 2025.
- James Marcus is an editor, a translator, a critic and the author of Glad to the Brink of Fear: A Portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson.
- Kate White is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 10 novels, including The Last Time She Saw Him.
Why trust us
At Reader’s Digest, we’ve been sharing our favorite books for over 100 years. We’ve worked with bestselling authors including Susan Orlean, Janet Evanovich and Alex Haley, whose Pulitzer Prize–winning Roots grew out of a project funded by and originally published in the magazine. Through Fiction Favorites (formerly Select Editions and Condensed Books), Reader’s Digest has been publishing anthologies of abridged novels for decades. We’ve worked with some of the biggest names in fiction, including James Patterson, Ruth Ware, Kristin Hannah and more. The Reader’s Digest Book Club, helmed by Books Editor Tracey Neithercott, introduces readers to even more of today’s best fiction by upcoming, bestselling and award-winning authors. For this piece, Tria Wen tapped her experience as a journalist who covers literature for Reader’s Digest to ensure that all information is accurate and offers the best possible advice to readers. We verify all facts and data, back them with credible sourcing and revisit them over time to ensure they remain accurate and up to date. Read more about our team, our contributors and our editorial policies.
Sources:
- Natalie Dykstra, emerita professor of English at Hope College and author of Chasing Beauty: The Life of Isabella Stewart Gardner; email interview, June 2024
- Brad Gooch, author of Radiant: The Life and Line of Keith Haring; email interview, June 2024
- Andrew Lipstein, author of The Vegan and Something Rotten; email interview, June 2024
- James Marcus, author of Glad to the Brink of Fear: A Portrait of Ralph Waldo Emerson; email interview, June 2024
- Kate White, author of The Last Time She Saw Him; email interview, June 2024