Autobiography Recommendations? - Page 2

JoelArnold · 01-17-2011, 09:36 AM

Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air is semi-autobiographical, in that he was on Mt. Everest when the events he describes in the book happened. Very gripping and well-done.

DixieGal · 01-17-2011, 09:53 AM

My husband's book. Get the free sample in order to try before you buy. Click the link below.

screwballl · 01-17-2011, 01:40 PM

Regardless of what you personally thought of him, Decision Points by George W Bush is a very good read that actually gies a very good look inside the events of his life and presidency.

Also right now I am reading I. Asimov, Isaac Asimovs biography (but I believe there were some parts added posthumously, still have to get to that part to find out for sure) . About 30% through and a very good read.

Jaime_Astorga · 01-17-2011, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Maggie Leung

Thanks for this recommendation. I had a couple of other Feynman books, but didn't know about this one. I just finished it and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Your welcome! If you are not aware of it, I mention that there is a sequel called "What Do You Care What Other People Think?": Further Adventures of a Curious Character that you may also find enjoyable.

Maggie Leung · 01-17-2011, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaime_Astorga

Your welcome! If you are not aware of it, I mention that there is a sequel called "What Do You Care What Other People Think?": Further Adventures of a Curious Character that you may also find enjoyable.

Thanks! I plan to read that, too. Reading "Surely You're Joking" has me wanting to reread my other Feynman books as well, but I've also got about a dozen new books I wanna read. Starting the year with an embarrassment of riches.

Jaime_Astorga · 01-18-2011, 06:30 AM

Cool ^_^

I have one more biography to recommend, this time to people who like computers and technology. Sam Williams's Free as in Freedom, a biography of Richard Stallman, is great for those who want to learn a bit more about the father of free software. As a bonus, there's Eric Raymond's "A Fan of Freedom: Thoughts on the Biography of RMS", which I feel is a very nice complement.

pdurrant · 03-18-2011, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jaime_Astorga

I heavily recommend "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character. It's full of fun and interesting stories that actually happened to famous scientist Richard Feynman, and he has a really endearing way of telling them.

I'd like to add to the recommendations for this book. You can find some excepts at 'his' blog. I'm particularly fond of the anecdote about the dollar for a patent.

http://www.myspace.com/richard_feynman/blog/332428072

siraks · 03-18-2011, 06:43 PM

i second that of decision points just started it myself.

dirt-motley crue but not sure if its available on the kindle.

slash is really good, big gnr fan so it was a good read.

i currently have on my kobo

tough guy - by bob probert
and
playing with fire - theo fleury

both i heard were really good, can't wait to finish decision points so i can jump into these two.

mldavis2 · 03-19-2011, 07:07 AM

"Personal History" by Katharine Graham, an autobiography, was a 1998 Pulitzer Prize winner. She died several years back but the book is a good read and candid insight into Washington politics with some interesting views of past presidents from a woman who was the only female head of a Fortune 500 company in those days.

seagull · 03-19-2011, 07:39 AM

My Autobiography by Charlie Chaplin is a good read and none of it was ghostwritten. The same goes for The Words by Jean Paul Sartre and The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mahatma Gandhi. Long Walk to Freedom is good too but I don't think it was entirely written by Nelson Mandela.

Billjr13 · 03-21-2011, 08:29 PM

I will second "American on Purpose" good read especially if you like his tv show. (The hummor is the same.) I just read "Stuntman" by Hal Needham fun read and if you like movies and TV shows from the 60s 70s 80s and 90s you have probably seen him in action even if you don't know who he is.

philandjan · 03-24-2011, 12:34 PM

It's interesting that nobody has recommended Tony Blair's autobiography.

Is that because it should be filed under "Fiction" or "Horror"?

digiSara · 03-24-2011, 12:52 PM

The last paperback book I read was Stephen Fry's The Fry Chronicles. It's actually his second autobiography - the first is called Moab is my Washpot and covers his childhood years. The second one covers roughly his later teenage years through university and the early years of his comedy career.

I haven't read the first one, so it's not neccessary to read them in order - but possibly helps to know who Stephen Fry is to get much enjoyment out of it.

Hamlet53 · 03-24-2011, 02:15 PM

He may want to consider:

Just Kids by Patti Smith

Let It Bleed by Ethan Rusell & Gerard Van der Leun (not really an biography, more a snap shot in time of the Rolling Stones)

These based on what he has enjoyed before.

Hamlet53 · 03-25-2011, 10:03 AM

He also might be interested in the Sammy Hagar book.

I know that this is not a comedy threat, but looking at the photo I could not resist this.

03-19-2011, 07:39 AM	#25
seagull Addict Posts: 247 Karma: 89950 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Amazon Kindle 2	My Autobiography by Charlie Chaplin is a good read and none of it was ghostwritten. The same goes for The Words by Jean Paul Sartre and The Story of My Experiments with Truth by Mahatma Gandhi. Long Walk to Freedom is good too but I don't think it was entirely written by Nelson Mandela. Last edited by seagull; 03-19-2011 at 08:08 AM.

03-25-2011, 10:03 AM	#30
Hamlet53 Nameless Being	He also might be interested in the Sammy Hagar book. I know that this is not a comedy threat, but looking at the photo I could not resist this. Attached Thumbnails

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01-17-2011, 09:36 AM	#16
JoelArnold Fanatic Posts: 544 Karma: 1036914 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Savage, MN Device: Kindle 3	Jon Krakauer's Into Thin Air is semi-autobiographical, in that he was on Mt. Everest when the events he describes in the book happened. Very gripping and well-done.

01-17-2011, 09:53 AM	#17
DixieGal Hi There! Posts: 7,473 Karma: 2930523 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ft Lauderdale Device: iPad	My husband's book. Get the free sample in order to try before you buy. Click the link below.

01-17-2011, 01:40 PM	#18
screwballl NewKindler Posts: 504 Karma: 1865773 Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: NWFL Device: Kindle3 Wifi	Regardless of what you personally thought of him, Decision Points by George W Bush is a very good read that actually gies a very good look inside the events of his life and presidency. Also right now I am reading I. Asimov, Isaac Asimovs biography (but I believe there were some parts added posthumously, still have to get to that part to find out for sure) . About 30% through and a very good read.

01-18-2011, 06:30 AM	#21
Jaime_Astorga Member Retired Posts: 274 Karma: 4446 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Florida Device: PRS-350-SC: Sony Reader Pocket Edition	Cool ^_^ I have one more biography to recommend, this time to people who like computers and technology. Sam Williams's Free as in Freedom, a biography of Richard Stallman, is great for those who want to learn a bit more about the father of free software. As a bonus, there's Eric Raymond's "A Fan of Freedom: Thoughts on the Biography of RMS", which I feel is a very nice complement.

03-18-2011, 06:43 PM	#23
siraks use the force Posts: 575 Karma: 564666 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Ontario Device: Kobo Touch, Lenovo K1	i second that of decision points just started it myself. dirt-motley crue but not sure if its available on the kindle. slash is really good, big gnr fan so it was a good read. i currently have on my kobo tough guy - by bob probert and playing with fire - theo fleury both i heard were really good, can't wait to finish decision points so i can jump into these two.

03-19-2011, 07:07 AM	#24
mldavis2 Coffee Nut Posts: 410 Karma: 298350 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Missouri Device: Kindle 3; K4PC; Calibre	"Personal History" by Katharine Graham, an autobiography, was a 1998 Pulitzer Prize winner. She died several years back but the book is a good read and candid insight into Washington politics with some interesting views of past presidents from a woman who was the only female head of a Fortune 500 company in those days.

03-21-2011, 08:29 PM	#26
Billjr13 Addict Posts: 357 Karma: 550002 Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Colorado Device: Sony PRS 700 & 650	I will second "American on Purpose" good read especially if you like his tv show. (The hummor is the same.) I just read "Stuntman" by Hal Needham fun read and if you like movies and TV shows from the 60s 70s 80s and 90s you have probably seen him in action even if you don't know who he is.

03-24-2011, 12:34 PM	#27
philandjan Trainee Old Git Posts: 78 Karma: 162 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Dégagnac, France Device: Kindle	It's interesting that nobody has recommended Tony Blair's autobiography. Is that because it should be filed under "Fiction" or "Horror"?

03-24-2011, 12:52 PM	#28
digiSara Groupie Posts: 158 Karma: 153344 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Kobo wifi	The last paperback book I read was Stephen Fry's The Fry Chronicles. It's actually his second autobiography - the first is called Moab is my Washpot and covers his childhood years. The second one covers roughly his later teenage years through university and the early years of his comedy career. I haven't read the first one, so it's not neccessary to read them in order - but possibly helps to know who Stephen Fry is to get much enjoyment out of it.

03-24-2011, 02:15 PM	#29
Hamlet53 Nameless Being	He may want to consider: Just Kids by Patti Smith Let It Bleed by Ethan Rusell & Gerard Van der Leun (not really an biography, more a snap shot in time of the Rolling Stones) These based on what he has enjoyed before.

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