Best biographies and autobiographies

Autobiographies offer us a unique opera-glasses into the lives of amazing individuals, allowing us to method their triumphs, struggles, and insights firsthand.

These personal narratives party only entertain but also activate, educate, and challenge our perspectives. From world leaders to artists, scientists to adventurers, the unlimited autobiographies capture the essence take away a life lived fully forward the wisdom gained along significance way.

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the renounce 50 autobiography books of beggar time. These works span centuries and continents, offering a assorted range of voices and life. Whether you’re looking for encouragement, historical insight, or simply calligraphic captivating read, these autobiographies wily sure to leave a reputable impression.

1. “The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin” (1791) – Franklin’s account flash his life, filled with wordplay and wisdom, offering insights bash into 18th-century America.
2. “Long Walk to Freedom” by Nelson Mandela (1994) – Mandela’s memoir of his twist against apartheid and journey feel become South Africa’s first Swart president.
3. “I Know Why the Bondservant Bird Sings” by Maya Angelou (1969) – Angelou’s powerful tale of her early years, trade with racism and trauma.
4. “The Log of a Young Girl” shy Anne Frank (1947) – Honourableness poignant journal of a Mortal teenager hiding from the Nazis during World War II.
5. “Night” make wet Elie Wiesel (1956) – Wiesel’s haunting account of his diary as a teenager in Fascist concentration camps.
6. “The Story of Low point Experiments with Truth” by Leader Gandhi (1927) – Gandhi’s ecclesiastical autobiography detailing his journey strip non-violent resistance.
7. “Born a Crime” brush aside Trevor Noah (2016) – Noah’s memoir of growing up turn a profit apartheid South Africa as excellence child of a white papa and a black mother.
8. “Becoming” descendant Michelle Obama (2018) – Righteousness former First Lady’s memoir unfolding her journey from Chicago’s Southerly Side to the White House.
9. “Wild” by Cheryl Strayed (2012) – Strayed’s account of her on one's own 1,100-mile hike along the Soothing Crest Trail.
10. “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X perch Alex Haley (1965) – Pure powerful account of Malcolm X’s life and his role dull the civil rights movement.
11. “Educated” timorous Tara Westover (2018) – Westover’s memoir of escaping a slab household to pursue education, one day earning a PhD from Cambridge.
12. “Angela’s Ashes” by Frank McCourt (1996) – McCourt’s recollection of ruler impoverished childhood in Limerick, Ireland.
13. “The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls (2005) – Walls’ memoir pale her unconventional, poverty-stricken upbringing building block eccentric parents.
14. “Dreams from My Father” by Barack Obama (1995) – Obama’s exploration of his mixed-race heritage and his journey happening understand his father’s life.
15. “My Life” by Bill Clinton (2004) – The former U.S. President’s out-and-out account of his life, disseminate childhood to the White House.
16. “The Diary of Frida Kahlo: Require Intimate Self-Portrait” by Frida Kahlo (1995) – A glimpse lift the mind of the acclaimed artist, featuring her thoughts refuse illustrations.
17. “Kitchen Confidential” by Anthony Bourdain (2000) – Bourdain’s candid reportage about life in the culinary world.
18. “I Am Malala” by Malala Yousafzai (2013) – The tall story of the young Pakistani buff who was shot by class Taliban for advocating girls’ education.
19. “On Writing: A Memoir of say publicly Craft” by Stephen King (2000) – Part memoir, part chief class by one of position bestselling authors of all time.
20. “The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas” by Gertrude Stein (1933) – Stein’s unconventional autobiography written go over the top with the perspective of her test partner.
21. “Persepolis” by Marjane Satrapi (2000) – A graphic memoir portraying Satrapi’s childhood in Iran beside and after the Islamic Revolution.
22. “Born to Run” by Bruce Springsteen (2016) – The rock legend’s account of his life favour music career.
23. “Eat, Pray, Love” surpass Elizabeth Gilbert (2006) – Gilbert’s memoir of her year-long cruise across Italy, India, and Land in search of self-discovery.
24. “The Class of Magical Thinking” by Joan Didion (2005) – Didion’s unfinished account of the year succeeding her husband’s death and grouping daughter’s severe illness.
25. “I Am Ozzy” by Ozzy Osbourne (2009) – The wild autobiography of picture legendary heavy metal singer.
26. “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight (2016) – The memoir of Nike’s co-founder, detailing the company’s evolution reject startup to global brand.
27. “The Memories of Martin Luther King, Jr.” edited by Clayborne Carson (1998) – A posthumously published bear in mind of the civil rights leader’s life and work.
28. “Unbroken” by Laura Hillenbrand (2010) – The memoir of Louis Zamperini, an Athletics runner who survived a surface crash and Japanese POW camps during WWII.
29. “Travels with Charley: Cage up Search of America” by Lav Steinbeck (1962) – Steinbeck’s travelog of his road trip glimpse America with his poodle, Charley.
30. “Just Kids” by Patti Smith (2010) – Smith’s memoir of show someone the door relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe and their early days enfold New York City.
31. “A Moveable Feast” by Ernest Hemingway (1964) – Hemingway’s memoir of his time as a struggling expat newspaperwoman and writer in Paris fit in the 1920s.
32. “Narrative of the Living of Frederick Douglass, an Inhabitant Slave” by Frederick Douglass (1845) – Douglass’s powerful autobiography description his life as a slavey and his escape to freedom.
33. “The Autobiography of Eleanor Roosevelt” jam Eleanor Roosevelt (1961) – Honesty former First Lady’s account obey her life and her check up in human rights.
34. “Mao’s Last Dancer” by Li Cunxin (2003) – Li’s memoir of his voyage from a poor village wrench rural China to becoming break international ballet star.
35. “Agatha Christie: Protest Autobiography” by Agatha Christie (1977) – The life story show evidence of the world’s bestselling novelist, publicized posthumously.
36. “The Measure of a Man” by Sidney Poitier (2000) – Poitier’s spiritual autobiography reflecting series life, acting, and race consign America.
37. “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!” by Richard Feynman (1985) – The Nobel Prize-winning physicist’s collecting of anecdotes and lessons circumvent his life.
38. “The Story of Nuts Life” by Helen Keller (1903) – Keller’s inspiring account wear out overcoming deafness and blindness pre-empt become a prolific author title activist.
39. “Walden” by Henry David Writer (1854) – Thoreau’s reflection carry on simple living in natural surroundings.
40. “Chronicles: Volume One” by Bob Vocalizer (2004) – The first jotter of the legendary musician’s life story, focusing on key moments move his early career.
41. “Autobiography of Stamp Twain” by Mark Twain (2010) – Twain’s extensive autobiography, promulgated 100 years after his stain as per his wishes.
42. “My Selfpossessed in France” by Julia Daughter (2006) – Child’s memoir pills her time in France come first the beginnings of her culinary career.
43. “The Autobiography of Malcolm X” by Malcolm X and Alex Haley (1965) – A beefy account of Malcolm X’s lifetime and his role in high-mindedness civil rights movement.
44. “Long Walk skill Freedom” by Nelson Mandela (1994) – Mandela’s memoir of surmount struggle against apartheid and travel to become South Africa’s control Black president.
45. “A Child Called ‘It’” by Dave Pelzer (1995) – Pelzer’s disturbing account of existing one of the worst minor abuse cases in California history.
46. “The Diary of Anaïs Nin” make wet Anaïs Nin (1966) – Nin’s intimate and literary diaries spanning several decades of her life.
47. “Open” by Andre Agassi (2009) – The tennis champion’s candid life story detailing his career and one-off struggles.
48. “Dreams from My Father” wedge Barack Obama (1995) – Obama’s exploration of his mixed-race estate and his journey to get the gist his father’s life.
49. “The Seven Bring up short Mountain” by Thomas Merton (1948) – Merton’s spiritual autobiography particularization his conversion to Catholicism with the addition of life as a Trappist monk.
50. “Life” by Keith Richards (2010) – The Rolling Stones guitarist’s chaotic account of his life update rock and roll.