20 Best Biography Books To Read (2023 Update)

If there was any one man who articulated the anger the struggle and the beliefs of african americans in the 1960s that man was malxolm x. his autobiography is now an established classic of modern america a book that expresses like none other the crucial truth about our times. extraordinary. a brilliant painful important book.

The first biography of rapper mac miller, the pittsburgh cult favorite-turned-rap superstar who touched the lives of millions before tragically passing away at the age of twenty-six ​"most dope works as a reminder of mac's passion for hip-hop and his gifts as a mc. but the new book from music journalist paul cantor absolutely soars as a cautionary tale about drug addiction." -esquire, "the best music books of 2022 (so far)" "most dope" #4 on book authority's "27 best new biography books to read in 2022" malcolm james mccormick was born on january 19, 1992. he began making music at a young age and by fifteen was already releasing mixtapes. one of the first true viral superstars, his early records earned him a rabid legion of die-hard fans–as well as a few noteworthy detractors. but despite his undeniable success, miller was plagued by struggles with substance abuse and depression, both of which fueled his raw and genre-defying music yet ultimately led to his demise. through detailed reporting and interviews with dozens of miller's confidants, paul cantor brings you to leafy pittsburgh, seductive los angeles, and frenzied new york, where you will meet miller's collaborators, producers, business partners, best friends, and even his roommates. traveling deep into miller's inner circle, behind the curtain, the velvet ropes, and studio doors, most dope tells the story of a passionate, gifted young man who achieved his life's ambition, only to be undone by his personal demons. most dope is part love letter, part cautionary tale, never shying away from the raw, visceral way mac miller lived his life.

"he is one of the most beloved athletes in history and one of the most gifted men ever to step onto a tennis court- but from early childhood, andre agassi hated the game. coaxed to swing a racket while still in the crib, forced to hit hundreds of balls a day while still in grade school, agassi resented the constant pressure even as he drove himself to become a prodigy, an inner conflict that would define him. now, in his beautiful, haunting autobiography, agassi tells the story of a life framed by such conflicts, a life balanced precariously between self-destruction and perfectionism."–jacket.

The long-awaited autobiography of legendary singer tom jones, following six decades of unparalleled experiences in the spotlight to coincide with his 75th birthday. – across six decades, sir tom jones has maintained a vital career in a risky, unstable business notorious for the short lives of its artists. with a drive that comes from nothing but the love for what he does, he breaks through and then wrestles with the vagaries of the music industry, the nature of success and its inevitable consequences. having recorded an expansive body of work and performed with fellow artists from across the spectrum and across every popular music genre, from rock, pop and dance to country, blues and soul, the one constant throughout has been his unique musical gifts and unmistakable voice. – but how did a boy from a welsh coal-mining family attain success across the globe? and how has he survived the twists and turns of fame and fortune to not only stay exciting, but actually become more credible and interesting with age? in this, his first ever autobiography, tom revisits his past and tells the tale of his journey from wartime pontypridd to la and beyond. he reveals the stories behind the ups and downs of his fascinating and remarkable life, from the early heydays to the subsequent fallow years to his later period of artistic renaissance. – it's the story nobody else knows or understands, told by the man who lived it, and written the only way he knows how: simply and from the heart. raw, honest, funny and powerful, this is a memoir like no other from one of the world's greatest ever singing talents. – this is tom jones and over the top and back is his story.

The definitive biography of the beatles, hailed as "irresistible" by the new york times, "riveting" by the boston globe, and "masterful" by time.as soon as the beatles became famous, the spin machine began to construct a myth–one that has continued to this day. but the truth is much more interesting, much more exciting, and much more moving–the highs and the lows, the love and the rivalry, the awe and the jealousy, the drugs, the tears, the thrill, and the magic to never be repeated. in this vast, revelatory, exuberantly acclaimed, and bestselling book, bob spitz has written the biography for which beatles fans have long waited.

New york times bestsellera long-awaited memoir from the larger-than-life, multifaceted lead vocalist of iron maiden, one of the most successful, influential and enduring rock bands ever.pioneers of britain’s nascent rock & metal scene back in the late 1970s, iron maiden smashed its way to the top, thanks in no small part to the high-octane performances, operatic singing style, and stage presence of its second, but twice-longest-serving, lead singer, bruce dickinson. as iron maiden’s front man—first from 1981 to 1993, and then from 1999 to the present—dickinson has been, and remains, a man of legend.but ott front man is just one of the many hats bruce wears. in addition to being one of the world’s most storied and well-respected singers and songwriters, he is an airline captain, aviation entrepreneur, motivational speaker, beer brewer, novelist, radio presenter, and film scriptwriter. he has also competed as a world-class level fencer. often credited as a genuine polymath bruce, in his own words (and handwritten script in the first instance!), sets forth many personal observations guaranteed to inspire curious souls and hard-core fans alike. dickinson turns his unbridled creativity, passion, and anarchic humour to reveal some fascinating stories from his life, including his thirty years with maiden, his solo career, his childhood within the eccentric british school system, his early bands, fatherhood and family, and his recent battle with cancer. bold, honest, intelligent and very funny, his memoir is an up-close look inside the life, heart, and mind of one of the most unique and interesting men in the world; a true icon of rock.

New york times bestseller – the definitive biography of a vulnerable and talented actress, now with explosive new chapters and insider details of her tragic death, the cover-ups, and the reopened investigation. an id book club selection – “impressive, disturbing, and revelatory.”—variety natalie wood has been hailed alongside marilyn monroe and elizabeth taylor as one of the top three female movie stars in film history. but the story of what she endured, of what her life was like when the doors of the soundstages closed, had long been obscured. based on years of astonishing research, natalie wood (previously published as natasha) raises the curtain on wood’s turbulent life. award-winning author suzanne finstad conducted nearly four hundred interviews with natalie wood’s family, close friends, legendary costars, lovers, film crews, and virtually everyone connected to her death. through these firsthand accounts, finstad reconstructs a life of emotional abuse and exploitation, of unimaginable fame, great loneliness, and loss. she reveals painful truths in wood’s complex relationships with james dean, frank sinatra, warren beatty, and, of course, robert wagner. thirty years after natalie wood’s death, the l.a. sheriff’s department reopened the investigation into her drowning using finstad’s groundbreaking research and chilling, hour-by-hour timeline of that tumultuous weekend as evidence. within a year, the l.a. coroner changed natalie wood’s death certificate from “accidental drowning” to “drowning and other undetermined factors.” in 2018, the los angeles sheriff’s department officially named wagner a “person of interest” in wood’s death. in this updated edition, finstad will share her explosive findings from the last two decades. with her unprecedented access to the lasd’s “murder book,” ignored by the original investigators, and new witnesses who have never spoken publicly, finstad uncovers what really happened to natalie wood on that fateful boating trip in 1981 with wagner and christopher walken. she expands on intimate details from wood’s unpublished memoir, which affirms her fear of drowning and the betrayal by wagner that shattered their first marriage. finstad tells this heartbreaking story with sensitivity and grace, revealing a complex and conflicting mix of fragility and strength in a woman who was swept along by forces few could have resisted.

In this definitive biography, renowned bible scholar, anglican bishop, and bestselling author n. wright offers a radical look at the apostle paul, illuminating the humanity and remarkable achievements of this intellectual who invented christian theology—transforming a faith and changing the world.for centuries, paul, the apostle who "saw the light on the road to damascus" and made a miraculous conversion from zealous pharisee persecutor to devoted follower of christ, has been one of the church’s most widely cited saints. while his influence on christianity has been profound, n. wright argues that bible scholars and pastors have focused so much attention on paul’s letters and theology that they have too often overlooked the essence of the man’s life and the extreme unlikelihood of what he achieved.to wright, "the problem is that paul is central to any understanding of earliest christianity, yet paul was a jew; for many generations christians of all kinds have struggled to put this together." wright contends that our knowledge of paul and appreciation for his legacy cannot be complete without an understanding of his jewish heritage.

Told in the charming and self-deprecating style that has made him one of america’s most beloved celebrities—the real story behind hollywood legend james garner, from his depression-era childhood to his colorful career.his incredible story, in his own words. one of hollywood’s all-time great leading men, james garner enjoyed a remarkable career spanning six decades, and whether you know him as bret maverick or jim rockford, his appeal bridges generations. few know the real story, now told in this intimate memoir of growing up in depression-era oklahoma and triumphing in hollywood. after physical abuse at the hands of his stepmother, garner left home at fourteen. he was oklahoma’s first draftee of the korean war, receiving two purple hearts for combat wounds. back in los angeles in need of a job, garner reluctantly tried acting and was surprised to find his career taking off. working with such luminaries as julie andrews, marlon brando, steve mcqueen, and clint eastwood, he became a star in his own right. he threw himself into his work, and despite stage fright and bouts of depression, constant physical pain and epic battles with the hollywood establishment, he became the acting equivalent of a national monument. written with jon winokur, the garner files is a wry, engaging self-portrait chronicling the vagaries of a screen career along with the cast of personal and professional characters that helped shape a great american life.

The authoritative, unforgettable biography of martin luther, the great religious leader, who entered a monastery as a youth and who, as a man, shattered the structure of the medieval church. luther spoke out against the corrupt religious practices that then existed. his demanded that the authority for doctrine and practice be scriptures, rather than popes or councils, echoed around the world and ignited the great reformation. accused of heresy and threatened with excommunication and death, luther maintained his bold stand and refused to recant. in his crusade to eliminate religious abuses, he did more than any other man to establish the protestant faith.

Copies printed 2008 and after has the same content and layout regardless of cover design and look a complete authoritative book on the life of prophet muhammad (s) by sheikh safi-ur-rahman al-mubarkpuri. it was honored by the world muslim league as first prize winner book. whoever wants to know the whole lifestyle of the prophet in detail must read this book. muhammad (s) is the messenger of allah, and those who are with him, are severe against the disbelievers, and merciful among themselves. you see them bowing and falling down prostrate (in prayer), seeking bounty from allah and (his) good pleasure. the mark of them (i. e. of their faith) is on their faces (fore heads) from the traces of prostration (during prayers). this is their description in the taurah (torah). but their description in the injeel (gospel) is like a (sown) seed which sends forth it's shoot, then makes it strong, and becomes thick and it stands straight on it's stem, delighting the sowers, that he may enrage the disbelievers with them. allah has promised those among them who believe and do righteous good deeds, forgiveness and a mighty reward (paradise). (al-fath: 29) the prophet muhammad (s) said: the example of guidance and knowledge with which allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth. some of which was fertile soil that absorbed rain-water and brought forth vegetation and grass in abundance. (and) another portion of it was hard and held the rain-water and allah benefited the people with it and they utilized it for drinking (making their animals drink from it) and to irrigate the land for cultivation. (and) a portion of it was barren which could neither hold the water nor bring forth vegetation (then that land gave no benefits). copies printed 2008 and after has the same content and layout regardless of cover design and look.

This rarity of rarities — a celebrity autobiography produced without a ghostwriter — details the author's rise from impoverished london boyhood to international stardom. born in 1933 and named maurice joseph micklewhite after his father, who was a fish-market porter in london, mr. caine knew as early as the age of 4 that he wanted to be an actor. but there were few in the profession with whom he could identify. he is part of an entire generation of british working-class artists who came to prominence in the 1960's and, in his opinion, even accounted for the decade's extraordinary vitality in england. they arrived with a chip on the shoulder, and by his account, it was their anger that made england swing. as he details his climb up the ladder of fame, mr. caine voice is engagingly confiding. has the appeal of the archetypal show-business memoir in which the poor boy fights his way into the spotlight.

The long-awaited autobiography of the guitarist, songwriter, singer, and founding member of the rolling stones. ladies and gentlemen: keith richards.with the rolling stones, keith richards created the songs that roused the world, and he lived the original rock and roll life.now, at last, the man himself tells his story of life in the crossfire hurricane. listening obsessively to chuck berry and muddy waters records, learning guitar and forming a band with mick jagger and brian jones. the rolling stones's first fame and the notorious drug busts that led to his enduring image as an outlaw folk hero. creating immortal riffs like the ones in "jumping jack flash" and "honky tonk women." his relationship with anita pallenberg and the death of brian jones. tax exile in france, wildfire tours of the u.s., isolation and addiction. falling in love with patti hansen. estrangement from jagger and subsequent reconciliation.

#1 new york times, wall street journal, and boston globe bestseller – named one of the ten best books of the year by the new york times book review – one of president barack obama's favorite books of the year – bill gates's holiday reading list – finalist for the national book critics circle's award in autobiography – finalist for the national book critics circle's john leonard prize for best first book – finalist for the pen/jean stein book award – finalist for the los angeles book prize named one of paste's best memoirs of the decade – named one of the best books of the year by the washington post – o: the oprah magazine – time – npr – good morning america – san francisco chronicle – the guardian – the economist – financial times – newsday – new york post – the – skimm – refinery29 – bloomberg – self – real simple – town & country – bustle – paste – publishers weekly – library journal – library – reads – book – riot – pamela paul, kqed – new york public library an unforgettable memoir about a young girl who, kept out of school, leaves her survivalist family and goes on to earn a ph – d from cambridge university – born to survivalists in the mountains of idaho, tara westover was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom. her family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education, and no one to intervene when one of tara's older brothers became violent. when another brother got himself into college, tara decided to try a new kind of life. her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to harvard and to cambridge university. only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home." beautiful and propulsive . . .

The #1 new york times bestseller, and the inspiration for the hit broadway musical hamilton! pulitzer prize-winning author ron chernow presents a landmark biography of alexander hamilton, the founding father who galvanized, inspired, scandalized, and shaped the newborn nation." grand-scale biography at its best—thorough, insightful, consistently fair, and superbly written . . . a genuinely great book." —david mccullough“a robust full-length portrait, in my view the best ever written, of the most brilliant, charismatic and dangerous founder of them all." —joseph ellisfew figures in american history have been more hotly debated or more grossly misunderstood than alexander hamilton. chernow’s biography gives hamilton his due and sets the record straight, deftly illustrating that the political and economic greatness of today’s america is the result of hamilton’s countless sacrifices to champion ideas that were often wildly disputed during his time. “to repudiate his legacy,” chernow writes, “is, in many ways, to repudiate the modern world.” chernow here recounts hamilton’s turbulent life: an illegitimate, largely self-taught orphan from the caribbean, he came out of nowhere to take america by storm, rising to become george washington’s aide-de-camp in the continental army, coauthoring the federalist papers, founding the bank of new york, leading the federalist party, and becoming the first treasury secretary of the united states.historians have long told the story of america’s birth as the triumph of jefferson’s democratic ideals over the aristocratic intentions of hamilton. chernow presents an entirely different man, whose legendary ambitions were motivated not merely by self-interest but by passionate patriotism and a stubborn will to build the foundations of american prosperity and power. and never before has there been a more vivid account of hamilton’s famous and mysterious death in a duel with aaron burr in july of 1804. chernow’s biography is not just a portrait of hamilton, but the story of america’s birth seen through its most central figure. at a critical time to look back to our roots, alexander hamilton will remind readers of the purpose of our institutions and our heritage as americans.9780143034759

The intimate biography of the celebrated actor richard harris, written with his cooperation over ten years by new york times bestselling author and friend of harris, michael feeney callan. the book follows harris' life from humble beginnings in limerick, ireland, through the teenage illness that almost killed him to triumph on the london stage and, finally, life in hollywood. drawing on lengthy interview sessions with harris and his friends, co-workers and family, callan explores the obsessions that forged harris' success in legendary movies like this sporting life, camelot and the megahit harry potter series. described by the guardian as 'thorough and entertaining', by kirkus reviews as 'meticulous' and by the mail on sunday as 'irresistible' this incident-packed account is destined to remain the definitive life of richard harris. "thorough and entertaining" guardian "irresistible" mail on sunday "meticulous" kirkus reviews

British economist and ethical theorist, john stuart mill (1806–73), recounts his rigorous tutelage under a domineering father, his mental health crisis at age twenty, and his struggle to regain joy amid self-reflection.

Comedian and civil rights activist dick gregory’s million-copy-plus bestselling memoir—now in trade paperback for the first time.“ powerful and ugly and beautiful…a moving story of a man who deeply wants a world without malice and hate and is doing something about it.”—the new york timesfifty-five years ago, in 1964, an incredibly honest and revealing memoir by one of the america's best-loved comedians and activists, dick gregory, was published. with a shocking title and breathtaking writing, dick gregory defined a genre and changed the way race was discussed in america.telling stories that range from his hardscrabble childhood in st. louis to his pioneering early days as a comedian to his indefatigable activism alongside medgar evers and dr. martin luther king, jr., gregory's memoir riveted readers in the sixties. in the years and decades to come, the stories and lessons became more relevant than ever, and the book attained the status of a classic. the book has sold over a million copies and become core text about race relations and civil rights, continuing to inspire readers everywhere with dick gregory's incredible story about triumphing over racism and poverty to become an american legend.

Deemed "irreplaceable" by robert e. lee, stonewall jackson assumed his nickname during the battle of bull run in the civil war. it is said that the army of northern virginia never fully recovered from the loss of stonewall's leadership when he was accidentally shot by one of his own men and died in 1863. davis highlights stonewall jackson as a general who emphasized the importance of reliable information and early preparedness (he so believed in information that he had a personal mapmaker with him at all times) and details jackson's many lessons in strategy and leadership.

New york times bestseller! kathie lee gifford and rabbi jason sobel the authors of the new york times best seller the rock, the road, and the rabbi bring you an exciting new life-changing message that will help you read the bible with new eyes and take you into the heart of god's people in scripture – from abraham to ruth to jesus and his early followers. kathie lee adds personal stories and reflections from her spiritual journey and studies, serving as a companion as you go deeper in your own relationship with god. – you will experience: the god of the how and when: when you don't know the details… god does. – the god of his word: when you can't see god…trust his heart and the promises in his word. – the god who sees: when you feel abandoned and forgotten… god knows and cares about you. – the god of the other side: when you feel overwhelmed and unworthy… god never passes by but crosses over and brings freedom. journey into god's word, from the creation of the world through the desert and empty places, the hebrew nation, and meet jesus, the disciples, and his followers. as you do, you will see how you are part of god's epic story of redemption – a radiant testimony to the truth that belief in god's promises is never wasted.