importance of biography and autobiography

Biography vs Autobiography: Similarities and Differences

A biography is an account of someone’s life story that is written by an author who is not the subject of the nook. An autobiography, on the other hand, involves an individual narrating their own life experiences.

The differences between biographies and autobiographies relate most prominently to the authorhship:

• Autobiography: When you read an autobiography, you’re getting the author’s own interpretation of their life.
• Biography: When you read a biography, you experience the subject’s life through someone else’s lens (Schiffrin & Brockmeier, 2012).

Biography vs Autobiography

1. biography.

A biography is a detailed account of a person’s life, scripted by an author who is not the person who is featured in the text itself.

This type of life story focuses both on factual events in the person’s life, such as birth, education, work, and death, but often also delves into personal aspects like experiences, relationships, and significant achievements.

It may also weave-in cultural and contextual factors that help illuminate the person’s motivations and core values .

Origins of Biographies

The concept of biography as a literary genre dates back to antiquity. Such works were primarily used to capture the lives of dignified individuals, mainly rulers and war heroes.

Suetonius’s Lives of the Caesars and Plutarch’s Parallel Lives are landmark examples from this ancient period (Sweet, 2010).

The popularity of biographical works only grew in the ensuing centuries, and they became a prominent part of many cultures’ literary traditions. 

Into the 18th century and during the Enlightenment, biographies began to present a more balanced portrayal of the subject. They would present both their strengths and flaws, providing a holistic perspective on the subject.

Dr. Samuel Johnson’s compilation of English poets biographies, Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets (1779-1781) ushered in a new era of biography writing by focusing on examining human nature (Ditchfield, 2018).

In the modern era, the genre has evolved and broadened, encompassing a diverse range of figures from all walks of life – there’s a biography in every niche imaginable, with each offering readers an in-depth exploration of their lives, their struggles, and their triumphs.

This demonstrates the enduring appeal of biographies and their value in providing snapshots of history through individual lenses.

Key Characteristics of Biographies

Examples of biographies.

Title: The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets Author: Dr. Samuel Johnson   Description: Dr. Johnson’s work profiles the lives of 52 poets from the 17th and 18th centuries, including John Milton and Alexander Pope. He critiques not just the works, but also explores their personal lives and the sociopolitical contexts of their times (Johnson, 1781). Johnson’s study is invaluable for its integrated historic and biographic approach.

Title: The Life of Samuel Johnson Author: James Boswell   Description: This work by Boswell explores, in great depth, the life of his friend and mentor, Dr. Samuel Johnson. The biography offers a compelling portrayal of Dr. Johnson’s life, character, eccentricities, and intellectual prowess (Boswell, 1791). Boswell’s vivid account creates a near-physical presence of Johnson to the readers, making it one of the greatest biographies in English literature.

Title: The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt Author: Edmund Morris   Description: In this Pulitzer Prize-winning biography, Morris chronicles the early life of Theodore Roosevelt until his ascension to the U.S presidency. The work brilliantly captures Roosevelt’s extraordinary career and his transformation from a frail asthmatic boy into a robust and vigorous leader (Morris, 1979). Morris accurately represents Roosevelt’s indomitable spirit, making it an engaging and educational read.

Title: Steve Jobs Author: Walter Isaacson Description: This comprehensive biography provides a deep-dive into the life and career of Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple. Isaacson had unparalleled access to Jobs and those closest to him, thus presenting an intimate and detailed account. He explores Jobs’ professional endeavors as well as his personal life, revealing his ambition, intensity, and visionary mind that revolutionized several high-tech industries (Isaacson, 2011).

Title: Alexander Hamilton Author: Ron Chernow Description: Ron Chernow provides a sweeping narrative of one of America’s most compelling founding fathers, Alexander Hamilton. Chernow combines extensive research with a flair for storytelling, charting Hamilton’s evolution from an orphan into a political genius. The book sheds light on Hamilton’s crucial role in the formation of the United States’ financial system and his political ideologies (Chernow, 2004).

2. Autobiography

An autobiography is a self-written record of someone’s own life. It is a personal narrative in which the author writes about their life from their own perspective.

Autobiographies are usually centered around the author’s personal experiences, including key milestones, challenges, and achievements (Eakin, 2015).

They’re also often a defense of the person’s perspective (especially in political autobiographies) or insight into their thought processes, which can make them very intimate.

Origins of Autobiographies

The term ‘autobiography’ was first used deprecatingly by William Taylor in 1797 in the English periodical The Monthly Review, when he suggested the word as a hybrid but condemned it as ‘pedantic’.

Pioneering examples of the genre form include Thomas De Quincey’s Confessions of an English Opium-Eater (1821) and the memoirs by veterans of the Napoleonic Wars (Lejeune, 2016).

However, apart from these early instances, autobiographies have been composed by a wide array of individuals from history. 

In the early 20th century, the genre witnessed major transformations, and autobiographies started to cover a broader spectrum of experiences, including trauma, struggles, and successes.

‘Black Boy’ by Richard Wright, for instance, shares the author’s experiences with racism and his journey towards developing a literary career (Wright, 1945).

This was followed by a host of autobiographies by public figures sharing their diverse stories, such as Ernest Hemingway’s ‘A Moveable Feast’, depicting his days as a struggling young writer in Paris (Hemingway, 1964). 

Autobiography as a genre has continued to evolve over the years, and a variety of forms have emerged to communicate individual experiences globally.

As history has progressed, we see more and more people with diverse perspectives sharing their stories, broadening our understanding of the human experience (Smith & Watson, 2010).

Key Characteristics of Autobiographies 

Examples of autobiographies.

Title: Long Walk to Freedom Author: Nelson Mandela   Description: “Long Walk to Freedom” provides an in-depth exploration of ex-President Nelson Mandela, his political journey, and his stand against apartheid in South Africa. The biography offers a unique perspective into Mandela’s noble character, his indomitable spirit, and his commitment to justice when faced with grave adversities (Mandela, 1995). Mandela serves as one of our times’ great moral and political leaders through this biography.

Title: The Diary of a Young Girl Author: Anne Frank  Description: This biography provides a startling firsthand account of a young Jewish girl named Anne Frank, who with her family, hid from the Nazis in Amsterdam during World War II. Her diary entries offer profound insights into the fear, hope, and resilience she demonstrated during her two years in hiding (Frank, 1947). Frank’s posthumous biographical record serves as a reminder of the injustices of the past and as a symbol of endurance in the face of oppression.

Title: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Author: Maya Angelou  Description: This moving autobiography charts Maya Angelou’s early life, from experiencing racial discrimination in the South to becoming the first black streetcar conductor in San Francisco. Angelou portrays her journey of self-discovery and overcoming traumatic experiences, including racial prejudice and personal trauma, with remarkable strength and grace. Her story is one of resilience, and it speaks powerfully about finding one’s voice (Angelou, 1969). 

Title: Night Author: Elie Wiesel  Description: “Night” is Wiesel’s personal account of his experiences in Nazi concentration camps during World War II with his father. This heartbreaking narrative describes not only physical hardship and cruel atrocities but also examines the loss of innocence and the struggle to maintain faith in humanity. It stands as a testament to human resilience in the face of unimaginable horror (Wiesel, 1960).

Title: Dreams from My Father Author: Barack Obama Description: In this engaging memoir, the 44th President of the United States narrates the story of his diverse background and early life. The narrative extends from his birth in Hawaii to his first visit to Kenya, from dealing with racial identity to self-discovery. “Dreams from My Father” not only provides personal insights about Obama’s life and values but also discusses issues of race, identity, and purpose (Obama, 1995).

Similarities and Differences Between Biographies and Autobiographies

While both biographies and autobiographies are excellent sources of information and entertainment about significant figures in history (or the present!), they serve different purposes. By knowing the different purposes of each, we can develop stronger media literacy , understanding what the intention of the author is, and how we should approach the text.

Angelou, M. (1969). I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings . Random House.

Baker, J., Davis, E., & Thompson, K. (2013). Reflection and Emotions in Autobiography . Chicago University Press.

Boswell, J. (1791). The Life of Samuel Johnson . J.R. Taylor.

Brown, J., & Brown, S. (2018). Thematic Focus in Autobiography Writing . Princeton University Press.

Chernow, R. (2004). Alexander Hamilton . Penguin Books.

Ditchfield, S. (2018). Extracting the Domestic from the Didactic: Transmission and Translation of the Sacred in The Lives of the Ancient Fathers (1672–1675). Church History and Religious Culture, 98 (1), 28-50.

Eakin, P. J. (2015). How Our Lives Become Stories: Making Selves . Cornell University Press.

Frank, A. (1947). The Diary of a Young Girl . Contact Publishing.

Hemingway, E. (1964). A Moveable Feast . Charles Scribner’s Sons.

Isaacson, W. (2011). Steve Jobs . Simon & Schuster.

Johnson, M., & Johnson, S. (2017). A Comprehensive Guide to Biography Writing . New York: Penguin.

Johnson, S. (1781). The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets . Printed by C. Bathurst, J. Buckland [and 28 others in London].

Jones, B. (2015). The Art of Writing Biographies: An Objective Approach . Oxford University Press.

Lejeune, P. (2016). On Autobiography . University of Minnesota Press.

Mandela, N. (1995). Long Walk to Freedom: The Autobiography of Nelson Mandela . Macdonald Purnell.

Miller, R. (2014). The Self as the Subject: Autobiography Writing . Stanford University Press.

Morris, E. (1979). The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt . Coward, McCann & Geoghegan.

Obama, B. (1995). Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance . Crown Publishing Group.

Schiffrin D., & Brockmeier J. (2012). Narrative Identity and Autobiographical Recall. Royal Institute of Philosophy Supplements, 70 , 113-144.

Smith, J., Davis, M., & Thompson, S. (2012). Third Party Narratives: An Exploration of Biography Writing . Cambridge University Press.

Smith, S., & Watson, J. (2010). Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives . University of Minnesota Press.

Sweet, R. (2010). Biographical Dictionaries and Historiography. Bibliothèque d’Humanisme et Renaissance, 72 (2), 355–368.

Wiesel, E. (1960). Night . Hill & Wang.

Williams, T. (2019). The Importance of Facts in Biographies . HarperCollins.

Wright, R. (1945). Black Boy: A Record of Childhood and Youth . Harper & Brothers.

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11 Reasons to Read Biographies and Autobiographies

Pandemic. Quarantine. Stay at home orders.

You may find yourself in current situations where circumstances have placed you with time on your hands. A profitable way to spend that surplus time is reading. Reading biography and autobiography can be thought of as an investment in self-knowledge. An investment in knowledge pays a high dividend.

People say that life is the thing, but I prefer reading.

Logan Pearsall Smith

Here are some reasons to keep in mind as you read a biography.

We can role-play our way to a better us.

Welearn by imitation. By borrowing the brain and trying on the exceptional character attributes of others, we can rehearse our own new and improved selves.

In my whole life, I have known no wise people (over a broad subject matter area) who didn’t read all the time — none. Zero.

Charlie Munger

They provide a safe, risk-free playground for learning.

Life is the art of drawing without an eraser. You can’t unring a bell. It’s better t anticipate and avoid self inflicted mistakes.

Winging it can be a high stakes endeavor. Better to work through a simulation first.

You can pound your head against the wall trying to think of original ideas or you can cheat by reading them in books.

If you haven’t read hundreds of books, you are functionally illiterate, and you will be incompetent, because your personal experiences alone aren’t broad enough to sustain you.

General James “Mad Dog” Mattis

Reading the lives of others can provide a playbook for how to deal with all kinds of situations. We can see how their responses panned out.

History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes. We can be pretty sure that we will encounter similar situations. Having thought about them ahead of time can give us an advantage of not being ambushed when the shit hits the fan.

“Only a fool learns from his own mistakes. The wise man learns from the mistakes of others.”

― Otto von Bismarck

We can develop a repertoire of actions and responses.

As Norman Douglas said,

“There are some things you can’t learn from others. You have to pass through the fire.”

All other things are best anticipated and prepared for.

Biographies allow us to test our mettle by figuring out how best to navigate and negotiate situations in a risk-free environment. Because human behavior follows relatively predictable patterns, we can learn from other’s circumstances and mistakes. We can unpack complex situations into components for future actionable reference.

They allow us to invert the harsh lessons of experience.

Mental models improve how we think by helping us to simplify complexity and better understand life.

Inversion is one of the most powerful mental models. Invert means to turn upside down. As a thinking tool, inversion helps to identify and eliminate obstacles by tackling them from the opposite end of the natural starting point.

The Cy Young-winning baseball pitcher for the Pittsburgh Pirates Vernon Sanders Law said, “Experience is a hard teacher because she gives the test first, the lesson afterwards.” I have found that thought a profound expression of the human experience. Yogi Berra isn’t the only sage of baseball.

Have you ever come up with the best response after an event has passed? I bet you have. We all have. I often think of the perfect comeback line or thing I could have done after the moment has passed, and I looked less than brilliant. (more like a complete dumb-ass)

It’s at moments like that I wish I had a time machine and could go back and deliver the coup de grace. Immersing ourselves in other people’s lives is the next best thing to the time machine. We can note how we would best respond to a situation and use it when the situation arises.

Reading biographies allows you to reverse the chronology and absorb the lesson so you can anticipate a better response when you encounter a similar situation.

Mark Twain — ‘The man who does not read has no advantage over the man who cannot read.’

They help us practice and develop empathy and Emotional Intelligence.

Emotional Intelligence is the capability to recognize your own and other people’s emotions. Reading can help us not only identify but develop the vocabulary to describe and discuss emotional realties. This superpower can help us avoid beaucoup tragic missteps in our lives.

We use emotional information to guide our thinking and behavior. We need to be able to manage and adjust our emotions to adapt to different settings.

To get on in the world and achieve our goals, its crucial to be appropriately social.

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of others. Empathy is our ability to project into others’ situations and experience their trials and tribulations as our own.

In reading a biography, we can tend to gloss over the trials and tribulations of the subject. We learn how they were shunned and criticized and ignored or ridiculed; they had diseases and illness, poverty and financial hardship, or surrounded by war and death.

We read these things and put them into the category of the stuff they had to overcome. Because we know the end of the story: that they triumphed either in life or after with fame and glory, we diminish the immediate impact of these things that they must have felt.

In retrospect, the good ending seems inevitable. That was not the lived experience.

Pausing to reflect and feel that impact allows us to develop our capacity for empathy and the understanding of others’ experiences.

They help us see further.

In 1675 Isaac Newton wrote to his good friend and colleague, the great polymath Robert Hooke,

“If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”

Reading biographies captures that experience. Biographies allow you to see further by vicariously experiencing what others have gone through and achieved. The practice is an efficient way to gain life lessons.

This idea of standing on the shoulders of giants didn’t originate with Newton. The original attribution of this is from Bernard of Chartres in the early 12th Century as recorded by John of Salisbury:

“Bernard of Chartres used to say that we [the Moderns] are like dwarves perched on the shoulders of giants [the Ancients], and thus we are able to see more and farther than the latter. And this is not at all because of the acuteness of our sight or the stature of our body, but because we are carried aloft and elevated by the magnitude of the giants.”

Newton was an avid reader. Reading is what separates us from other animals. Reading is how we transmit and assimilate the collective Intelligence of humanity. We don’t rely on our innate knowledge and abilities. We can access the hard-won lessons of the wisest and most able.

Biography reminds us of the cyclical nature of events.

The philosopher George Santayana wrote, “Those who do not remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” There is not much new under the sun, and we risk repeating mistakes others have made before us if we are not aware of them. If we make ourselves aware, we can hopefully avoid them.

A cautionary tale can help us recognize and avoid potentially bad situations. And biographies allow us to rehearse navigating these challenging situations in a riskless way from the safety and comfort of our armchair while sipping herbal tea.

Knowledge in advance enables us to be prepared. Preparation prevents piss poor performance.

To be forewarned is to be forearmed. This expression originated as a Latin proverb, Praemonitus, praemunitus , which was translated into English by the early 1500s.

But there are caveats. Foresight may help us, but I want to temper this point because sometimes events are outside of our control and may proceed even if we are aware of the probable outcome. It’s like watching an accident unfold in slow motion.

“Those who don’t study history are doomed to repeat it. Yet those who do study history are doomed to stand by helplessly while everyone else repeats it.” When events take this type of turn, it’s probably better to put down the biography and read stoic philosophy and swap the tea for scotch.

They promote and encourage self-discovery.

Biographies are chock full of teachable moments, some positive, inspirational and aspirational, and many that are cautionary. Ideas and approaches to life reveal themselves through biographical narratives.

Experiential learning through stories is more impactful and satisfying, and more memorable than reading a list of normative steps in a textbook.

They help us look at the world from novel angles.

We need a diversity of ideas and experience to break out of our creative ruts. Transformative ideas and revolutionary innovations come from lateral thinking where we transpose a concept from one field to another or combine ideas in new and non-obvious ways. At the very least it will make you more interesting at a dinner party.

Biography is a resource for developing this superpower.

They provide us with world-class mentors.

When you read a biography or autobiography, you get a glimpse into the subject’s mind and gain the advantage of “knowing” them. They become mentors as we ponder about what advice they offer related to the situations we face.

Reading autobiography allows you to borrow someone else’s brain.

Parting thought

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.”

― Charles W. Eliot

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Biography and Autobiography by Margaretta Jolly LAST REVIEWED: 26 July 2017 LAST MODIFIED: 26 July 2017 DOI: 10.1093/obo/9780199846719-0006

The history of life writing reflects the history of selfhood itself, particularly as it has tracked the rise of individualism and, arguably, individuality. Biography, the interpretation of another’s life, is an ancient form with roots in religious and royal accounts and can be found in all civilizations, although its didactic and moral emphasis has slowly faded in favor of debunking approaches. Autobiography is generally argued to arise in modernizing societies where the individual’s perspective gains cultural value, and has been linked to deep questions of self-awareness, self-division, and self-performance. The romantic period crystallized this relationship as well as linked life writing to a new cult of the author. In the context of late modern culture, life narrative has become still more autobiographical than biographical, an everyday practice of confession and self-styling. However, biography and autobiography are not always distinct. Memoir can focus on another or oneself and has become the preferred term for literary autobiography in the early 21st century, arguably because current tastes are for stories of intimate relationship in which elements of biography and autobiography come together. Critics have therefore become interested in the inevitable dependency of one’s own story on another’s, a subject of ethical trouble but aesthetic, intellectual, and political fascination. Such “auto/biographies” express a range of relationships, from the ghostwriter’s service to a public figure’s memoir, to the ethnographer’s or doctor’s view of a person as case history. More often, family relations are the grounds on which the complexities of representational contracts are played out. This negotiation relates to a second defining aspect of life narrative: the reader’s expectation that it be true. “Memory is a great artist,” claimed a great autobiographical experimenter, André Malraux, and an enduring critical question has been whether life writing can be both artful and historically accurate. Increasingly, however, scholars broaden from such aesthetic debates to consider the social, political, and psychological work of life narrative. Readers will therefore find that this article pushes out from the literary to encompass a capacious field of inquiry that includes social scientists interested in narrative or biographical methods, and interdisciplinary studies of personal storytelling in the contexts of human rights activism or, conversely, of the late capitalist trade in celebrity or exotic lives and digital cultures of self-publication. For literary critics, therefore, biography and autobiography are now generally appreciated as two genres within a bigger field of life writing, life narrative, or life story about self-other relations, although they remain touchstones for those interested in how life experience can be aestheticized.

Life narrative is found in all places and historical periods and encompasses many aspects of everyday speech as well as writing. It is therefore difficult to produce a definitive criticism, and the texts listed here divide between those with a more literary and a more sociological focus. From a literary or cultural-studies perspective, Smith and Watson 2010 provides the most condensed overview and builds on an important body of joint work by these North American scholars, particularly on the global, postcolonial, and feminist face of much life writing. Jolly 2001 remains the most internationally comprehensive guide, with analytical surveys and bibliographies of life narrative in all major continents and countries, from classical periods to the early 21st century. Broughton 2006 , an anthology that provides a selection of key critical interventions, also features an excellent introduction in which the author interprets the shifting critical emphasis from the life to the self. Marcus 1994 , written by another British critic, offers a more extended tracing of this “discourse” about auto/biography. The author’s brilliant thesis is that the genre has been the ground for fantasies about self-alienation in modernity and, conversely, for redemptive healing of its splits. Plummer 2001 approaches life stories from this redemptive point of view, as a sociologist in what the author defines as a radical humanist tradition, and also a gay man who has studied as well as lived the coming-out story. Harrison 2009 , also written by a sociologist, is an edited collection that points out the growth in narrative and biographical research methods for social scientists. Life narrative is inherently suitable for teaching both as method and topic with unique pulling power and accessibility. Fuchs and Howes 2008 , another edited collection of essays, is extremely useful for any would-be teachers, offering case studies, lesson plans, and syllabi, including from South Africa and Chad. Chansky and Hipchen 2016 offers carefully edited and organized selected essays tracing key debates in a one-stop volume that marks the multidisciplinary, multimediated direction of the field. Finally, the International Auto/Biography Association (IABA), launched in 1999 at Peking University by Zhao Baisheng, hosts a global network of scholars through biannual conferences around the world, a listserv managed by the Center for Biographical Research at the University of Hawai‘i, and a website hosted by Julie Rak at the University of Alberta. Zhao also edits a Chinese-language list of short biographies and has written a short book arguing that auto/biography is a field of literature that deserves to be an object of study in its own right. Limited bibliographic details for this show that, as of yet, such initiatives and English-language-based scholarship are not sufficiently integrated.

Broughton, Trev Lynn ed. Autobiography: Critical Concepts in Literary and Cultural Studies . 4 vols. London: Routledge, 2006.

Four-volume anthology of important critical texts from the 18th century onward, with an incisive introduction. Organized in eight parts within four volumes: Part 1, “Founding Statements”; Part 2, “Beyond Truth versus Fiction”; Part 3, “Discovering Difference”; Part 4, “Personal Stories, Hidden Histories”; Part 5, “Psychology, Psychoanalysis, and the Narrability of Lives”; Part 6, “Autobiography as Critique”; Part 7, “Personal Texts as Autobiography”; and Part 8, “Cultures of Life Writing.”

Chansky, Ricia Anne, and Emily Hipchen, eds. The Routledge Auto|Biography Studies Reader . Routledge Literature Readers. London and New York: Routledge, 2016.

One-volume anthology principally selected from the archives of the a/b: Auto/Biography Studies journal. Organized by school of thought, from debates about genre/canon to those of political identity and representation to early-21st-century concerns with medical humanities, postmemory, animalographies, graphic narrative, celebrity lives, and digital biography.

Fuchs, Miriam, and Craig Howes, eds. Teaching Life Writing Texts . New York: Modern Language Association of America, 2008.

Commissioned by the Modern Language Association of America’s prestigious teaching text series; signifies the academic integration of life-writing studies. Containing over forty-four short articles on teaching specific texts or genres, some with lesson plans, this work is a practical and inspiring teaching resource. Internationally focused.

Harrison, Barbara, ed. Life Story Research . 4 vols. London: SAGE, 2009.

Four volumes on methodological approaches within the social sciences in which research foregrounds the individual. Useful for related fields (nursing, criminology, cultural studies). Organized as five parts within four volumes: Part 1, “Historical Origins and Trajectories”; Part 2, “Theoretical and Conceptual Issues in Life Story Research”; Part 3, “Types of Life Story Research: Traditional and New Sources of Life Story Data”; Part 4, “Doing Life Story Research”; and Part 5, “Research Contexts and Life Stories.”

International Auto/Biography Association .

Founded in 1999 as a multidisciplinary network of auto/biographers, scholars, and readers to pursue global dialogues on life writing. IABA’s first conference took place at Peking University; it has met biannually since then in China, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Germany, Hawaii, England, Cyprus, and Brazil.

Jolly, Margaretta, ed. The Encyclopedia of Life Writing: Autobiographical and Biographical Forms . 2 vols. London: Fitzroy Dearborn, 2001.

First and still only encyclopedia in English on life writing and life narrative. Two large volumes include entries on important writers, genres, and subgenres. Entries encompass, for example, confession, obituary, and gossip; portraits; surveys of national and regional traditions from all continents and periods; and themes such as shame, adolescence, time, and self.

Marcus, Laura. Auto/Biographical Discourses: Theory, Criticism, Practice . Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press, 1994.

Brilliant intellectual and literary history of the ways that life writing from the 18th century to the 1990s has been conceptualized by writers, critics, philosophers, and journalists. Marcus rejects the idea that there is a stable genre of autobiography, but she proposes that there is, instead, a distinct genre of autobiographical criticism.

Plummer, Kenneth. Documents of Life 2: An Invitation to a Critical Humanism . 2d ed. London: SAGE, 2001.

DOI: 10.4135/9781849208888

A highly readable guide to life writing and life story as objects and methods of analysis from a sociological but also literary perspective, with a particularly useful section on interviewing. This edition substantially revises and improves Plummer’s original publication in 1983 while continuing to argue that radical humanism is life writing’s appropriate philosophical framework.

Smith, Sidonie, and Julia Watson. Reading Autobiography: A Guide for Interpreting Life Narratives . 2d ed. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Press, 2010.

Authoritative, accessible guide to the cultural study of life narrative across genre, period, and place, with good attention to non-Western texts. Includes chapters on early-21st-century life narrative and visual-verbal-virtual forms, as well as a “tool kit” consisting of twenty-four strategies for reading life narratives, classroom projects, and a list of Internet resources.

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Why I think autobiographies are important

Nowadays, when you think of autobiographies, you probably think of reality TV stars. You probably associate autobiographies as those books that are churned out around Christmas time; one of the presents that every year your nan insists is a staple gift. With some celebrities releasing what appears to be a new autobiography every year, I would not blame you for not being interested in the genre.

The purpose of an autobiography is to give you a first-hand account into the life of the person you are reading about, and to give you a better insight into how their experiences have shaped them as a person. The process of writing an autobiography, I assume, would include a large degree of soul-searching and effort on the part of the individual. So now, as it becomes increasingly apparent that many celebrities do not even write the autobiographies they are rolling out, it is easy to see why so many are becoming disillusioned with the category.

The purpose of an autobiography is to give you a first-hand account into the life of the person you are reading about, and to give you a better insight into how their experiences have shaped them as a person

However, modern autobiographies can also provide an interesting outsider-looking-in perspective. David Niven’s The Moon’s a Balloon is frequently credited as one of the best autobiographies ever written. But what I think is truly crucial to note in the case of Niven and of other well-respected autobiographies, is that most of these truly wonderful autobiographies were written by people in their later years. Niven was 61 when he wrote his memoirs. He starts the book in his early childhood, and ends it in his much later years. Niven had lived for long enough to start documenting the interesting twists and turns his life had taken.

Some books that you wouldn’t even have considered, such as The Diary of Anne Frank , constitute as autobiographies

But in the case of so many modern day examples, have the individuals in question really lived long enough to tell their story to the world? Katie Price has released five autobiographies. Five. On average, she releases one every three years. I highly doubt that enough happens in three years of  Katie Price’s life that she needs a whole new book dedicated to the subject. Similarly, I doubt that Ferne from TOWIE has had enough life experience to fully be able to reflect on it now in her twenties. I’m currently 19, and I’m not sure people would be particularly overwhelmed to read my autobiography about my struggles in leaping from GCSE to A Level.

My point is, when you next happen to find yourself in a bookshop, do not let the table of Geordie Shore stars’ autobiographies turn you away from the section entirely. Browse the shelves and find someone who you have a genuine interest in. Let’s bring back some credibility to the genre. Autobiographies can allow a person to understand another person’s life through their eyes. It is for this reason that I believe autobiographies are still a credible section of literature, and that the modern tarnish smearing the genre is unmerited.

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(page 1) p. 1 Introduction

• Published: July 2018
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Autobiography continues to be one of the most popular forms of writing, produced by authors from across the social and professional spectrum. It is also central to the work of literary critics, philosophers, historians, and psychologists, who have found in autobiographies not only an understanding of the ways in which lives have been lived, but the most fundamental accounts of what it means to be a self in the world. The Introduction describes what autobiography means and compares it to other forms of ‘life-writing’. Autobiographical writing is seen to act as a window on to concepts of self, identity, and subjectivity, and into the ways in which these are themselves determined by time and circumstance.

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The Purpose of Biography

‘WHAT is biography for? What useful purpose does it serve? Why should one write it? What is its actual importance in the field of literature? Above all, what is autobiography for, and what proper motive might one have for writing it?’

I put these questions to one of my literary acquaintances the other day, in the hope of clearing my own mind. It has once or twice been suggested to me (as I suppose it has been suggested to everybody who has ever published anything) that I should write the biography of this-or-that eminent person. My instinct promptly jibbed at the suggestion; and in each case, after dallying with the idea awhile, I threw it over. Then latterly, while looking into one or two current biographies, I was moved to wonder what prompted my instinct. Was it the consciousness of incapacity or of laziness or of both? Probably both, to a degree; yet I thought there must be a little more to it than that, because I had already caught myself pondering the question why these biographies had been written. I could not see that they served any purpose worth serving; they seemed to me to be addressed mostly to a vulgar and prying inquisitiveness; and this in turn led me to raise the questions which I subsequently put to my literary friend.

We finally agreed, my friend and I, that the legitimate function of modern biography (and a fortiori of autobiography) is to help the historian. We recalled the fact that biography, as now understood, is comparatively a new thing in our literature. Neither of us could put our finger on an example of it earlier than the seventeenth century. In principle, modern biography is an objective account of the life of one man. It begins with his birth, ends with his death, and includes every item of detail which has any actual or probable historical significance. All collateral matter which goes in by way of ‘setting’ should be cut down to what is in distinct and direct relation to that one man. In principle, above all, modern biography admits of nothing tendentious, nor does it admit of the puffing out or slighting of detail to any degree beyond what the author, in all good faith and conscience, believes the historical importance of that detail would warrant.

If biographical practice followed principle, obviously, fewer biographies would be written, far fewer autobiographies, and far few’er of either would be generally read; the only person likely to profit by them would be the historian. Things being as they are, however, commercial considerations intervene between principle and practice, as they always do. Publishers look with a jaundiced eye on a biography which in their view is not ‘readable’; and their view of what is readable is set by what experience has shown to be the terms of popular demand. The author, under a double pressure to produce a readable book, — for most authors are not above some little thought of profit, — sees that the satisfaction of these terms is quite incompatible with a devotion to principle, and proceeds accordingly.

Hence, as a rule, the actual practice of modern biography is heavily sophisticated in response to the extremely unwholesome terms of a lively popular demand for that type of literature. Like our practice of fiction, it aims to hit the lowest common denominator of taste and intelligence among its potential public. This procedure is bad. For the writer, it is bad in two ways. First, because it tempts him to pick subjects which, from the historical point of view, are not worth a biography; and this category, as I shall presently show, includes some of the most eminent names. Second, the current low conception of what makes a book readable tempts him continually to a culpable misplacement of emphasis among the various orders of fact with which he deals. To cite an extreme instance, some time ago I read a wretched misshapen sketch of a great musician’s life. All I got out of it which I did not already know was that this musician had the habit of using very filthy language. Evidences of this habit were scattered so overliberally throughout the volume as to make one think the thing had been written expressly to air them.

For the reader as well as the writer, the sophistication of biography is bad; and this also in two ways. First, because it acquaints the public, often with great overemphasis, with a variety of matters which not only are devoid of historical significance, but also are preeminently none of the public’s business. This stiffens the reader in his congenital resentment of privacy, his share in the vulgar assumption, so odiously overdeveloped in the United States and so powerfully encouraged by the dominant influences in our public life — the assumption that anybody’s doings are everybody’s business by full right and title. I do not speak of matters which might be thought questionable, but of those in general which are in their nature one’s own concern, and none other’s. If the subject ‘wore a checked shirt and a number-nine shoe, and had a pink wart on his nose,’ he was within his rights; it was nobody’s business, the fact has no historical value whatever, and a disquisition on it, however ‘readable,’ has no place in a biography.

Second, the vogue of commercial biography is bad for the reader because it fosters the erroneous notion that knowing something about a subject, or even knowing a great deal about him, is the same thing, or just as good, as knowing the subject himself; and here comes in the case of those biographers whose subject is simply not worth a biography, and will not support one. To know Thoreau, for example, is an inestimable privilege, and anyone may have it; it is got in the most direct and simplest possible way by reading his works, and it cannot be got in any other way. All that is worth anyone’s knowing about Thoreau can be got in five minutes out of any good encyclopædia. Reading the biographical portions of Mr. Canby’s recent book, therefore, if I may say so, makes one feel like Mr. Weller’s charityboy at the end of the alphabet. Among other matters, for instance, Mr. Canby has dredged up evidence tending to show that Thoreau was not indifferent to female society; well, what of it? The fact, if it be a fact, has no historical importance; and either in liking the ladies or in disliking them he was quite within his rights, and it is none of the public’s business. It may be said that the curiosity stirred by this order of research will egg people on to reading Thoreau, and thus put them in the way of actually knowing him. This seems to me highly improbable; they are far more likely to rest on an Ersatz -knowledge vamped up out of what Mr. Canby tells them, and let it go at that. In fact, I suspect that the popular appetite for ‘readable’ biography is symptomatic not only of a low and prurient curiosity, but also, when this motive is not dominant, of a wish to live exclusively on predigested cultural food, which no one can do. A passive and workless Ersatz -knowledge of illustrious men seems to me to reflect our national ideals of a passive and workless Ersatz-education, a passive and workless Ersatz-culture; ideals which we are beginning to see are illusory.

In the case of any subject, no matter how eminent, most of the minutiæ of his day-to-day existence are of no earthly importance to the historian. Even at this early date Lord Morley’s biography of Gladstone, a classical example, free from any taint of commercialism, reminds us that Time is a great winnower, and we are driven to wonder whether some other literary form might in general be more serviceable; or whether, as a compromise measure, an alternative might be found in amending our practice by laying down the rule that a subject’s private activities, his character, and his relations of whatever kind, are insignificant except as they affect his public activities, character and relations, and that the sound biographer should distribute his space accordingly.

Matters which are in themselves minutiæ may take on an adventitious importance to the historian by reason of consequences accruing from them to the public. There can be no doubt of that. Disregard of it is what has vitiated a great deal of earlier biography, and has led to the vogue of debunking, now happily on the wane. Unless the subject is contemporary, however, or nearly so, the biographer is in as good a position as the historian to understand this and to make all proper discriminations. A sound biographer of Priam’s son, for example, would anticipate the historian of Ilium with a pretty full account of his dallyings with the skittish Helen; so, mutatis mutandis , would a sound biographer of Louis XV, or of Napoleon III. On the other hand, none of the first Napoleon’s adventures in Mrs. Chikno’s ‘roving and uncertificated line,’ though they seem to have been both enterprising and extensive, is worth a button to history, and therefore the sound biographer would finish off the whole assortment in about three agate lines. That George Washington was a man of sin — that he swore, drank whiskey, gambled, went to dances, infested the theatre, chased the light-o’-loves, smoked cigarettes, or whatever it was that the debunkers lay to his charge — this seems to have had no bearing on his public activities, and is therefore nothing for the sound biographer to waste space on. That he was a land-speculator and land-jobber did bear heavily on his public activities, and a sound biographer would take all due notice of it.

Matthew Arnold left an explicit request that he should not be the subject of a biography. No doubt his unfailing critical sense told him that there was nothing in the circumstances of his life to make a biography worth the paper it was written on. A recent effort made in disregard of his wish — and made, one must say, in execrably bad taste — shows clearly that this may well have been the case. Like Thoreau, he was a public figure in but one capacity, that of a man of letters. One may know him intimately and profitably through his works, — there is no other way, — but what one may know or not know about him is of no importance. Joseph Butler, the great bishop of Durham, took extraordinary care to baffle what we who are bred on the ideals of journalism and the cinema call ‘personal publicity.’ All that is known about him is that he rode around his diocese on a black pony, rode very fast, and was scandalously imposed upon by beggars. Yet one may know Butler intimately, say through the Rolls Sermons, and thereby make a valuable acquaintance, even for these days of so much supposititious enlightenment on religious matters. I have often thought it is unfortunate that so many of us are contemptuous of ‘the old religion’ without knowing the best that the old religion could do. Knowing the Goethe of the Conversations is an imperishable benefit, but how much is there to know about Goethe that is worth knowing or is anyone’s business to know? I think very little. Recent publications have settled me in the firm belief that one who knows Ruskin, Emerson, Coleridge, intimately, but knows nothing about them, is far ahead of one who knows all about them, but does not know them. Knowing Homer and Shakespeare is certainly something; but all that anyone actually knows about Shakespeare can be written on a postcard, and nobody knows even where or when Homer was born.

All I have been saying about biography bears with even greater force on autobiography because it is harder to assess the actual importance of one’s own doings and adventures in life than it is to deal in the same disinterested fashion with those of others. There is great er difficulty in drawing the line firmly between matters of legitimate private interest and those of legitimate public interest. My friend Mr. Villard’s recent book called Fighting Years is of great value to the historian of his period, — I know of none more valuable, — but only after Mr. Villard does finally get around to talking about his fighting years. What precedes this (counting in a few later lapses from objectivity) comes roughly to a fourth of the book; it deals with matters which are of highly justifiable interest to Mr. Villard and his family, to me and the rest of his friends, but which are of no legitimate interest to the public — they are indeed none of the public’s business. One wishes that AMr. Villard had resolutely forgone all notion of an autobiography, struck into his subject at the point where his fighting years began, and cast his book in the form of memoirs. As an inveterate reformer, if he had wished — as I think he might well have done — to show ‘how he got that way,’ he could have done it easily in an introductory paragraph.

I have seen in my time — a rather long time, as man’s life goes — only one specimen of this type of literature which seemed to me flawless. One could do no better than let it serve as a structural model for both biography and autobiography, and I therefore feel justified in speaking of it somewhat at length as such. I came on it only lately, about six months ago. It is not the work of a writer, a man of letters, or even one of more than moderate literary attainments. It is the work of a Russian musician.

Rimsky-Korsakov, Nikolai Andreyevitch, commenced his autobiography in 1876, when he was thirty-two years old. He ended it in 1906, two years before his death. He worked at it at long intervals; ten years elapsed between the first and second chapters, six between the second and third, eleven between the seventh and eighth. He died in 1908; his widow brought out the book in 1909, suppressing certain passages, and a second edition came out in 1910. An English translation, said to be excellent, was made by Mr. Joffe from this second edition, and was published, I think in 1923, by Mr. A. A. Knopf. I have not seen it. A third Russian edition appeared in 1928, edited by the composer’s son, Andrei Nikolaivitch, who restored the passages which had been cut out of the two editions preceding.

Like Thoreau, Rimsky-Korsakov was in one capacity, and one only, a public figure. In all other respects his life, like Thoreau’s, had not a single feature of legitimate interest to the public. The first signal merit of his book lies in its clear, consistent consciousness that the public was entitled to the fullest information about everything which bore directly or indirectly on the author’s character and activities as a musician, and was not entitled to any information about anything which had any other bearing. The book’s fidelity to this sound principle is amazing. My copy of it runs to three hundred closely-printed pages, and I have scanned it line by line for some sign of departure or wavering, but I have not found one.

The domestic ‘setting’ of the author’s birth and infancy is a matter of ten lines. His father played the piano (an old one) by ear; so did an uncle, who could not read music, but was ‘very musical,’ though the father seems to have had the better musical memory. The author’s mother habitually slowed down the tempo of the songs she sang to him in his childhood; this was an ‘odd trait,’ and the author has the notion that he may have inherited this tendency from her. This is all we are told of either parent’s biography. He does not mention the name of his father or mother, or say a word about their families or forbears. In the second chapter he gives his father a paragraph of praise, but it is only by way of showing that, in spite of their ancien régime distaste for a musical career, his parents disinterestedly did their best for him.

The author had a wife, ‘an excellent musician,’ and has nothing to say about her in any other capacity. He does mention her name, but he had to do that in order to distinguish her from a sister who was a singer; she was a pianiste, and they often appeared together. He had children; the birth of a son gets half a line. They are brought into the narrative only as some incident — for example, the illness of a son or the death of a daughter — had this-or-that effect on some musical project which was under way. The incident itself gets bare mention; we do not know what ailed the boy or what carried off the girl. The author’s own indispositions are brought in vaguely to account for some difficulty with his music; ‘pain in the head, a feeling of pressure,’ worried him at the Marinsky’s rehearsal of his fairy-ballet Mlada. There is collateral evidence that the author was genuinely fond of the four friends and comrades who had valiantly weathered through the terrible Sturm und Drang period of Russian music in the last quarter of the century; yet see how the book takes the death of the one perhaps closest to him: —

On the sixteenth of February, 1887, very early in the morning, I was taken by surprise when V. V. Stassov came to my door in a great state of agitation, saying ‘Borodin is dead!’ . . . I shall not describe the emotion of us all. What would become of Prince Igor and his other incomplete or unpublished works? Stassov and I went at once to the dead man’s apartment, and carried off all his manuscripts to my house.

Twice, in going through the book, the reader may think he has caught the author napping, but he will be wrong. In the first chapter Rimsky-Korsakov has a bit to say about his love for the sea, and about an older brother who is a lieutenant in the navy. This seems irrelevant, but in the next chapter we find the author himself in the Naval College, on his way to becoming an officer; and this in turn is introductory to the account of sixteen years of effort to drive the two careers in double harness, and of the one’s reactions upon the other. Again, in the sixteenth chapter he waxes lyrical to the extent of nine lines, praising rural joys of the truly old-fashioned Russian village of Stelovo, where he spent the summer of 1880; but you see the point when you turn a page and discover that in those two-and-a-half months he composed the whole of Snegourotchka. Writing in the period 1894-1896, almost at the end of his life, he says that ‘up to this present time I have never finished off any work so easily and rapidly.’ He recalled the delights of Stelovo because they had a conspicuous bearing on music. The trees, the river, fruits, flowers, the incessant song of birds — ‘all this was in some sort of harmony with my leanings towards pantheism, and my love for the subject of Snegourotchka .’

Another merit of the book, as great as the first, is born of the author’s clear understanding that its sole function is that of helping the historian of Russian music. Everything that would help the historian is there, and nothing is there which would confuse him, waste his eyesight, or arouse his distrust. To show that this is so would take more space than I can afford. I can only suggest that those who are thinking of doing something with biography should get a copy of the book and make a careful study of it from this point of view.

But to help the historian, the biographer must be objective; he must resolutely keep prepossession from laying traps for the historian’s feet. The third great merit of Rimsky-Korsakov’s book is that it perfectly meets this requirement; one does not see how objectivity could be carried further. This is the more remarkable, perhaps, because the book, like Mr. Villard’s, is a record of ‘fighting years.’ It deals with a violent aesthetic rebellion which Mr. Ernest Newman, in his superb Musical Critic’s Holiday , admirably compares with the great Florentine revolt against musical orthodoxy in 1600; yet nowhere in the book can I find the trace of a single biased judgment, a single prepossession. I would have the intending biographer go through it once more, and study it carefully from this point of view.

A fourth signal merit is that RimskyKorsakov always ‘comes across.’ He never butters up a person or a situation, and on the other hand, he never exaggerates anything unfavorable to either. He says exactly all that should be said, but never a word more. In this respect his work stands in vivid and gratifying contrast to all the attempts at autobiography that I have seen in recent years; they do not quite come across. The five Russian rebels were very young, going on for thirty; being young, they were ardent, irrepressible, aggressive. The leading spirit, Balakirev, was the only one who could pretend to anything like a professional knowledge of music, and he had next to none. Let the reader notice Rimsky-Korsakov’s treatment of Balakirev throughout, and especially the marvelous summing-up of his influence on his comrades. The others were rank amateurs; two of them were notable, however, in their proper professions. The half-French Cui was a distinguished engineer-officer in the army, and Borodin was a distinguished physician and chemist. Moussorgsky was an officer in the Preobrazhensky regiment, but presently left the army, and became a functionary in the civil service, in the Department of Forests. 1 Not one of them was a trained musician. They really did not know what they wanted, what they were driving at, and knew even less of how to drive at it. To deal disinterestedly with matters like these is something of an achievement — let the reader observe how Rimsky-Korsakov deals with them. Not a word is said about anyone’s personal character, qualities or habits, except as bearing on music; then what is said is said in full, and with complete objectivity. Balakirev went to pieces, Moussorgsky drank too much, Borodin’s household was in continual disorder; well, that was that, and its effect upon their productivity was such-and-such. Alone among critics, Stassov gave the rebels enthusiastic support; its effect was this-and-that. He had certain critical defects; the outcome of them was soand-so.

Is it perhaps possible that our writers are overdoing biography a little? Is not autobiography, coarsened and discolored by commercialism as it is, being rather recklessly overdone among us? I fear so. I have before me now a letter from someone who proposes to write a biography of a personage whom I used to know’ slightly. The prospect depresses me, for to my certain knowledge that personage, like Thoreau, will simply not support a biography. The utmost that can be expected is that this intending biographer will produce, Gott soll hüten, one more ‘readable’ book, one more windfall for the book clubs or a likely bid for the Pulitzer prize; and this, as Rabelais says of an enterprise essentially similar, is a terrible thing to think upon.

All the more so because meanwhile other literary forms, quite as respectable and far more appropriate, go begging. If some aspect of a subject’s public career strikes you as possibly fruitful, why not write an essay about it, as Mr. Brooks did in his Ordeal of Mark Twain? The essay-form is greatly neglected; yet a critical essay on Thoreau, for example, one such as Matthew Arnold wrote on Gray and on Wordsworth, would be worth a dozen inevitably abortive attempts at a biography. There are innumerable great essays to be written about great American figures as seen in the light of the present time. At this point in the course of our public affairs, for example, what would more powerfully conduce to a competent understanding of our political selves and our political condit ion than such an essay on John Adams as Walter Bagehot would write; or what more to a salutary sense of our spiritual decrepitude than an essay on Emerson such as Ernest Renan, Scherer or Sainte-Beuve would write — or, indeed, an essay on that same Thoreau?

If, again, you are interested in a subject’s standards of personal character and conduct, write a study of them. If you have been a close observer of great affairs, or of affairs which if not great are amusing, unusual, interesting, picaresque, write memoirs. The best and most useful book of memoirs that I ever saw was anonymous; the author almost never spoke of himself. It came out in 1892, entitled An Englishman in Paris. I wish Mr. Villard had done something like that; it would have had the ingratiating and persuasive literary quality which, owing to the autobiographical form, his work now falls just short of having. If your observations and reflections seem wort h printing, print your diary; it is the best literary form for the purpose — Blunt’s diary and the Goncourts’ are gold mines for the historian. All these literary forms seem to me as sorely neglected by us as the biographical form seems sorely overworked.

But people will not read essays, memoirs, studies, diaries, and therefore publishers wall not touch them, especially if offered by obscure or unpopular authors; people want biography. It may be a little indelicate to say so, but on this point it seems to me that the testimony of an author who is both obscure and unpopular might be worth something. All I have ever written has been in one or another of these forms, and I have somehow managed to get it published; and there is evidence that many more people read it than I would have dared think were likely to do so. Hence I am far from sure that this prejudice of public and publishers is as strong as it is supposed to be. I have sometimes wondered whether the book market would actually collapse if authors and publishers declared a general strike on the biographical form. I doubt it. I know a pampered cat named Thomas, who turns his back on any kind of food but liver, and will have none of it, — for a while, — but when he finds his choice dealt down to fish or nothing, he takes fish and likes it. On a similar choice, the pampered public might take something besides biography and get it down without too much retching. However that may be, publishers and authors might at least unite on the less radical measure of tightening up the practice of biography a little. If an author must write biography, let him write it on something like correct principles. If it is positively decreed in the council of the gods that he shall write an autobiography, let him write one like Rimsky-Korsakov’s.

• Mr. Virgil Thomson, in his recent book, The State of Music, says that Cui was a chemist and Moussorgsky a customs official. This is a curious error, but trivial, hardly worth noticing, because the only point is that neither man was a professional musician, and Mr. Thomson makes this point clearly. — AUTHOR ↩

• Key Differences

Know the Differences & Comparisons

Difference between Biography and Autobiography

Both of these two presents the view of, what happened in the past where the author lived. These are non-fiction books, written in chronological order, tells a story about the person who made a significant contribution in a specific field. Many think that the two writing forms are one and the same thing, but there are noticeable difference between the two, that are presented in the given article.

Content: Biography Vs Autobiography

Comparison chart, definition of biography.

A biography also referred as ‘bio’ is a detailed account of a person’s life written or produced by another person. It gives an elaborate information regarding the birthplace, educational background, work, relationships and demise of the person concerned. It presents the subject’s intimate details about life, focusing on the highs and lows and analysing their whole personality.

A biography is usually in the written form but can also be made in other forms of a music composition or literature to film interpretation.

It is the recreation of the life of an individual composed of words by another person. The author collects every single detail about the subject and presents those facts in the biography, which are relevant and interesting, to engross the readers in the story.

Definition of Autobiography

An autobiography is the life sketch of a person written by that person himself or herself. The word auto means ‘self.’ Therefore, autobiography contains all the elements of a biography but composed or narrated by the author himself. He/She may write on their own or may hire ghostwriters to write for them.

An autobiography presents the narrator’s character sketch, the place where he is born and brought up, his education, work, life experiences, challenges, and achievements. This may include events and stories of his childhood, teenage, and adulthood.

Key Differences Between Biography and Autobiography

The difference between biography and autobiography are discussed in detail in the following points:

• Biography is a detailed account of a person’s life written by someone else, while an autobiography is written by the subject themselves.
• Biography can be written with (authorised) or without permission (unauthorised) from the person/heir’s concerned. Therefore, there are chances of factual mistakes in the information. On the other hand, autobiographies are self-written and therefore doesn’t require any authorization.
• Biographies contain information that is collected over a period of time from different sources and thus, it projects a different outlook to the readers. On the other hand, autobiographies are written by the subject themselves, therefore, the writer presents the facts and his thinking in his own way, thus providing an overall narrow and biased perspective to the readers.
• In an Autobiography, the author uses the first narrative like I, me, we, he, she, etc. This, in turn, makes an intimate connection between the author and the reader since the reader experience various aspects as if he/she is in that time period. As opposed a biography is from a third person’s view and is much less intimate.
• The purpose of writing a biography is to introduce and inform the readers about the person and his life whereas an autobiography is written in order to express, the life experiences and achievements of the narrator.

Video: Biography Vs Autobiography

There are several autobiographies which are worth mentioning like ‘The Story of My Life’ by Helen Keller, ‘An Autobiography’ by Jawaharlal Nehru, ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ by Anne Frank, ‘Memoirs of the Second World War’ by Winston Churchill, ‘Wings of Fire’ by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and much more.

Examples of some famous biographies are- Tolstoy: A Russian Life by Rosamund Bartlett, His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis, Einstein: The Life and Times by Ronald William Clark, Biography of Walt Disney: The Inspirational Life Story of Walt Disney – The Man Behind “Disneyland” by Steve Walters, Princess Diana- A Biography Of The Princess Of Wales by Drew L. Crichton.

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May 7, 2023 at 6:47 am

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Manish Bhati says

June 21, 2023 at 11:51 am

Great explanation by Surbhi S, it clears confusion between biographies and autobiographies.

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Difference Between Biography and Autobiography

The written accounts of people’s lives have always been a source of inspiration, knowledge, and understanding of history and human experiences. Two common forms of such literary works are biography and autobiography. While they both delve into the lives of individuals, there are significant differences between the two genres. In this article, we will explore the dissimilarities between biography and autobiography, understanding their definitions, characteristics, and significance as unique forms of storytelling.

Table of Contents

The main difference between Biography and Autobiography is that a biography is a written account of a person’s life written by someone else, while an autobiography is a written account of a person’s life written by the individual themselves.

Below is a table highlighting the possible differences between a Biography and an Autobiography:

What is a Biography?

A biography is a written account of a person’s life, typically written by someone else. It is an objective narrative that delves into the person’s background, experiences, achievements, challenges, and impact on society. Biographies often aim to provide a comprehensive and unbiased view of the subject’s life, capturing the essence of their character and accomplishments.

Characteristics of Biographies

• Third-Person Perspective: Biographies are usually written in the third person, maintaining a degree of detachment between the author and the subject.
• Research and Fact-Based: Biographers extensively research and verify the information presented, ensuring accuracy and authenticity.
• External Insight: Biographers analyze the subject’s life from an outsider’s perspective, often incorporating historical and cultural context.

Importance of Biographies

Biographies hold significant value in various ways:

• Preserving History: Biographies document the lives of notable individuals, preserving their legacy for future generations.
• Inspiration: Reading about the lives of accomplished individuals can inspire and motivate readers to overcome challenges and achieve greatness.
• Understanding Human Nature: Biographies provide insights into human emotions, behaviors, and decision-making processes.

What is an Autobiography?

An autobiography, on the other hand, is a self-written account of a person’s life. It offers a first-hand perspective as the author narrates their own experiences, memories, and reflections. Autobiographies are deeply personal and provide an intimate understanding of the author’s thoughts and emotions.

Characteristics of Autobiographies

• First-Person Perspective: Autobiographies are written in the first person, offering a direct connection between the author and the reader.
• Subjective Narration: Authors infuse their personal feelings, perspectives, and interpretations into the narrative.
• Reflection and Introspection: Autobiographies often include self-reflection and introspection, allowing readers to understand the author’s growth and development.

Importance of Autobiographies

Autobiographies hold significance for various reasons:

• Personal Connection: Readers can emotionally connect with the author’s experiences and empathize with their journey.
• Insight into Personal Development: Autobiographies provide insights into how life experiences shape an individual’s character and choices.
• Authenticity: Being a firsthand account, autobiographies are considered highly authentic and genuine.

Key Biography vs. Autobiography Differences

Perspective.

The primary difference between biography and autobiography lies in the perspective of the narrative. Biographies are written by someone else, providing an external view of the subject’s life, while autobiographies are self-written, offering a subjective and personal viewpoint.

In biographies, the author is an outsider who researches and writes about the subject’s life. In contrast, autobiographies are authored by the individual whose life is being depicted.

Reliability

Biographies are often regarded as more reliable since they are based on extensive research and multiple sources. Autobiographies, while authentic, may carry some degree of bias and subjectivity.

Biographies typically cover the entire life of the subject, including early life, achievements, and later years. Autobiographies, on the other hand, may focus on specific life events or periods.

Biographies target a broader audience, offering an impartial account of the subject’s life. Autobiographies may attract readers who seek a personal connection with the author’s experiences.

Writing Styles of Biography and Autobiography

Narrative approach.

Biographies often use a chronological approach, presenting events in the order they occurred. Autobiographies may use a more fluid and reflective approach, emphasizing personal experiences and emotions.

Third-Person vs. First-Person

Biographies adopt the third-person perspective, providing objectivity. Autobiographies, as a first-person account, offer a sense of intimacy and direct involvement.

Impact and Significance of Biography and Autobiography

Both biography and autobiography play crucial roles in literature and history:

• Impact: Biographies provide insights into the lives of historical figures, leaders, and influential individuals, offering valuable lessons and inspiration for readers.
• Significance: They contribute to preserving and understanding the past, shaping collective memory, and promoting empathy and understanding of diverse experiences.

Autobiography:

• Impact: Autobiographies offer a direct and personal perspective, enabling readers to connect intimately with the author’s life journey, struggles, and achievements.
• Significance: Autobiographies empower individuals to share their unique stories, inspiring others, fostering self-reflection, and promoting the importance of personal narratives in human history.

Examples of Famous Biographies and Autobiographies

Famous biographies.

• Nelson Mandela: “Long Walk to Freedom”
• Steve Jobs: “Steve Jobs”
• Albert Einstein: “Einstein: His Life and Universe”

Famous Autobiographies

• Maya Angelou: “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings”
• Benjamin Franklin: “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin”
• Malala Yousafzai: “I Am Malala”

In conclusion, the difference between biography and autobiography lies in the perspective, authorship, and focus of the narrative. Biographies are written by others, providing an objective account of a person’s life, while autobiographies are authored by the subject, offering a subjective and personal viewpoint. Both genres contribute significantly to literature and history, presenting diverse perspectives on the lives of remarkable individuals and providing readers with valuable insights into the human experience. Whether it is the impartiality of biographies or the intimate self-reflection of autobiographies, these literary forms enrich our understanding of the world and the people who shape it.

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Teaching Innovations

Biography and Autobiography in the Teaching of History and Social Studies

Ann K. Warren | Jan 1, 1992

I have been using biography and autobiography to teach history at Case Western Reserve University for the past ten years. I regularly teach a class called "Biography as History: Twentieth-Century World Leaders," and occasionally I offer a class called "Medieval People" (the medieval period is really my field). Currently I am developing a new survey course in modern world history in which I anticipate extensive use of biographical and autobiographical materials. Quite clearly, I'm a believer.

Using biography in the classroom is both academically valid and a challenging way to encounter new worlds. For teachers, biography and autobiography provide initial entry to the study of periods of time and of places with which there may be little familiarity. For students, it is pleasurable, hardly like work, to learn history by reading the life stories of real people. It makes these people—whether they be monarchs, presidents, slaves, colonials, or their masters, prisoners of conscience or fighting clergy—accessible and knowable.

It is gratifying to be able to report to those of us who are interested in biography that there has been an explosion of new materials in recent years. Teachers and students alike can enjoy marvelously written books that simultaneously teach and delight. The authors of these books have engaged in a broad range of historical inquiry and then have linked their approaches to narrative structures that entice the student-reader to enter a complex world with minimal anxiety. In some measure the new upsurge of biographical literature is a corrective to the recent past, during which it was the historical fashion to deride "Great Man" theories, to minimize the role of the individual agency in history, and to downgrade the narrative. While the "new social history" has enriched our perspectives beyond measure (and I consider myself a social historian), broader views of events remain compelling, especially as teaching tools, and I welcome both the return of the narrative and of the individual to historical writing and reflection.

Biography, both written and visual (in the form of films and videos), can be used to teach a broad range of subjects while maintaining a focus on persons. We can discover that Malcolm X's Autobiography of Malcolm X (New York: Ballantine, 1979) is quite a good way to introduce the subject of race relations in the United States in the 1960s; that the life story of Charles Darwin tells us more about Victorian England than about evolution; that a biography or a film about Eleanor Roosevelt takes us clear through the first seventy years of this American century; that one of Peter the Great or of Catherine the Great serves as a good introduction to contemporary Russian history. We can study China with a reading of Frank Ching's Ancestors: 900 Years in the Life of a Chinese Family (New York: William Morrow, 1988). We can also consider that a man like Eric Erikson will give us a special picture of Martin Luther or of Mohandas Gandhi, and that there are as many interpretations of Hitler as there are books about him.

Having made something of an argument for the profitability and legitimacy of using biography as a historical teaching tool, let me divide my further remarks into three sections: commenting first on the courses I have taught to college undergraduates; second, addressing some of the theoretical questions that underlie the use of this kind of material; and finally, discussing the usefulness of biographical and other narrative material as an adjunct in teaching world history.

The class I most regularly teach is "Biography as History: Twentieth-Century World Leaders." It is a freshman-level course, but not a requirement or part of the Case Western Reserve University core curriculum. It is attractive to liberal arts students in general and useful to engineering majors for fulfilling their humanities requirements. Non-history students are not afraid to take the class—it seems like it will be easy. Afterwards, when it turns out to have been more work than they anticipated, they nonetheless admit that they both enjoyed it and learned a lot.

I inherited the course from David Van Tassel who had in turn participated in such a class as an undergraduate at Dartmouth. Van Tassel used the format largely to explore recent American, European, and Asian history by using the biographies of the political heads of specific countries. I dropped the United States from the range of areas of my interest—my own ignorance not the least of my reasons, but also because students are most familiar here and I was anxious to explore the less familiar. I altered the format both by moving into Latin America and Africa and also by expanding the notion of leadership. Over the years my classes have studied Mao, Mohandas Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Fidel Castro, Nelson and Winnie Mandela, and regularly Hitler and Stalin. Investigating an alternative type of leadership one semester, we read Peter Hebblethwaite's Pope John XXIII (New York: Doubleday, 1987). It was a great idea but it was a pedagogical disaster. The book was scholarly but too complex; more than that, the great changes that Vatican II would set in motion came after John's death. And so to my students the book seemed little more than a long story about how an unlikely man became pope. I still believe that the idea of examining a renewed papacy as a center of power and as a source of leadership in the twentieth century is a good one. It is a way to get at important forces within the century that have a different dimension from the purely political. I have recently read a review of Keepers of the Keys. John XXIII, Paul IV and John Paul II: Three Who Changed the Church by Wilton Wynn (New York: Random House, 1989). I have yet to see it, but I am tantalized to try again.

Typically, in teaching the class I have scheduled four or five units, each essentially distinct, with short exams or papers at the end of each unit and a final exam question that ties things together in some fashion. Case Western Reserve is on a semester basis and there are about fourteen weeks of class time. The units run from two to four weeks, based on their complexity and on the amount of assigned reading material. One problem in the use of biographies is that many of the best are extremely long. More on this subject later.

The course begins with a discussion of the meaning of leadership, of charisma, and of the relationship between leadership and power. I ask my students to list who they think are the most important people of the twentieth century and we analyze their choices. Most lists are predictable. Few if any students ever mention a woman's name. After a couple of background lectures (Industrial Revolution, World War I), we move into the first unit. Students read a full-length biography of a "leader," perhaps John Toland's Hitler (abridged version and still 700 pages, New York: Ballantine Books, 1984), or Isaac Deutscher's Stalin (2nd ed., New York: Oxford University Press, 1967) or Geoffrey Ashe's Gandhi (New York: Stein and Day, 1968). In addition, I hand out supplementary readings that enrich the text or provide alternate interpretations. As students are doing their reading I use the class to develop and reinforce context. In a recent Hitler unit I lectured not only on German history but also on racism, on totalitarianism, and on individual responsibility and guilt. I discuss recent trends in German scholarship and the "war of the German historians." I discuss psychological and psychoanalytic interpretations of Hitler's behavior and query their relevance. I show films: The Wannsee Conference , Night and Fog , The Nuremberg Trials . I schedule visiting lecturers with firsthand experience. Sometimes we use small-group discussions based on the extra readings. Students who are shy in the larger class often will open up in a circle of six or seven. At the end of the unit students take a quiz that essentially tests the level of their reading of the biography. The quiz is to keep students honest. I assume that if students do the reading, come to class, and participate in the frequent class discussions, they will learn a great deal.

This past term I altered my organization of the class. I reduced the number of units to three, in this case Germany, the U.S.S.R., and South Africa, and assigned two books for each unit—one on a "leader" and one on a "follower" as it were, a more typical citizen. In addition to biographies of Hitler, Stalin, and Winnie Mandela, students read In Hitler's Germany (New York: Schocken Books, 1986), by Bernt Engelmann, a man who survived those years morally and helped others to survive physically; they read Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich (New York: Ballantine, 1971); and they read Kaffir Boy (New York: New American Library, 1986) by Mark Mathabane, a young South African black now living in the United States. In effect, these books were autobiographies (technically, one was a memoir, one a fictionalized life-account, and Mathabane's alone a "true" autobiography), counterbalancing the political biographies of the leaders. In addition, we had time for more films, including Cry Freedom , about Steve Biko, and the film version of Ivan Denisovich . Visiting speakers included both a black South African student and a faculty member who had escaped from German-occupied Poland to the U.S.S.R. as a child during World War II.

The class was very successful. The extra time in each unit gave us the opportunity to talk about issues. The partial focus on "everyday people" (something drawn from the "new social history") personalized the learning process in a concrete way. In other terms I had tried to use books of ordinary people without the leader book. That had not worked—there was not enough background for the student in the assigned text and it was too difficult to give it all myself in class. But together the leader/follower texts were mutually reinforcing. Students took quizzes as usual on the leader texts and wrote papers on the "people" biographies. With Ivan Denisovich , students were able to discuss both the use of fiction as history and to compare two different media. They all agreed that the book was far better than the movie, that the movie would have been difficult to comprehend without first having read the novel, but that doing both significantly enhanced the evoked images. I will use this format again. Its only drawback was that it limited the range of topics.

A difficulty implicit in the biographical approach is that it perforce commits a considerable piece of students' time to one project. In many classes there just will not be time for students to read full-fledged biographies. Excerpts sometimes work, although I find them less than satisfactory. Better still is a book such as the Pulitzer Prize-winning Common Ground , by J. Anthony Lukas (New York: Knopf, 1986). It uses a biographical format to discuss the effects of the Boston Public School desegregation case. Individual chapters deal with three affected families, one black, one WASP, one Irish-Catholic, and each begins with an extended historical sketch of where these people came from and how they ended up in Boston in the mid-twentieth century. There are also chapters on Arthur Garrity, the federal court judge, on Louise Day Hicks, the chair of the Boston School Committee, on Kevin White, the mayor, on the archbishop, later cardinal, Humberto Medeiros, and on Tom Winshop, the editor of the Boston Globe . Other players in the story are also portrayed in historical context and from a biographical perspective. I could anticipate using such a text with students reading different chapters, taking on the roles of their specific characters, and then discussing their positions based on who they are before a class. I think this could be a profoundly meaningful learning experience.

In general, when I would like to use a life story in class and cannot find the time for students to read a whole biography, I read it and use a class period to tell the story. In a unit on Stalin I give biographical sketches both of Lenin and of Trotsky. Not only does this flesh out the references to these people in the text students are reading, but it shows students how varied were the backgrounds of people who came together in the Russian revolutionary period. I have given mini-biographic lectures of Churchill and Roosevelt when discussing Stalin at Yalta, of Mussolini and Franco in a Hitler unit, of Zhou Enlai and Chiang Kai-shek when learning about Mao. In my medieval classes I explore the lives of Alfred the Great, Eleanor of Aquitaine, St. Francis, Margery Kempe—real and whole people.

Thus far I have been stressing the ways in which biography can facilitate the learning process. Now let me issue some caveats. Using biography in the classroom is not really an easy way into murky waters. In fact, it is a technique that introduces highly charged and opinionated perspectives into the classroom. Biographies are laden with inferences and difficulties that can be surmounted only if one is well aware they exist. It is important to understand the kinds of material we are using when we select particular biographies as well as the biographical approach in general. Even more than in a traditional text, we must face up to the realization that we are not feeding our students "facts." Biography is very subjective material and autobiography, by definition, even more so. "As a Freudian," writes Bruno Bettelheim in the introduction to his new book, Freud's Vienna and Other Essays (New York: Knopf, 1989), "I believe what Freud said about biographies applies even more to autobiographies, namely that the person who undertakes such a task 'binds himself to lying, to concealment, to flummery.'" Philip Roth, after a longtime literary career of fictionalized autobiographical writing, has recently published The Facts: A Novelist's Autobiography (New York: Penguin, 1988). I leave it to you to query whether greater truth will be found in his fiction or in his Facts .

When we use biography and autobiography, therefore, we must give students the chance and the tools whereby they can make judgments about what they read. To do this we must ourselves develop a level of sophistication about these texts and insure that as interpreters we have established a basis on which to examine and analyze them. As teachers we need to be cognizant of critical approaches to this seemingly innocent material and to be competent to perceive the specific goals, approaches, perspectives, styles, limitations, and prejudices of different biographers and biographies. Furthermore, we need to examine, explore, and weigh the sources of biographies and autobiographies: the nature of the archival evidence, the letters, oral history, psychodynamic analysis, even the gossip.

There are good available resources to help us do this. The Journal of American History (March 1989) devoted an issue to the theme of "History and Memory," with excellent contributions, among others, by David Lowenthal (pp. 1263–80), David Thelen (pp. 1117–29), and Michael Frisch (pp. 1130–55). David Lowenthal's The Past Is a Foreign Country (New York: Cambridge University Press, 1985) is a treasure, with pages 210–38 specifically discussing history. Donald Ostrowski, in "The Historian and the Virtual Past," Historian 51 (1989): 201–20, also addresses the ambiguities inherent in trying to reconstruct any past.

More specifically in terms of biography and autobiography, James Olney has edited a fine volume of essays, Studies in Autobiography (New York: Oxford University Press, 1988), and William McKinley Runyan has given us Life Histories and Psychobiography (New York: Oxford University Press, 1984). Also dealing with psychobiography are Charles Strozier and Daniel Offer, eds., The Leader: Psychohistorical Essays (New York: Plenum Press, 1985). With regard to the use of film as history, the American Historical Review (93 [1988]: 1173–1227) published a series of articles, and Robert Brent Toplin's reviews in Perspectives are eagerly awaited. The general media also are calling upon scholars to criticize the accuracy and legitimacy of "historical" films. Readers of The New York Times , The New Republic , The New York Review , and other resources, find in them competent analyses of recent films.

Space does not allow me to explore this material in any detail, but let me here make just two comments. A remarkable chapter in Olney's Studies is G. Thomas Couser's "Black Elk Speaks with Forked Tongue" (pp. 77–88). Couser points out all the pitfalls both "as told to stories" and also of cross-cultural forays. Furthermore, he profoundly challenges what has been considered one of the most successful of these attempts. The article raises many important questions.

With regard to the thorny question of psychobiography, Runyan's volume, Life Histories and Psychobiography , is a useful text. My perspective as a teacher is to point out how highly psychological almost every biography is—in fact, if it is not psychologically interpretive, we tend to feel it as flat, incomplete. We are so used to psychological interpretation these days that we notice it in its absence rather than in its presence. Train yourself and your students to be attentive to those interpretations that fall most naturally and gracefully upon the page.

Psychobiography is another thing. I recently gave my students two extra readings on Hitler, one on a psychological discussion of his "infantilism," the other a psychoanalytic comparison of Hitler and Gandhi in terms of their relationships with their mothers. My students were interested, even fascinated with the material, but ultimately rejected it as irrelevant to larger questions of authority, guilt, and responsibility. They did not want Hitler "explained away." I believe psychobiography is of more value to people in the field of mental health than to historians; and that while it may answer some of our questions, the road down which it takes us is so individualized as to be of modest use to historians in our larger endeavors.

Let me conclude with a reaffirmation of the helpfulness of biography, autobiography, and fiction (which is often autobiography) in the teaching of world history or Third World history classes. Nothing gives more insight to students than to discern both the connections and the dissimilarities between their lives and the lives of others in places and/or times that seem remote and somehow unreal. Latin America, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East are places that are outside the experience of most of my students. Biography, autobiography, and fiction are gentle ways by which the seemingly alien can be incorporated and absorbed. Creative use of biography, moreover, can enable one to graft ethnic, gender, and religious issues onto political and geographical ones, and to do comparative studies. I have been awaiting an opportunity to teach a unit in which I could contrast Eleanor Roosevelt (or Nancy Reagan) with Jehan Sadat, Winnie Mandela, or Madame Pandit. What a chance to talk about derived power, about women, about cultures and race.

To sum up, biography and autobiography in all their guises make first-rate teaching tools, In the long view, students are likely to remember the outline of a person's life long after the sequence of political events has become muddled. In the short term, they become engaged and willingly enter into an interactive process. "What would you have done?" is a question I often ask during class. Dealing as they have with real people whom they have come to know after a fashion, students give credible answers. They can put themselves in another's place. Biography, autobiography, and good fiction help students understand not that nothing changes or that all people are the same, and not that disparate cultures can be reduced to a few universals, but rather that some things can be comprehended about almost anyone in however distant the past or however exotic the culture. Stories of men and women make good history.

—Ann K. Warren is an adjunct associate professor of history at Case Western Reserve University.

Tags: Teaching Resources and Strategies

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9 Reasons Why You Should Write an Autobiography

Home » Blog » 9 Reasons Why You Should Write an Autobiography

9 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD WRITE AN AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Academy Award-winning actor Sidney Poitier once remarked, “My autobiography was simply the story of my life.”

Indeed, an autobiography is testament to a life well-lived. However, some erroneously believe that an autobiography’s subject must be a celebrity or wealthy person.

The truth is that anyone can write an autobiography. After all, there is nothing egocentric about chronicling one’s journey through life. The ups and downs that characterize lives provide sufficient reason to produce an autobiography.

In this article we will explore nine reasons why writing an autobiography in 2021 is a worthwhile endeavor.

9 Reasons Why You Should Write an Autobiography in 2021

1. it provides a legacy for future generations..

A legacy is an important part of a well-lived life. After all, a legacy is an indelible memento that lives on for generations.

As the great poet Maya Angelou put it, “If you’re going to live, leave a legacy. Make a mark on the world that can’t be erased.” Undoubtedly, a legacy can serve as an enduring fingerprint.

Indeed, future generations can recall truly remarkable lives. Nevertheless, memories tend to fade with time. Eventually, these amazing lives may get lost in the sands of time. Thus, it is crucial to chronicle such lives in a lasting format.

Consequently, the foremost reason for writing an autobiography is to set the record straight. An autobiography should serve as a personal, first-hand account about valuable life experiences. As such, the enduring legacy morphs into pearls of perpetual wisdom.

An autobiography allows these pearls to move from generation to generation. After all, words recorded on a page cannot fade away easily.

2. It helps you take your place in history.

Every person that has ever existed occupies a place in history. Sadly, the vast majority of them lose their voices over time. Memories fade and die away with each passing generation. And over time, each current generation forgets the contributions their ancestors made in shaping who they are today.

Writing an autobiography enables the author to claim their rightful place in history. Moreover, the author can tell their story in their voice. As a result, autobiographers plant flags that no one can remove. Future generations can then take these flags as the roadmap to a brighter tomorrow.

Greek statesman and general Pericles famously said, “What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments, but what is woven into the lives of others.”

Unquestionably, time decays even the largest of monuments. Nature can destroy them. However, no force can shatter the fabric of the human spirit.

Time will inexorably pass. With it, memories of great people will perish unless they claim their rightful spot in history. An autobiography is an ideal means of asserting one’s position in the scope of yesteryear.

3. You can better understand your life’s journey.

It is highly common for people to feel disconnected from their identity. After all, it can be somewhat difficult to carve an identity without understanding the journey leading up to the present.

The immortal Greek philosopher Aristotle said, “Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.” Knowing oneself leads to understanding one’s journey.

Of course, there are times in which the past is murky at best. However, clarity can come from an autobiography.

An autobiography is an exercise in self-discovery. It allows the author room to explore their journey. As a result, knowledge of oneself emerges as the journey comes into focus. The written chronicle enables the reader to glimpse into the magical path of self-discovery. Hopefully, this path will also help the reader discover their path.

It is worth noting that an autobiography should not be a bullet-point list of events and facts. Instead, an autobiography should provide a narrative that facilitates exploring the journey of self-discovery. The reader can then take this journey and use it for their benefit.

The most inspirational autobiographies give readers an opportunity to reflect on their journey. Most importantly, superb autobiographies profoundly connect with readers. Wonderful autobiographies are like mirrors in which readers can see their reflections.

4. Writing an autobiography is great therapy!

Psychologists often recommend that their patients write their thoughts and feelings. The aim is for individuals to make sense of their emotions by articulating them.

At first, these thoughts might lack clarity and direction. Nevertheless, they begin to take shape as the writing process continues.

Writing an autobiography is a process that requires the author to explore their emotions at various junctions of their life. However, the autobiographical process reviews the author’s life with the benefit of hindsight. Hence, the healing process can consequently emerge.

As a renowned writer and journalist Graham Greene put it, “Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose, or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic, and fear which is inherent in a human situation.”

Indeed, human nature is rife with a myriad of emotions, both negative and positive. Therefore, writing serves to dissipate such emotions and achieve clarity.

Often, autobiographies emerge from journaling. Personal journals are the ideal source material for great autobiographies. After all, journals allow autobiographers to go back in time to see their state of mind at the time of writing. From there, hindsight can begin to make sense of it all.

5. It helps you establish connections.

Modern technology and on-the-go lifestyles can often lead to isolation. It is quite easy to lose focus due to the multiple distractions that abound. The ensuing disconnect can lead individuals to miss their place within society.

When writing an autobiography, the author must establish a connection within their immediate social circle and society as a whole. After all, the surrounding social environment directly influences the author’s actions and reactions.

The social environment can provide valuable clues to understand the context in which the autobiographical exercise takes place.

Humanitarian and philanthropist Melinda Gates once said, “Deep human connection is… the purpose and the result of a meaningful life – and it will inspire the most amazing acts of love, generosity, and humanity.”

Undoubtedly, having a deep human connection with the world helps individuals express their humanity. Consequently, an autobiography can become a vehicle for such connections.

The writing process enables authors to see where they fit within their social context on a personal level.

More often than not, autobiographers realize they have played a far more important role than they could have ever imagined. As a result, the writing process is nothing more than a record of their noteworthy contributions.

6. It gives you a new sense of purpose.

It is not uncommon to go through life perceiving a lack of purpose. Whether conscious or not, all people go through life with a purpose driving them.

Naturally, everyone’s purpose differs. However, that purpose does not generally come into focus without careful and dedicated reflection. Hence, the autobiographical process affords those moments of reflection.

Legendary Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky penned, “The mystery of human existence lies not just in staying alive, but in finding something to live for.”

Indeed, everyone lives for a reason. The issue is that not everyone is fully aware of this reason.

Writing an autobiography allows the author to explore their life’s purpose. Furthermore, it allows the reader to assess theirs. In the end, the autobiographical process permits a two-way conversation in which each interlocutor can reflect on their purpose.

Please bear in mind that developing a sense of purpose is an ongoing pursuit. As such, an autobiography is akin to a collection of snapshots. Once put together, each snapshot articulates an overarching purpose.

7. You’ll make new contacts.

It may seem somewhat surprising to think how an autobiography can lead to making new contacts. A published autobiography (self-published, digital, or traditional) promotes exposure. On the surface, making new contacts may not seem like an obvious consequence, but it can certainly happen.

For some professionals, a memoir or autobiography serves to boost their visibility. As a result, their work helps create more awareness. Also, writing a book, any book, is an important milestone, especially in academic fields.

Some writers may struggle with putting pen to paper. To remedy this situation, they seek writing groups or communities. In these groups, writers find support from other like-minded individuals.

Consequently, this support allows struggling autobiographers to get through any obstacles standing in their way.

Overall, making new contacts may appear to be an indirect consequence of penning an autobiography. Ultimately, though, it may prove to be the most valuable result of all.

8. It’s an exciting process!

There are times when life seems stuck in a rut. Perhaps long-put-off projects lurk in the back of one’s mind. Or one may even be at a crossroads in life.

Whatever the case, writing an autobiography is an important box to check off one’s bucket list.

In the words of renowned actress Mia Farrow, “My father always told me I should be a writer, and I found I loved writing my autobiography; writing is such an interesting process.”

These words echo a truth regarding the autobiographical process: One does not need to be a writer to produce a quality autobiography. Writing an autobiography should not be a chore. Instead, penning one’s life story should be a labor of love.

It is the culmination of many memorable chapters while looking toward the following ones.

Indeed, writing an autobiography should bring a sense of joy and excitement into one’s life. Undoubtedly, some may find the writing process difficult at first. Nevertheless, that is where the beauty of the process lies.

The writing process is just another memorable journey in a wonderful existence. It is a process worth cherishing. Ultimately, the reader will imbibe the genuine emotions contained on every page.

9. It’ll unleash your creativity.

Producing autobiographical work is an exercise in creative writing. Thus, an autobiography should never be just a collection of facts and dates. If anything, such a work would resemble a résumé instead of an autobiography.

As novelist and essayist Chloe Thurlow put it, “An autobiography is a precious broken vase pieced painstakingly together still showing the chips and cracks.” As such, presenting a laundry list of data does little to reveal the uniqueness of that broken vase. Incorporating creative writing allows the author to fit the pieces together as neatly as possible.

In contrast, presenting a list of facts leaves many gaps in the overall picture. As a result, the reader will never fully grasp the real person behind the data. Therefore, autobiographers must unleash their creativity.

Of course, it is important to differentiate between creativity and embellishment.

Some authors use outrageous language to create an effect. While that approach is certainly valid, the main objective is to present the truth. From there, readers can build their assumptions about the true character.

In the end, an autobiography should resemble a novel. The narrative grows in the author’s voice. By the last sentence, the entire painstaking process of fitting each piece together will have become evident.

Helpful Tip: Don’t be afraid to hire a ghostwriter.

Writing an autobiography does not necessarily entail producing words. In fact, it is quite common for autobiographers to hire a ghostwriter to help produce a final volume.

In those cases, the author’s voice is still present in the narrative. The difference lies in employing the assistance of a professional writer to facilitate the process. After all, not everyone has the time, skills, or experience to produce a full-length book.

The most important consideration is to portray the subject as realistically as possible. As a result, ghostwriters should not take any creative license. The subject’s voice, personality, and character must be present at all times.

Often, ghostwriters conduct interviews to gain a clear understanding of the subject. Then, multiple revisions ensure the subject’s true character emerges on every page.

Therefore, the subject ought to be present throughout the entire process. Otherwise, the book will shift from an autobiography to a biography.

Additionally, ghostwriters may take a collection of journals or memoirs and articulate them into a single narrative. This approach would constitute an autobiography as the writing help mainly focuses on editing rather than creating.

Writing an autobiography may seem like a daunting task at first. However, there is no reason why anyone should hold back. After all, there are countless individuals out there with extraordinary stories to tell.

There are plenty of reasons why anyone ought to pen their story. It is just a matter of allowing the creative juices to flow freely. And, if necessary, enlisting a professional ghostwriter to aid in the writing process.

The outcome will indeed have a lasting impact on people across generations to come.

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I want to read autobiographies. But first I want to understand why people write them. Providing a legacy for a future generation honestly seems worth it.

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Handbook of Historical Studies in Education pp 1–14 Cite as

Biography and Autobiography

• Wayne J. Urban 2  
• Living reference work entry
• First Online: 10 October 2019

114 Accesses

Part of the book series: Springer International Handbooks of Education ((SIHE))

The areas of biographical and autobiographical study are not exceptionally popular as approaches to historical research in education. The reasons for this are several but all likely related to the penchant for historians of education, like other researchers in education, to favor a social scientific approach to their work. Education as a discipline is generally seen as one of the applied social sciences. Given this, an approach to scholarship that favors social scientific concerns such as generalization, hypothesis testing, and larger data sets that support these priorities is dominant in historical study in education as well as the larger field of educational research. This emphasis is further enhanced recently by an orientation toward educational policy and practice that demands results that address policy concerns such as accountability and data driven decision-making. Biography and autobiography speak tangentially at best to these concerns and quite often question the legitimacy of things like generalization, best practices, and policy goals and objectives.

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Bond HM. The education of the Negro in the American social order. New York: Prentice-Hall; 1934.

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Bond HM. Negro education in Alabama: a study in cotton and steel. Washington, DC: Associated Publishers; 1939.

Bond HM. The search for talent. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press for the Harvard Graduate School of Education; 1959.

Bond HM. Black American scholars: a study of their beginnings. Detroit: Balamp Publishers; 1969.

Bond HM. Education for freedom: a history of Lincoln University. Princeton: Princeton University Press for Lincoln University; 1976.

Conant JB. My several lives: memoirs of a social inventor. New York: Harper & Row; 1970.

Harlan LR. Booker T. Washington: the making of a black leader. New York: Oxford University Press; 1972.

Harlan LR. Booker T. Washington: the wizard of Tuskegee. New York: Oxford University Press; 1983.

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Lazerson M. Teachers organize: what Margaret Haley lost. Hist Educ Q. 1984;24(2):261–70.

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Urban WJ. Why teachers organized. Detroit: Wayne State University Press; 1982.

Urban WJ. Black scholar: Horace Mann Bond, 1904–1972. Athens: University of Georgia Press; 1992.

Urban WJ. More Than the Facts: The Research Division of the National Education Association, 1922–1997. Lanham, MD: University Press of America; 1998.

Urban WJ. Gender, Race, and the National Education Association: Professionalization and Its Limitations. New York/London: Routledge Falmer; 2000.

Urban WJ, editor. Leaders in the historical study of American education. Rotterdam/Boston/Taipei: Sense Publishers; 2011.

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The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL, USA

Wayne J. Urban

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Correspondence to Wayne J. Urban .

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Graduate School of Education, University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia

Tanya Fitzgerald

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Urban, W.J. (2019). Biography and Autobiography. In: Fitzgerald, T. (eds) Handbook of Historical Studies in Education. Springer International Handbooks of Education. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0942-6_55-1

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DOI : https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-0942-6_55-1

Received : 30 November 2018

Accepted : 13 February 2019

Published : 10 October 2019

Publisher Name : Springer, Singapore

Print ISBN : 978-981-10-0942-6

Online ISBN : 978-981-10-0942-6

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Author : Caroline Chartrand

31st May 2023

Biography vs Autobiography: Differences and Features

When reading about someone’s life, you probably wonder if it is a biography or an autobiography. In this blog, we will compare biography vs autobiography. Also, we will explain the difference between autobiography and biography.

If we tell you in simple words, a biography is the life story of a person written by someone else. On the other hand, an autobiography is the life story of a person written by themselves.

Autobiographies have more personal nature as they are based on the writers’ own thoughts and memories. On the other hand, biographies are more objective, as they are written with the help of others’ opinions and perspectives.

What is a Biography?

A biography, or you can call it a bio, is a written piece of someone’s life. It does not just contain basic info about the subject, but the experiences of them throughout their lives. It sheds light on various aspects of the subject’s life. For example:

• Personal details
• Family background
• Life events
• Achievements
• Triumphs in their field and their impact on the world

Biography Examples

Let’s have a look at some examples of famous biographies:

1- Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs is an authorized biography. The subject of the book Steve Jobs himself requested the author Walter Isaacson to write the story about him. Walter is also famous for biographical works like Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein.

2- Into the Wild

It is a nonfiction book based on the life of a young man who abandoned his life and disappeared into the wild. The author of this biographical story is Jon Krakauer.

What is an Autobiography?

An autobiography, informally called an autobio, is a biography of one’s own written by themselves. It is based on the memory of the writer. It generally enlightens the below aspects of the subject:

• Life description
• Meaning of life
• Significant experiences
• Personal failure
• Plans for future

Autobiography Examples

Let’s have a look at some of the autobiographical works:

1- I am Malala

The autobiography “I am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education was Shot by the Taliban” is the story of Malala. It was co-written by Christina Lamb.

2- Long Walk to Freedom

It is a biography of Nelson Mandela, ghostwritten by Richard Stengel. The book portrays his story from his early life to his years in prison.

Biography vs Autobiography: The Key Differences

While biographies and autobiographies are somehow similar, there are several contrasts between them. Let’s take a look at how they are different from each other.

You can find the difference between a biography and an autobiography by recognizing who writes it. A biography is always written by someone else other than the subject. Whereas in an autobiography, the subject of the story writes it themselves.

2- Point of View

A biography follows the third-person point of view. It uses “He, Him, His, She, Her, Hers.” In contrast, an autobiography follows the first-person point of view. It utilizes “I, Me, My” as the pronouns.

3- Authorized vs Unauthorized

If a story is written with the permission of the person, it will be an authorized work. Otherwise, it will be unauthorized because it is written without the consent of the person.

4- Authencity

An autobiography will be more authentic than a biography. An autobiography writer usually recalls his events and narrates his own experiences. On the other hand, biography writers gather info through different sources and by talking and interviewing various people. As a result, the input can differentiate from the reality.

5- Neutrality

Autobiographies can be more biased than biographies. The neutrality of the biographies can depend on the intent. Some writers can show themselves as more genuine than they are in reality in their autobiographies. However, when it comes to biographies, they can either go mild or extreme in talking about the subject.

Biography vs Autobiography: Similar Features

Autobiographies are basically a type of biographies. Therefore, they share some common elements. Let’s take a look.

Biographies, whether of someone else or of the writer, have the same purpose of telling people the story of their life.

The genre of biographies is always nonfiction. A biography can not be a piece of fiction. If it is, it will fall under the category of a biographical novel.

The subject of biographies will always be famous people. The people who have achieved something in their life. For example, historical figures, celebs, political leaders, athletes, etc.

How to Write a Biography?

To write a biography , you can follow the below steps:

1- Get Permission

The first step to take in biography writing is to get the permission of the subject. In some conditions, it is not necessary. For example, if the subject is not alive anymore. However, if you have their consent, it will be helpful in your research, and the writing process will be easier. Also, the subject will give you some details by themselves that you may not have acquired without their permission.

2- Do Research

Research is necessary for biography writing. If you don’t have a sufficient amount of info about the subject, you can not compile a book about them. Therefore, you have to collect data and interview people as much as possible.

3- Write the Biography

The next step is to convert your research into words. Suppose you don’t have time or ability to write. In that case, you can acquire ghostwriting services . It can help you create content for your book.

4- Format the Book

When you are done completing your written work, it’s time for book formatting . Most of the time, biographies follow chronological order. However, you can also follow a non-chronological order based on your preference.

5- Promote your Work

Your work will not find the right audience if you don’t advertise it well. Therefore, you should promote your biographical work effectively. For this, you can also benefit from book marketing services .

To learn more about what is a biography ? And how can you write one? You can read our blog.

How to Write an Autobiography?

Let’s have a look at tips on writing an autobiography:

1- Brainstorm Ideas

Begin with revisiting all the memories and events that happened in your life. Look for ideas you can talk about in your book. Also, consider both the positives and negatives so you can create unique content that attracts readers.

2- Create an Outline

Outlining helps you organize your content. Therefore, start your work by creating an outline. It will help the flow of the story; as a result, the reader will quickly understand the story.

3- Write the Autobiography

Autobiography books usually are written in the own voice of the subject. So, use first-person voice as you are speaking directly to the readers. Also, start with a solid intro, use anecdotes, and provide vivid details.

If you are also going for a digital version of your biographical book, you can have ebook writing services at your disposal. They can be handy in writing and also editing, and polishing your work.

4- Publishing the Book

The most challenging task to do after you have your story written is to publish it. High are the chances that you will need help regarding the publishing process, whether you are going for traditional publishing or you want to publish it yourself. It is where you can get in touch with a self-publishing company . The rest of the tasks to complete are on them.

You should also advertise your work so as many people as possible read your story. You can publish and market your work on various platforms. However, the best way to promote your story is through your author’s website. If you don’t have your own website, you can obtain author website design services and have your website showcasing your literary works.

Want to learn more? Read our detailed blog about what is an autobiography . Here you will get to know the “Autobiography Definition, Examples, & Writing Guide for 2024.”

Memoir vs Autobiography

After you know what’s the contrast and similarity between biography vs autobiography. Let’s look at the difference and similarities between a memoir vs an autobiography.

1- Memoir vs Autobiography: The Similarity

If we talk about memoir vs autobiography , they both are accounts of the writer’s life. Also, writers use the first-person point of view in both.

2- Memoir vs Autobiography: The Difference

In an autobiography, the writer talks about his whole life. Whereas, in a memoir, writers cover a small part of their life or tell an interesting or particular memory of their life.

Want to know more? Read our blog on what is a memoir.

What are the Two Types of Biography?

There are three types of biography, not two. They are:

• Autobiography

Why are Biographies Better than Autobiography?

Biographies are more neutralistic than autobiographies. Also, they tend to be less biased than autobiographies.

Is Autobiography Written in First?

Yes, autobiographies are written in the first-person point of view since they are written by the subject themselves.

Why is an Autobiography Called an Autobiography?

The words Auto, Bios, and Graphein came from Ancient Greek. Their meaning is “Self,” “Life,” and “To Write,” respectively.

After reading this blog, you will have a grasp of the difference between biography vs autobiography. Also, you will know what they are composed of. Learning this will help you when you write your biographical books. In addition, if you still need assistance in writing, you can ask Authors Breeze for their services.

Caroline Chartrand

As a writing expert, Caroline R Chartrand has written numerous books across various genres, from memoirs to self-help guides. With a passion for history and literature, she has delved into the lives of some of the fascinating figures in history, uncovering hidden stories and surprising facts.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Autobiography

Looking for advantages and disadvantages of Autobiography?

We have collected some solid points that will help you understand the pros and cons of Autobiography in detail.

But first, let’s understand the topic:

What is Autobiography?

An autobiography is a book where someone writes about their own life. It’s like they’re telling their own story, sharing memories and experiences from when they were born up to now.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of Autobiography

The following are the advantages and disadvantages of Autobiography:

Advantages of Autobiography

• Personal insights into life – An autobiography offers a window into the author’s experiences, sharing lessons learned and wisdom gained through their unique journey.
• Authentic first-person perspective – It provides a genuine view of events as seen through the author’s eyes, adding a layer of intimacy and credibility to the narrative.
• Reflects personal growth – As the author recounts their life, they reveal how they evolved over time, offering hope and encouragement for personal transformation.
• Inspires readers with real stories – True accounts of overcoming obstacles can motivate and uplift readers, showing that it’s possible to triumph in the face of adversity.
• Connects author with audience – Through sharing their life story, the author creates a bond with the reader, fostering a sense of understanding and shared humanity.

Also check:

• Paragraph on Autobiography

Disadvantages of Autobiography

• Subjective perspective only – An autobiography reflects the author’s own views and experiences, which can lead to a one-sided story without multiple perspectives.
• Potential for inaccuracy – Sometimes authors might not remember events correctly or may alter facts, which can make autobiographies less reliable.
• Privacy concerns for others – Writing about personal life can expose friends and family to public scrutiny, possibly without their consent.
• Limited viewpoint – The story might miss out on broader context or different angles because it’s limited to the author’s personal experiences.
• Memory biases influence storytelling – The way people remember events can be flawed, as personal feelings and time can distort true accounts.
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If you have a related query, feel free to let us know in the comments below.

Also, kindly share the information with your friends who you think might be interested in reading it.

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Importance of Reading Biographies & Autobiographies and Benefits of Buying Used Textbooks

Reading an autobiography or biography not only provides us with insight into the real-life experiences of great individuals, but it also motivates us to pursue our goals in the actual world. A good biography also informs us about the milieu in which that individual lived. As a result, reading a biography is essential for us to gain a variety of practical lessons. Many times, a great person's life is so loaded with rich details and interesting facts that it appears to be exciting and educational to us. Furthermore, reading about the real-life experiences of a successful or renowned person has a favorable impact on our motivations. 

What is the definition of an autobiography? 

Autobiography is defined as a personal narrative of a person's life written by that person themselves. 

A few well-known memoirs are as follows: 

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou  

The Autobiography of Malcolm X by Alex Haley and Malcolm X  

I Am Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Christina Lamb and Malala Yousafzai  

“The Story of My Life” By Helen Keller 

What is the definition of a biography? 

A biography is defined as a written account of someone's life written by someone else. The biographer is the one who writes the biography, and the biographed or subject is the one who is the subject of the biography. 

Here's a rundown of several well-known biographies: 

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson  

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer  

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank  

Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt 

The Advantages of Reading Autobiographies and Biographies 

Autobiographies instill in us important life lessons.  .

There's no denying that the finest teacher is life itself. As we continue to live our lives, the information we learn from our experiences accumulates. Even if we aren't aware of it, this knowledge has a significant impact on us. 

Although it would be good to collect all of our life experiences and recall them one by one, this can be harmful to our health at times. Fortunately for us, remembering them all is very impossible, and we frequently forget the traumatic ones. We do, however, tend to recall the life lessons they taught us. 

We can immerse ourselves in lived experiences, accomplishments, and failures through reading biographies. We learn not only about these people's accomplishments, but also about their shortcomings. 

Autobiographies provide you with virtual mentors. 

If you've read about the lives of Abraham Lincoln, Gandhi, Churchill, or anyone else you want, you've gained access to their minds and may now claim to "know" them. If you give yourself the opportunity to consider what counsel they may give you or what they might do in the scenario or choice you're facing, these folks can become your mentors from afar. 

BIographies help us get a better understanding of history. 

Reading biographies also entails learning about the historical figure's environment and social circumstances. We often learn more about history from its characters than from the events themselves. 

Knowing history allows us to better comprehend the present and everything that surrounds us. Learning about cultural references that influence us is crucial because it helps us understand specific situations better. It's also beneficial to gain knowledge of other people's perspectives as well as our own. Essentially, reading biographies provides us with vital tools for dealing with the world. 

Biographies and autobiographies instruct and/or demonstrate how to deal with specific situations. 

Reading a biography of someone else's life will help you acquire insight into how to act in various situations and deal with life's challenges. As a result, you'll learn how to cope with specific situations, such as what causes XYZ to occur, what you should do in response, and how it will affect you in the long and/or short term. 

They encourage self-awareness. 

One of the procedures that assists us in developing our self-concept is self-discovery. It will be easier for us to obtain a sense of who we are by comparing ourselves to other people's experiences, situations, and limitations. 

It also broadens our viewpoints and perspectives on certain subjects. It permits us to perceive the world in new ways and get new perspectives. However, they could also do the opposite and give us with justifications that support our values or ideas. 

Biographies and autobiographies provide you the opportunity to stand on the shoulders of giants. 

"If I have looked further, it is through standing on the shoulders of giants," Sir Isaac Newton remarked in a letter to his friend Robert Hooke in the 1670s. That is exactly what biographies can do for you - they can help you see further because of what these people have accomplished. Although not every biography is about a "giant," the majority of them are (and you can certainly pick from that list). Even if the person you're reading about is heinous and unworthy of respect or admiration, there are usually numerous lessons to be learned from their life experiences and actions. Even if the vast majority of them are "things you don't want to do." 

They keep you motivated at all times. 

Biographical and autobiographical information is not simply a record of someone's life; in fact, I frequently refer to these books as self-help books. Reading about other people's various opinions and experiences can help you find new ways to be inspired in your own life. You'll learn about their problems and how to apply their remedies and lessons to your own life. 

Reading biographies motivates us to tackle our fears. 

Several teachings regarding being terrified of failure may be found in many biographies of famous people. For some reason, most of us assume that success is a foregone conclusion, that there is a clear path that will lead us to our desired destination. 

Reading biographies of famous people teaches us that success isn't guaranteed, and that every triumph comes with multiple failed attempts from which these people learned. What is life without failures, after all? I'm not sure we'd learn anything! 

They broaden our understanding of culture in general. 

Nonfiction texts, in general, impart a great deal of cultural knowledge. Reading biographies, on the other hand, allows us to see life through the eyes of another person and so learn about all they went through firsthand. 

Biographies introduce us to worlds with quite varied social circumstances that we may not have access to in our daily lives. The knowledge that we can gain from these books is wide and extensive. Learning about general information and the world also has an impact on our self-esteem. 

Autobiographies simple to read. 

Aside from the numerous advantages, there's another reason to appreciate biographies: they're usually very easy to read. Reading this genre of literature is highly recommended for this reason, as well as the others indicated above. It instructs and/or demonstrates how to handle specific situations. Reading a biography of someone else's life will help you acquire insight into how to act in various situations and deal with life's challenges. As a result, you'll learn how to cope with specific situations, such as what causes XYZ to occur, what you should do in response, and how it will affect you in the long and/or short term. 

Learning from great men and women (as well as the bad and wicked) helps to put things into perspective. Knowing how they dealt with issues, how they believed in themselves, how they were able to use their abilities, and how they orientated their lives is a source of information that can assist us in directing our own lives. 

Biographies and Autobiographies give you new perspectives on the world. 

Reading about someone from a different age, a different background, or a whole other set of life experiences will give you new perspective, rather than being solely focused on your own discipline and looking at the way you and your colleagues always look at things. In reality, the majority of significant breakthroughs are the result of adapting an idea from one context, discipline, or sector to another. One excellent approach to do this is to read biographies. 

Used Textbooks 

You can save a lot of money by purchasing used textbooks . Studying is costly, and many students find it difficult to afford textbooks. The benefits of buying used textbooks range from cost savings to convenience. Buying second hand items is not only cost-effective, but it is also beneficial for the environment. Do you want to find out where you can buy used textbooks ? If you're short on funds, look for used textbooks on Junk Mail. 

There are ten reasons why you should buy used textbooks. 

Take a look at these ten reasons why buying old textbooks is a great idea: 

Used textbooks are an ideal way to save money. 

New books are substantially more expensive than used textbooks. When you buy old used textbooks , you should expect to save at least 50%, and in many cases, considerably more. You will have no use for your used textbooks when you finish your studies, therefore it is not worth investing a lot of money on books that you will only use for a short time. 

Get extra assistance from past students' notes in used textbooks. 

You could locate copies of textbooks with helpful notes from former students if you buy used textbooks. You can also take use of their highlighted areas. While these may appear to be flaws to some, they can be beneficial when studying. 

Buying used textbooks contributes to environmental protection. 

You are contributing to recycling by utilizing used textbooks. Buying old books is a good way to help the environment. Buying used not only helps to save trees, but it also helps to reduce landfill garbage. 

Assisting other students by buying used textbooks 

Purchasing used textbooks from fellow students rather than huge retail outlets helps to support their efforts. Many students find it difficult to pay their education due to high tuition fees and textbook costs. When you buy used textbooks, you are assisting others in being able to afford the goods they require for their education. 

Used textbooks enable you to recover your funds 

You can resale your used textbooks and recoup your costs if you take good care of them. Even if you don't get the entire amount back, used textbooks depreciate less than new books. 

Purchasing used books is convenient. 

It's simple to locate used textbooks. You can locate everything you need from the convenience of your own home, thanks to the abundance of previously owned textbooks available online. 

Used textbooks provide you more options . 

It's simple to find what you're looking for thanks to the large range of second hand books online . Buying used textbooks is a good alternative if you want to choose from a large selection of books. 

You can get used textbooks delivered to your home. 

You can get second hand books delivered to your home when you buy them online. Because you save so much money by buying second hand books online , you can afford to spend a little more for the convenience of home delivery. 

Encourage yourself to take more notes. 

Making clean and informative notes on your textbook can be useful to the student who uses it after you if you sell it online. There are many reasons to be inspired to attend lectures and take more notes, whether you gain satisfaction from assisting others or you wish to add value to the book. 

Used textbooks can be exchanged. 

There are options for trading your used textbooks for second hand books. This is a fantastic way to put books that you no longer need to good use while also saving money. 

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