This week's
Booking Through Thursday asks about a preference for biographies or autobiographies.
My answer: both, depending on the subject.
I prefer professional biographies of famous people, including historical figures, politicians, and celebrities. For instance;
Thomas Paine: Enlightenment, Revolution, and the Birth of Modern Nations, by Craig Nelson (reviewed
here)
The Age of Reagan (Vol. II): The Conservative Counterrevolution, 1980 - 1989 by
Steven F. Hayward (which I am just finishing now)
Paul Newman: A Life by Shawn Levy (reviewed
here)
But I prefer autobiographies, or memoirs, of non-famous people. This is a new interest of mine, which I can trace back precisely to when Hubby gave me a copy of
Oh! The Glory of it All!* by Sean Wilsey when we lived in San Francisco (Wilsey being the unsung son of San Francisco socialites). Since then, I have enjoyed several "random memoirs" -- as I think of them -- about non-famous people living interesting lives. These include:
7 Wheelchairs: A Life Beyond Polio by Gary Presley (reviewed
here)
Forbidden Bread by Erica Johnson Debeljak (reviewed
here)
* One of my favorite book titles of all times.
