Biography is a genre with a long history, but today it has gained new vitality and is widely loved by the public. From biographies of role models in classical antiquity to biographies of public figures today, the form, rules, and purposes of biography have evolved. This book provides an excellent introduction to the art of biography, outlines the cultural and historical background of different types of biography, various factors that influence biography writing, and explores many controversies about biography. How should biography be defined? Does a biography have to be true? Does the biographer need to know the subject personally? Are different strategies, ethics, and rules needed when writing for different people? In the book, biography researcher Elmiona Lee proposes a number of rules for what we imagine to be biographies, and then breaks them one by one, leading us closer to the reality and essence of biography.
Reader comments
I particularly enjoyed the author's perspective on breaking traditional rules and allowing me to see the diversity of biographies. However, I kind of hate the character who always doubts the veracity of the biography. This reminds me of "The Biography of Su Dongpo". They both explore the authenticity of the biography and the purpose of writing it.
Biography is a genre that is both popular and controversial. But anyway, I personally value this literary category very much. I have read no less than a hundred biographical books, involving Chinese and foreign celebrities in various fields and different eras. After reading the book "Biography", I have a better understanding of this literary genre.
I particularly enjoyed the author's perspective on breaking traditional rules and allowing me to see the diversity of biographies. However, I kind of hate the character who always doubts the veracity of the biography. This reminds me of "The Biography of Su Dongpo". They both explore the authenticity of the biography and the purpose of writing it.
Biography is a genre that is both popular and controversial. But anyway, I personally value this literary category very much. I have read no less than a hundred biographical books, involving Chinese and foreign celebrities in various fields and different eras. After reading the book "Biography", I have a better understanding of this literary genre.