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Tuesday 2 April 2013

B is for Biography

Still haven't found my list, but I remembered what B was!

Biographies, or (Auto)Biographies. I'm cheating a little here but we'll just gloss over that.

My experience of Biographies, auto or otherwise is fairly limited. I do have a biography of Johnny Depp that was bought for me that I've never read, only flicked through for the pictures. I have, however, read the (Auto)Biography of english comedian Michael MacIntyre. It was a christmas present one year and I found it extremely interesting. He's a face that anyone who enjoys comedy here in the UK will recognise. However, it took him nearly 4 years and £40,000 of debt before he made his break. This guy is HILARIOUS, so it's very hard to imagine that there was ever a point where he wasn't getting recognised for his work. If there's a lesson to be learned here, it's don't give up on what you love.


But that's the only book about someone's backstory that I've ever read. With Wikipedia and the internet in general, if you want to find out something about someone, it's just a matter of a few clicks away. I don't make a point of reading biographies, but maybe it's something that I should look into. I spend far too much time in story worlds that are completely made up, maybe I should remind myself occasionally that real life can be just as interesting too.

Have you read any auto/biographies recently? Can you recommend me any that I have to read?

Sarah x

10 comments:

  1. I can't remember the last time that I read an auto-biography. You've planted the seed. I'm going to have to give this some thought. Great post. Looking forward to more.

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  2. I really struggle with auto-biographies. I don't know what it is about them, but I can never get into them. You're right about the internet, I do sometimes look things up about people, but just little bits and that's as much as I can handle.

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  3. He does look like a Chinese baby, doesn't he?

    mood
    Moody Writing

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  4. Thanks. I really needed this today. I'm struggling a bit with the money to live/paying for training to be a good writer, and this really helped. I mean if Rowling was a single mother and this guy was in debt, I should be able to manage just fine, right?

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  5. I am not a fan of biographies. I know I am missing out too. I guess a few should go on my Good Reads list.
    Connie
    Checkin' in from the A to Z Challenge
    Peanut Butter and Whine

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  6. I find fiction to be much more fascinating. I did attend a one man show by William Shatner which was like a talking autobiography. Now THAT was fun. Checking in from Texas.

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  7. The most recent one I read was "Surely, you must be joking Dr. Feynman." I found it very interesting.

    Sania at Embracing Dawn

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  8. I never read bio's other than the short snippets on Wikipedia, IMDB or on a blog page. When I was a girl, however, I loved reading biographies of the first ladies like Dolly Madison and author Louisa May Alcott.

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  9. I enjoy reading biographies from time to time. One of my favorites has been "Tis Herself" by and about Maureen O'Hara. I highly recommend it if you enjoy her movies.

    New follower here. I'm stopping by for the "A to Z" challenge and I look forward to visiting again!

    Sylvia
    http://www.writinginwonderland.blogspot.com/

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  10. Michael J Foxs' Lucky Man is a brilliant read - v moving but my favourite biography.

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