We a good story
Quick delivery in the UK

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?
Show more
Filter
Filter
Sort bySort Popular
  • Save 15%
    - Life and Language in the Amazonian Jungle
    by Daniel (Dean of Arts and Sciences at Bentley University) Everett
    £10.99

    Although the author was a missionary, far from converting the Pirahas, they converted him. This title shows the slow, meticulous steps by which he gradually mastered their language and his gradual realisation that its unusual nature closely reflected its speakers' startlingly original perceptions of the world.

  • Save 15%
    by João Silva & Greg Marinovich
    £10.99

  • Save 14%
    by Bob Dylan
    £9.49

    An unprecedented publishing event - the first volume in a series of memoirs by one of the most important and influential musicians and songwriters of our time.

  • Save 14%
    by Waris Dirie
    £9.49

    * Inspirational, dramatic and extraordinary - the autobiography of a Somalian nomad circumcised at 5, sold in marriage at 13, who became an American model and is now at the young age of 30, the UN spokeswoman against circumcision

  • Save 20%
    - THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY
    by Diego Armando Maradona
    £11.99

    'Operatically emotional...exceptionally vivid' Martin Amis, GuardianCelebrate the life of one of the world's greatest footballers. Diego Maradona.

  • Save 11%
    - Made In America
    by Sam Walton
    £7.99

  • Save 15%
    by Lionel Barber
    £10.99 - 21.99

  • Save 23%
    by Hugo LLoris
    £16.99

  • Save 23%
    by Andy Mitten
    £16.99

  • Save 14%
    by James Rebanks
    £9.49 - 16.99

  • Save 14%
    by Neil Atkinson
    £9.49 - 15.49

  • Save 15%
    by Marti Perarnau
    £10.99 - 16.99

  • Save 23%
    by Nigel Slater
    £15.49

  • Save 14%
    by Tia Toomey
    £9.49 - 15.49

  • Save 27%
    by Steve Gabry
    £21.99

    The official companion book for the indie horror-mystery game Sally Face featuring concept art, creative insight, how to build a game from scratch, and hidden easter eggs from the game's developer, Steve Gabry. Sally Face is a gripping horror-mystery game that follows a boy with a prosthetic face. Sal uses his handheld video game system to speak with the dead and learn their stories. After a string of mysterious murders, Sal and his three friends discover something truly sinister casting shadows over their small town. Sally Face is composed of 5 episodes in total. With a passionate fan base, Sally Face has won 7 awards so far and is available to play on all consoles (including PC, Switch, Xbox, and PlayStation). This coffee table hardback reveals the concept designs, character sketches, storyboards, and final screenshots of the game. It also includes an exclusive autobiography and creative insight from the indie game developer, Steve Gabry.

  • by Fyodor Dostoevsky
    £17.49

    White Nights and Other Stories by Fyodor Dostoevsky transports readers to the haunting depths of the human psyche.In this collection of short stories, Dostoevsky's masterful narrative weaves tales of love, despair and existential contemplation. Each story is aprofound exploration of the complexities of the human soul, leaving an indelible impression.

  • Save 14%
    by Dick Strawbridge
    £9.49 - 16.99

  • Save 14%
  • Save 24%
    by Michael Richards
    £18.99

    The man who brought the kavorka to the Seinfeld show through one of the most remarkable and beloved television characters ever invented, Kramer, shares the extraordinary life of a comedy genius—the way he came into himself as an artist, the ups and downs as a human being, the road he has traveled in search of understanding.

  • Save 14%
    by Sheila Heti
    £9.49

  • Save 24%
    by Jake Cunningham
    £18.99

  • Save 21%
    by Mesfin Hagos
    £27.49

    ''Mesfin Hagos joined the Eritrean war of independence in 1967 at the tender age of nineteen years. He rose to prominence and became an iconic figure of the nationalist movement by dint of his brilliance, strength of character, iron discipline, and tireless learning and self-improvement. He was at the scene during the most difficult turns and twists of the nationalist movement and led its most decisive battles. This book is as much the story of his life as it is an account of the Eritrean war of independence and struggle for freedom. It is a story of ungrieved losses and uncelebrated heroism. It is a tale of un-indemnified sacrifices and imperiled gains. The milestones of the nationalist movement and government came with its own unexpiated missteps. This book bears witness to all that and points toward a way out.'' - from the introduction by Awet Tewelde Weldemichael.

  • Save 23%
    by Madison Beer
    £15.49

    Discovered at twelve years old, Madison Beer was one of the first artists to have her entire life documented online. Over the past decade, she has navigated the spotlight as a child, through her teenage years, and now as a young woman in her twenties.In The Half of It, Madison pulls back the curtain to show the behind-the-scenes of her journey, from reckoning with mass hate online and the time her private pictures were leaked, to battling suicidal thoughts while making her highly acclaimed debut album, Life Support, and her recovery since then. This memoir is an honest and unflinching account of self-love, mental health, and advocacy from one of the fastest-rising musical voices and most influential social media presences of her generation. It hammers home the point, more striking and urgent than ever, that no matter how close the internet may make us feel to people, we truly don't know the half of it.

  • Save 31%
     
    £54.99

    Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine is an unprecedented glimpse into the creative life of one of Americäs most groundbreaking, influential, and enduring artists. Several years ago, a treasure trove containing some 6,000 original Bob Dylan manuscripts was revealed to exist. Their destination? Tulsa, Oklahoma. The documents, as essential as they are intriguing¿draft lyrics, notebooks, and diverse ephemera ¿ comprise one of the most important cultural archives in the modern world. Along with countless still and moving images and thousands of hours of riveting studio and live recordings, this priceless collection now resides at The Bob Dylan Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, just steps away from the archival home of Dylan¿s early hero, Woody Guthrie. Nearly all the materials preserved at The Bob Dylan Center are unique, previously unavailable, and, in many cases, even previously unknown. As the official publication of The Bob Dylan Center, Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine is the first wide-angle look at the Dylan archive, a book that promises to be of vast interest to both the Nobel Laureate¿s many musical fans and to a broader national and international audience as well. Edited by Mark Davidson and Parker Fishel, Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine focuses a close look at the full scope of Dylan¿s working life, particularly from the dynamic perspective of his ongoing and shifting creative processes¿his earliest home recordings in the mid-1950s right up through Rough and Rowdy Ways (2020), his most recent studio recording, and into the present day. The centerpiece of Bob Dylan: Mixing Up the Medicine is a carefully curated selection of over 600 images including never-before-circulated draft lyrics, writings, photographs, drawings and other ephemera from the Dylan archive. With an introductory essay by Sean Wilentz and epilogue by Douglas Brinkley, the book features a surprising range of distinguished writers, artists, and musicians, including Joy Harjo, Greil Marcus, Michael Ondaatje, Gregory Pardlo, Amanda Petrusich, Tom Piazza, Lee Ranaldo, Alex Ross, Ed Ruscha, Lucy Sante, Greg Tate and many others. After experiencing the collection firsthand in Tulsa, each of the authors was asked to select a single item that beguiled or inspired them. The resulting essays, written specifically for this volume, shed new light on not only Dylan¿s creative process, but also their own.

  • Save 14%
    by Adrian Edmondson
    £9.49 - 16.99

  • Save 14%
    by Lucy Worsley
    £9.49

  • Save 21%
     
    £13.49

    "Fabulously dressed with a flair all his own, unapologetic yet vulnerable, talented yet supremely humble: Harry Styles is a cultural phenomenon and icon for our times. This photo-packed, gold-foiled luxe gift book celebrates the global superstar's impact on music and fashion and how his choice of positive and authentic self-expression and tolerance has helped redefine modern masculinity and celebrity worldwide. If a person could be a smile, then that would be Harry-and that essence of Harry is what this exciting book captures. Stylers and Harries will adore and treasure this keepsake."--

  • Save 27%
    by Mary Gabriel
    £25.49

  • Save 14%
    - A Life in the Japanese Underworld
    by Jake Adelstein
    £9.49 - 18.99

    A riveting history of the Japanese mafia, from the bestselling author of Tokyo Vice.

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. 

Join thousands of book lovers

Sign up to our newsletter and receive discounts and inspiration for your next reading experience.