What is the best biography, or autobiograpy, you've ever read?

[ThomCat]

My book club meets in a few weeks and everyone has a choice of biography or autobiography, and then we vote and choose which one we'll read.

So what are the best ones you've read?

I love Margaret Forster and really enjoyed her autobiography Hidden Lives: A Family Memoir. It's not just about her, it traces back three generations of women in her family and is fascinating and very moving. She's written a "sequel" now about the men in her family but I haven't read that (just added it to my ever lengthening wish list on Amazon)

Also read a fascinating biography of Sylvia Plath recently but I'm buggered if I can remember who wrote it!

Jan, I loved Is That It? but it so obviously wasn't - I wish he's write the next one, with all the stuff about Paula and Michael Hutchence in.

Another vote for Bob Geldof here - once I got passed the first chapter (took me about a year) I couldn't put it down. It's one, along with Francis Farmer's, whose experiences stay in your memory forever.

Oh and West with the night is an amazing amazing book

Just checked re Frances Farmer the actress. I saw the film with Jessica Lange a long time ago.

I'd love to read the book, but I think I'd have nightmares .

Puff... Yes, a brilliant,but harrowing book.

I loved nigel slaters Toast too

Puff

Don't read it now, ifyou have babies.............

Do read it, but wait....if you have one ounce of hormones in you, postpone it.

It is a brilliant read, but not now, it is brilliant and harrowing at the same time, does that make sense ????

Don't normally make it to the end of autobiographies - more a fiction fan - but loved John McEnroe's.

Makes perfect sense LGJ. Thanks. Will mentally reserve it in my head for the future.

my faves :
Jenny Diski - Skating to Antarctica
Martin Amis - Experience
Tim Lott - The Scent of Dried Roses
Doris Lessing - Under My Skin
Margaret Forster - Hidden Lives
Nigel Slater - Toast

I loved Bob Geldof's and "Feel" too.
Also - golden oldies but fun:
The moon's a balloon, David Niven
Dear Me , Peter Ustinov
Hons and Rebels, Jessica Mitford.

It has to be Jung Chang's "Wild Swans." A book that everyone should read.

turquoise

And also, Bring on the empty horses, there is a line in one of those two books, where he writes about his wife Hjordis, falling down the stairs and dying, which makes me sob every time I read it.

God yes, I'd forgotten that. I was remembering how funny it was - but I remember that bit very clearly how awful it was.

It wasn't Hjordis, LGJ, it was the lovely Primmie. (Hjordis was the second one.) Is it the bit where he tells his sons she's died - I think they are looking up at the stars or something?

I haven't read either of David Niven's books for ages, I'd forgotten about them, must have another look

moo, I would also love to hear all about Paula and MH and all that but do you think he'd write it?

JanH

Yes, you are quite right, read them both, about 20 years ago. Must find them again.

I read the Oak and the Claf - Solzhenisyn's memoirs many years ago. The humerous way that someone can depict extremely non-humerous experiences was quite awesome.

In many ways it was the book that broke me out of that teenage self-obsession phase that somehow seemed to have persisted into my 20's

Probably way too heavy for your bookclub, if you say they are not looking for anything too long or heavy. But a great read for another time.

It is probably best enjoyed if you have read his fiction works - they made a lot more sense once I had read this!

Neither Biography or Auto,

But..........A Day in the Live of Ivan Denisovich, is a brilliant read.

Read it at 12, and several times since, I was too young at 12, but have enjoyed it since.

80sMum - Wild Swans was brilliant, you've just reminded me.

A million little pieces, by James Frey.

Our book club met last night and everyone thought it was a remarkable book,really almost life changing.

It is about a drug addicts rahabilitation and is beautifully written.I really really recommend it.

Not exactly a biography, but 'The daughter of time' by Josephine Tey is an accurate delve into the mystery of Richard III and absolutely bloody brilliant.

I liked Frank Skinner's But that may be too highbrow, TC...

Oooooh, turquey, Daughter of Time is one of my top 10 all-time favourites

Hons & Rebels by Jessica Mitford is fab, as is The Mitford Girls by Mary S Lovell.

I love all that stuff so interesting about Moseley, Hitler etc the second one.