Real Lives Revealed: A Guide to Reading Interests in Biography

by Rick Roche

Overview

Explore the readers' advisory possibilities of biography with this guide that covers some 600 titles.

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

Rick Roche is head of the Adult Services Department at the Thomas Ford Memorial Library, Western Springs, IL.

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

Editorial Reviews

An excellent addition to the Real Stories series as well as an outstanding contribution in the pool of readers' advisory resources. With more than 70 percent of the books published from 2000–2008, professionals will consider this a welcome publication. . . . Roche's expertise and first-hand experience are evident by the subject areas covered and his straightforward language. Librarians and readers alike have a credible source in this public librarian's well-organized and thorough resource that reveals 600 biographies to the modern reader. Real Lives Revealed is an absolute must for public libraries and for academic libraries that recognize the value of readers' advisory support for their patrons.” —ARBAonline

“This guide to approximately 600 biographical titles is designed for reader's advisors, librarians and book collectors who need a survey of genre themes, elements and critical opinions. Roche, a librarian at the Thomas Ford Memorial Library in Illinois, arranges these titles into sections such as war biographies, adventure biographies, true crime biographies and celebrity biographies and offers a definition of each genre and its appeal before making specific recommendations. Appendices include titles that have won awards, top biographers, a survey of biography series and a chronological index.” —Reference & Research Book News

“Libraries Unlimited has added a new and very needed book to its Real Stories series for nonfiction readers' advisory. . . . an outstanding work that will be welcomed by anyone doing readers' advisory.” —Booklist

“. . . an extremely useful resource for nonfiction readers' advisory. . . . Real Lives fills a need for a readers' advisory source for nonfiction biographies well, and is an invaluable resource for public librarians interested in building and promoting biographical collections.” —Public Libraries

From the Publisher