Famous Biographies

12 of the Best Books and Articles on: Famous Biographies

as selected by Questia School librarians.

1.

Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith, and Love
by Dava Sobel. 420 pgs.

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Title Page

Contents

Part One: Jo Florence

[i]: She Who Was So Precious to You

[ii]: This Grand Book the Universe

[iii]: Bright Stars Speak of Your Virtues

[iv]: To Have the Truth Seen and Recognised

[v]: In the Very Face of the Sun

[vi]: Observant Executrix of God's Commands

[vii]: The Malice of My Persecutors

[viii]: Conjecture Here Among Shadows

Part Two: On Bellosguardo

[ix]: How Our Father is Favored

[x]: To Busy Myself in Your Service

[xi]: What We Require Above All Else

[xii]: Because of Our Zeal

[xiii]: Through My Memory of Their Eloguence

[xiv]: A Small and Trifling Body

[xv]: On the Right Path, by the Grace of God

[xvi]: The Tempest of Our Many Torments

Part Three: In Rome

[xvii]: While Seeking to Immortalize Your Fame

[xviii]: Since the Lord Chastises Us with These Whips

[xix]: The Hope of Having You Always Near

[xx]: That I Should Be Begged to Publish Such a Work

Part Four: In Care of the Juscan Embassy, Villa Medici, Rome

[xxi]: How Anxiously I Live, Awaiting Word from You

[xxii]: In the Chambers of the Holy Office of the Inquisition

[xxiii]: Jainglorious Ambition, Pure Ignorance, and Inadvertence

[xxiv]: Faith Vested in the Miraculous Madonna of Impruneta

[xxv]: Judgment Passed on Your Book and Your Person

Part Five: At Siena

[xxvi]: Not Knowing Hwo to Refuse Him the Keys

[xxvii]: Terrible Destruction on the Feast of San Lorenzo

[xxviii]: Recitation of the Penitential Psalms

[xxix]: The Book of Live, Or, Aprophet Accepted in His Own Land

Part Six: From Arcetri

[xxx]: My Soul and Its Longing

[xxxi]: Until I Have This from Your Lips

[xxxii]: As I Struggle to Understrand

[xxxiii]: The Memory of the Sweetnesses

In Galileo's Time

Florentine Weights, Measures, Currency

Bibliography

Notes

Appreciation

Art Credits

Index
2.

Hitler: A Study in Tyranny
by Alan Bullock. 850 pgs.

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Title Page

Contents

Illustrations

Preface to the Revised Edition

Acknowledgement

Abbreviations

Book I: Party Leader 1889-1933

Chapter One: The Formative Years 1889-1918

Chapter Two: The Years of Struggle 1919-24

Chapter Three: The Years of Waiting 1924-31

Chapter Four: The Months of Opportunity October 1931-30 January 1933

Book II: Chancellor 1933-9

Chapter Five: Revolution After Power 30 January 1933-August 1934

Chapter Six: The Counterfeit Peace 1933-7

Chapter Seven: The Dictator

Chapter Eight: From Vienna to Prague 1938-9

Chapter Nine: Hitler's War 1939

Book III: War-Lord 1939-45

Chapter Ten: The Inconclusive Victory 1939-40

Chapter Eleven: 'The World Will Hold Its Breath' 1940-1

Chapter Twelve: The Unachieved Empire 1941-3

Chapter Thirteen: Two Julys 1943-4

Chapter Fourteen: The Emperor Without His Clothes

Epilogue

Bibliography

Index
3.

Woodrow Wilson (won the 1959 Pulitzer Prize)
by Arthur Walworth. 438 pgs.

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Title Page

Acknowledgment

Contents

Chapter I: A Boy Finds Amidst Civil Strife

Chapter II: A Student Commands His Own Development

Chapter III: Amateur in Life

Chapter IV: Noticeable Man

Chapter V: Family Man

Chapter VI: University Pastor

Chapter VII: Voice in the Wilderness

Chapter VIII: Principles, Not Men

Chapter IX: From Campus to Political Arena

Chapter X: Fall of an Old Regime

Chapter XI: Prime Minister of New Jersey

Chapter XII: Candidate for the Presidency

Chapter XIII: Choice of the Democracy

Chapter XIV: Winning the Presidency

Chapter XV: Time to Think

Chapter XVI: At Home in the White House

Chapter XVII: Revolution in a Democracy

Chapter XVIII: Banking and Currency Reform

Chapter XIX: Clarifying the Antitrust Laws

Chapter XX: Moral Frontiers Abroad

Chapter XXI: Philistines in Mexico

Chapter XXII: A Foreign Policy Takes Shape

Chapter XXIII: In the Valley of the Shadow

Chapter XXIV: Carrying on Alone

Chapter XXV: A Lonely Man Finds a Comrade
4.

Theodore Roosevelt: A Biography (won the 1932 Pulitzer Prize)
by Henry F. Pringle. 627 pgs.

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Title Page

Foreword

Contents

Illustrations

Book I

Chapter I: Teedie

Chapter II: Growth

Chapter III: Thou Goddess, Indifference!

Chapter IV: Alice Lee

Chapter V: Butter and Jam

Chapter VI: I Rose like a Rocket

Chapter VII: Practical Politician

Chapter VIII: Gentleman Cowhand

Chapter IX: The Years Between

Chapter X: A Job Once More

Chapter XI: Sword of Righteousness

Chapter XII: The Nation in Peril

Chapter XIII: Lord of the Navy

Chapter XIV: A Bully Fight

Chapter XV: Reward for a Hero

Chapter XVI: Yearnings and Consummation

Book II

Chapter I: Middle of the Road

Chapter II: The First Attack

Chapter III: The Rights of Labor

Chapter IV: The Big Stick

Chapter V: Setting for a Melodrama

Chapter VI: I Took Panama

Chapter VII: Trimming Sail

Chapter VIII: The Imperial Years Begin

Chapter IX: Imperial Years

Chapter X: The Japanese Menace

Chapter XI: Malefactors of Great Wealth

Chapter XII: The Wicked Speculators

Chaper XIII: Substantial Justice

Chapter XIV: Handing Down the Law

Chapter XV: End of the Reign

Book III

Chapter I: The First Error

Chapter II: Among the Kings

Chapter III: Return Triumphant

Chapter IV: True Democracy

Chapter V: Battling for the Lord

Chapter VI: Drums of War

Chapter VII: The Final Blow

Appendix

Bibliography

Index
5.

Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History
by Fawn M. Brodie. 594 pgs.

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Title Page

Thomas Jefferson: An Intimate History

Contents

Illustrations

Foreword

Acknowledgments

Chapter I: The Semi-Transparent Shadows

Chapter II: The Parents

Chapter III: A Sense of Family

Chapter IV: A Capacity for Involvement

Chapter V: A Problem with the Forbidden

Chapter VI: Martha Jefferson

Chapter VII: The Revolutionary

Chapter VIII: Jefferson and Independence‐ the Domestic Problem

Chapter IX: The Flight from Power

Chapter X: Jefferson and the War

Chapter XI: Jefferson Writes a Book

Chapter XII: The Two Marthas

Chapter XIII: The Return to Politics

Chapter XIV: Restlessness and Torment

Chapter XV: My Head and My Heart

Chapter XVI: The Second Interlude

Chapter XVII: Sally Hemings

Chapter XVIII: The Revolutionary Goes Home

Chapter XIX: The Satellite Sons

Chapter XX: Disillusionment in Eden

Chapter XXI: Triangles at Monticello

Chapter XXII: Candidate à Centre Coeur

Chapter XXIII: Callender

Chapter XXIV: Jason

Chapter XXV: Betrayal

Chapter XXVI: Jefferson Under Attack

Chapter XXVII: Death, Hatred, and the Uses of Silence

Chapter XXVIII: Jefferson and Burr

Chapter XXIX: A Genius for Peace

Chapter XXX: Like a Patriarch of Old

Chapter XXXI: Writer of Letters

Chapter XXXII: The Monticello Tragedy

Appendices

Appendix I, Part 1: Reminiscences of Madison Hemings

Appendix I, Part 2: Reminiscences of Israel Jefferson

Appendix II: My Head and My Heart

Appendix III: The Family Denial

Notes

Bibliography

Index
6.

George Washington: A Biography, Vol. One
by Douglas Southall Freeman. 554 pgs.

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Title Page

Contents

Illustrations

Introduction

Chapter I an Ambitious Landed Society (1640-1722)

Chapter II the Rise of the Washingtons (1657-February, 1732)

Chapter III Changing Homes and Fortunes (february, 1732-April, 1743)

Chapter IV Virginia During the Youth of Washington (1740-1752)

Chapter V George Touches the Frontier (1746-April, 1748)

Chapter VI George's Part in New Speculation (april, 1748-February, 1752)

Chapter VII the Adjutant Makes a Decision (february, 1752-October, 1753)

Chapter VIII a Mission Uncovers a Pending Advance (november, 1753-January, 1754)

Chapter Ixwashington Unhappily Loses His First Race (january, 1754-April, 1754)

Chapter X First Military Success (april, 1754-May, 1754)

Chapter XI "I Went Out, Was Soundly Beaten, Lost Them All . . ." (june, 1754-July 4, 1754)

Chapter XII "And Had My Commission Taken from Me or . . ." (july 5, 1754-November 15, 1754)

Appendix 1-1 the Northern Neck Proprietary to 1745

Appendix 1-2

Appendix 1-2

Appendix 1-2

Appendix I-5 the American Ancestry of Mary Ball

Appendix 1-6 the Cost of Washington's Birthplace Washington Vs the Jones Estate

Appendix 1-7 Myths and Traditions of Washlngton

Appendix 1-8 Outline of Section of Chapter IV

Appendix 1-9 Critique of Washington's Journal of 1754

Appendix 1-10 the Capitulation of Fort Necessity
7.

Mr. Lincoln
by Richard N. Current, J. G. Randall. 392 pgs.

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Title Page

Preface

Contents

Illustrations

Chapter One: A Man's Outlook

Chapter Two: Thus Stood Lincoln

Chapter Three: The Ann Rutledge Story

Chapter Four: The House on Eighth Street

Chapter Five: Rise to Fame

Chapter Six: Springfield To Washington

Chapter Seven: Presidential Days

Chapter Eight: Lonely White House Pair

Chapter Nine: Attention of The President

Chapter Ten: The Gift of Laughter

Chapter Eleven: Commander in Chief

Chapter Twelve: These Honored Dead

Chapter Thirteen: Public Relations

Chapter Fourteen: Vindictives And Vindication

Chapter Fifteen: The Great Emancipator

Chapter Sixteen: God's Man
8.

President Reagan: The Role of a Lifetime
by Lou Cannon. 890 pgs.

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In this definitive biography, a former "Washington Post" White House correspondent has completely updated the information to reflect an additional nine years' perspective on Reagan's life and legacy.

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Title Page

Also by Lou Cannon

Contents

Preface to the 1991 Edition

Preface to the 2000 Edition

1: Back to the Future

2: A Reagan Portrait

3: The Acting Politician

4: The Acting President

5: Offstage Influences

6: Heroic Dreams

7: Halcyon Days

8: Kidding on the Square

9: Hail to the Chief

10: Passive President

11: The Loner

12: Staying the Course

13: Focus of Evil

14: Freedom Fighters

15: Lost in Lebanon

16: An Actor Abroad

17: Morning Again in America

18: Turning Point

19: Darkness at Noon

20: Struggles at Twilight

21: The New Era

22: Visions and Legacies

Notes

Bibliography

Acknowledgments

Index

About the Author
9.

East to the Dawn: The Life of Amelia Earhart
by Susan Butler. 489 pgs.

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Title Page

Contents

Preface

Part One

1: Colonial Heritage

2: Kansas Girl

3: The End of Childhood

4: Teenage Years

5: A Life of Purpose and Action

6: California

7: Breaking Through

Part Two

8: Dreams of Glory

9: Vortex

10: Trepassey

11: Golden Girl

12: Dreams Come True

13: Courtship and Marriage

14: The Lindbergh Trail

15: Having Her Cake

16: Role Model

Part Three

17: New Records

18: New Frontiers

19: The Plan

20: The Beginning

21: The Flight

22: Lost

23: Later

Notes

Sources

Acknowledgments

Index
10.

Susan B. Anthony: The Woman Who Changed the Mind of a Nation
by Rheta Childe Dorr. 371 pgs.

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Title Page

Foreword

Contents

Part I

Chapter I: A Study in Failure

Chapter II: An Early American Idyl

Chapter III: Andrew Jackson Ends the Idyl

Chapter IV: The Smartest Woman in Canajoharie

Chapter V: The Women's Declaration of Independence

Chapter VI: The Teacher Becomes Temperance Crusader

Chapter VII: Susan Meets Elizabeth Cady Stanton

Chapter VIII: And Joins the Bloomer Brigade

Chapter IX: Napoleon Takes the Field

Chapter X: Buchanan Keeps Us Out of War

Chapter XI: Susan Wins Her First Victory

Part II

Chapter XII: War and Emancipation

Chapter XIII: The Women's Loyal League

Chapter XIV: It is the Negro's Hour

Chapter XV: Another Richmond in the Field

Chapter XVI: The "Revolution"

Chapter XVII: Dropping the Pilot

Chapter XVIII: Enter Victoria Woodhull

Chapter XIX: The Terrible Year

Chapter XX: The United States Vs. Susan B. Anthony

Part III

Chapter XXI: Beecher, Tilton and Social Purity

Chapter XXII: Plodding On

Chapter XXIII: A Home at Seventy

Chapter XXIV: Palms in the Twilight

Chapter XXV: Soldier Sleep

Chapter XXVI: Carry On

Index
11.

Shakespeare: A Life
by Park Honan. 479 pgs.

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In the most complete, accurate, and up-to-date narrative of Shakespeare's life ever written, Park Honan uses a wealth of fresh information to dramatically alter our perceptions of the actor, poet, and playwright.

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Title Page

Contents

List of Illustrations

Introduction

A Note on Conventions Used in the Text

I: A Stratford Youth