Sometimes life can give us a bunch of lemons that can either make or break our lives. There are those who get beaten with all the lemons that are thrown at us by life, while there are others that make good lemonades out of them. To cope up with the ups and downs of life, some opt to write. Both good and bad experiences can be expressed through writing, which made this activity a good avenue for expression and learning.
These real and raw stories of bravery, happiness, heartache, victory, etc. can be turned into beautiful works of literature under the biography genre. In order for your story to become a biography, it should contain real records of your personal life. However, biographies don’t mandate you to solely write about yourself, because you can also write a biography of a person that you look up to, idolize, and such. In order for you to get better get some tips in writing these kinds of stories, here are the best biographies that you should read for inspiration and for your 2021 reading list.
Becoming by Michelle Obama
This New York Times and Amazon bestselling nonfiction novel of the former First Lady of the United States shows how Michelle Obama became the strong and powerful woman that she is now. Becoming narrates her childhood experiences when she was living in the South Side of Chicago, her being a career woman and a mother, her becoming into a First Lady. With her genuineness and wit, Michelle expressed both her victories and downfalls in her book. Hence, Becoming is a very intimate book that contains the soul and essence of a remarkable woman who has firmly withstood all expectations and inspires readers to have the guts to do the same.
The Nine Lives of Curious Edith by Edith Vosefski
In 2020, the book of etiquette expert, speaker, teacher, and author Edith Vosefski titled The Nine Lives of Curious Edith rather was published by Fig Factor Media. This promising biography tells the story of how the optimistic author from Downers Grove, Illinois is living a love-filled life. When she finished college, she became a housemother in a home for kids, an educator, a homemaker, a psychiatric hospital’s program admin, and Northern Illinois School of Etiquette’s founder. Moreover, in Vosefski books on The Nine Lives of Curious Edith, I mean in Vosefki’s book titled The Ninth Lives of Curious Edith; Edith shares how she shows her affection and care to others with a special sense of humor that shows life can be enjoyable and serious at the same time.
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
The notable Maya Angelou is the author of the 1969 popular biography titled I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. Although this book is considered as an autobiography for it is based clearly on the life of the author, it was mixed with elements of fiction, making it a fusion of both fiction and nonfiction. The book narrates the experiences of Angelou when she was young. It follows Maya’s journey as a 3-year-old girl until she entered motherhood when she was 16 years old. This coming-of-age biography shows racism and trauma were conquered by the author through fortitude and passion for literature.
The Truths We Hold: An American Journey by Kamala Harris
Published in 2019 by Penguin Press, Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris’ book titled The Truths We Hold: An American Journey is considered as one of the best nonfiction books today. It recounts her experiences as a child of immigrants who was raised in an area that cared so much about social justice, which is Oakland, California. Her parents met when they were Berkeley’s graduate students and activists during a campaign on civil rights. Hence, as Kamala grows u, she is really outspoken when it comes to her love for justice. She brought this passion as she continues to grow as the remarkable woman that she already is.
My Own Words by Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mary Harnett, and Wendy W. William
America’s Supreme Court Justice, the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote her biography called My Own Words along with Mary Hartnett and Wendy W. Williams. It contains the speeches and works of Bader Ginsburg when she was an 8th grader. Hence, it is her first book after being hailed as Supreme Court of Justice. My Own Words got multiple positive reviews from Kirkus Reviews, The New Republic, USA Today, and among others.
The Damsel’s Files 