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Overview
Biographies span the extremes, ranging from meaty and meticulous renderings to flamboyant sketches; from fast-paced adventure and mind-bending reassessments to gentle, nostalgic reflections. For the lover of biography, the quest is not always just for a book about a specific person, but often for a character-driven story with particular genre elements, appeals, and themes.
This guide for those who work with readers not only maps the genre, but describes and organizes some 600 biographies into such categories as Adventurous Lives, Lives of Crime, Sporting Lives, and Group Biographies. For each title, a list of read-alikes is given, along with subjects, indication of awards, and more. Real Lives Revealed: A Guide to Reading Interests in Biography is an essential resource for reader's advisors, as well as a great tool for those evaluating, building, developing, or promoting their biography collections.
Product Details
ISBN-13: | 9781591586647 |
---|---|
Publisher: | Bloomsbury Academic |
Publication date: | 06/22/2009 |
Series: | Real Stories |
Pages: | 601 |
Product dimensions: | 7.10(w) x 10.10(h) x 1.70(d) |
About the Author
Table of Contents
Series Foreword ix
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction xiii
History of Biography xxv
Part 1 Nonfiction Genres
Chapter 1 Adventure Biography 3
Definition of Adventure Biography 3
Appeal of the Genre 4
Organization of the Chapter 5
Exploration Stories 5
Nature Adventure 16
Travel Stories 24
Consider Starting With 30
Further Reading 30
Chapter 2 True Crime Biography 33
Definition of True Crime Biography 33
Appeal of the Genre 34
Organization of the Chapter 35
Committing Crimes 36
Catching Criminals 49
Shot, Stabbed, or Bludgeoned 54
Criminal Profile Collections 58
Consider Starting With 59
Further Reading 59
Chapter 3 War Biography 61
Definition of War Biography 61
Appeal of the Genre 62
Organization of the Chapter 62
Battle Stories 63
Military Lives 70
Casualties of War 77
Espionage and Intrigue 80
War Biography Collections 86
Consider Starting With 88
Further Reading 89
Part 2 Stylistic Genres
Chapter 4 Inspirational Biography 93
Definition of Inspirational Biography 93
Appeal of the Genre 94
Organization of the Chapter 95
Exemplary Lives 96
Living for a Cause 106
Overcoming Adversity 113
Religious Stories 120
Inspirational Collections 130
Consider Starting With 133
Further Reading 134
Chapter 5 Investigative Biography 135
Definition of Investigative Biography 135
Appeal of the Genre 136
Organization of the Chapter 136
Character Investigations 137
Exposés 152
Legends Retold 163
Consider Starting With 174
Further Reading 174
Chapter 6 Coming-of-Age Biography 175
Definition of Biography 175
Appeal of the Genre 176
Organization of the Chapter 177
Learning Lessons177
Lives Cut Short 186
Life, Chapter One 195
Group Biography 200
Consider Starting With 203
Further Reading 203
Part 3 Nonfiction Subject Interests
Chapter 7 Cultural Biography 207
Definition of Cultural Biography 207
Appeal of the Genre 208
Organization of the Chapter 208
Masters of Art 209
Witnesses of an Era 218
Struggling Artists 230
Eccentrics, Rebels, Rule-Breakers, and Other Unconventional Characters 241
Cultural Collections 249
Consider Starting With 251
Further Reading 252
Chapter 8 Celebrity Biography 253
Definition of Celebrity Biography 253
Appeal of the Genre 254
Organization of the Chapter 254
Tell-All Tales 255
Tributes to the Stars 270
High Society Stories 283
Celebrity Collections 289
Consider Starting With 292
Further Reading 293
Chapter 9 Historical Biography 295
Definition of Historical Biography 295
Appeal of the Genre 296
Organization of the Chapter 296
Success Stories 297
Historical Families 305
Human Rights and Social Justice Stories 313
Royal Lives 324
Historical Biography Collections 333
Consider Starting With 336
Further Reading 337
Chapter 10 Political Biography 339
Definition of Political Biography 339
Appeal of the Genre 340
Organization of the Chapter 340
Leadership Stories 341
Reassessing Reputations 349
Practicing Politics 357
Political Biography Collections 370
Consider Starting With 373
Further Reading 373
Chapter 11 Science Biography 375
Definition of Science Biography 375
Appeal of the Genre 376
Organization of the Chapter 377
Discovery Stories 378
Medical Stories 385
Doctors 386
Patients 389
Invention Stories 392
Science on the Edge 397
Consider Starting With 404
Further Reading 405
Chapter 12 Sports Biography 407
Definition of Sports Biography 407
Appeal of the Genre 408
Organization of the Chapter 409
Sports Celebrities 409
Role Models and Rule-Breakers 415
Tragic Figures in Sports 423
Renowned Rivals, Famous Friends 426
Consider Starting With 432
Further Reading 433
Appendix A Biography Awards 435
Appendix B Top Biographers 459
Appendix C Biography Series 483
Author/Title Index 493
Subject Index 545
Chronological Index 589