What is the best biography you have read?

[lokariototal]

I'm looking for the biography of an interesting person. A great life! Someone I could learn a lot from. What do you recommend?

[Dinkleberry2010]

Oscar Wilde by Richard Ellmann

[LitNetIsGreat]

Oscar Wilde by Richard Ellmann, seconded.

Interesting person, tick, a great life, tick, someone I can learn a lot from, tick.

[neilgee]

I havn't read it but I've heard that there's a James Joyce biography that's won an award and is worth reading whether you're a fan or not. Shame I can't recall the author.

[LitNetIsGreat]

I havn't read it but I've heard that there's a James Joyce biography that's won an award and is worth reading whether you're a fan or not. Shame I can't recall the author.

Isn't that Ellmann again?

[wlz]

The Celtic Tiger

[rufustfirefly]

I enjoyed "Truman" by McCullough. I recommend it to any one interested in WWII and its aftermath. I was fascinated by how ill prepared Truman was for the role that he was thrust into. His ability to steer the ship through the end of the war was nothing short of amazing.

[Paulclem]

John Donne's life was very inspiring - from rakish poet to fire and brimstone preacher. I can't remember which biographies I read - it was 20 years ago- but his life story was great.

[Dinkleberry2010]

Richard Ellmann also wrote a biography of James Joyce in 1959; revised it in 1982

[neilgee]

Ah, I saw that in the library this evening and thought it was too old being published in 59 and also thought I was mixing it up with the Oscar Wilde one so didn't borrow it.

Never mind, no doubt it'll still be there next time I visit.

[mal4mac]

I havn't read it but I've heard that there's a James Joyce biography that's won an award and is worth reading whether you're a fan or not. Shame I can't recall the author.

Isn't that Ellmann again?

Yes. That's my favourite biography.

[LitNetIsGreat]

Yes. That's my favourite biography.

Great, you should also try his Oscar Wilde.

[neilgee]

Another good biographer is Barry Miles who has done books on Jack Kerouac, William Burroughs and Paul McCartney [all of whom he knew personally] although my favourite by him is his Allen Ginsberg biog. That was hilarious!

I'm reading an interesting one at the moment by Victoria Glendinning [another prolific biographer] of Leonard Woolf but I'll look out for the two Kelman ones when I take this back to the library.

[Emil Miller]

Among various biographies, one of the best I have read is 'Cyril Connolly' by Clive Fisher:subtitled 'A Nostalgic Life'. Connolly was at the heart of Britain's literary and intellectual life from the1930s until he died in the 1970s. He knew everybody who was anybody on the English literary scene as well as others such as Hemmingway and Logan Pearsall Smith.

[Helga]

I can't say I read a lot of biographies but of the few I've read I loved John Fowles by Eileen Warburton.... what an interesting man and wrote one of my favourite books the Collector

[hellsapoppin]

Here is a book that will not likely appear on anybody else's list. But I guarantee that it is well worth while:

http://www.scottmurray.com/images/jerryHjimbook2.gif


I thought this was an outstanding bio of a truly great artist.

[thetinkris]

Oscar Wilde by Richard Ellmann, seconded.

Interesting person, tick, a great life, tick, someone I can learn a lot from, tick.

Thirded.

[Veva]

I had no idea that there was this Wilde's biography, considering the fact that I am reading Dorian Gray right now, I can try the biography afterwards... ;)

[LitNetIsGreat]

Yes there is at least seven that I know of immediately, not to mention smaller accounts, but Ellmann's is the best and most authoritative. It is quite a big, substantial book of about 550 pages in total. Hyde's biography is also very good and more concise if that is what you would prefer.

[Modest Proposal]

I think the best biography would have to be Boswell's "Life of Johnson."

[JDKennedy]

For me, either Anthony Kiedis' 'Scar Tissue', or Companero, a biography of Che Guevara by Jorge Castaneda.

[keilj]

Mark Twain's autobiography. It's probably my favorite book of his. I found it rich, and full of humor.

But if you're looking for a book about an interesting person - I'd recommend Joan of Arc by Twain. Incredibly well-done biography. And after reading it, I can see an argument for Joan being the most amazing person who ever lived

[JuniperWoolf]

Here is a book that will not likely appear on anybody else's list. But I guarantee that it is well worth while:

http://www.scottmurray.com/images/jerryHjimbook2.gif


I thought this was an outstanding bio of a truly great artist.

Hah, that's the one I was going to say!

Also, Rimbaud had a pretty cool life. I even liked it when he took off to Africa, but some people don't.

[Janine]

The Agony and the Ecstasy ~ Irving Stone

On the life of Michelangelo

[Emil Miller]

The Agony and the Ecstasy ~ Irving Stone

On the life of Michelangelo

I hope it's better than the film, memorably described as "All agony no ecstasy".

[judges]

Marco Polo: From Venice to Xanadu by Laurence Bergreen. I just finished this (its pretty recent) and it was amazing. It was really great from a general interest stand point that is not from an academic standpoint (I'm no history expert).

But if we're talking about the best biography as in the standard for what an all encompassing exhaustive biography should be then I'd say Frank's biography of Dostoevsky just for the sheer magnitude of what he undertook and how well he brought the man's life into perspective.

[stlukesguild]

The Agony and the Ecstasy ~ Irving Stone

On the life of Michelangelo

I hope it's better than the film, memorably described as "All agony no ecstasy".

I think I'd take the film with Charlton Heston over the top. Neither one is accurate, but at least the film is done in a couple of hours. If I want Michelangelo's biography I think I'd go with Vasari.

[Jeremydav]

Ben Franklin's autobiography.