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Autobiographies

Find inspiration for a wide range of the best autobiographies and books about people themselves and their memories. Here are autobiographies about some of the world's most exciting people and how their life story has been. Autobiographies are stories written or told by the person themselves. It is not necessarily famous people who write books about themselves, but also quite ordinary people who have something important at heart to tell. But also if the person has experienced or achieved something unique in life that may be interesting to others. Find the best autobiographies below for your next reading.
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  • Save 15%
    by Malcolm Folley
    £10.99

    As the great rivals raced to victory, their relationship deteriorated badly, beginning with the breaking of a gentleman's agreement, and public spats followed, culminating in Prost accusing Senna of deliberately trying to ride him off the circuit, and fearful that the Brazilian would get someone killed with his daring overtaking feats.

  • Save 10%
    by Christopher Nolan
    £8.99

    A powerful and moving autobiography from a gifted writer who has been compared to Joyce and Yeats. 'A book of sheer wonder. As an author he competes as an equal with the ablest of them' DAILY EXPRESS

  • Save 14%
    - Britpop and my part in its downfall
    by Luke Haines
    £9.49

    Written with wit, brio and no small amount of bile, Luke Haines recounts how it felt to ride a wave of self-congratulatory success in a world with no taste. Funny, honest and ridiculously entertaining, Luke Haines attacks anyone within rifle range, and is more than happy to turn the gun on himself.

  • Save 21%
    - A Biography
    by Axel Madsen
    £13.49

    A biography of one of the twentieth century's greatest fashion icons, reissued to coincide with the biopic Coco avant Chanel.

  • Save 14%
    - The Story of the World's Most Famous Doll and the Woman Who Created Her
    by Robin Gerber
    £9.49

    Barbie is the diminutive yet arrestingly voluptuous doll unveiled at the 1959 Toy Fair. Ruth Handler is Barbie's creator: the tenth child of Polish-Jewish immigrants; a passionately competitive and creative business pioneer. This title presents the story of two women, and how together they indelibly changed American business and culture.

  • Save 21%
    - Confessions of a B Movie Actor
    by Bruce Campbell
    £14.99

    Most Hollywood biographies are little more than 500-page musings on the 'when-I-met...' theme, filled with famous names, love affairs and cliches of a 'meteoric rise' or 'tragic fall'. Bruce Campbell's If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor is the boisterous antidote to such convention.

  • Save 21%
    by Anthony Sampson
    £14.99

    Widely considered to be the most important biography of Nelson Mandela, Antony Sampson's remarkable book has been updated with an afterword by acclaimed South African journalist, John Battersby.Long after his presidency of South Africa, Nelson Mandela remained an inspirational figure to millions - both in his homeland and far beyond. He has been, without doubt, one of the most important figures in global history. His death, on 5 December 2013 at the age of 95, resonated around the world.Mandela's opposition to apartheid and his 27 year incarceration at the hands of South Africa's all-white regime are familiar to most. In this utterly compelling book, eminent biographer Anthony Sampson draws on a fifty year-long relationship to reveal the man who rocked a continent - and changed its future.With unprecedented access to the former South African president - the letters he wrote in prison, his unpublished jail autobiography, extensive conversations, and interviews with hundreds of colleagues, friends, and family - Sampson depicts the realities of Mandela's private and public life, and the tragic tension between them. Updated after Sampson's death with a new afterword by distinguished South African journalist John Battersby, this is the ultimate biography of one of the twentieth century's greatest statesmen.

  • Save 18%
    by Huey P. Newton
    £11.49

    The searing, visionary memoir of founding Black Panther Huey P. Newton, in a dazzling graphic package Tracing the birth of a revolutionary, Huey P. Newton's famous and oft-quoted autobiography is as much a manifesto as a portrait of the inner circle of America's Black Panther Party. From Newton's impoverished childhood on the streets of Oakland to his adolescence and struggles with the system, from his role in the Black Panthers to his solitary confinement in the Alameda County Jail, Revolutionary Suicide is unrepentant and thought-provoking in its portrayal of inspired radicalism.For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

  • Save 20%
    by Jonathan Clements
    £11.99

    A full and detailed account of Darwin's life and discoveries, but written, designed and illustrated to look like a personal notebook or journal.

  • Save 14%
    - The Life and Inebriated Times of Burton, Harris, O'Toole and Reed
    by Robert Sellers
    £9.49

    Hellraisers, penned by the talented Robert Sellers, is a riveting book that will captivate readers from the first page. Published by Cornerstone in 2009, this book falls under a genre that's both intriguing and compelling. Sellers masterfully weaves a narrative that's as gripping as it is thought-provoking. Hellraisers is more than just a book; it's a journey into a world crafted with finesse and detail. Cornerstone, known for their diverse range of books, has truly found a gem in Hellraisers. Don't miss out on this extraordinary read.

  • - An Entrepreneur's Quest to Educate the World's Children
    by John Wood
    £11.49

    In 1998 John Wood was a rising executive at Microsoft . Then a trip to Nepal inspired him to set up schools and libraries in the developing world.

  • Save 14%
    - Tales from Paul's mischievous young years
    by Paul O'Grady
    £9.49

    At My Mother's Knee...And Other Low Joints is an engaging book by the renowned author Paul O'Grady. Published in 2009 by Transworld Publishers Ltd, this book falls under the genre of biography. In this book, O'Grady takes us through his early life experiences, sharing intimate details and heartwarming stories about his mother and other influential figures. His writing is filled with humor, wit, and raw honesty, making it a truly compelling read. O'Grady's storytelling prowess is on full display, as he paints vivid pictures of his childhood and the people who shaped him. This book is a testament to O'Grady's gift for storytelling and his ability to make readers laugh, cry, and think. Published by Transworld Publishers Ltd, this book is a must-read for fans of O'Grady and those who love biographies filled with humor and heart.

  • Save 21%
    by Michael Howard
    £13.49

    This comprehensive new book is an essential volume for anyone who wants to learn more about this intriguing artist, and to survey their greatest works in one beautfully illustrated collection.

  • Save 19%
    - Selected Writings
    by P.H. Yampolsky
    £28.49

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  • Save 15%
    by Julian Barnes
    £10.99

    'I don't believe in God, but I miss Him.' Julian Barnes' new book is, among many things, a family memoir, an exchange with his philosopher brother, a meditation on mortality and the fear of death, a celebration of art, an argument with and about God, and a homage to the French writer Jules Renard.

  • Save 14%
    by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
    £9.49

    The astonishing and bestselling life story of the renowned campaigner for religious tolerance and women's rights, Ayaan Hirsi Ali.

  • - The Life and Work of Wayne Shorter
    by Michelle Mercer
    £12.99

  • Save 14%
    by James Allen
    £9.49

    Acclaimed analysis of the life and career of Formula 1's most successful driver - Michael Schumacher

  • Save 20%
    - Godfathers of the Renaissance
    by Paul Strathern
    £11.99

    Tells the history of the modest family which rose to become one of the most powerful in Europe. This title explores the intensely dramatic rise and fall of the Medici family in Florence, as well as the Italian Renaissance which they did so much to sponsor and encourage.

  • Save 20%
    - The Life and Adventures of Thomas Cochrane, 1775-1860
    by David Cordingly
    £11.99

    The real Master and Commander 'There is no man I envy so much as Lord Cochrane' Lord Byron

  • Save 19%
    - Journey without Borders
    by Masayo Duus
    £28.49

    Isamu Noguchi was one of the most prolific yet enigmatic figures in the history of twentieth-century American art. This book features his biography. It draws on Noguchi's letters, his reminiscences, and interviews with his friends and colleagues to cast light on his youth, his creativity, and his relationships.

  • Save 23%
    - Nemesis
    by Ian Kershaw
    £15.49

    Following the enormous success of HITLER: HUBRIS this book triumphantly completes one of the great modern biographies. No figure in twentieth century history more clearly demands a close biographical understanding than Adolf Hitler; and no period is more important than the Second World War. Beginning with Hitler's startling European successes in the aftermath of the Rhinelland occupation and ending nine years later with the suicide in the Berlin bunker, Kershaw allows us as never before to understand the motivation and the impact of this bizarre misfit. He addresses the crucial questions about the unique nature of Nazi radicalism, about the Holocaust and about the poisoned European world that allowed Hitler to operate so effectively.

  • Save 21%
    - The Brutal Odyssey of an Outlaw Journalist 1968-1976
    by Hunter S. Thompson
    £13.49

    Shows how the author build his legend: running for sheriff in Aspen, Colorado, creating the seminal road book "Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas", twisting political reporting to new heights for "Rolling Stone" and making sense of it all in the landmark "Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72."

  • Save 14%
    - Commandant Of Auschwitz
    by Rudolf Hoess
    £9.49

    Rudolph Hoess was Commandant of Auschwitz during the war. He was taken prisoner by the British. Between his trial and his execution he was ordered to write his autobiography. This is it.

  • Save 13%
    - The Autobiography Of Nina Simone
    by Nina Simone
    £12.99

    The mesmerizing autobiography of one of the most revered soul, jazz, and blues divas of our time-the late Nina Simone

  • Save 17%
    - The Autobiography of Errol Flynn
    by Errol Flynn
    £9.99

    In this highly readable, witty and colourful autobiography, Flynn reveals himself and his remarkable life as he did nowhere else.

  • Save 20%
    - In Search of a Man caught between East and West
    by Tom Reiss
    £11.99

    The Orientalist unravels the mysterious life of a man born on the border between West and East, a Jewish man with a passion for the Arab world. Tom Reiss first came across the man who called himself 'Kurban Said' when he went to the ex-USSR to research the oil business on the Caspian Sea, and discovered a novel instead.

  • Save 20%
    by John Man
    £11.99

    Genghis Khan - creator of the greatest empire the world has ever seen - is one of history's immortals.

  • Save 10%
    by Peter Freestone
    £8.99

    This biography of Freddie Mercury is written by the man who was his personal assistant for the last 12 years of his life. It reveals the truth behind the scandalous rumours and describes the part played in Mercury's life by such famous names as Elton John, Kenny Everett and Elizabeth Taylor.

  • Save 15%
    by Wendy Moore
    £10.99

    WINNER OF THE MEDICAL JOURNALISTS' OPEN BOOK AWARD 2005Revered and feared in equal measure, John Hunter was the most famous surgeon of eighteenth-century London.

Autobiographies and their knowledge

Autobiographies are books that most often deal with the author himself. It is about people who have been through wild and eventful moments. Usually we have to dive far down, or at least know each other well, before we tell very personal stories. After all, it is not something we would tell a stranger in everyday life, so personal, are these autobiographies. It is excellent to be able to learn from each other so that the experiences and traumatic times we go through are not in vain. Of course, this is also something we can learn from, but autobiographies give you the knowledge you need to avoid the mistakes they end up making. In addition, it also contains stories about people they have been close to and how those relationships have changed. It is not always about learning in autobiographies, it can also be about understanding the human being behind. We are all incredibly complex people and that is evident in autobiographies. Autobiographies are books that take us very close to human nature, it gives us details that we would not otherwise get in a normal conversation.

The experiences and moments we all have, are where autobiographies shine about the mentality, such as the highest athletes have. These are books written both for the author's own sake but also the reader's. It is about quid pro quo, a two-sided coin that benefits one's own recovery (the author) and the reader. When we write down our thoughts, we quickly get rid of everything that keeps us down. That weight can be incredibly heavy and can therefore be very healthy to get rid of once in a while. A positive is that you know someone can read it, and get a whole lot of information from it, and perhaps learn what they should and should not do in certain situations. Take, for example, ‘Mamba Mentality’ a book about the late Kobe Bryant, it is said that his mentality was invincible and completely bulletproof. Something that we all strive to achieve, and that is exactly what autobiographies are all about. The innermost thoughts in a man. Autobiographies can also give you insight into your favorite celebrity life, understand them and see what makes them the person they are. We are all interesting and unique in our own way, through experiences and the knowledge or skills we possess.

Many of the books also consist of well-known quotes from many different people through political stories and the celebrity world.

Elon Musk has written an autobiography back in 2016, which deals with the giant tech companies he has managed to create. Including PayPal, SpaceX, Tesla and SolarCity. It is a deep look into how he has managed to do this and what it required from his own life. It is said that we have to sacrifice a lot to reach a high position in life. Great autobiography, which is a great place to start if you are into this topic.

As mentioned, autobiographies are a great tool for learning from others, and many of the stories are written by people who have had a tough upbringing. It is to their own advantage to understand how they have done it and what it requires of them. Try and dive into some of our autobiographies today!

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