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Biographies

A good biography invites you into someone else’s life. It takes you on fascinating journeys through the ups and downs of the life of legendary film stars, talented musicians, inspiring athletes, visionary politicians and many more. A good biography lets you get under the skin of your biggest idols, and you feel collected when reading their story - maybe even in the form of their own words. You will find both biographies and autobiographies in Tales’ selection, in addition to diaries and memoirs. So are you ready to be inspired by some of the world’'s most extraordinary individuals?
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  • Save 23%
    - Robbo: Now You're Gonna Believe Us: Our Year, My Story
    by Andy Robertson
    £15.49

    Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool Football Club are champions of England, Europe and the World. 'Robbo: Now You're Gonna Believe Us' is the inside story of their record-breaking season as seen through the eyes of their popular left-back Andrew Robertson, revealing the Anfield dressing room secrets behind their remarkable success.

  • Save 14%
    - Raucous stories and outlaw wisdom from the Academy Award-winning actor
    by Matthew McConaughey
    £9.49 - 13.49

    From the Academy Award(R)-winning actor, an unconventional memoir filled with raucous stories, outlaw wisdom, and lessons learned the hard way about living with greater satisfaction.I've been in this life for fifty years, been trying to work out its riddle for forty-two, and been keeping diaries of clues to that riddle for the last thirty-five. Notes about successes and failures, joys and sorrows, things that made me marvel, and things that made me laugh out loud. How to be fair.How to have less stress. How to have fun. How to hurt people less.How to get hurt less. How to be a good man. How to have meaning in life.How to be more me.Recently, I worked up the courage to sit down with those diaries. I found stories I experienced, lessons I learned and forgot, poems, prayers, prescriptions, beliefs about what matters, some great photographs, and a whole bunch of bumper stickers. I found a reliable theme, an approach to living that gave me more satisfaction, at the time, and still: If you know how, and when, to deal with life's challenges - how to get relative with the inevitable - you can enjoy a state of success I call 'catching greenlights.'So I took a one-way ticket to the desert and wrote this book: an album, a record, a story of my life so far.This is fifty years of my sights and seens, felts and figured-outs, cools and shamefuls. Graces, truths, and beauties of brutality. Getting away withs, getting caughts, and getting wets while trying to dance between the raindrops.Hopefully, it's medicine that tastes good, a couple of aspirin instead of the infirmary, a spaceship to Mars without needing your pilot's license, going to church without having to be born again, and laughing through the tears.It's a love letter.To life.It's also a guide to catching more greenlights-and to realising that the yellows and reds eventually turn green too.Good luck.

  • Save 29%
    - A Historical Review of Four Fashion Icons
    by Emma Baxter-Wright
    £35.49

    Little Guides to Style by Emma Baxter-Wright, eng

  • Save 20%
    by Rob Halford
    £11.99

  • Save 14%
    by Nimsdai Purja
    £9.49

  • Save 14%
    by Arsene Wenger
    £9.49

  • Save 14%
    - Life Lessons from a Secret Service Agent
    by Evy Poumpouras
    £9.49

    Protect Yourself, Read People, Influence Situations, and Live Fearlessly.

  • Save 10%
    by Seth Rogen
    £8.99 - 15.49

    A collection of funny personal essays from Seth Rogen, one of the writers of Superbad and Pineapple Express and one of the producers of The Disaster Artist, Neighbors, and The Boys.

  • Save 14%
    by Peter Schmeichel
    £9.49 - 15.49

    The autobiography of one of the greatest goalkeepers of all time.

  • Save 14%
    - with Philippa Perry, Dolly Alderton, Roxane Gay, Stephen Grosz, Esther Perel, and many more
    by Natasha Lunn
    £9.49

  • Save 14%
    by Emily Ratajkowski
    £9.49 - 14.99

    A deeply honest investigation of what it means to be a woman and a commodity from Emily Ratajkowski, the archetypal, multi-hyphenate celebrity of our time.

  • Save 14%
    by Eddie Jaku
    £9.49 - 14.99

    The moving and inspiring story of an Auschwitz survivor who shares what hes learned about gratitude, tolerance and kindness.

  • Save 27%
    by Barack Obama
    £25.49

    THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERTwo long-time friends share an intimate and urgent conversation about life, music and their enduring love of America, with all its challenges and contradictions, in this stunningly-produced expansion of their ground-breaking Higher Ground podcast, featuring more than 350 photographs, exclusive bonus content, and never-before-seen archival material.Renegades: Born in the USA is a candid, revealing, and entertaining dialogue between President Barack Obama and legendary musician Bruce Springsteen that explores everything from their origin stories and career-defining moments to their country's polarized politics and the growing distance between the American Dream and the American reality. Filled with full-colour photographs and rare archival material, it is a compelling and beautifully illustrated portrait of two outsiders-one Black and one white-looking for a way to connect their unconventional searches for meaning, identity, and community with the American story itself. It includes: Original introductions by President Obama and Bruce Springsteen Exclusive new material from the Renegades podcast recording sessions Obama's never-before-seen annotated speeches, including his "e;Remarks at the 50th Anniversary of the Selma to Montgomery Marches Springsteen's handwritten lyrics for songs spanning his 50-year-long career Rare and exclusive photographs from the authors' personal archives Historical photographs and documents that provide rich visual context for their conversation. In a recording studio stocked with dozens of guitars, and on at least one Corvette ride, Obama and Springsteen discuss marriage and fatherhood, race and masculinity, the lure of the open road and the call back to home. They also compare notes on their favourite protest songs, the most inspiring American heroes of all time, and more. Along the way, they reveal their passion for-and the occasional toll of-telling a bigger, truer story about America throughout their careers, and explore how their fractured country might begin to find its way back toward unity.

  • Save 14%
    - the heartfelt, funny memoir by a New York Times bestselling therapist
    by Lori Gottlieb
    £9.49

  • Save 14%
    by Schuster & To Be Confirmed Simon
    £9.49 - 21.99

  • Save 23%
    - An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making
    by Tony Fadell
    £16.99

    THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER.An unorthodox guide to making things worth making, from 'the father of the iPod and iPhone' and the creator of Nest.Everyone deserves a mentor. For every career crisis, every fork in the road, you need someone to talk to. Someone who's been there before, who knows exactly how wobbly and conflicted you feel, who can give it to you straight:Here's how to think about choosing a job.Here's how to be a better manager.Here's how to approach design.Here's how to start a company.Here's how to run it.Tony Fadell learned all these lessons the hard way. He spent the first 10 years of his career in Silicon Valley failing spectacularly, and the next 20 building some of the most impactful devices in history - the iPod, iPhone, and Nest Learning Thermostat. He has enough stories and advice about leadership, design, startups, mentorship, decision making, devastating screwups, and unbelievable success to fill an encyclopedia.So that's what this book is. An advice encyclopedia. A mentor in a box.But Tony's doesn't follow the standard Silicon Valley credo that you have to radically reinvent everything you do. His advice is unorthodox because it's old school. Because it's based on human nature, not gimmicks.Tony keeps things simple: he just tells you what works. He gives you exactly what you need to make things worth making.PRAISE FOR BUILD'This is the most fun - and the most fascinating - memoir of curiosity and invention that I've ever read.'Malcolm Gladwell,Host of the Revisionist History podcast. Author of Outliers and Talking to Strangers.'Whether you're looking to build a great product, a creative team, a strong culture, or a meaningful career, Tony's guidance will get you thinking and rethinking.'Adam Grant,Author of Think Again & Host of the TED podcast WorkLife

  • Save 24%
  • Save 23%
    by Jennette McCurdy
    £15.49

    I'm Glad My Mom Died is a deeply moving and poignant book written by Jennette McCurdy. Published by Simon + Schuster Inc. in 2022, this book belongs to a genre that beautifully blends raw emotions with captivating storytelling. The author, Jennette McCurdy, is known for her ability to weave words into a narrative that touches the heart and provokes thought. In 'I'm Glad My Mom Died', she explores themes of loss, love, and acceptance in a way that is both riveting and relatable. This book not only showcases McCurdy's prowess as a writer but also offers readers a glimpse into her personal journey. A must-read for those who appreciate honest and heartfelt storytelling. Published by the renowned Simon + Schuster Inc., this book is a testament to McCurdy's literary talent and her courage to share her story with the world.

  • Save 29%
    by Barack Obama
    £31.99

    THE #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY The Times / Guardian / Telegraph / i News / The New York Times / Washington Post / NPR / Marie ClaireA riveting, deeply personal account of history in the making-from the president who inspired us to believe in the power of democracy'Gorgeously written, humorous, compelling, life affirming' Justin Webb, Mail on SundayIn the stirring, highly anticipated first volume of his presidential memoirs, Barack Obama tells the story of his improbable odyssey from young man searching for his identity to leader of the free world, describing in strikingly personal detail both his political education and the landmark moments of the first term of his historic presidency-a time of dramatic transformation and turmoil. Obama takes readers on a compelling journey from his earliest political aspirations to the pivotal Iowa caucus victory that demonstrated the power of grassroots activism to the watershed night of November 4, 2008, when he was elected 44th president of the United States, becoming the first African American to hold the nation's highest office. Reflecting on the presidency, he offers a unique and thoughtful exploration of both the awesome reach and the limits of presidential power, as well as singular insights into the dynamics of U.S.

  • Save 15%
    by Walter Isaacson
    £10.99 - 20.99

    From the author of Steve Jobs and other bestselling biographies, this is the astonishingly intimate story of Elon Musk, the most fascinating and controversial innovator of our era—a rule-breaking visionary who helped to lead the world into the era of electric vehicles, private space exploration, and artificial intelligence. Oh, and took over Twitter. When Elon Musk was a kid in South Africa, he was regularly beaten by bullies. One day a group pushed him down some concrete steps and kicked him until his face was a swollen ball of flesh. He was in the hospital for a week. But the physical scars were minor compared to the emotional ones inflicted by his father, an engineer, rogue, and charismatic fantasist. His father’s impact on his psyche would linger. He developed into a tough yet vulnerable man-child, prone to abrupt Jekyll-and-Hyde mood swings, with an exceedingly high tolerance for risk, a craving for drama, an epic sense of mission, and a maniacal intensity that was callous and at times destructive. At the beginning of 2022—after a year marked by SpaceX launching thirty-one satellites, Tesla selling a million cars, and him becoming the richest man on earth—Musk spoke ruefully about his compulsion to stir up dramas. “I need to shift my mindset away from being in crisis mode, which it has been for about fourteen years now, or arguably most of my life,” he said. It was a wistful comment, not a New Year’s resolution. Even as he said it, he was secretly buying up shares of Twitter, the world’s ultimate playground. Over the years, whenever he was in a dark place, his mind went back to being bullied on the playground. Now he had the chance to own the playground.For two years, Isaacson shadowed Musk, attended his meetings, walked his factories with him, and spent hours interviewing him, his family, friends, coworkers, and adversaries. The result is the revealing inside story, filled with amazing tales of triumphs and turmoil, that addresses the question: are the demons that drive Musk also what it takes to drive innovation and progress?

  • Save 14%
    by Sharon Jones
    £9.49

  • Save 15%
    by Lynette Rice
    £10.99

  • Save 18%
    by Jon Krakauer
    £8.99

    Jon Krakauer's Into the Wild examines true story of Chris McCandless, a young man, who in 1992 walked deep into the Alaskan wilderness and whose SOS note and emaciated corpse were found four months later, internationally bestselling author Jon Krakauer explores the obsession which leads some people to explore the outer limits of self, leave civilization behind and seek enlightenment through solitude and contact with nature.A 2007 film adaptation of Into the Wild was directed by Sean Penn and starred Emile Hirsch and Kristen Stewart.

  • Save 20%
    - Ideas for Meaningful Work
    by Nathan Williams
    £25.49

    Pairing insightful interviews with striking images of these men and women and their workspaces, The Kinfolk Entrepreneur makes business personal. The book profiles both budding and experienced entrepreneurs across a broad range of industries (from fashion designers to hoteliers) in cities across the globe (from Copenhagen to Dubai).

  • Save 23%
    by Roberto Firmino
    £16.99

  • Save 15%
    by Kai Bird
    £10.99

    ***SOON TO BE A MAJOR HOLLYWOOD FILM DIRECTED BY CHRISTOPHER NOLAN***WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR NONFICTION 'Reads like a thriller, gripping and terrifying' Sunday TimesPhysicist and polymath, as familiar with Hindu scriptures as he was with quantum mechanics, J. Robert Oppenheimer - director of the Manhattan Project that developed the atomic bomb - was the most famous scientist of his generation. In their meticulous and riveting biography, Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin reveal a brilliant, ambitious, complex and flawed man, profoundly involved with some of the momentous events of the twentieth century.

  • Save 10%
    - How My Family Created the World's Most Dangerous Man
    by Ph.D. Trump & MARY L.
    £8.99

    The extraordinary inside story from Donald Trump's only niece of the factors that helped make the US president into the world's most dangerous man

  • Save 15%
    - Elton John Official Autobiography
    by Elton John
    £10.99 - 16.99

    The first and only official autobiography by the much-loved global icon Elton John

  • Save 15%
    by Edith Eger
    £10.99

    THE AWARDWINNING, INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER'The Choice is a gift to humanity. One of those rare and eternal stories that you don't want to end and that leave you forever changed' DESMOND TUTU, Nobel Peace Prize LaureateIn 1944, sixteen-year-old Edith Eger was sent to Auschwitz.

  • Save 18%
    by Jane McLelland
    £16.49 - 19.49

Biographies
Biographies books are per definition a collection of someone’s life. That someone is mostly a celebrity and often comes from the world of entertainment for example a famous movie or television star. A good biography lets you under the skin of the subject. Biographies are mostly written by biography authors, who are specialized in capturing the life of another person through research and multiple interviews with both the individual and his or her relatives. The celebrity or icon can also choose to write his or her own story, which is what characterizes an autobiography. An autobiography can - if the writer is good - give you a more intimate picture of the subject. You can both find biographies and autobiographies in Tales’ wide selection of Biographies. 

Biographies best sellers
Tales’ selection contains most of the biographies best sellers. The biographies books are often about celebrities known from film, television or the music industry, but they can also be about inspiring trailblazers from the societal or political world like the biography best seller Becoming about Michelle Obama. The American first lady has inspired many Americans and people around the world. Her and her husband - the first black American first lady and President - made many extraordinary changes in the American society and advocated for more diversity and respect in the American people. Michelle Obama also fights for more equality, especially when it comes to girls and women. Read the inspiring story of how Michelle Obama became one of our times most popular, kind and obliging residents of the White House in her biography Becoming, and let it guide you to finding our own voice. 
Another best seller is Three Women by Lisa Taddeo. Taddeo has written an innovative biography that is a collection of three American women's lives. The biography is an investigation of the female lust in all its complexity. Many women have expressed that they can reflect their own life and feelings of desire in the book. 

Biographies about musicians
Take a look in our selection and find some of the best biographies about musicians. The selection has something for every taste, because you find accounts about musicians from every end of the spectre. Whether you like rock, jazz, classical music, pop or musicals you will find biographies about musicians representing every genre. 
Take for example the autobiography Me Elton John, who has gained extraordinary reviews and success all around the world making the Elton John biography an international best seller. The book is the only official biography made about the iconic musician and singer. Read the incredible and turbulent story about one of our biggest stars to date, and you might learn the secrets behind writing and performing hit after hit.
You can also dive into the fascinating story of the musical legend Julie Andrews. In the biography Home you can read about her journey from London to Broadway stardom. The triple threat is the woman behind legendary roles such as Mary Poppins and Maria from The Sound of Music, and you can follow her journey through Hollywood in the sequel Home Work. Julie Andrews is the writer of her own story and she writes in an intimate and heart-warming narrative. 

Biographies about artists
Are you an art lover, art student or an artist yourself? Then we would recommend you to find inspiration in our biographies about artists. Our collection of biographies contains among others the book Frida Kahlo - A Biography written by Claudia Schaefer. Schaefer gives an introduction to the beloved Latino artist. Frida Kahlo is one of modern times greatest female artists and her surrealist artworks are extraordinary. The biography introduces the reader to her unique form of art - Kahlo did not see herself as a surrealist - but it also gives a look into the artist behind the world famous works of art. If you want to dive into the lives of amazing artists, the story of Kahlo is just one of many wonderful biographies about artists. 

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