Favorite Biographies/Autobiographies

[Shine]

I love both biographies and autobiographies. Especially when they are about people in film, music and history. Listed below are some of my favorites. What are some of yours?

Film
The Dark Side of Genius: The Life of Alfred Hitchcock by Donald Spoto
Alfred Hitchcock: A Life In Darkness and Light by Patrick
McGilligan
Kubrick: Inside the Film Artisits Gaze by Thomas Allen Nelson
Warped Factors: A Neurotic's Guide to the Universe by Walter Koenig

Music
Shout: The Beatles In Their Generation by Phillip Norman
Lennon by Ray Coleman
Bruce Springsteen in the 1980's by Dave Marsh
No One Here Gets Out Alive: The Biography of Jim Morrison by Jerry Hopkins and Danny Sugerman
Light My Fire: My Life With the Doors by Ray Manzarek
Hammer of the Gods: The Led Zeppelin Saga by Stephen Davis

History
Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt
Schindler's List by Thomas Kennealy
A Rumor of War by Phillip Caputo
American Sphinx: The Character of Thomas Jefferson by Joseph J. Ellis
Andrew Jackson by Robert V. Remini
Personal Memoirs of U.S. Grant by Ulysses S. Grant

[LuLu Rogers]

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[bmasters9]

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[Schmoopie]

These are all wonderful books. My most favorite is Audrey Hepburn An Elegant Spirit, which was written by her son, Sean Hepburn Ferrer. Very emotional and touching book.

The Tom Landry book is great. I haven't read it in years, but it's really good. Very interesting and even funny in a few sections.

The Lauren Bacall book is good as well, but the "And then some" section is one that was added later. She talks about working with Barbara Streisand and Jeff Bridges on "Mirror Has Two Faces" but the part where she talks about where she was on 9/11/01 is kind of boring. I don't mean that to be rude but the book would have been okay had that part been left out.

The really sad thing about the Gilda Radner book is that she didn't get to finish it. :(

[MickeyMac]

Lets see

I like Steve Ambrose's bio on Eisenhower

Robert Dallak's bios on John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson were really good


What else:


No Ordinary Timeby Doris Kearns Goodwin is a great book about Franklin and Elenour Roosevelt during the second world war.


Dream Boogie by Peter Guralnick is the best book about Sam Cooke and is a must read. Gurlanick's two volume bios on Elvis Presley are the best books I have read about the king.


The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley is another great book and a must read.


I'll think of some more later

[Shine]

Robert Dallak's bios on John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson were really good


I should have included Dallak's bio on Kennedy. I really enjoyed that book. :)

[PunkyP0WER]

this one on vivien leigh is good. there are several bios available on her, but i find this one to be the definitive. she was a very beautiful, strong, yet complex and tragic woman.

i also have read bios on Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Princess Diana, Carroll O'Connor and Gilda Radner.

[Shine]

this one on vivien leigh is good. there are several bios available on her, but i find this one to be the definitive. she was a very beautiful, strong, yet complex and tragic woman.

i also have read bios on Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Princess Diana, Carroll O'Connor and Gilda Radner.

As a big All in the Family fan, I've been wanting to read Carroll O' Connor's autobiography. In my opinion, he was the funniest man in the history of television. :)

[browneyes106]

Michael J. Fox's book

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[browneyes106]

Tony Dungy's book with friend Nathan Whitaker

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[sunshinefizzy]

As Schmoopie said, Lauren's book is very good. Jane Fonda's My Life So Far is a great read, say what you will but I think she is an inspiring woman. A Class Apart is a great one for Cary Grant. Pieces of Time is a great one for Jimmy Stewart; Gary Fishgall wrote it. Also A Lotus Grows in the Mud by Goldie Hawn is fantastic, I love that woman.

[bad_boy]

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[Marvo301]

No Easy Game - Terry Bradshaw

All Things Possible - Kurt Warner

Comeback - Dave Dravecky

When You Can't Come Back - Dave Dravecky

[Sharop]

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[Shine]

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I had a feeling you were going to put that book as one of your favorites. :) I read it last year myself and enjoyed it very much. I think it could have used a few more photos from the late 70's though. :cool:

[Liza]

The book This 'N That was written by Bette Davis after her spoiled-brat of a daughter wrote the book My Mother's Keeper. Her daughter's book was a cheap shot, trying to cash in on her mom's fame. Bette was hurt by it, and it showed in her own book, but she still told her story and came about much classier in the end.

Child Star by Shirley Temple was wonderful. That's one lady who has been there from the very beginning, and never lost her grip with reality.

I also loved the book about Robert Walker and Jennifer Jones called Star Crossed. Really made me hate David O. Selznick though.

Doris Day wrote a wonderful autobiography, although its name escapes me right now.

The Memos of David O. Selznick - I really, really dislike this guy, but he made some wonderful movies. It's interesting to see all the stuff he put everyone through to make them happen.

I read Rex Harrison's book Rex but it sure sounded like he was lying. Especially about his relationship with Carole Landis. That guy knew a lot more than he ever told.

Maureen O'Hara's Tis Herself was very interesting. I actually have to hide that book from myself, because any time I pick it up, I can't put it down for like three hours.

Kinski Uncut - the autobiography of actor Klaus Kinski - was certainly the most entertaining. Great actor, but total nutcase.

And who could forget Christina Crawford's Mommie Dearest?

[Shine]

The Memos of David O. Selznick - I really, really dislike this guy, but he made some wonderful movies. It's interesting to see all the stuff he put everyone through to make them happen.



From all the reading I've done on Hitchcock, I've developed a dislike of Selznick too. He was a real control freak. Though I do like the movies they made together. Notorious is a masterpiece and Rebecca comes very close to being one. I even like The Paradine Case, even though it is a little on the talky side.

I've heard that the character of Lars Thorwald in Rear Window is supposed to look like Selznick. :lol: I think he does a little bit. :lol:

[70s show watcher]

Lets see

I like Steve Ambrose's bio on Eisenhower

Robert Dallak's bios on John Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson were really good


What else:


No Ordinary Timeby Doris Kearns Goodwin is a great book about Franklin and Elenour Roosevelt during the second world war.


Dream Boogie by Peter Guralnick is the best book about Sam Cooke and is a must read. Gurlanick's two volume bios on Elvis Presley are the best books I have read about the king.


The Autobiography of Malcolm X as told to Alex Haley is another great book and a must read.


I'll think of some more lateri agree about those books on elvis they are wonderful but be forworned elvis dosent always come across as a nice guy alot of the time and cornel parker dosent come off as the monster that alot of fans want to think he is

[tv star collector]

A few of mine include:

Loni Anderson: My Life in High Heels (1995)
Ann-Margret: My Story
Annette Funicello: A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes
Lou's on First, by Chris Costello (1981; Lou Costello bio by his daughter)
Have Tux, Will Travel, by Bob Hope (1954)
Moe Howard & The Three Stooges, by Moe Howard
Hi-Ho, Steverino, by Steve Allen
Caesar's Hours, by Sid Caesar
My Incredible Life as the Hulk, by Lou Ferrigno
Here on Gilligan's Isle, by Russell Johnson
Mister Ed and Me, by Alan Young
Howdy and Me, by Buffalo Bob Smith
That's Not All Folks, by Mel Blanc
The Beatles Anthology, by The Beatles
I'm a Believer, by Micky Dolenz
Woman at the Well, by Dale Evans Rogers
Gracie, by George Burns
My Life as a Small Boy, by Wally Cox
The Freddie Prinze Story (by his mother)
The Story of Walt Disney, by Diane Disney Miller (his daughter)
Elvis and Me, by Priscilla Presley
Cash: The Autobiography, by Johnny Cash
Love Can Build a Bridge, by Naomi Judd

[browneyes106]

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[browneyes106]

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[MickeyMac]

Here are a couple of more:


Cash by Johnny Cash-he cleared up a few things like why he really left Sun Records, and the whole Million Dollar Quartet thing. If you ever hear that CD you only hear Elvis, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins. It was believed Cash left early, but Cash says he was there the whole time and his wasnt as close to the mic and the other guys, so it didnt pick up his voice.


John Adams by David McCullough


Rhythm and the Blues Jerry Wexler and David Ritz-Wexler is one of the giants of 20th century music and worked with some of the greats on Atlantic Records. This is his story.


Speaking of Ritz

His bios on Etta James and Marvin Gaye are great reads.

[Sharop]

I had a feeling you were going to put that book as one of your favorites. :) I read it last year myself and enjoyed it very much. I think it could have used a few more photos from the late 70's though. :cool:

Yeah, it probably could have done. I did love seeing the photos of the Bee Gees and Andy when they were kids - and as you know, the one of Andy when he was 12 is my avatar here. I think he looks so sweet there.

[PZelda]

Haha, it just so happens that nonfiction is my favorite book genre... Autobios/bios fall into that category.

Let's see. I have a lot of faves...

I remember finding a copy of this book at Target for about $10 around 15 years ago, and reading it like 20 times in two years, and then very often through my teen years. My copy of this book is extremely beat-up now. :lol: I have the 2nd part of her autobio, about her college years/early adulthood/when she first started writing. This is the book about her childhood in Oregon.
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When I was taking health class in sixth grade ('96), my teacher had us do this big report for class. I don't remember the details now... but it was a big deal at the time. We had to choose a health-related topic of interest to us. One of the girls in my class did hers on domestic violence, and I did mine on AIDS. Not sure why I chose AIDS, but I'm glad I did... Really learned a lot exploring that subject on my own. It was around then that I heard about Ryan White. I didn't do too much in-depth research on him then. A few years later, when I was in eighth grade, I went to the library and found a book that looked interesting... it was Ryan White's autobiography. That was over 10 years ago when I found it... I still read it at least once every year, and it's one of the few books that still makes me cry at the end. :( He was my age at the time (13) when he was diagnosed with AIDS, and he died when he was just 18, almost 20 years ago now. He penned most of the book himself, and Ann Cunningham finished it off for him when he was in the hospital the last time/passed away.
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This book is REALLY FREAKING FUNNY. Kirstie does the book in journal format and then story-telling format. When she's talking about her life in journal format (it's in italics in her book), OMG. So funny. It's pretty raunchy... Very lighthearted book, but also very real. She mainly talks about the problems she had in her life (weight problem, losing her baby, marriage problems). Word of advice... This is NOT a book to bring in for quiet time in class or at work, because you'll literally roar out loud laughing.
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You guys know how much I adore Vicki Lawrence. She actually doesn't like the fact she wrote this book... she wrote this at a bad point in her life, and it really shows in her book. It's actually pretty good, though... You get a little bit of everything about her childhood, when she first started working on The Carol Burnett Show, all the trouble that Mama's Family went through on TV (it was on NBC for two seasons, got canceled, then was picked up as a syndicated series two years later), etc. I'd love it if she could write a better, updated autobio about herself. :)
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I have a looooooooooooooooooooooot more books I'd like to put down. But yeah, that's enough for now. lol

[bmasters9]

The part that I most liked about that Jim Nantz book is the part where he related how he got his start at CBS Sports in the mid-'80's (1985, to be exact) on "The Prudential College Football Report," which would become CBS' college football halftime show.

[Yooch]

Personal memoirs of U.S. Grant--mentioned in this thread--this book is a must read. I couldn't put it down. The book reveals much of the genius, as well as the humanity of this great man. I think Grant's been underrated by history. This book will dispel many perceptions.

On a different note: I've read two biographies of Buddy Holly, both excellent. (Unfortunately I can't remember who wrote them). I'm a fan of rock and roll history and Buddy Holly, so I found both books very interesting.

I read a book about General George S. Patton--it had many pictures (from childhood, through VMI and West Point and into his career as an officer) plus several examples of correspondence which reveal somewhat of what he was like.

I read a book called Elizabeth, CEO--which came out several years ago; it's not a bio per se, but it is biographical. It has many direct quotes of Elizabeth I within historical context, and shows how she handled different situations and made decisions, which brought England from a joke in Europe, to one of the top countries of its time. The author of this book is Axelrod. I don't remember his first name.

[Liza]

From all the reading I've done on Hitchcock, I've developed a dislike of Selznick too. He was a real control freak. Though I do like the movies they made together. Notorious is a masterpiece and Rebecca comes very close to being one. I even like The Paradine Case, even though it is a little on the talky side.

I've heard that the character of Lars Thorwald in Rear Window is supposed to look like Selznick. :lol: I think he does a little bit. :lol:

Oh, I think Rebecca is one of the best films either of them ever made. The book is so wonderful, and the movie is surprisingly faithful to it. The Paradine Case I always liked too, as well as Spellbound.

I do remember that Hitch wanted Thorwald to look like Selznick. Those two men did NOT like each other!

[JamesG]

A couple of what I own:

Gene Simmons' autobiography - KISS and Make-Up

Marilyn Manson's autobiography: The Long Hard Road Out Of Hell

[Yooch]

The book about Patton I mentioned earlier is entitled The Patton Mind: The Professional Development of an Extraordinary Leader. And again, the text is interspersed with great photos spanning his whole life, plus his correspondence, poetry, letters, etc. The author is Roger H. Nye.

The author of Elizabeth I, CEO was written by Alan Axelrod.

[Big C]

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[LuLu Rogers]

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[HuntingtonM15]

.

[catlover79]

Here's one I liked a lot: Up, Up & Away by Marilyn McCoo & Billy Davis, Jr. They met as part of the group the 5th Dimension and will celebrate their 40th anniversary later this year. :love:

[Family Ties Forever!]

MJF's memoir that came out in 2002 called Lucky Man was very good.

[Shine]

MJF's memoir that came out in 2002 called Lucky Man was very good.

I want to read his new book. I saw Michael on Jay Leno and he seemed so happy. I truly admire how he has gone through all the difficulties that he has had to go through, but he still remains so positive. :)

[Shine]

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I loved Valerie's book. She made me feel like we were having a one on one conversation. Like we were having coffee and just talking. I hope that she writes many more books. :)

[Furienna]

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