biography examples famous

Join Discovery, the new community for book lovers

Trust book recommendations from real people, not robots 🤓

Blog – Posted on Monday, Jan 21

The 30 best biographies of all time.

Biographer Richard Holmes once wrote that his work was “a kind of pursuit… writing about the pursuit of that fleeting figure, in such a way as to bring them alive in the present.”

At the risk of sounding cliché, the best biographies do exactly this: bring their subjects to life. A great biography isn’t just a laundry list of events that happened to someone. Rather, it should weave a narrative and tell a story in almost the same way a novel does. In this way, biography differs from the rest of nonfiction .

All the biographies on this list are just as captivating as excellent novels , if not more so. With that, please enjoy the 30 best biographies of all time — some historical, some recent, but all remarkable, life-giving tributes to their subjects.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great biographies out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized biography recommendation  😉

Which biography should you read next?

Discover the perfect biography for you. Takes 30 seconds!

1. A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar

This biography of esteemed mathematician John Nash was both a finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize and the basis for the award-winning film of the same name. Nasar thoroughly explores Nash’s prestigious career, from his beginnings at MIT to his work at the RAND Corporation — as well the internal battle he waged against schizophrenia, a disorder that nearly derailed his life.

2. Alan Turing: The Enigma: The Book That Inspired the Film The Imitation Game - Updated Edition by Andrew Hodges

Hodges’ 1983 biography of Alan Turing sheds light on the inner workings of this brilliant mathematician, cryptologist, and computer pioneer. Indeed, despite the title ( a nod to his work during WWII ), a great deal of the “enigmatic” Turing is laid out in this book. It covers his heroic code-breaking efforts during the war, his computer designs and contributions to mathematical biology in the years following, and of course, the vicious persecution that befell him in the 1950s — when homosexual acts were still a crime punishable by English law.

3. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton is not only the inspiration for a hit Broadway musical, but also a work of creative genius itself. This massive undertaking of over 800 pages details every knowable moment of the youngest Founding Father’s life: from his role in the Revolutionary War and early American government to his sordid (and ultimately career-destroying) affair with Maria Reynolds. He may never have been president, but he was a fascinating and unique figure in American history — plus it’s fun to get the truth behind the songs.

Prefer to read about fascinating First Ladies rather than almost-presidents? Check out this awesome list of books about First Ladies over on The Archive.

4. Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston

A prolific essayist, short story writer, and novelist, Hurston turned her hand to biographical writing in 1927 with this incredible work, kept under lock and key until it was published 2018. It’s based on Hurston’s interviews with the last remaining survivor of the Middle Passage slave trade, a man named Cudjo Lewis. Rendered in searing detail and Lewis’ highly affecting African-American vernacular, this biography of the “last black cargo” will transport you back in time to an era that, chillingly, is not nearly as far away from us as it feels.

5. Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert

Though many a biography of him has been attempted, Gilbert’s is the final authority on Winston Churchill — considered by many to be Britain’s greatest prime minister ever. A dexterous balance of in-depth research and intimately drawn details makes this biography a perfect tribute to the mercurial man who led Britain through World War II.

Just what those circumstances are occupies much of Bodanis's book, which pays homage to Einstein and, just as important, to predecessors such as Maxwell, Faraday, and Lavoisier, who are not as well known as Einstein today. Balancing writerly energy and scholarly weight, Bodanis offers a primer in modern physics and cosmology, explaining that the universe today is an expression of mass that will, in some vastly distant future, one day slide back to the energy side of the equation, replacing the \'dominion of matter\' with \'a great stillness\'--a vision that is at once lovely and profoundly frightening.

Without sliding into easy psychobiography, Bodanis explores other circumstances as well; namely, Einstein's background and character, which combined with a sterling intelligence to afford him an idiosyncratic view of the way things work--a view that would change the world. --Gregory McNamee

6. E=mc²: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation by David Bodanis

This “biography of the world’s most famous equation” is a one-of-a-kind take on the genre: rather than being the story of Einstein, it really does follow the history of the equation itself. From the origins and development of its individual elements (energy, mass, and light) to their ramifications in the twentieth century, Bodanis turns what could be an extremely dry subject into engaging fare for readers of all stripes.

7. Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

When Enrique was only five years old, his mother left Honduras for the United States, promising a quick return. Eleven years later, Enrique finally decided to take matters into his own hands in order to see her again: he would traverse Central and South America via railway, risking his life atop the “train of death” and at the hands of the immigration authorities, to reunite with his mother. This tale of Enrique’s perilous journey is not for the faint of heart, but it is an account of incredible devotion and sharp commentary on the pain of separation among immigrant families.

8. Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

Herrera’s 1983 biography of renowned painter Frida Kahlo, one of the most recognizable names in modern art, has since become the definitive account on her life. And while Kahlo no doubt endured a great deal of suffering (a horrific accident when she was eighteen, a husband who had constant affairs), the focal point of the book is not her pain. Instead, it’s her artistic brilliance and immense resolve to leave her mark on the world — a mark that will not soon be forgotten, in part thanks to Herrera’s dedicated work.

9. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Perhaps the most impressive biographical feat of the twenty-first century, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is about a woman whose cells completely changed the trajectory of modern medicine. Rebecca Skloot skillfully commemorates the previously unknown life of a poor black woman whose cancer cells were taken, without her knowledge, for medical testing — and without whom we wouldn’t have many of the critical cures we depend upon today.

10. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Christopher McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp, hitchhiked to Alaska and disappeared into the Denali wilderness in April 1992. Five months later, McCandless was found emaciated and deceased in his shelter — but of what cause? Krakauer’s biography of McCandless retraces his steps back to the beginning of the trek, attempting to suss out what the young man was looking for on his journey, and whether he fully understood what dangers lay before him.

11. Let Us Now Praise Famous Men: Three Tenant Families by James Agee

"Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us.” From this line derives the central issue of Agee and Evans’ work: who truly deserves our praise and recognition? According to this 1941 biography, it’s the barely-surviving sharecropper families who were severely impacted by the American “Dust Bowl” — hundreds of people entrenched in poverty, whose humanity Evans and Agee desperately implore their audience to see in their book.

12. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

Another mysterious explorer takes center stage in this gripping 2009 biography. Grann tells the story of Percy Fawcett, the archaeologist who vanished in the Amazon along with his son in 1925, supposedly in search of an ancient lost city. Parallel to this narrative, Grann describes his own travels in the Amazon 80 years later: discovering firsthand what threats Fawcett may have encountered, and coming to realize what the “Lost City of Z” really was.

13. Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang

Though many of us will be familiar with the name Mao Zedong, this prodigious biography sheds unprecedented light upon the power-hungry “Red Emperor.” Chang and Halliday begin with the shocking statistic that Mao was responsible for 70 million deaths during peacetime — more than any other twentieth-century world leader. From there, they unravel Mao’s complex ideologies, motivations, and missions, breaking down his long-propagated “hero” persona and thrusting forth a new, grislier image of one of China’s biggest revolutionaries.

14. Mad Girl's Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson by Andrew Wilson

Titled after one of her most evocative poems, this shimmering bio of Sylvia Plath takes an unusual approach. Instead of focusing on her years of depression and tempestuous marriage to poet Ted Hughes, it chronicles her life before she ever came to Cambridge. Wilson closely examines her early family and relationships, feelings and experiences, with information taken from her meticulous diaries — setting a strong precedent for other Plath biographers to follow.

15. The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes

What if you had twenty-four different people living inside you, and you never knew which one was going to come out? Such was the life of Billy Milligan, the subject of this haunting biography by the author of Flowers for Algernon . Keyes recounts, in a refreshingly straightforward style, the events of Billy’s life and how his psyche came to be “split”... as well as how, with Keyes’ help, he attempted to put the fragments of himself back together.

16. Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder

This gorgeously constructed biography follows Paul Farmer, a doctor who’s worked for decades to eradicate infectious diseases around the globe, particularly in underprivileged areas. Though Farmer’s humanitarian accomplishments are extraordinary in and of themselves, the true charm of this book comes from Kidder’s personal relationship with him — and the sense of fulfillment the reader sustains from reading about someone genuinely heroic, written by someone else who truly understands and admires what they do.

17. Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts

Here’s another bio that will reshape your views of a famed historical tyrant, though this time in a surprisingly favorable light. Decorated scholar Andrew Roberts delves into the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, from his near-flawless military instincts to his complex and confusing relationship with his wife. But Roberts’ attitude toward his subject is what really makes this work shine: rather than ridiculing him ( as it would undoubtedly be easy to do ), he approaches the “petty tyrant” with a healthy amount of deference.

18. The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson IV by Robert A. Caro

Lyndon Johnson might not seem as intriguing or scandalous as figures like Kennedy, Nixon, or W. Bush. But in this expertly woven biography, Robert Caro lays out the long, winding road of his political career, and it’s full of twists you wouldn’t expect. Johnson himself was a surprisingly cunning figure, gradually maneuvering his way closer and closer to power. Finally, in 1963, he got his greatest wish — but at what cost? Fans of Adam McKay’s Vice , this is the book for you.

19. Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser

Anyone who grew up reading Little House on the Prairie will surely be fascinated by this tell-all biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Caroline Fraser draws upon never-before-published historical resources to create a lush study of the author’s life — not in the gently narrated manner of the Little House series, but in raw and startling truths about her upbringing, marriage, and volatile relationship with her daughter (and alleged ghostwriter) Rose Wilder Lane.

20. Prince: A Private View by Afshin Shahidi

Compiled just after the superstar’s untimely death in 2016, this intimate snapshot of Prince’s life is actually a largely visual work — Shahidi served as his private photographer from the early 2000s until his passing. And whatever they say about pictures being worth a thousand words, Shahidi’s are worth more still: Prince’s incredible vibrance, contagious excitement, and altogether singular personality come through in every shot.

21. Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss

Could there be a more fitting title for a book about the husband-wife team who discovered radioactivity? What you may not know is that these nuclear pioneers also had a fascinating personal history. Marie Sklodowska met Pierre Curie when she came to work in his lab in 1891, and just a few years later they were married. Their passion for each other bled into their passion for their work, and vice-versa — and in almost no time at all, they were on their way to their first of their Nobel Prizes.

22. Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

She may not have been assassinated or killed in a mysterious plane crash, but Rosemary Kennedy’s fate is in many ways the worst of “the Kennedy Curse.” As if a botched lobotomy that left her almost completely incapacitated weren’t enough, her parents then hid her away from society, almost never to be seen again. Yet in this new biography, penned by devoted Kennedy scholar Kate Larson, the full truth of Rosemary’s post-lobotomy life is at last revealed.

23. Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford

This appropriately lyrical biography of brilliant Jazz Age poet and renowned feminist, Edna St. Vincent Millay, is indeed a perfect balance of savage and beautiful. While Millay’s poetic work was delicate and subtle, the woman herself was feisty and unpredictable, harboring unusual and occasionally destructive habits that Milford fervently explores.

24. Shelley: The Pursuit by Richard Holmes

Holmes’ famous philosophy of “biography as pursuit” is thoroughly proven here in his first full-length biographical work. Shelley: The Pursuit details an almost feverish tracking of Percy Shelley as a dark and cutting figure in the Romantic period — reforming many previous historical conceptions about him through Holmes’ compelling and resolute writing.

25. Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin

Another Gothic figure has been made newly known through this work, detailing the life of prolific horror and mystery writer Shirley Jackson. Author Ruth Franklin digs deep into the existence of the reclusive and mysterious Jackson, drawing penetrating comparisons between the true events of her life and the dark nature of her fiction.

26. The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel

Fans of Into the Wild and The Lost City of Z will find their next adventure fix in this 2017 book about Christopher Knight, a man who lived by himself in the Maine woods for almost thirty years. The tale of this so-called “last true hermit” will captivate readers who have always fantasized about escaping society, with vivid descriptions of Knight’s rural setup, his carefully calculated moves and how he managed to survive the deadly cold of the Maine winters.

27. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

The man, the myth, the legend: Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, is properly immortalized in Isaacson’s masterful biography. It divulges the details of Jobs’ little-known childhood and tracks his fateful path from garage engineer to leader of one of the largest tech companies in the world — not to mention his formative role in other legendary companies like Pixar, and indeed within the Silicon Valley ecosystem as a whole.

28. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Olympic runner Louis Zamperini was just twenty-six when his US Army bomber crashed and burned in the Pacific, leaving him and two other men afloat on a raft for forty-seven days — only to be captured by the Japanese Navy and tortured as a POW for the next two and a half years. In this gripping biography, Laura Hillenbrand tracks Zamperini’s story from beginning to end… including how he embraced Christian evangelism as a means of recovery, and even came to forgive his tormentors in his later years.

29. Vera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) by Stacy Schiff

Everyone knows of Vladimir Nabokov — but what about his wife, Vera, whom he called “the best-humored woman I have ever known”? According to Schiff, she was a genius in her own right, supporting Vladimir not only as his partner, but also as his all-around editor and translator. And she kept up that trademark humor throughout it all, inspiring her husband’s work and injecting some of her own creative flair into it along the way.

30. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt

William Shakespeare is a notoriously slippery historical figure — no one really knows when he was born, what he looked like, or how many plays he wrote. But that didn’t stop Stephen Greenblatt, who in 2004 turned out this magnificently detailed biography of the Bard: a series of imaginative reenactments of his writing process, and insights on how the social and political ideals of the time would have influenced him. Indeed, no one exists in a vacuum, not even Shakespeare — hence the conscious depiction of him in this book as a “will in the world,” rather than an isolated writer shut up in his own musty study.

If you're looking for more inspiring nonfiction, check out this list of 30 engaging self-help books , or this list of the last century's best memoirs !

Continue reading

More posts from across the blog.

100 Classic Children's Books To Spark Young Imaginations

Reading is an adventure enjoyed by generation after generation. We share our timeless list of 100 classic children’s books guaranteed to carry young readers away to whole new worlds of wonder.

45+ BEST Audiobooks for Road Trips in 2024

So, you’re going on a road trip! What fun — that is, until it’s hour nine and you’re bored out of your mind at the wheel, unable to keep your eyes open to the pounding beat of tedium.  If this sounds familiar to you, we have an eleventh-hour Good S...

17 Book Review Examples to Help You Write the Perfect Review

It’s an exciting time to be a book reviewer. Once confined to print newspapers and journals, reviews now dot many corridors of the Internet — forever helping others discover their next great read. That said, every book reviewer will face a familiar panic: how...

Heard about Reedsy Discovery?

Trust real people, not robots, to give you book recommendations.

Or sign up with an

Or sign up with your social account

• Submit your book
• Reviewer directory

We made a writing app for you

Yes, you! Write. Format. Export for ebook and print. 100% free, always.

Biography Online

List of Top 100 Famous People

A list of famous people, chosen mainly from the nineteenth, twentieth or twenty-first centuries. This list includes famous actors, politicians, entrepreneurs, writers, artists and humanitarians.

• Marilyn Monroe (1926 – 1962) American actress, singer, model
• Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865) US President during American civil war
• Nelson Mandela (1918 – 2013)  South African President anti-apartheid campaigner
• Queen Elizabeth II (1926 – 2022) British monarch since 1954
• John F. Kennedy (1917 – 1963) US President 1961 – 1963
• Martin Luther King (1929 – 1968)  American civil rights campaigner
• Winston Churchill (1874 –  1965 ) British Prime Minister during WWII
• Donald Trump (1946 – ) Businessman, US President.
• Bill Gates (1955 – ) American businessman, founder of Microsoft
• Muhammad Ali (1942 – 2016) American Boxer and civil rights campaigner
• Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948) Leader of Indian independence movement
• Mother Teresa (1910 – 1997) Macedonian Catholic missionary nun
• Christopher Columbus (1451 – 1506) Italian explorer
• Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882) British scientist, theory of evolution
• Elvis Presley (1935 – 1977) American musician
• Albert Einstein (1879 – 1955) German scientist, theory of relativity
• Paul McCartney (1942 – ) British musician, member of Beatles
• Queen Victoria ( 1819 – 1901) British monarch 1837 – 1901
• Pope Francis (1936 – ) First pope from the Americas
• Jawaharlal Nehru (1889 – 1964) Indian Prime Minister 1947 – 1964
• Leonardo da Vinci ( 1452 – 1519) Italian, painter, scientist, polymath
• Vincent Van Gogh (1853 – 1890) Dutch artist
• Franklin D. Roosevelt (1882 – 1945) US President 1932 – 1945
• Pope John Paul II (1920 – 2005) Polish Pope
• Thomas Edison ( 1847 – 1931) American inventor
• Rosa Parks (1913 – 2005)  American civil rights activist
• Lyndon Johnson (1908 – 1973) US President 1963 – 1969
• Ludwig Beethoven (1770 – 1827) German composer
• Oprah Winfrey (1954 – ) American TV presenter, actress, entrepreneur
• Indira Gandhi (1917 – 1984) Prime Minister of India 1966 – 1977
• Eva Peron (1919 – 1952) First Lady of Argentina 1946 – 1952
• Benazir Bhutto (1953 – 2007) Prime Minister of Pakistan 1993 – 1996
• George Orwell (1903 – 1950) British author
• Vladimir Putin (1952 – ) Russian leader
• Dalai Lama (1938 – ) Spiritual and political leader of Tibetans
• Walt Disney (1901 – 1966) American film producer
• Neil Armstrong (1930 – 2012) US astronaut
• Peter Sellers (1925 – 1980) British actor and comedian
• Barack Obama (1961 – ) US President 2008 – 2016
• Malcolm X (1925 – 1965) American Black nationalist leader
• J.K.Rowling (1965 – ) British author
• Richard Branson (1950 – ) British entrepreneur
• Pele (1940 – ) Brazilian footballer, considered greatest of 20th century.
• Angelina Jolie (1975 – ) Actress, director, humanitarian
• Jesse Owens (1913 – 1980) US track athlete, 1936 Olympics
• John Lennon (1940 – 1980) British musician, member of the Beatles
• Henry Ford (1863 – 1947) US Industrialist
• Haile Selassie (1892 – 1975) Emperor of Ethiopia 1930 – 1974
• Joseph Stalin (1879 – 1953) Leader of Soviet Union 1924 – 1953
• Lord Baden Powell (1857 – 1941) British Founder of scout movement
• Michael Jordan (1963 – ) US Basketball star
• Vladimir Lenin (1870 – 1924) Leader of Russian Revolution 1917
• Ingrid Bergman (1915 – 1982) Swedish actress
• Fidel Castro (1926 – ) President of Cuba 1976 – 2008
• Leo Tolstoy (1828 – 1910) Russian author and philosopher
• Greta Thunberg (2003 – ) Environmentalist activist)
• Pablo Picasso (1881 – 1973) Spanish modern artist
• Oscar Wilde (1854 – 1900) Irish author, poet, playwright
• Coco Chanel (1883 – 1971) French fashion designer
• Charles de Gaulle (1890 – 1970) French resistance leader and President 1959 – 1969
• Amelia Earhart ( 1897 – 1937) Aviator
• John M Keynes (1883 – 1946) British economist
• Louis Pasteur (1822 – 1895) French chemist and microbiologist
• Mikhail Gorbachev (1931 – ) Leader of Soviet Union 1985 – 1991
• Plato (423 BC – 348 BC) Greek philosopher
• Adolf Hitler (1889 – 1945) leader of Nazi Germany 1933 – 1945
• Sting (1951 – ) British musician
• Elon Musk (1971 – ) Business magnate, and entrepreneur.
• Mary Magdalene (4 BCE – 40CE) devotee of Jesus Christ
• Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980) English / American film producer, director
• Michael Jackson (1958 – 2009) American musician
• Madonna (1958 – ) American musician, actress, author
• Mata Hari (1876 – 1917) Dutch exotic dancer, executed as spy
• Cleopatra (69 – 30 BCE) Queen of Egypt
• Grace Kelly (1929 – 1982) American actress, Princess of Monaco\
• Malala Yousafzai  (1997 – ) Pakistani human rights activist
• Steve Jobs (1955 – 2012) co-founder of Apple computers
• Ronald Reagan (1911 – 2004) US President 1981-1989
• Lionel Messi (1987 – ) Argentinian footballer
• Babe Ruth (1895 – 1948) American baseball player
• Bob Geldof (1951 – ) Irish musician, charity worker
• Roger Federer (1981 – ) Swiss Tennis player
• Sigmund Freud (1856 – 1939) Austrian psychoanalyst
• Woodrow Wilson (1856 – 1924) US president 1913 – 1921
• Mao Zedong (1893 – 1976) Leader of Chinese Communist revolution
• Katherine Hepburn (1907 – 2003) American actress
• Audrey Hepburn (1929 – 1993) British actress and humanitarian
• David Beckham (1975 – )  English footballer
• Tiger Woods (1975 – ) American golfer
• Usain Bolt (1986 – ) Jamaican athlete and Olympian
• Carl Lewis (1961 – ) US athlete and Olympian
• Prince Charles (1948 – )  Heir to British throne
• Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis (1929 – 1994) American wife of JF Kennedy
• Joe Biden (1942 – ) US President
• Kim Kardashian (1980 – ) American socialiate
• C.S. Lewis (1898 – 1963) British author
• Billie Holiday (1915 – 1959) American jazz singer
• J.R.R. Tolkien (1892 – 1973) British author
• Billie Jean King (1943 – ) American tennis player and human rights activist
• Margaret Thatcher (1925 – 2013) British Prime Minister 1979 – 1990

More famous people

• Anne Frank (1929 – 1945) Dutch Jewish author who died in Holocaust
• Simon Bolivar (1783 – 1830) Venezuelan independence activist in South America.
• Marie Antoinette (1755 – 1793) French Queen, executed during the French revolution
• Cristiano Ronaldo  (1985 – ) Portuguese footballer.
• Emmeline Pankhurst  (1858 – 1928) English suffragette.
• Emile Zatopek  (1922 – 2000) Czech athlete
• Desmond Tutu (1931 – 2021) South African Bishop and opponent of apartheid
• Lech Walesa  (1943 – ) Polish leader of Solidarity movement
• Julie Andrews  (1935 – ) British singer, actress
• Florence Nightingale  (1820 – 1910) British nurse
• Marie Curie  (1867 – 1934) Polish / French scientist
• Stephen Hawking (1942 – ) British scientist
• Tim Berners Lee (1955 – ) English creator of World Wide Web
• Aung San Suu Kyi (1945 – ) Burmese opposition leader
• Lance Armstrong (1971 – ) American cyclist
• Shakira  (1977 – ) Colombian singer
• Jon Stewart (1962 – ) American comedian
• Wright Brothers   Orville (1871 – 1948) and Wilbur (1867 – 1912) American inventors, aviation pioneers
• Ernest Hemingway (1899 – 1961) American author
• Roman Abramovich (1966 – ) Russian oligarch
• Tom Cruise (1962 – ) American actor
• Rupert Murdoch (1931 – ) Media owner of News Corporation
• Al Gore (1948 – ) US presidential candidate and environmental campaigner
• Sacha Baron Cohen (1971 – ) English comedian
• George Clooney (1961 – ) American actor and political activist
• Paul Krugman  (1953 – ) American Nobel Prize winning economist
• Jimmy Wales (1966 – ) American creator of Wikipedia
• Brad Pitt (1963 – ) Actor
• Kylie Minogue (1968 – ) Australian singer and actress
• Stephen King (1947 – ) American author

More Famous people

Famous historical figures : A list of famous people throughout the ages, which includes people from ancient civilisations to the present.

Famous People Through History

• Famous people of the Renaissance (14th – 15th Century)
• Famous people of the Enlightenment (late 17th Century)
• Famous Victorians (1832 – 1901)
• Famous people of the Nineteenth Century
• Famous people of Edwardian period (1901 – 1914)
• Famous people of Inter-war period (1918 – 1939)
• Twenty-first Century

Famous by Nationality

• Bangladesh i

Citation: Pettinger, Tejvan . “Top 100 Famous People”, Oxford, UK. www.biographyonline.net , 31/01/2016. Last updated 28 Sep 2019.

1000 Years of Famous People at Amazon

Famous People by Category

• Charity workers
• Entrepreneurs
• Great thinkers
• Famous leaders
• Military leaders
• People who built America
• People who changed the world
• People who fought for human rights
• Philanthropists
• Revolutionaries
• Richest people of all time
• Sporting personalities

Famous by religion

The 50 Best Biographies of All Time

Think you know the full and complete story about George Washington, Steve Jobs, or Joan of Arc? Think again.

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links. Here’s how we test products and why you should trust us.

Biographies have always been controversial. On his deathbed, the novelist Henry James told his nephew that his “sole wish” was to “frustrate as utterly as possible the postmortem exploiter” by destroying his personal letters and journals. And one of our greatest living writers, Hermione Lee, once compared biographies to autopsies that add “a new terror to death”—the potential muddying of someone’s legacy when their life is held up to the scrutiny of investigation.

But despite its long history dating back to ancient Rome and Sumeria, biography as a genre didn’t really pop off until the middle of the twentieth century, when we became obsessed with celebrity culture. Since then, biographies of presidents, activists, artists, and musicians have regularly appeared on bestseller lists, while Hollywood continues to adapt them into Oscar bait like A Beautiful Mind, The Imitation Game , and Steve Jobs .

Why do we read so many books about the lives and deaths of strangers, as told by second-hand and third-hand sources? Is it merely our love for gossip, or are we trying to understand ourselves through the triumphs and failures of others?

To keep this list from blossoming into hundreds of titles, we only included books currently in print and translated into English. We also limited it to one book per author, and one book per subject. In ranked order, here are the best biographies of all time.

Crown The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss

You’re probably familiar with The Count of Monte Cristo , the 1844 revenge novel by Alexandre Dumas. But did you know it was based on the life of Dumas’s father, the mixed-race General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, son of a French nobleman and a Haitian slave? Thanks to Reiss’s masterful pacing and plotting, this rip-roaring biography of Thomas-Alexandre reads more like an adventure novel than a work of nonfiction. The Black Count won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 2013, and it’s only a matter of time before a filmmaker turns it into a big-screen blockbuster.

Farrar, Straus and Giroux Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret, by Craig Brown

Few biographies are as genuinely fun to read as this barnburner from the irreverent English critic Craig Brown. Princess Margaret may have been everyone’s favorite character from Netflix’s The Crown , but Brown’s eye for ostentatious details and revelatory insights will help you see why everyone in the 1950s—from Pablo Picasso and Gore Vidal to Peter Sellers and Andy Warhol—was obsessed with her. When book critic Parul Sehgal says that she “ripped through the book with the avidity of Margaret attacking her morning vodka and orange juice,” you know you’re in for a treat.

Inventor of the Future: The Visionary Life of Buckminster Fuller, by Alec Nevala-Lee

If you want to feel optimistic about the future again, look no further than this brilliant biography of Buckminster Fuller, the “modern Leonardo da Vinci” of the 1960s and 1970s who came up with the idea of a “Spaceship Earth” and inspired Silicon Valley’s belief that technology could be a global force for good (while earning plenty of critics who found his ideas impractical). Alec Nevala-Lee’s writing is as serene and precise as one of Fuller’s geodesic domes, and his research into never-before-seen documents makes this a genuinely groundbreaking book full of surprises.

Free Press Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original, by Robin D.G. Kelley

The late American jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk has been so heavily mythologized that it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. But Robin D. G. Kelley’s biography is an essential book for jazz fans looking to understand the man behind the myths. Monk’s family provided Kelley with full access to their archives, resulting in chapter after chapter of fascinating details, from his birth in small-town North Carolina to his death across the Hudson from Manhattan.

University of Chicago Press Frank Lloyd Wright: A Biography, by Meryle Secrest

There are dozens of books about America’s most celebrated architect, but Secrest’s 1998 biography is still the most fun to read. For one, she doesn’t shy away from the fact that Wright could be an absolute monster, even to his own friends and family. Secondly, her research into more than 100,000 letters, as well as interviews with nearly every surviving person who knew Wright, makes this book a one-of-a-kind look at how Wright’s personal life influenced his architecture.

Ralph Ellison: A Biography, by Arnold Rampersad

Ralph Ellison’s landmark novel, Invisible Man , is about a Black man who faced systemic racism in the Deep South during his youth, then migrated to New York, only to find oppression of a slightly different kind. What makes Arnold Rampersand’s honest and insightful biography of Ellison so compelling is how he connects the dots between Invisible Man and Ellison’s own journey from small-town Oklahoma to New York’s literary scene during the Harlem Renaissance.

Oscar Wilde: A Life, by Matthew Sturgis

Now remembered for his 1891 novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde was one of the most fascinating men of the fin-de-siècle thanks to his poems, plays, and some of the earliest reported “celebrity trials.” Sturgis’s scintillating biography is the most encyclopedic chronicle of Wilde’s life to date, thanks to new research into his personal notebooks and a full transcript of his libel trial.

Beacon Press A Surprised Queenhood in the New Black Sun: The Life & Legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks, by Angela Jackson

The poet Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1950, but because she spent most of her life in Chicago instead of New York, she hasn’t been studied or celebrated as often as her peers in the Harlem Renaissance. Luckily, Angela Jackson’s biography is full of new details about Brooks’s personal life, and how it influenced her poetry across five decades.

Atria Books Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century, by Dana Stevens

Was Buster Keaton the most influential filmmaker of the first half of the twentieth century? Dana Stevens makes a compelling case in this dazzling mix of biography, essays, and cultural history. Much like Keaton’s filmography, Stevens playfully jumps from genre to genre in an endlessly entertaining way, while illuminating how Keaton’s influence on film and television continues to this day.

Algonquin Books Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation, by Dean Jobb

Dean Jobb is a master of narrative nonfiction on par with Erik Larsen, author of The Devil in the White City . Jobb’s biography of Leo Koretz, the Bernie Madoff of the Jazz Age, is among the few great biographies that read like a thriller. Set in Chicago during the 1880s through the 1920s, it’s also filled with sumptuous period details, from lakeside mansions to streets choked with Model Ts.

Vintage Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life, by Hermione Lee

Hermione Lee’s biographies of Virginia Woolf and Edith Wharton could easily have made this list. But her book about a less famous person—Penelope Fitzgerald, the English novelist who wrote The Bookshop, The Blue Flower , and The Beginning of Spring —might be her best yet. At just over 500 pages, it’s considerably shorter than those other biographies, partially because Fitzgerald’s life wasn’t nearly as well documented. But Lee’s conciseness is exactly what makes this book a more enjoyable read, along with the thrilling feeling that she’s uncovering a new story literary historians haven’t already explored.

Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath, by Heather Clark

Many biographers have written about Sylvia Plath, often drawing parallels between her poetry and her death by suicide at the age of thirty. But in this startling book, Plath isn’t wholly defined by her tragedy, and Heather Clark’s craftsmanship as a writer makes it a joy to read. It’s also the most comprehensive account of Plath’s final year yet put to paper, with new information that will change the way you think of her life, poetry, and death.

Pontius Pilate, by Ann Wroe

Compared to most biography subjects, there isn’t much surviving documentation about the life of Pontius Pilate, the Judaean governor who ordered the execution of the historical Jesus in the first century AD. But Ann Wroe leans into all that uncertainty in her groundbreaking book, making for a fascinating mix of research and informed speculation that often feels like reading a really good historical novel.

Brand: History Book Club Bolívar: American Liberator, by Marie Arana

In the early nineteenth century, Simón Bolívar led six modern countries—Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela—to independence from the Spanish Empire. In this rousing work of biography and geopolitical history, Marie Arana deftly chronicles his epic life with propulsive prose, including a killer first sentence: “They heard him before they saw him: the sound of hooves striking the earth, steady as a heartbeat, urgent as a revolution.”

Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History, by Yunte Huang

Ever read a biography of a fictional character? In the 1930s and 1940s, Charlie Chan came to popularity as a Chinese American police detective in Earl Derr Biggers’s mystery novels and their big-screen adaptations. In writing this book, Yunte Huang became something of a detective himself to track down the real-life inspiration for the character, a Hawaiian cop named Chang Apana born shortly after the Civil War. The result is an astute blend between biography and cultural criticism as Huang analyzes how Chan served as a crucial counterpoint to stereotypical Chinese villains in early Hollywood.

Random House Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay, by Nancy Milford

Edna St. Vincent Millay was one of the most fascinating women of the twentieth century—an openly bisexual poet, playwright, and feminist icon who helped make Greenwich Village a cultural bohemia in the 1920s. With a knack for torrid details and creative insights, Nancy Milford successfully captures what made Millay so irresistible—right down to her voice, “an instrument of seduction” that captivated men and women alike.

Simon & Schuster Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson

Few people have the luxury of choosing their own biographers, but that’s exactly what the late co-founder of Apple did when he tapped Walter Isaacson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin. Adapted for the big screen by Aaron Sorkin in 2015, Steve Jobs is full of plot twists and suspense thanks to a mind-blowing amount of research on the part of Isaacson, who interviewed Jobs more than forty times and spoke with just about everyone who’d ever come into contact with him.

Brand: Random House Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov), by Stacy Schiff

The Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov once said, “Without my wife, I wouldn’t have written a single novel.” And while Stacy Schiff’s biography of Cleopatra could also easily make this list, her telling of Véra Nabokova’s life in Russia, Europe, and the United States is revolutionary for finally bringing Véra out of her husband’s shadow. It’s also one of the most romantic biographies you’ll ever read, with some truly unforgettable images, like Vera’s habit of carrying a handgun to protect Vladimir on butterfly-hunting excursions.

Greenblatt, Stephen Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare, by Stephen Greenblatt

We know what you’re thinking. Who needs another book about Shakespeare?! But Greenblatt’s masterful biography is like traveling back in time to see firsthand how a small-town Englishman became the greatest writer of all time. Like Wroe’s biography of Pontius Pilate, there’s plenty of speculation here, as there are very few surviving records of Shakespeare’s daily life, but Greenblatt’s best trick is the way he pulls details from Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets to construct a compelling narrative.

Crown Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own, by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

When Kiese Laymon calls a book a “literary miracle,” you pay attention. James Baldwin’s legacy has enjoyed something of a revival over the last few years thanks to films like I Am Not Your Negro and If Beale Street Could Talk , as well as books like Glaude’s new biography. It’s genuinely a bit of a miracle how he manages to combine the story of Baldwin’s life with interpretations of Baldwin’s work—as well as Glaude’s own story of discovering, resisting, and rediscovering Baldwin’s books throughout his life.

Why Men Should Read “Cool Girl” Lit

25 Extraordinary Books You Can Read in One Sitting

The Best Books of Fall 2024

The Best Books of 2024 (So Far)

The Best Nonfiction Books of 2024 (So Far)

The Best Horror Books of 2024

Inside the Political Book Machine

Jeff VanderMeer’s Nightmare Fuel

How the Christian Right Is Hijacking America

The First 100 Days of Trump's Second Term

Who Pays for the Arts?

The 10 Most Banned Books in America

The 55 Best Biographies of All Time

There’s something special about a good biography . It can give us insight into the life of someone we admire, entertain and inspire us, and help us learn from other people’s trials.

Thankfully, there’s no shortage of books out there documenting people’s life stories, be it in the form of autobiography or biography .

If you’re looking for a new one to pick up, which offers a captivating third-person account of another person’s life, here’s a list of the 55 best biographies to read (in our humble opinion)!

1. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson 

Isaacson explores how the innovative Steve Jobs grew up to co-found Apple, Inc. If you’re interested in the tech industry or entrepreneurship, this is a good read for you. You’ll learn about Jobs’ pioneering spirit and the impacts he made on modern technology. 

2. Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson

You’ll see a few biographies by Isaacson on this list. He’s a lauded and prolific author (not to mention former editor of Time, among other impressive positions). He wrote this biography to explore the man behind the groundbreaking work in physics and more. Read to satiate your intellectual curiosity. 

3. The Wright Brothers by David McCullough

We all know these two dynamic brothers changed aviation history, but do you know how they got there? McCullough set out to find out. Read this biography if you want to be inspired by two men who followed their dreams—all the way up into the sky. 

4. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

An intriguing title for an equally captivating biography! Lacks’ cells were—unbeknownst to her—used for medical research. Skloot wrote this biography to explore the ethics behind that decision. Read if you’re interested in the intersection between privacy and making medical advances. 

5. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow 

History enthusiasts will love Chernow’s profile of one of America’s founding fathers. Not only will you learn about Hamilton’s personal life, but you’ll witness the ways he shaped a nation. 

6. The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell 

Samuel Johnson did it all: he was a poet, an essayist, a literary critic, and many other things—including a biographer himself! Boswell wrote this biography to explore the mind behind Johnson’s prolific body of work. This one is a fun read if you’re interested in the 18th-Century England literary scene. 

7. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy by Eric Metaxas

If the title of this biography alone doesn’t make you want to read it, we don’t know what to tell you! Bonhoeffer—a German pastor who resisted the Nazis—is an excellent inspiration for any reader looking to summon more courage in their life. 

8. Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

If you’re under the impression that Cleopatra was Egyptian, exceptionally beautiful, or died from a snake bite, read this biography. Because none of those things are true! Schiff offers a fresh perspective on the famed leader. It’s a great read for any ancient history buff. 

9. The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks by Jeanne Theoharis 

Did you know Parks did a lot of activism work outside of her famous bus encounter? Get a more comprehensive look into the life of this civil rights icon in Theoharis’ biography. 

10. Pablo Picasso: A Biography by Patrick O’Brian 

Did you know Picasso wrote poems and plays and created ceramics? There’s more to this famous artist than his abstract portraits. O’Brian gives us an inside look at this creative genius. Don’t miss this one if you’re in the visual arts. 

11. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt by Edmund Morris 

Interested in American History? Grab this biography by Morris. It details Roosevelt’s political ascent and the indomitable spirit required of him to get there. 

12. Walt Disney: The Triumph of the American Imagination by Neal Gabler

If you’ve ever loved a Disney movie, you’ll want to read Gabler’s biography. He takes readers on a journey through the magical world Disney created and gives us insight into one of the most imaginative brains of the 20th century. 

1 3. Queen Victoria by Lytton Strachey 

Did you know that Queen Victoria was the second longest-reigning monarch? Learn about her life in this biography by Strachey. It’s a great read for anyone intrigued by the Victorian era (which, yes, was named after the queen). 

14. Mozart: A Life by Maynard Solomon 

Can’t get enough of Symphony No. 40 in G Minor? This is the biography for you. Solomon takes a deep dive into Mozart’s creative talent and the world of classical music. 

15. The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt by T.J. Stiles

Interested in entrepreneurship ? There’s no better read for you than Stiles’ biography of Cornelius Vanderbilt, a ruthless businessman who dramatically influenced America’s economic landscape. 

16. Grant by Ron Chernow 

Another presidential biography by Chernow, this one profiles Ulysses S. Grant’s journey as the Union general and president of the United States. Read this biography if you’re intrigued by the tumultuous time in American history over which Grant presided. 

17. The Woman Who Smashed Codes by Jason Fagone

We can all agree there aren’t enough biographies written about badass women. (Maybe you’ll be the next to write one ?) But we’re thankful for this epic profile by Fagone. It profiles Elizabeth Smith Friedman, a World War II codebreaker who contributed heavily to the field of cryptography. Read for a serious dose of girl power. 

18. CoCo Chanel: The Legend and the Life by Justine Picardie 

Got a bottle of Chanel No. 5 sitting on your shelf? You should pick up this biography by Picardie. In it, we get a glimpse of the iconic fashion designer’s career journey, and also her personal life. 

19. Charles Dickens: A Life by Claire Tomalin

Fans of A Tale of Two Cities will want to grab a copy of Tomalin’s excellent memoir . You’ll learn about the famous Victorian novelist, including about his lesser-known social activism. 

20. Kafka: The Early Years by Reiner Stach 

Calling all existentialists. You’ll want to get your hands on Stach’s biography of Kafka. Learn about this enigmatic writer’s relationships, struggles, and unique creative process. (P.S. Be sure to read the other books in this three-volume series on Kafka.)

21. Elon Musk: Tesla, SpaceX and the Quest for a Fantastic Future by Ashlee Vance 

Looking for something contemporary? Try Vance’s biography of Elon Musk. In it, you’ll get a glimpse of Musk’s efforts to transform various industries. It’s a great read for all the innovative thinkers out there!

22. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi by Katherine Frank 

Gandhi was India’s first female prime minister. In her fascinating biography, Frank explores the personal and political challenges Gandhi faced during her tenure. Read this one to be reminded you can overcome any challenge. 

23. Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch by Sally Bedell Smith 

Explore the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth II in this well-researched biography. Anyone into the monarchy should pick this book up–Elizabeth II is one of the most enduring (and iconic) queens. 

24.   Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin 

Learn how Lincoln won over his opposition and steered the country through civil war in this fascinating biography. It’s a great read if you want to learn more about the early leaders who shaped the United States, or if you’re looking for inspiration on how to write a book about war .

25. The Power Broker: Robert Moses and The Fall of New York by Robert A. Caro 

Robert Moses, a power-hungry city planner, is the fascinating subject of this biography by Caro. Read it to understand how one man’s vision can transform an entire city. 

26. Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday 

Learn the sordid history of the scheming Chairman Mao Zedong. The authors of this biography spent a decade researching and interviewing to put together a book that will upend everything you know about this infamous leader. 

27. Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie 

Experience the life of Russian empress, Catherine the Great in vivid detail, courtesy of this biography by Massie. As one of the most remarkable female rulers, Catherine has an interesting story—and a tumultuous personal life—to share. 

28. The Last Lion: Winston Spencer Churchill by William Manchester and Paul Reid 

Learn about one of the United Kingdom’s most famous prime ministers and how he guided his country through World War II and beyond. This is a great biography for anyone looking to become a leader; Churchill’s invincible spirit will inspire you. 

29. Marie Antoinette: The Journey by Antonia Fraser 

Did you know Antoinette didn’t actually say “Let them eat cake”? She also wasn’t as frivolous, dim-witted, or out-of-touch as she is often portrayed. To get the real picture of what Antoinette was like, read Fraser’s biography. We promise you’ll learn something new about this infamous queen. 

30. Charles Darwin: A Biography , Vol. 1 and 2 by Janet Browne

Interested in science and biology? Don’t miss this two volume biography about Charles Darwin, who developed the theory of evolution by natural selection. You’ll learn that he was not only a scientist but deeply interested in literature and the arts. 

31. Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones

Learn about the bearded dreamer behind the creation of the beloved Muppets. This is a great biography to pick up when you need an infusion of joy and inspiration.

32. Ruth Bader Ginsberg: A Life by Jane Sherron De Hart

RBG continues to inspire women everywhere, even after her passing. If you’re one of her admirers, you’ll like De Hart’s biography. It details Ginsberg’s journey to the Supreme Court, following her legal career, gender advocacy work, and more. 

33. Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life by Jon Lee Anderson 

Learn about the Argentine Revolutionary in this biography by Anderson. You’ll gain new insights about his ideology and the massive impact he had on Latin American politics. 

34. The Secret Life of Houdini: The Making of America’s First Superhero by William Kalush and Larry Sloman 

Want to learn some of the secrets of the world’s most famous escape artist and magician? This is the biography for you. Get a glimpse into his world of illusion and escape reality for a little while. 

35. Appetite for Life: The Biography of Julia Child by Noël Riley Fitch

We all know and love the ebullient Julia Child. Now you can learn about how she rose to culinary stardom in this biography by Fitch. Read this when you want to feel inspired to get back into the kitchen. 

36. Catherine de Medici: Renaissance Queen of France by Leonie Frieda 

Learn about the life of this powerful queen in Frieda’s biography. It’s a great read for anyone interested in the Renaissance, the French court, and the monarchy. 

37. Andrew Carnegie by David Nasaw 

Want to know more about one of America’s most famous industrialists? Track down a copy of Nasaw’s biography. It covers not only Carnegie’s business empire but his philanthropic legacy too. Carnegie made many enduring contributions to libraries, education, and more.

38. Shakespeare: The Biography by Peter Ackroyd 

Here’s one for the classic literature students. Learn all about the poet and playwright’s life and literary achievements. This biography would make a great gift for the Romeo and Juliet fan in your life. 

39. The Queen’s Agent: Sir Francis Walsingham and the Rise of Espionage in Elizabethan England by John Cooper

Need a break from mystery novels but still want to read something spy-centric? Cooper’s biography is for you. In it, you’ll explore the life of Elizabeth I’s spymaster, who had a large hand in shaping modern espionage. 

40. The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer by Siddhartha Mukherjee

Want to read a biography about something other than a person? Here’s an interesting—if morbid—alternative. Get a comprehensive overview of the history and science of cancer. Plus learn about the progress we’re making to fight the disease. 

41. Madame Curie: A Biography by Eve Curie 

This very special biography of Madam Curie—the first woman to win a Nobel prize—was written by her own daughter. Get Eve’s personal perspective on her mother’s life, her groundbreaking work in the field of radioactivity, and more. This one is a can’t-miss. 

42. Nikola Tesla: Imagination and the Man Who Invented the 20th Century by Sean Patrick 

Interested in inventor and engineer Nikola Tesla? Here’s the biography for you. Get insights into the brilliant mind behind major innovations in electricity and technology. 

43. The Man Who Knew Infinity: A Life of the Genius Ramanujan by Robert Kanigel  

Torn between your love of math and reading? You don’t have to choose with this biography by Kanigel. It details the life of Srinivasa Ramanujan, a genius Indian mathematician who changed the game with his contributions to number theory. 

44. The Man Who Invented Christmas: How Charles Dickens’s A Christmas Carol Rescued His Career and Revived Our Holiday Spirits by Les Standiford 

Ready to get in the holiday spirit? Read Standiford’s biography to learn about Dickens’s life and how his classic literary masterpiece changed the holidays forever. 

45. The Man Who Loved China: The Fantastic Story of the Eccentric Scientist Who Unlocked the Mysteries of the Middle Kingdom by Simon Winchester

Are you a Sinophile? You’ll love this biography by Winchester. It details the life of Joseph Needham, a British biochemist who did extensive work on the history of science in China. Read to learn about his contributions to cross-cultural understanding.

46. The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss 

Curious about the man who inspired the character in The Count of Monte Cristo ? Read this biography about Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, a mixed-race soldier who had a notable influence on literature and history. 

47. The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers 

Did you know Yemen has a rich coffee heritage? Eggers profiles Mokhtar Alkhanshali, a Yemen-American who revitalizes Yemen’s coffee industry amidst the country’s turmoil. 

48. The Lives of the Muses: Nine Women and the Artists They Inspired by Francine Prose 

How about a biography of nine people instead of one? In this unique book, Prose shares a glimpse into the lives of the women behind some of our most famous artists’ influential works. 

49. The Immortal Irishman: The Irish Revolutionary Who Became an American Hero by Timothy Egan

Interested in the intersection of Irish and American history? Read Egan’s biography to learn about Thomas Francis Meagher, an Irish revolutionary who played a key role in both the Irish Rebellion and the American Civil War. 

50. Queen Isabella: Treachery, Adultery and Murder in Medieval England by Alison Weir 

Intrigued by the bold queen who helped to overthrow her husband? Pick up Weir’s biography. You’ll get to know the life and politics of one of the most infamous members of the monarchy. 

51. Hannibal: The Enemy of Rome by Leonard Cottrell 

Love learning about epic battles and warfare? Learn about the Carthaginian general and his legendary campaigns against Rome in Cottrell’s biography. 

52. Galileo: A Life by James Reston Jr.

Want to learn more about the famed Italian scientist and astronomer? This biography delves deep into not only Galilieo’s contributions to the scientific revolution but also his turbulent relationship with the Catholic church. 

53. Mary S he lley by Miranda Seymour 

Shelley was just 18 years old when she wrote Frankenstein , an achievement all the more remarkable when you consider the decade in which she wrote it. If you’d like to learn more about this genius author, Seymour’s book is for you. 

54. Casanova: The World of a Seductive Genius by Laurence Bergreen

In the mood for something sensual and informative? Look no further than Bergreen’s biography of Casanova. The Italian libertine made a lasting impact on European culture and now you can follow along with his escapades. 

55. Joan of Arc: A Life Transfigured by Kathryn Harrison 

Want to be inspired by some serious girl power? Read this biography about the French Heroine who helped alter the course of the Hundred Years’ War. You’ll learn about her faith, her mission, and her incredible leadership prowess.  

Final thoughts 

Now that you know what biographies are a must-read, it’s time to hit the library. Or if you’d like to, you can start writing a biography . Or maybe now you feel inspired to write a memoir (in case you need one, here’s a refresher on the difference between a memoir and biography ). If this sounds insurmountable, we’re here to help. After all, when you have a clear plan and someone holding your hand along the way, the process is much easier to complete. 

We’ve helped thousands of writers self-publish their own books, and we can help you too. To get started, just schedule a book consultation or download your Ebook below. We can’t wait to meet you! 

Best Biographies

Discover the lives of remarkable individuals through the best biographies, chosen from a wide array of reputable literary sources and biography enthusiasts. these compelling reads offer intimate portraits and have earned accolades across numerous literary discussions..