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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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  • by Moody Richard Moody
    £14.49

    Flying Through Life: From Fighter Pilot to Peace ActivistBy: Richard MoodyTowards the end of his career as a fighter pilot with the Royal Navy, Richard Moody became an ardent Peace Activist and Quaker. This book is the story of his conversion.In today's world of militarization and slaughter, Richard's diametric experiences have made him a uniquely compelling voice in the fight for peace. Through his story, Richard hopes readers will learn that peace through diplomacy is vital for the survival of societies worldwide.

  • Save 10%
    by Mark Doty
    £8.99 - 11.99

  • by Jennifer Stojkovic
    £12.49

  • - The Aussie girl who took on the world
    by Jessica Watson
    £9.49

    The story of a remarkable girl who followed her dream and conquered the world.On 15 May 2010, after 210 days at sea and 24,285 nautical miles, 16-year-old Jessica Watson sailed her yacht, Ella's Pink Lady, triumphantly back into Sydney Harbour. She had become the youngest person to sail solo, unassisted and non-stop around the world.Told in Jessica's own words, this fully updated edition of True Spirit shares with the reader her childhood, her inspiration, her years of planning and what has happened since she conquered the Everest of sailing.It is an inspiring story, one that ultimately proves that we all have the power to live our dreams no matter how small or big they are.

  • Save 23%
    by Julia Blackburn
    £15.49

  • Save 10%
    by Rob Beckett
    £8.99

    `Pacy, witty and affectionate¿ GuardianRob Beckett never seems to fit in. At work, in the middle-class world of television and comedy, he¿s the laddy, cockney geezer but to his mates down the pub in south-east London, he¿s the theatrical one, a media luvvy. Even his wife and kids are posher than him.

  • Save 10%
    by Isabel Allende
    £8.99

    _______________'An autobiographical meditation on feminism, power and womanhood . Full of Isabel's wisdom and warm words' - Grazia'In her small, potent polemic . . . Isabel Allende writes about the toxic effects of "machismo", combining wit with anger as she picks apart the patriarchy' - Independent'Allende has everything it takes: the ear, the eye, the mind, the heart, the all-encompassing humanity' - New York TimesAn Independent, Guardian and Grazia Highlight for 2021_______________The wise, warm, defiant new book from literary legend Isabel Allende - a meditation on power, feminism and what it means to be a womanWhen I say that I was a feminist in kindergarten, I am not exaggerating.As a child, Isabel Allende watched her mother, abandoned by her husband, provide for her three small children. As a young woman coming of age in the late 1960s, she rode the first wave of feminism. She has seen what has been accomplished by the movement in the course of her lifetime. And over the course of three marriages, she has learned how to grow as a woman while having a partner, when to step away, and the rewards of embracing one's sexuality.So what do women want? To be safe, to be valued, to live in peace, to have their own resources, to be connected, to have control over their bodies and lives, and above all, to be loved. On all these fronts, there is much work to be done, and this book, Allende hopes, will 'light the torch of our daughters and granddaughters with mine. They will have to live for us, as we lived for our mothers, and carry on with the work still left to be finished.'_______________'Her thoughts, language and ideas traverse fluidly through ideas of gender, historic injustices, her marriages and bodily experiences and literary references . . . Allende's love for women is palpable' - Sydney Morning Herald

  • Save 10%
    by Katherine Ryan
    £8.99

    THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER from the star of Netflix's The Duchess, 8 Out of 10 Cats, Your Face or Mine and host of All That Glitters'A fearless origin story' Caitlin Moran'Brilliant!' Aisling Bea'Outrageously brilliant!

  • by 'Hagar' John Paul Hatchard
    £15.49

  • Save 15%
    by Andrew L. Urban
    £10.99

  • by Laura Raicovich
    £9.99

  • Save 11%
    by Professor Noel Fitzpatrick
    £7.99 - 16.99

  • by Teju Cole
    £10.49 - 19.99

  • by Questions about Me
    £23.49

  • by Questions about Me
    £22.49

  • by Famline Publisher
    £8.49

  • Save 15%
    by Professor Ritchie Robertson
    £10.99

    An accessible and informative study of the life and work of this vaunted German philosopher. In this concise yet comprehensive critical biography, Ritchie Robertson examines the work of Friedrich Nietzsche within the context of his life. The book traces Nietzsche's development from outstanding classical scholar to cultural critic, who measured Imperial Germany by the standards of ancient Greece. It follows him on his path from a prophet (in the persona of Zarathustra) to a savage polemicist against modern liberal values, offering a "philosophy of the future." Robertson argues that Nietzsche's middle-period writings offer a subtle and searching analysis of his culture, more rewarding than the strident and often-controversial later works. The book also assesses Nietzsche's claim to be continuing the Enlightenment and shows that he valued reason, evidence, and fact, without which his historical case against Christianity would make no sense.

  • Save 20%
    by Adam Shoalts
    £11.99

  • Save 14%
    by Ione Gamble
    £9.49

  • by Julia Voss
    £25.99

    "A highly anticipated biography of the enigmatic and popular Swedish painter. The Swedish painter Hilma af Klint (1862-1944) was 44 years old when she broke with the academic tradition in which she had been trained. While her naturalistic landscapes and botanicals were shown during her lifetime, her body of radical, abstract works never received the same attention. Today, it is widely accepted that af Klint produced the earliest abstract paintings by a trained European artist. But this is only part of her story. Not only was she a successful woman artist, but she was also an avowed clairvoyant and mystic. Like many of the artists at the turn of the twentieth century who developed some version of abstract painting, af Klint studied Theosophy, which holds that science, art, and religion are all reflections of an underlying life-form that can be harnessed through meditation, study, and experimentation. Well before Kandinsky, Mondrian and Malevich declared themselves the inventors of abstraction, af Klint was working in a non-representational mode, producing a powerful visual language that continues to speak to audiences today. The exhibition of her work in 2018 at the Guggenheim Museum in New York City attracted more than 600,000 visitors, making it the most-attended show in the history of the museum/institution. Despite her enormous popularity, there has not yet been a biography of af Klint-until now. Inspired by her first encounter with the artist's work in 2008, Julia Voss set out to learn Swedish and research af Klint's life-not only who the artist was but what drove and inspired her. The result is a fascinating biography of an artist who is as great as she is enigmatic"--

  • by Sri M
    £17.49

  • Save 21%
    by Graeme Hall
    £13.49

    I've been training puppies for years and I am yet to come across one who behaved perfectly at all times. With this book I really wanted to be realistic about the expectations we should have when training a puppy and demystify the process with clear, simple advice, based on science and experience. In this stress-free guide you will learn how to: Choose the right puppy for your lifestyle, including the benefits of a rescue dog Introduce them to the family, other pets and children Tackle separation anxiety Train your puppy, while building understanding and trust Socialise them, so they grow into a happy, well-adjusted dog Prevent behavioural problems later in life I love working with puppies because there is so much potential to make a lasting difference to a dog's life and to their owner's. If you can get it right (or right-ish), you are paving the way for a lifetime of reliably good behaviour. Happy training! Graeme Hall

  • Save 14%
    by Richard Beard
    £9.49

  • Save 20%
    by Meghan O'Gieblyn
    £11.99

  • Save 24%
    by Lulu Chen
    £18.99

  • by Luke Donnelly
    £13.49

  • Save 10%
    by Tom Pemberton
    £8.99

  • Save 27%
    by SJ Axelby
    £21.99

    An artist's record of the homes of 89 leading creatives from interior designers to ceramicists, antiques dealers, florists and chefs.

  • Save 15%
    by Chris Gill & Brad Tolinski
    £14.49 - 20.49

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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