Today’s Booking Through Thursday: “Which do you prefer? Biographies written about someone? Or Autobiographies written by the actual person (and/or ghost-writer)?”
I think I’ve mentioned before that I’m not the biggest fan of biographies or autobiographies/memoirs. Both can be really dry and boring and cause me to think, “Who cares?” So I guess the answer is that I like biographies and autobiographies that are written to entertain, that have funny or thoughtful stories, and that are written by or about people I do have an interest in.
Case in point: I’m currently listening to the audiobook of Wishful Drinking, by Carrie Fisher. I’ve seen Star Wars, so I have a passing interest in Ms. Fisher (who was Princess Leia, if you don’t know that already) — nothing that would cause me to go out and get this book simply because she wrote it. I don’t really care much about people recovering from drug addiction. But! My dear friend Mary read and loved the book, citing its hilarity, and who am I to pass up funny things? I’m nearly done and I must say that even when Fisher is talking about things that would normally make me go, “Who cares?”, I’m cracking up because she is just a funny lady.
I think she had a one woman show about herself that my mom saw. She said that it was really funny. I could be thinking of a different one woman show though…
I agree with you on the biographies. I also really only like them if there is something entertaining about them. I would recommend Alan Alda's autobiography. It is amazing.
She does have a one-woman show on Broadway right now, I saw it Tuesday night. It's pretty much her reciting the book–not that that makes it any less hilarious. And she did add a few things that are more recent 🙂
And yaaaaay for the shoutout 😉
Hello – I’m an author and a fellow member of the Bookblogs site, and I wanted to invite you (and your readers) to join in my Blogsplash – there’s more information at http://www.fionarobyn.com/thawblogsplash.htm. Thanks for listening!