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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 17%
    - The Anabasis and the Indica
    by Arrian
    £9.99

    Arrian's account of Alexander's life and campaigns, published as the Anabasis and its companion piece the Indica, is our prime source for the history of Alexander, told with great narrative skill. This edition features a new translation of both texts, introduction, notes, guide to military systems and terminology, maps and a full index.

  • Save 13%
    by Matthew Levi Stevens
    £12.99

    "In the magical universe there are no coincidences and there are no accidents. Nothing happens unless someone wills it to happen. The dogma of science is that the will cannot possibly affect external forces, and I think that's just ridiculous. It's as bad as the church. My viewpoint is the exact contrary of the scientific viewpoint. I believe that if you run into somebody in the street it's for a reason. Among primitive people they say that if someone was bitten by a snake he was murdered. I believe that." - William S. Burroughs In Literary Outlaw: The Life and Times of William S. Burroughs, his biographer Ted Morgan wrote: 'As the single most important thing about Graham Greene was his viewpoint as a lapsed Catholic, the single most important thing about Burroughs was his belief in the magical universe. The same impulse that lead him to put out curses was, as he saw it, the source of his writing...' Burroughs' writings often describe magical, mystical or occult ideas - Invocations of Elder Gods, descriptions of Sex-Magick rituals, references to amulets, charms, ghosts, omens and spells - all the thematic set-dressing that we all know and love, from Hammer Horror Movies to Weird Tales, from H. P. Lovecraft to Dennis Wheatley and The X-Files... Then there is his personal involvement with belief systems and practices that come from strange 'other' territories outside the conventional mainstream - Scientology, Electronic Voice Phenomena,Orgone Accumulators; Ayahuasca, Rites of Pan in Morocco, Sweat-Lodges with Native American and, Chaos Magic. "Stevens has unravelled the threads to create a superlative supernatural treatise of El Hombre Invisible's life and work. Whether an initiate to the world of Burroughs or a seasoned scholar, this book opens new and fascinating vistas. Vitally unorthodox and yet true to the core, this is an essential text for anyone looking to go beyond the page into an alternative reality, where magic lives." Nina Antonia

  • Save 20%
    - The Story of Devo, or How the 60s Became the 80s
    by Kevin C. Smith
    £11.99

    Beginning in 1970, with the transformative effects of the Kent State University shootings - which the band-members witness firsthand - and ending a decade later with Devo on the cusp of superstardom (with "Whip It"), this title traces the sounds and ideas that the group absorbed and in turn brought to prominence as unlikely rock stars.

  • Save 24%
    by Chogyam Trungpa
    £17.49

  • Save 27%
    by Winston S. Churchill
    £21.99

    He is best remembered as the astute and powerful orator who inspired a battered Britain to victory against Nazi Germany during World War 2 and led the post-war, shattered nation to recovery. Richard Langworth, co-chairman and editor of The Churchill Centre, has spent over 20 years researching Churchill's written and spoken words.

  • by Alexander Masters
    £12.49

    From the author of 'Stuart: A Life Backwards'; a warm and witty portrait of a harmless, eccentric, bona fide genius.

  • Save 11%
    by Alastair Campbell
    £7.99

    As the UK government conducts its first happiness survey, Alastair Campbell looks at happiness as a political as well as a personal issue;

  • - Ten Years of Reflection
    by James B. Stockdale
    £9.99

    The decade that followed James Stockdale's seven and a half years in a North Vietnamese prison saw his life take a number of different turns, from a stay in a navy hospital to president of a civilian college to his appointment as a senior research fellow at the Hoover Institution. In these essays he offers his thoughts on his imprisonment.

  • - Autobiography of a Gypsy
    by John Seymour
    £14.99

    Famous for his venturesome spirit and advocacy of a self-supporting existence, John Seymour was thus a natural and sympathetic editor for this remarkable book, first published in 1970, which offers the authentic voice of a Romany gypsy (a scrap metal merchant and horse trader) describing the life he has led and the longer lineage of his family.

  • by Stafford Hildred
    £7.99

    This in-depth and affectionate biography paints a complete picture of this respected actor, presenter, producer, director, dog lover, animal rights campaigner, patron of the Born Free Foundation, and devoted family man.

  • - A Biography
    by Claudia Schaefer
    £42.49

    Frida Kahlo was born in 1907 to parents of German and Spanish descent, in Coyoacan, outside Mexico City. After contracting polio at age six, Frida also suffered severe injuries in a bus accident. Her time spent in recovery turned her toward a painting career. These experiences, combined with a difficult marriage to the artist Diego Rivera, generated vibrant works depicting Frida's experiences with pain as well as the symbolism and spirit of Mexican culture. Though she died in 1954, interest in her work continues to grow, with museum exhibitions and publications around the world. This biography will introduce art students and adult readers to one of the Latino culture's most beloved artists.In 2002, the film Frida introduced the artist and her works to a new audience. In 2007, the 100th anniversary of Kahlo's birth, a major exhibition of her work was held at the Museum of the Fine Arts Palace in Mexico. In 2007 through 2008, another major exhibition began its journey to museums throughout the United States.

  • Save 15%
    - 1996: Everest's Worst Disaster - One Survivor's Personal Journey to Uncover the Truth
    by Graham Ratcliffe
    £10.99

    On the night of 10-11 May 1996, eight climbers perished in what remains the worst disaster in Everest's history. Graham Ratcliffe, the first British climber to reach the summit of Mount Everest twice, was a first-hand witness, having spent the night on Everest's South Col at 26,000 ft, sheltering from the deadly storm.

  • Save 14%
    - From the End of the Rainbow to the Edge of Time - A Journey Through the Wonders of Physics
    by Walter Lewin
    £9.49

    A largely autobiographical account of the author's life as one who fell in love first with physics and then with teaching physics to students.

  • Save 19%
    by Julie Gregory
    £12.99

    A young girl is perched on the cold chrome of yet another doctor's examining table, missing yet another day of school.

  • Save 15%
    by Emma Forrest
    £10.99

    A dazzling and devastating memoir exploring breakdown and obsessive love, in a voice unlike any other

  • Save 17%
    - A Biography
    by Duane W. (Professor Emeritus of Greek and Latin Roller
    £11.99

    Cleopatra VII (69-30 BC) is the most famous woman from classical antiquity. Yet her modern reputation is based largely on her post-antique representation in drama, art, and other media. The current study is the first to examine the queen solely from the source material from the Greco-Roman period: literary sources, Egyptian documents including those of the queen herself, her own writings, and her representations in art.

  • Save 19%
    - A Book of Memoir
    by London Review Of Books
    £12.99

    This volume collects many outstanding pieces of memoir that first appeared in the LRB's pages. Here, Lorna Sage remembers growing up with her grandfather during the Second World War, Jenny Diski imagines her own burial, and Hilary Mantel tackles a strongman on her hospital bed.

  • Save 14%
    - The Extraordinary Stories of Those Who Survived
    by Andrew Wilson
    £9.49

    A compelling and dramatic account of the sinking of the Titanic as seen through the eyes of those who survived

  • Save 14%
    by Hannah Hauxwell
    £9.49

    The classic, No.1 bestselling and much-loved memoir by Hannah Hauxwell about life in remote Yorkshire in the 1970s. 'The world's favourite Daleswoman' YORKSHIRE POST

  • Save 15%
    - A Gaza Doctor's Journey on the Road to Peace and Human Dignity
    by Izzeldin Abuelaish
    £10.99

    The extraordinary story of a Palestinian doctor who, despite witnessing the death of three of his daughters in the Israeli incursion into Gaza in January 2009, continued his medical and humanitarian work aimed at bringing the people of the region together in peace.

  • Save 15%
    by Daniel Pennac
    £10.99

    A humorous and incisive reflection on education - the autobiography of a dunce who became a brilliant teacher and a bestselling author.

  • Save 14%
    - The Incredible Inside Account of Bali's Hidden Drug World
    by Kathryn Bonella
    £9.49

    Kathryn Bonella lifts the lid on Bali's narcotics underworld.

  • Save 14%
     
    £9.49

    Alice could be anyone - she could be someone you know, or someone you love - and Alice is in trouble ... Being fifteen is hard, but Alice seems fine. But the big difference between Alice and a lot of other kids on drugs is that Alice kept a diary .

  • Save 10%
    by Jeremy Davidson & Steven Tyler
    £8.99

    WITH AN INTERVIEW RECORDING OF STEVEN TYLER. The no-holds-barred memoir from the legendary Aerosmith frontman has arrived. Tales of debauchery, sex, drugs and rock n' roll are read for the audiobook. The Demon of Screamin' describes the highs and lows as lead singer of the biggest rock band in the world.WITH EXTRA INTERVIEW RECORDED FOOTAGE OF STEVEN TYLER this Prolific frontman, rock icon and sex symbol is a living legend. With his raw, sharp-edged vocals, musical versatility and unprecedented song writing skills, Tyler has, as lead singer of Aerosmith, sold millions of records and played sell-out concerts to as many as 450,000 people. Now, at last, he tells his own story, taking us on a wild rollercoaster ride through the bust-ups, binges, orgies and good old American excess in the jaw-droppingly honest, in-your-face way that only Tyler can.Following a fateful meeting with his 'mutant twin' Joe Perry in the summer of 1970, Aerosmith was formedaand the rest, as they say, is rock history. They released their first album in 1973, and by 1976 Aerosmith had gone from being nobodies to massive to off the radar, making history as a multi-platinum, chart-topping band.But with great success comes great excess. Nicknamed the Toxic Twins for their insatiable appetite for drugs, booze and women, Tyler and Perry got caught up in the glamour of self-destruction - smashing each other up with guitars, having seizures and passing out on stage. By 1980 it seemed that the band and its members were set to implode, but after successful stints in drug rehab, Aerosmith were back on track and better than ever.Although he may have given up his wicked, wicked ways, Tyler still enjoys talking about the bad old days. He has so many outrageous stories to tell, and he's gonna tell them all. All the uncensored, head-spinning tales of debauchery, sex, booze, transcendence and chemical dependence you will ever want to hear. As raucous, intoxicating and edgy as his music, this is the most outrageous rock n' roll autobiography of all time.

  • Save 22%
    - The Letters of Bruce Chatwin
    by Bruce Chatwin
    £13.99

    Bruce Chatwin is one of the most significant British novelists and travel writers of our time. Comprising material collected over two decades from hundreds of contacts across five continents, Chatwin's letters are a valuable and illuminating record of one of the greatest and most enigmatic writers of the twentieth century.

  • Save 21%
    by Hugo Vickers
    £14.99

    Hugo Vickers has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the Royal Family, and has had a fascination with the story of the Duchess of Windsor since he was a young man.

  • Save 20%
    - Inside the Very Special World of Lee Hazlewood
    by Wyndham Wallace
    £11.99

    The first book about a much-loved and highly influential performer, songwriter, and producer.

  • Save 14%
    - The Official Ronda Rousey autobiography
    by Ronda Rousey
    £9.49

    *WINNER British Sports Book Awards SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR*'I have this one term for the kind of woman my mother raised me not to be, and I call it a 'Do-Nothing B-tch'.

  • Save 15%
    - The inadvertent education of a reluctant chef
    by Gabrielle Hamilton
    £10.99

    This is a rollicking, passionate story of food, purpose and family. Blood, Bones & Butter follows the chef Gabrielle Hamilton's extraordinary journey through the places she has inhabited over the years: the rural kitchen of her childhood, where her adored mother stood over the six-burner with wooden spoon in hand;

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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