Thursday, November 5, 2009

The Bio-Sphere

This week's Booking Through Thursday asks about a preference for biographies or autobiographies. My answer: both, depending on the subject. I prefer professional biographies of famous people, including historical figures, politicians, and celebrities. For instance; Thomas Paine: Enlightenment, Revolution, and the Birth of Modern Nations, by Craig Nelson (reviewed here) The Age of Reagan (Vol. II): The Conservative Counterrevolution, 1980 - 1989 by Steven F. Hayward (which I am just finishing now) Paul Newman: A Life by Shawn Levy (reviewed here) But I prefer autobiographies, or memoirs, of non-famous people. This is a new interest of mine, which I can trace back precisely to when Hubby gave me a copy of Oh! The Glory of it All!* by Sean Wilsey when we lived in San Francisco (Wilsey being the unsung son of San Francisco socialites). Since then, I have enjoyed several "random memoirs" -- as I think of them -- about non-famous people living interesting lives. These include: 7 Wheelchairs: A Life Beyond Polio by Gary Presley (reviewed here) Forbidden Bread by Erica Johnson Debeljak (reviewed here) * One of my favorite book titles of all times.

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