Best biography books

401 of the world's most popular books — descriptions, covers, and classic quotes.

Biographies here are chosen for a life that still teaches — decisions, luck, and the cost of the work. Use them as a 15-minute map before you commit to the full story.

All Self Improvement Career & Success Business Health Productivity Psychology Spirituality Motivation Money & Finance Marketing Management & Leadership Lifestyle Entrepreneurship Politics Law Economy History Novel Philosophy Relationship Parenting Health & Food Communication Society & Culture Sales Education Media Technology Art & Design Sport Biography

All Creatures Great and Small (All Creatures Great and Small #1-2) by James Herriot book cover

All Creatures Great and Small (All Creatures Great and Small #1-2)

James Herriot

The Man Who Loved Only Numbers by Paul Hoffman book cover

The Man Who Loved Only Numbers

Paul Hoffman

Les fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire book cover

Les fleurs du mal

Charles Baudelaire

Think big by Ben Carson book cover

Think big

Ben Carson

A Man Without a Country by Kurt Vonnegut book cover

A Man Without a Country

Kurt Vonnegut

Solutions and Other Problems by Allie Brosh book cover

Solutions and Other Problems

Allie Brosh

The art of learning by Josh Waitzkin book cover

The art of learning

Josh Waitzkin

Paradise Lost by John Milton book cover

Paradise Lost

John Milton

A Distant Mirror by Barbara Tuchman book cover

A Distant Mirror

Barbara Tuchman

The Innovators by Walter Isaacson book cover

The Innovators

Walter Isaacson

Moralia by Plutarch book cover

Moralia

Plutarch

Gorin no sho by Miyamoto Musashi book cover

Gorin no sho

Miyamoto Musashi

Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain book cover

Medium Raw

Anthony Bourdain

Śmierć Miasta by Władysław Szpilman book cover

Śmierć Miasta

Władysław Szpilman

Don't Panic by Neil Gaiman book cover

Don't Panic

Neil Gaiman

Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe book cover

Gender Queer

Maia Kobabe

A heartbreaking work of staggering genius by Dave Eggers book cover

A heartbreaking work of staggering genius

Dave Eggers

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder book cover

Mountains Beyond Mountains

Tracy Kidder

84, Charing Cross Road

84, Charing Cross Road

Helene Hanff

The color of water by James McBride book cover

The color of water

James McBride

Leon's Story (Sunburst Books) by Leon Walter Tillage book cover

Leon's Story (Sunburst Books)

Leon Walter Tillage

Wüstenblume by Waris Dirie book cover

Wüstenblume

Waris Dirie

Red Notice by Bill Browder book cover

Red Notice

Bill Browder

Black Boy by Richard Wright book cover

Black Boy

Richard Wright

Shrill by Lindy West book cover

Shrill

Lindy West

Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner book cover

Crying in H Mart

Michelle Zauner

Zealot by Reza Aslan book cover

Zealot

Reza Aslan

Sterling Biographies: Benjamin Franklin by Maria Mihalik Higgins book cover

Sterling Biographies: Benjamin Franklin

Maria Mihalik Higgins

Une femme by Annie Ernaux book cover

Une femme

Annie Ernaux

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin book cover

Snowflake Bentley

Jacqueline Briggs Martin

How to Build a Car by Adrian Newey book cover

How to Build a Car

Adrian Newey

Small sacrifices by Ann Rule book cover

Small sacrifices

Ann Rule

Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo by Kai Hermann book cover

Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo

Kai Hermann

Spare by Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex book cover

Spare

Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex

Julius Caesar by William Shakespeare book cover

Julius Caesar

William Shakespeare

The Diary of a Young Girl- Anne Frank by Anne Frank book cover

The Diary of a Young Girl- Anne Frank

Anne Frank

Mercury and me by Jim Hutton book cover

Mercury and me

Jim Hutton

No Easy Day by Mark Owen book cover

No Easy Day

Mark Owen

The last black unicorn by Tiffany Haddish book cover

The last black unicorn

Tiffany Haddish

Hunger by Roxane Gay book cover

Hunger

Roxane Gay

Friends 'Til the End by David Wild book cover

Friends 'Til the End

David Wild

Viola Desmond Won't Be Budged by Jody Nyasha Warner book cover

Viola Desmond Won't Be Budged

Jody Nyasha Warner

The Liars' Club by Mary Karr book cover

The Liars' Club

Mary Karr

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind

William Kamkwamba

Not Without My Daughter by Betty Mahmoody book cover

Not Without My Daughter

Betty Mahmoody

El Deafo by Cece Bell book cover

El Deafo

Cece Bell

Survivor by Chuck Palahniuk book cover

Survivor

Chuck Palahniuk

Undaunted Courage by Stephen E. Ambrose book cover

Undaunted Courage

Stephen E. Ambrose