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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 24%
    by Nicolas Finet & Thierry Lamy
    £18.99

  • by Anton Chekhov
    £7.49

  • Save 28%
    by Franz Kafka
    £27.49

  • by Joy Miller Tibbs
    £8.99

  • Save 15%
    by Captain Eric Brown
    £10.99

  • by Jerry Kopack
    £14.99

  • Save 21%
    by Kristen Helmstetter
    £13.49

    Take control of your happiness, learn to love yourself, and get the life of your dreams . . . all with your next cup of coffee!Do you want to live an inspired life of sparkling adventure and achieve goals you never thought possible? Start with Coffee Self-Talk.This accessible, powerful routine will show you how to start every day with positivity and energy. By taking just five minutes each morning to practise the art of self-talk, you can reframe the way you think about yourself and prime your mind for happiness, success and self-love.With included self-talk scripts, guidance on how to personalise them for your own goals, and blank pages for journaling and creating your own affirmations, this book will help you:· Learn to love yourself· Unlock happiness, resilience, and confidence· Change your bad habits· Attract wealth, success, and prosperityNo matter your circumstances, now is the time to become your best, most magical self - faster than it takes to finish your first cup of coffee!With Coffee Self-Talk you can take control of your life, increase your confidence, and manifest the life of your dreams.

  • by Eivind Astrup
    £17.49

  • Save 18%
    by Vannevar Bush
    £16.49

    "An insider's perspective into technological innovation and public affairs during the 20th century, from the distinguished scientist and policy-maker who played an active and decisive role in shaping them. Vannevar Bush offers lessons and observations from one of the most fruitful periods of the innovation ecosystem, and shares insights for future generations seeking to advance scientific and technological progress"--

  • Save 25%
    by Eugene S. Robinson
    £17.99

    A rollicking no-holds barred memoir from journalist and musician Eugene S. Robinson that takes readers along through the story of his life.“A weird rollicking ride” frames how author Eugene S. Robinson views his journey from a Brooklyn kid with decidedly offbeat punk rock proclivities to the realities of California hardcore and dark detours into shows, tours, drugs, porn, guns, MMA fighting, an Ivy League-esque education and his eventual entry into the US Defense industry just in time to see his boss dragged into Contragate.Robinson’s writing mirrors his fighting style intensity, ferocity, and brutal truth. He knows exactly who he is and how he is perceived by the white people and white culture that surrounds him. Robinson challenges accepted norms. He fights against easy answers and safe passages. He says:“No one who ever gets a life sentence for just about anything really expects it to last a lifetime. Even if the modifier is "without the possibility of parole." Hope springs eternal but there's always the undiscussed other option. The one where the fate is chosen, freely, and the protagonist has about as much interest in escaping as he does of being almost anywhere else at all. Which is to say: not at all.”A Walk Across Dirty Water is Robinson’s memoir of growing up in Brooklyn during the 1970s, playing in punk bands and touring the world during the

  • Save 24%
    by Mandy Naglich
    £17.49

    A Spirited Awards Finalist for Best New Book on Drinks Culture and HistoryPerfect for foodie fans of Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat as well as Cork Dork and The Flavor Equation, this instant classic is both a sumptuous behind-the-scenes tour and a fun, appetizing, and informative how-to that covers everything from wine and cheese to ice cream and honey, tea, chocolate, and even water, from the science of taste and the rituals of creating a fine-tuned palate, to plucking flavor descriptions from the tip of your tongue, and learning how appreciating food can help you appreciate life.You love to eat. But do you know how to taste? On a delectable sensory romp through the science of flavor, award-winning professional taster Mandy Naglich, one of less than 100 Advanced Cicerones in the world, gives you a seat at the table in the elite world of master tasters—scientists, professional tasters, sommeliers, umami ushers and more—divulging the secrets behind their perfected palates so you, too, can become a super taster.Whether it’s a meaningful meal or a favorite nostalgic road trip snack, we know what we like to eat. But even when it comes to the most vivid and memorable dishes it’s tough to say what exactly makes them so delicious. Now award-winning expert, certified food and beverage taster and lifestyle journalist Mandy Naglich reveals how to hone your tasting superpowers like a pro.Take a seat beside highly-trained cheese analysts, world-class sommeliers, competitive whiskey tasters, internationally recognized chefs, and sensory scientists as experts divulge the secrets to discerning the notes in a range of ingredients, from a dab of honey to a spoonful of olive oil—and even a sip of mineral water.Discover why a James Beard award-winner was visibly nervous before a blindfolded taste test on Top Chef Masters, and how coffee farmers base growing practices on the palate of one world-renowned authority. Learn why your taste buds respond to variables such as food temperature and background music. What the flavor distinction is between a pomme fruit and a stone fruit, how to judge the acidity of anything, from a cup of tea to a square of dark chocolate—and how understanding flavor can impact the way you understand the world.A rich journey for the flavor-obsessed, this instant classic is both a practical guide and a sumptuous meditation on how to savor all things delicious—on the plate and in life.

  • Save 15%
    by John Higgs
    £10.99 - 18.99

  • Save 12%
    by Hanna Flint
    £11.49

    Leading film critic of her generation offers an unflinchingly honest and humorousaccount of her millennial journey tow ards self-acceptance through a cinematic lens.

  • Save 10%
    by Andrew Douglas-Home
    £8.99

  • Save 24%
    by Laura Cumming
    £18.99

    **WINNER OF THE WRITERS' PRIZE (NON-FICTION CATEGORY)****SHORTLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2024**'A wonderful read (or a great present) for anyone who loves stories and art' Nina Stibbe, author of Love, NinaA beautifully illustrated new memoir of a life in art, a father and daughter, and what a shared love of a painting can come to mean.'We see with everything that we are'On the morning of 12 October 1654, a gunpowder explosion devastated the Dutch city of Delft. The thunderclap was heard over seventy miles away. Among the fatalities was the painter Carel Fabritius, dead at thirty-two, leaving only his haunting masterpiece The Goldfinch and barely a dozen known paintings. The explosion that killed him also buried his reputation, along with answers to the mysteries of his life and career.What happened to Fabritius before and after this disaster is just one of the discoveries in a book that explores the relationship between art and life, interweaving the lives of Laura Cumming, her Scottish painter father, who also died too young, and the great artists of the Dutch Golden Age.This is a book about what a picture may come to mean: how it can enter your life and change your thinking in a thunderclap.**A SUNDAY TIMES, DAILY EXPRESS AND GUARDIAN BOOK OF THE YEAR 2023**'Brilliant ... rush out and buy it' Edmund de Waal, bestselling author of The Hare with Amber Eyes

  • Save 14%
    by Ben Aitken
    £9.49 - 13.49

  • by Eddie Penney & Keith Wood
    £13.99 - 19.99

  • Save 10%
    by Alisson Wood
    £8.99 - 16.49

  • Save 10%
    by Bez
    £8.99 - 15.49

  • Save 10%
    - Escaping North Korea
    by Jihyun Park & Seh-lynn Chai
    £8.99

  • Save 21%
    by Andre Ward
    £14.99

    In this inspiring memoir, undefeated five-time world champion boxer Andre Ward--aka 'Son of God'--shares the gripping narrative of his unforgettable career, his rock-solid faith, and why boxing was never the biggest fight of his life.

  • Save 20%
    by Emma Baxter-Wright
    £11.99

    The elegance of the Little Black Dress. The simplicity of the Breton shirt. The luxury of the fragrance. These signatures exemplify the image of Chanel.

  • Save 18%
    by Darla-Jane Gilroy
    £11.49

  • Save 15%
    by Marguerite Duras
    £10.99

    "Sex and death. All of Marguerite Duras's writings are suffused with the certitude that absolute love is both necessary (sex) and impossible to achieve (death). But no book of hers embodies this idea so powerfully, so excessively, as No More (C'est Tout), the book she composed during the last year of her life until just days before her death. [It] is literature shorn of all its niceties, a shout from the depths of Duras's being, celebrating life in defiance of the death she knew had already entered her immediate future. In part, it is also Duras's raucous salutation welcoming death"--

  • - a collection of letters and poems
    by Jackie Rose Namiiro
    £30.99

    I am not a writer.I am not a poet.but here is everything I ever wanted to say. everything I needed to say. I hope that the stories and letters articulated in this book,helps you to feel and reflect on some of the things, that have molded you, into the person you are today.I hope this book leaves you enlightened and proud of, the person you were, the person you are, and the person you are becoming. from the bottom of my heart,Thank you.

  • Save 20%
    by Catana Chetwynd
    £11.99

    #1 New York Times bestselling author Catana Chetwynd presents a new take on the beloved Catana Comics--a guided journal in her signature wholesome and cozy style. Catana Chetwynd presents a new twist on feel-good humor. This guided journal, illustrated in her signature style, is for couples, friends, family, and anyone who wants to learn more about themselves and their personal relationships. With wholesome prompts, insightful questions, fun activities, moments for deeper reflection, and lighthearted illustrations and stickers, My Heart's Content: A Journal for Everyone offers every person the chance to spend some quality time on themselves. Planning for the future, reflecting on the past, soaking up the present, and learning more about ourselves and the ones we love.

  • Save 14%
    by Stassi Schroeder
    £9.49

  • Save 14%
    by Daniel Finkelstein
    £9.49 - 18.99

  • Save 23%
    by John Mack
    £15.49

    From John Mack, former CEO of Morgan Stanley, an intimate personal memoir and riveting business story, recounting how he helped grow the company from 300 to 50,000 employees over four decades, transformed a notoriously competitive culture into a successful and collaborative one, and lead the company through the 2008 financial crisis.During his thirty-four-year tenure at Morgan Stanley, John Mack’s goal was to build the strongest and most productive team on Wall Street. His ability to motivate his employees to do their best work, especially in times of crisis, was fostered by his willingness to slash through bureaucracy and stand up to powerful interests. A forceful personality, one journalist said Mack was “described as ‘charismatic’ so regularly that it could be part of his name.” In Up Close and All In, Mack traces his personal journey from a one-stoplight North Carolina mill town to a fortieth-floor corner office on Wall Street—and shares the life lessons he learned along the way. He developed a titanium-strength stomach for risk, stress, and competition while landing accounts early in his career, as investment banks fought like wolfpacks to take advantage of new deregulation, fielding business raids, booms, and busts. As he rose through the ranks, he never forgot where he came from, relying on his instincts, doing what was right, and listening to his people on the front lines. This culture of trust and collaboration helped Morgan Stanley anticipate future trends before other firms, adapt quickly, and achieve record profits. This gripping memoir includes both humbling lows—like when Mack made the difficult decision to leave Morgan Stanley in 2001—and exhilarating highs—such as when he made an eleventh-hour agreement with the Japanese bank Mitsubishi to save the company during the 2008 financial crisis, having refused to give in when top regulators pressured him to sell the firm for $2 per share. With humor and honesty, Mack shares advice on both business and life: how to create a culture of team players, how to keep perspective during crises, how to make difficult decisions when all eyes are on you, and more. From a singular man who’s as unafraid to cry publicly as he is to anger some of the most powerful people in the world, this is an indispensable guide to living and leading well.

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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