The definition of a biographer is ‘a person who writes an account of someone’s life’.
With National Biographer’s Day on the 16th, I was thinking about the multitude of biographies available in libraries and bookstores around the globe. Many are, of course, about famous people. These biographies give us a glimpse into a person’s life from an external source’s perspective. They may be quite accurate to some degree, but can anyone really know another person, truly? All of us have internal lives, places in our minds and souls that are private.
There have been a lot of biographies throughout history that try to gain that inner perspective. Some are better than others, especially when written by a spouse, or another close relative. We need to keep in mind these narratives are one person’s idea of another, a viewpoint from ‘outside’ another’s personality and life. Some raise questions about behaviour, life experiences and relationships seen through the archetype of mass perception. However, we are drawn to these stories to find a deeper connection to a favoured personality, a movie star, an historical figure, or industrial giant.
For me one autobiography that stands out is by Sheila Hancock entwined with a biography of her late husband John Thaw – The Two of Us – ‘When John Thaw, star of The Sweeney and Inspector Morse, died from cancer in 2002, a nation lost one of its finest actors and Sheila Hancock lost a beloved husband. In this unique double biography she chronicles their lives – personal and professional, together and apart.’ Personally, I loved this actor. His characters had depth and he played them with expertise and understanding and a unique style.
Which biographies have you enjoyed?
Mandy Eve-Barnett's Blog for Readers & Writers 