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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 11%
    by Mitzi Szereto
    £12.49 - 16.49

    From the ancient Greek myth of Jason and Medea to Shakespeare's Othello, themes dealing with deeply felt emotions have been around for a long time. But unlike mythology or fiction, The Best New True Crime Stories: Crimes of Passion, Obsession & Revenge will contain stories pulled from real life.

  • Save 14%
    by Daniel Tammet
    £9.49 - 15.49

  • by Jason Neal
    £20.99 - 24.49

  • by Ravil Bukharaev
    £31.99

    This is a beautiful translation by John Farndon (with Olga Nakston) of the late Ravil Bukharaev's literary existential novel memoir in which he explains to his wife how his Muslim faith and ideals influenced both his love for her and his understanding of life and self, particularly his quest for truth and 'authenticity'.

  • by Adam Fouracre & Dave Urwin
    £10.99

    When Lloyd Fouracre left a party with his friends in September 2005, the night before his 18th birthday, nobody could have guessed that within an hour he would be dead. Encountering a gang of drunken teenagers spoiling for a fight, Lloyd and his friends were attacked-leaving him with injuries so numerous and severe that he stood no chance of survival.Shattered by his loss, Lloyd's older brother, Adam, knew life would never be the same again. Spurred on by the senseless tragedy, he founded the Stand Against Violence charity. Over the course of years, Adam's efforts would send him on a real-life game of snakes and ladders, experiencing demoralizing setbacks and incredible highs-finally achieving the support of many, including Paul Sinha from ITV's The Chase and even Her Majesty The Queen. Today, Stand Against Violence is firmly established and continues to educate and inspire thousands of young people each year all over the UK.When September Ends tells the story of how Adam Fouracre turned a devastating loss into an opportunity to help others. It also offers the perspective of the charity's least likely supporter-one of Lloyd's killers-and describes the impact of a global event that would change everyone's lives.

  • Save 20%
    - The Defiant Lives of Maria Theresa, Mother of Marie Antoinette, and Her Daughters
    by Nancy Goldstone
    £11.99

    A vivid and sprawling family saga following Maria Theresa of Austria and her daughters, including the infamous Marie Antoinette.

  • Save 23%
    - A Spiritual Autobiography - Part I: Childhood and Youth
    by Judith von Halle
    £15.49

    The first part of the autobiography of writer Judith von Halle, covering her spiritual experiences in childhood and youth.

  • Save 24%
    - Designing James Bond, Aliens, Batman and More
    by Terry Ackland-Snow
    £18.99

    In The Art of Film, legendary Art Director Terry Ackland-Snow lifts the lid on his extraordinary career in cinema

  • Save 13%
    - Palestinians and Jews Confront Zionism
     
    £12.99

    "A Land With A People began as a storytelling project of Jewish Voice for Peace-New York City and subsequently transformed into a theater project performed throughout the New York City area. A Land With A People elevates rarely heard Palestinian and Jewish voices and visions. It brings us the narratives of secular, Muslim, Christian, and LGBTQ Palestinians who endure the particular brand of settler colonialism known as Zionism. It relays the transformational journeys of Ashkenazi, Mizrahi, Palestinian and LGBTQ Jews who have come to reject the received Zionist narrative. Unflinching in their confrontation of the power dynamics that underlie their transformation process, these writers find the courage to face what has happened to historic Palestine, and to their own families as a result. Stories touch hearts, open minds, and transform our understanding of the "other"-as well as comprehension of our own roles and responsibilities. A Land With a People emerges from this reckoning. Contextualized by a detailed historical introduction and timeline charting 150 years of Palestinian and Jewish resistance to Zionism, this collection will stir emotions, provoke fresh thinking, and point to a more hopeful, loving future-one in which Palestine/Israel is seen for what it is in its entirety, as well as for what it can be"--

  • Save 21%
    by Safiya Sinclair
    £13.49

  • - The Courtly Code Behind the Last Medieval Dynasty
    by Sarah Gristwood
    £18.99

    The bestselling historian finds a new way to look at the most famous English royal dynasty

  • Save 14%
    - A Gardener's Story
    by Marc Hamer
    £9.49

  • Save 15%
    - A memoir about cake and death
    by Katy Wix
    £10.99

    A powerful, humane, and darkly comic memoir from actor, comedian and Taskmaster star Katy Wix

  • by Solomon Northup
    £4.49

    The shocking first-hand account of one man's remarkable fight for freedom; now an award-winning motion picture.'Why had I not died in my young years - before God had given me children to love and live for? What unhappiness and suffering and sorrow it would have prevented. I sighed for liberty; but the bondsman's chain was round me, and could not be shaken off.'1841: Solomon Northup is a successful violinist when he is kidnapped and sold into slavery. Taken from his family in New York State - with no hope of ever seeing them again - and forced to work on the cotton plantations in the Deep South, he spends the next twelve years in captivity until his eventual escape in 1853.First published in 1853, this extraordinary true story proved to be a powerful voice in the debate over slavery in the years leading up to the Civil War. It is a true-life testament of one man's courage and conviction in the face of unfathomable injustice and brutality: its influence on the course of American history cannot be overstated.

  • by Alise Cortez
    £16.49

  • - from the Punjab to Tisbury
    by Christina Richard
    £19.99

    Illustrated biography of Rudyard Kipling's parents. John Lockwood Kipling and Alice Macdonald Kipling were both born into strict Wesleyan Methodist families, but their similar interests, loving and successful marriage brought them exciting experiences in India, artistic recognition and membership of the Pre-Raphaelite group at the heart of late-Victorian culture. Their son became the most popular and famous poet and writer in the British Empire. Together John and Alice faced the social niceties of life in the Raj, travel and spartan living conditions. They adapted to the difficulties of colonial life, made the most of every opportunity and eventually achieved a peaceful, comfortable community-based retirement in Tisbury in south Wiltshire. This biography of two remarkable individuals is an affectionate look at a happy, adventurous marriage, a challenging family life and long and loving friendships.

  • - A Retrospective Travel Journey
    by Krista Marson
    £11.99

  • by Verónica Moscoso
    £8.99

    What happens when reality overcomes fiction? Then you have a story like ALMA DE LOBO.This novella is the true story of Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja. His is the only documented case in Spain of a feral child.SUMMARY: At the age of seven, Marcos was sold by his father to work as a shepherd in a remote valley of the Sierra Morena. The older shepherd, who was teaching him the ropes, suddenly died, leaving Marcos on his own. He had a hard time staying alive until a pack of wolves adopted him. ALMA DE LOBO describes how Marcos manages to survive in the mountains living a carefree life surrounded by the animals he befriended. Then, the painful process to adapt to the world of humans after his capture, when he was 19 years old. Hardly anyone believed his childhood stories, but when he was in his 60s an event changed his life...ALMA DE LOBO is a page-turner. This book is an easy reader Spanish novella for second level students. It''s written in the past tense. With about 305 unique words and plenty of repetition, it tells a 4,190-word story. Illustrations and a full glossary for each of the ten chapters are included.AUTHOR''S NOTE: This is one of the most fascinating stories I''ve ever researched and written about. I based this novella on the books, articles, interviews and documentaries about Marcos'' life. Most importantly, I was able to interview Marcos himself, for which I am really grateful.

  • Save 29%
    - Field Notes from the Life of a Working Photographer
    by Joe McNally
    £29.99

    Photographer and best-selling author Joe McNally shares stories and lessons from a life in photography.

  • Save 11%
    by Alice Hunter
    £7.99

    The Serial Killer's Daughter, Alice Hunter, 2022-07-21, HarperCollins Publishers, eng

  • Save 23%
    - A Life of Love and Loss, Compassion and Conservation
    by Stany Nyandwi
    £15.49

    From survivor of genocide to conservation hero: A moving, heartwarming memoir about a real-life chimpanzee whisperer—now the subject of the award-winning documentary film Pant Hoot.Stany Nyandwi’s gift for communicating with chimpanzees is so special that world-renowned primatologist Dr. Jane Goodall has called him a “chimpanzee whisperer.” His skills and devotion to these creatures—our closest living relatives, with whom we share 98.7 percent of our DNA—have earned him international awards and sent him on travels within Africa and around the world. But he began life in poverty, born and raised in a dirt-floor, straw-roofed hut in rural Burundi. The Chimpanzee Whisperer is the story of his astonishing life journey.It is also an African story. Receiving only an elementary education before he quit school, he suffered injustice and tragic loss because of his ethnic group. He began caring for orphaned and rescued chimps in Burundi. When the country descended into civil war and genocide, he was forced to flee with the chimps and endured long separation from his family. Continuing to work with and learn about chimpanzees in Kenya, Uganda, and later South Africa, he made himself into an incomparable authority.His memoir has adventure, danger, and many unique and touching stories about chimpanzees that show his bond with and understanding of them. As told to award-winning author David Blissett, it reveals a remarkable man who has refused to let circumstances defeat him. Conditioned by hate, wounded by loss, he has lived for love, faith, and compassion, giving new life, as Dr. Jane Goodall writes in her foreword, “to so many chimpanzees whose families, like his own, were torn apart by violence.”

  • Save 14%
    by Jeremy Wilson
    £9.49 - 15.49

  • by Howard Sounes
    £18.99

    The living embodiment of The Beatles, a musical juggernaut without parallel, Paul McCartney is undoubtedly the senior figure in pop music today. In this authoritative biography, journalist and acclaimed author Howard Sounes leaves no stone unturned in building the most accurate and extensive profile yet of music's greatest living legend.He is one of the biggest stars that has ever existed, the only key member left from the unquestioned 'biggest band of all time'. But despite the almost unprecedented press coverage he has received throughout his lifetime, the private personality of Paul McCartney remains a source of intrigue and relative mystery to the public.Spanning the entirety of McCartney's life from early childhood right up to the present day, FAB delves deep into the life of this remarkable and often surprising man, revealing the often dark reality behind his consistently positive, relaxed public image. For the first time, Sounes will examine in detail the lifestyle of one of the richest men on the planet, the truth behind his much publicized divorce from Heather Mills, as well as his tempestuous relationship with the other Beatles, with startling revelations.Drawing on countless interviews, legal records and public documents, Howard Sounes' meticulous approach and brilliant powers of research reveal the real Paul McCartney, like you've never known him before.

  • Save 15%
    by OEzlem Tureci, Ugur Sahin & Joe Miller
    £10.99 - 11.99

    The story of the Pfizer vaccine discovery. The Vaccine draws back the curtain on one of the most important medical breakthroughs of our age, containing contributions from Ugur Sahin and OEzlem Tureci themselves, as well as more than 50 scientists, politicians, public health officials, and BioNTech staff.

  • Save 14%
    by Daniel M. Grimley
    £9.49 - 21.99

  • Save 10%
    by Amit Katwala
    £8.99 - 18.99

    Truth, murder and the birth of the lie detector

  • - An Autobiography of a High Priestess and Pharao in Ancient Egypt
    by Anne-Marie Seidenschnur
    £16.49 - 27.49

    Did you ever ask yourself whether you have lived before? Did you ask where or when? If you already believe in reincarnation, read this fascinating story from prehistoric Egypt about a previous life of the author that begins before birth and ends after death. This was the life of a priestess and pharaoh approx. 6000 years ago when Egypt was at its prime and the priesthood enlightened. It's an inspirational tale, and you cannot help wondering - why is our world not a better place?And if you don't believe in reincarnation - why not read the story and get to know a nearly Utopian society and ask yourself again: Is it really impossible that this did happen? And is it not possible that it may happen again? Memories of Joan Grant's historical novels from past lives and Elisabeth Haich's spiritual classic: "e;Initiation"e; come back to life. Joan Grant was the first to develop her gift of "e;far memory"e; into a form of reincarnation therapy with her psychiatrist husband, a therapy which is now popular worldwide.

  • Save 14%
    by Auke Kok
    £9.49 - 18.99

    The definitive biography of Johan Cruyff, the most influential European footballer of all time

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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