Family Stories, Biographies, and Memoirs

 

Both readers and writers sometimes get confused about the difference between family stories,  biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs. They're all about peoples' lives, aren't they? Yes, but there are also distinct differences in the four. In addition, they are all nonfiction. 

FAMILY STORIES:  These are pieces of family history. Each individual story tells about a person and/or event. You might be writing about your grandfather who came to America on a ship in 1925. Or about your grandmother who had the biggest vegetable garden in the county. Or maybe your Aunt Nellie whose wedding was ruined by a tornado. Or your great-aunt Olivia who did animal impersonations. Or about Uncle Henry who suffered from depression. These stories will give younger and future family members a picture of their extended family or ancestors. They are usually written for the family to read, not for publication. Although, the person writing the family stories can assemble them into a book. They need not be chronological. Assemble them any way you want to. Occasionally, a family story can be submitted to a magazine or anthology, but that is not the number one aim.

BIOGRAPHY:  It's a look at a person's life from birth to the present or when death occurred. Another person writes the life story after interviews and research. Biographies are usually about a historical figure or a celebrity--a known name. We often read biographies of a person we've admired and would like to know more about his/her life. Authors of biographies want publication

AUTOBIOGRAPHY:  This kind of book is basically the same as a biography, but it is written by a person about his/her own life. To me, it feels more personal, and the reader is able to see the writer's own thoughts and feelings about the events in that person's life from birth to the present. Again, the author hopes for publication.

MEMOIR:  Memoir can be divided into two categories--long and short. The long, of course, is a full book while the short can be a 1000 word piece, or even shorter. Memoirs are narrower in scope than a biography. Instead of relating the story of a life in chronological order, it focuses on a situation, a problem, or a relationship. It is limited to a phase or time period and is based on feelings and memories. The writer relates the experience but also what they learned. Memoir books appear to be quite popular today. For some reason, readers enjoy being privy to the life of another person, to see what obstacles they faced and how they did so. Short memoir pieces work well for anthologies like Chicken Soup for the Soul or for contests. Those who write memoirs are striving for publication. 

Do You Read Biographies?

My local library sent me a list of new biographies and memoirs this morning. At the top of the list, I found the one I wanted to read. Maeve Binchy has always been one of my favorite authors. Actually, I like to call her storyteller because she had a gift for doing just that. She died two years ago and her final book, A Week In Winter, was published posthumously. So yes, I definitely want to read Maeve Binchy The Biography.

I've always felt that Ms. Binchy drew from her own background when writing her novels, much the same as Catherine Cookson had done. Read more about this new biography at Amazon.

All this brings me to today's topic--reading biographies. Far too many readers avoid nonfiction. Instead, they want an entertaining, heart-thrilling novel in their hands. I like those, too, but biographies are fascinating. We read about the lives of people we either admire or find disgusting. Humans are a curious lot--we want to know what made a person the way he/she was. What happened to them early on that influenced their accomplishments later in life? Who were the people who had an impact on them? 

We also read biographies to learn life lessons through what others have done. Even in the middle grades of elementary school, teachers encouraged us to read biographies. I remember reading about Jane Adams who started a settlement house for the poor in Chicago at a time in history when women usually sat inside on a sunny afternoon and did needlework. They didn't become activists. The story of her life stayed with me for many years. I had an example of a strong woman. Her story may have encouraged many a young woman to work for a cause, stand up for a belief and help others. And it led me to read more biographies. Pretty easy to write a book report for English class on someone's life story. We also learned a great deal of history through that kind of book.

We don't want to read a biography that reads like a report. A biographer needs to put some zip into the life story he's telling. We don't want to read a list of dates and places as much as we want to read personal anecdotes that reveal the character traits of the person in the book. Like all authors, there are outstanding biographers and mediocre ones, as well.

You probably prefer reading a biography of a person you admire rather than one you don't. Unless it satisfies you to read about character flaws in the disliked person. Author, Kitty Kelley, made a lot of money writing unauthorized biographies. She dug up all the dirt she could find on a celebrity and wrote a book. They sold well. They're OK to read now and then, but don't take every bit of information as gospel truth. It may not be exactly as written; that's something the reader must sift and sort for themselves.

Autobiographies tend to have a narrower focus than a biography written by another person. They also give us a close glimpse into the person who is writing his/her own life story. If they don't fudge, it should be true because who would know the story better? 

If you haven't read a biography before, or haven't read one for a long time, take some time to check that section in your bookstore, local library or online. There's a wealth of treasure to choose from, something that should appeal to almost every reader. Take a look at the list at GoodReads.

I noted that there is one copy of the Maeve Binchy biography at my library. It is out but there were no other holds on the book. Guess who put in a request? I'm looking forward to curling up on the couch with a book I know I'll enjoy. 

A Good Autobiography

Why do we enjoy reading about the lives of others so much? Biographies and autobiographies continue to be popular. I've just finished reading Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin. It' s the selection for my July Book Club. The woman who had chosen the book gave it to me, saying "It's a quick read." I wondered if she was apologizing for it or why she made the statement.

I noticed that the copy I had is a Young Readers edition, but I checked and there is an adult version  plus a movie made after the book was published. My friend was right. It was a quick read but also an interesting one. 

Li Cunxin was the sixth of seven sons in a peasant family who lived in one of the early communes in China during Mao's regime. He grew up in abject poverty with a stern but caring father and a mother who offered great love to all her sons. It was all she had to give. The boys were destined to work in the fields for the good of China as their father had done, but Fate stepped in for Cunxin. He was selected to attend a ballet school in Beijing when only age 11.

The autobiography continues through his years of schooling, the way he grew to love ballet, and his desperate homesickness. Fate intervened once again with his being chosen to go to Houston, Texas for two months to study with a famed choreographer. At age 18, he was overwhelmed with America, having been taught only of it's capitalist evils. Returning to China, he fights hard to return for a one year training period with the Houston Ballet Company. He rises to stardom, finds love and defects only a day before he is to return to China for good. The afterword allows us to see what has happened to him since his defection. He is married, father of three children, and is a motivational speaker who lives in Australia now. 

When we read a biography, we can't help but compare the person's life to our own. We often end up admiring the person's journey through life, what they did to help others, or perhaps a great contribution to society that they've made. I also find it's a way to learn about other cultures and about the human mind. What makes people do things that others might never have attempted? What makes them have the drive to succeed when others are content to wallow in misery? In the case of this story, it gives an opportunity to see the way the government rule of the Chinese people affects their everyday life. And again--we cannot help but compare it to our own system. 

I give a gold star to those who write autobiographies because they are leaving a perfectly wonderful personal history for their families. How fantastic it would be for someone to hand you a book written by your great-grandfather telling his life story. What a treasure!

I wouldn't want to read a steady diet of biographies, but once in awhile, they prove to be a rewarding read. What biography have you read that has stayed in your mind for a long time? 

How About Biographies?

What's your take on biographies? Only a select group of writers write them, but a great many readers devour them. It's got to be the curious side of the human nature that creates interest in other people's lives.

Granted, most biographies are written about a person who has celebrity status of some sort. Whether it's in the entertainment world, the arts, history, or politics, the subject of a biography is someone others would like to learn about. Occasionally, you run across a biography of a lesser known individual, but I'm guessing they seldom sell many copies unless they have a fantastic marketing plan and something about the person being written about sparks interest by readers.

I enjoy reading biographies but I admit that I'm pretty selective when it comes to which ones. I need to have more than a passing interest in the person who is the subject of the book. Same with autobiographies. Whether they are written by the person himself/herself or a (supposedly) objective second party, the life story of someone can be slanted in any way the writer wants it to go. She can capitalize on the good parts of the person's life or feature the tough times, maybe even the distasteful times. Author's choice!

We assume the biography is a factual account of a person's life, but keep in mind that the facts can be turned to whatever slant the author wishes. Even so, learning about a person's life gives the reader a fuller view and perhaps changes the perception they have of that person.

Some of the people whose biographies or autobiographies I've enjoyed reading were about:
Barbara Bush
John Adams
Dwight Eisenhower
Katherine Graham
Amelia Earhart
Frank Sinatra

There are many more that I might have listed above. I'd like to know what some of your favorites have been. Ulterior motive here--I need to select a book for my Book Club to read in April and I'm looking for suggestions.