Best Biography & Memoir Books
True stories of remarkable lives, from world leaders and explorers to artists and athletes.
Top Picks
All Biography & Memoir Books
Cleopatra: A Life
Stacy Schiff
A Bright Shining Lie: John Paul Vann and America in Vietnam
Neil Sheehan
Alexander the Great
Philip Freeman
Walter Isaacson Great Innovators e-book boxed set: Steve Jobs, Benjamin Franklin, Einstein
Walter Isaacson
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Walter Isaacson
Cleopatra: A Life
Stacy Schiff
Elon Musk
Walter Isaacson
Einstein: His Life and Universe
Walter Isaacson
Sting - Memoirs: Escape Artist
Sting
Becoming
Michelle Obama
Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis
J. D. Vance
The Road to Character
David Brooks
Outside Providence: A Novel
Peter Farrelly
Love Child
Philippa Carr
The Constellations: A Novel
James Finney Boylan
Foundation
Isaac Asimov
The Vanishing Half: A GMA Book Club Pick (A Novel)
Brit Bennett
Go Set a Watchman: A Novel
Harper Lee
Along the River: A Chinese Cinderella Novel
Adeline Yen Mah
Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever (Bill O'Reilly's Killing Series)
Bill O'Reilly
Mystery and Crime: The New York Public Library Book of Answers: Intriguing and Entertaining Questions and Answers About the Who's Who and What's
Jay Pearsall
Truman
David McCullough
Urban Forests: A Natural History of Trees and People in the American Cityscape
Jill Jonnes
Colossus: The Rise and Fall of the American Empire
Niall Ferguson
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes a biography worth reading?+
The best biographies reveal how decisions were made under pressure, what the subject actually believed (versus what they said), and what their life can teach you about navigating your own. Avoid hagiographies — books that treat their subject as flawless. The most revealing biographies are willing to show failures and contradictions.
What is the difference between a biography and an autobiography?+
A biography is written by someone other than the subject, drawing on interviews, archives, and research. An autobiography (or memoir) is written by the subject themselves. Biographies tend to be more objective; autobiographies give you the subject's own voice but naturally reflect their perspective.
Which biography books are most recommended for business readers?+
Biographies of entrepreneurs, investors, and business leaders are among the most read on this list. Books about founders who built and nearly destroyed their companies are the most instructive — they show both what works and what kills a great business.
Are these biographies available in languages other than English?+
Many major biographies are translated into German, Dutch, French, Spanish, and other languages. Check the Amazon links on individual book pages — they route to your local Amazon store where local-language editions are listed when available.