“Biographies are but the clothes and buttons of the man. The biography of the man himself cannot be written”.
—Mark Twain
There are people that have lived an absolutely remarkable life and had a lot to contribute to the society as a person and thus, there are books written on them referred as biographies and multiple ones sometimes covering different aspects and events of their lives.
The biographies mentioned in this list are just as captivating as excellent novels. Their sole purpose being bringing the subjects back to life through their tale explained by their respective authors. These are some of the best and most reliable biographies written by man, from the mysterious lives of those wed to Henry VIII to the latest Queen and longest ruling monarch of England, these books are sure to draw you in.
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
Henry the VIII, the supreme head of English church is known for many things from his tyrannical reign to him having six wives. His first wife, Catherine of Aragon was divorced which was heavily influenced by his second wife, Anne Boleyn, who didn’t take long to be beheaded. Soon after Jane Seymour came into the picture who passed away in child birth.
Then came Anne of Cleves, German royalty who was also divorced due to Henry’s personal tastes. The fifth wife Catherine Howard came into picture; she was beheaded because of her promiscuity out of wedlock. Then the last survivor came his sixth wife, Catherine Parr who saw Henry to the end of his life.
Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman
Catherine The Great, the daughter of a bankrupt aristocrat was betrothed and later married to the grand duke Peter, heir to the Russian throne at just the age of 16. After she got her husband arrested she later went on to become the sole empress of Russia at only 33 years old.
Her strong reign lasting 34 years as she fought the Turks and repressed rebellions, she took on many lovers yet ended up committing to General Potemkin.
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton born in the British West Indies originally from an impoverish family rose up to be a hero and a scholar. His father deserted when he was young and his mother died due to sickness when he was just 11. After a tragic hurricane hit his town he set his sights high.
When he was 19 he travelled to the United States empowering the spirit of freedom and independence with some other remarkable names. During the revolutionary war, he served as George Washington’s right hand man and was later given his own battalion. After the war Washington appointed him as the first secretary of treasury. Later he was shot in a duel with his first friend and then vice president Aaron Burr in 1808.
Cleopatra: A Life
Cleopatra known as the last queen of Egypt, she ruled for the time period of 51 to 30 BC. The author Stacy Schiff aims to separate fact from fiction and bring light to the woman who had been shrouded in mystery and myths for centuries.
She uncovers Cleopatra’s relationship with Julius Ceaser and Mark Antony along with her deals and relations with the Roman empire and other powerful people from the century.
The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt was born in New York and was the second child of a prestigious family, he also suffered from asthma from an early age. Roosevelt is naturally curious and self-motivated. It is because of this passion that he gets accepted into Harvard University at just age 17, where he studied law and natural history of which he excelled at.
He’s especially devastated after the death of his father. The War of 1812 specially catches his eye and spends a lot of time studying naval warfare. Sometime after his father’s death a female student, Alice Lee caught his eye and although not then, sometime into the future the two ended up getting married.
Nicholas and Alexandra: The Classic Account of the Fall of the Romanov Dynasty
This biography tells the non-fictional yet unbelievable rule of Russia’s last Tsar and Tsarina. As the monarchs struggle with the immense pressure of being royalty in an age where revolution was at its peak.
It shows us the tale of their immense battle with oppressing protests and revolts and the heart breaking illness of the hemophiliac son. The role of Rasputin’s influence on the fading image if the Russian royalty and the ultimate fall of the Romanov dynasty.
Benjamin Franklin: An American Life
Most Americans recognize the well-known name of Benjamin Franklin and his involvement in building a great nation as a founding father. He has an unquenchable thirst to learn and a hunger for knowledge, along with that he also strove to fight injustices.
A free spirit with an intellectable eye for intelligence. In his lifetime, he tackled many issues, from ending slavery to emancipating men. He stood for the phrase that all men are created equal, and played a key role in the development and coming to age of the young nation.
John Adams
This book paves the enthralling life of John Adams, from his young life, through his vice presidency and to his death in the early 1800’s. He was an esteemed man of great intelligence, getting married to wise and valiant Abigail Adams.
He was a major scale in history, one of the fellow founding fathers and overall, an ambitious and fascinating man to ever live.
Thomas Jefferson: The Art of Power
A true Renaissance man, Jefferson was soft-spoken and reserved akin to Washington, but an intellectual, a complex man. Initially, his power originated from his ideals and stances birthed from the revolutionary war. He came to believe deeply in the essence of individual liberty, its importance and how the British were opposing it and oppressing it.
Jefferson had belief in the faith as he insisted that church and state should be separate. Throughout his life, Jefferson oftentimes feared that a strong and powerful central government hurt individual rights and liberty, taking power from the people. In all honesty, he was innovative, a man who separated his work life and personal matters, The first secretary of state, the second vice president and the third president of the United States.
Marie Antoinette: The Journey
There are several myths revolving around Marie Antoinette and the most remarkable one is “let them eat cake” but the biography written by Antonia Fraser unravels the truth shrouded deep within and refutes all the rumors created by the revolutionary French men created as propaganda.
Marie was often neglected as a child and only through a series of unfortunate series of death in her family she was betrothed to Louis XVI who had quite the similar life. Although Marie generally had more control and was extravagant, her generosity and kindness were swept aside as the revolutionaries painted her in bad taste.
Elizabeth the Queen: The Life of a Modern Monarch
Elizabeth took over the throne after her father Prince Albert passed away who was the son of King George V. Throughout her reign as a monarch Elizabeth has undergone and mitigated many internal and external political controversies, affairs and guided the crown through hardship and her strong leadership. This book also tackles the controversies in her personal life as her relationship with Diana faded and her falling out with the royal family.
Washington: A Life
This book provides a healthy contrast between general Washington’s strengths as a military leader, his competency to admit his faults and listen to his soldiers while still remaining an iron grip and strong leadership among those he led. Washington was above elitism, he was humble and understanding, as was proven furthermore by his resignation.
A man respected and held high, as Abigail Adams explained, “He is polite with dignity, affable without formality, distant without haughtiness, grace without austerity—modest, wise, and good.”
Abraham Lincoln: The Prairie Years and the War years
The beginning of this book tend to start with the chronicles of his childhood, reflective teenage years, the breakout and the handling of the civil war and ends on his inexorable death. Though originally not from wealthy backgrounds Abraham Lincoln worked himself to his own legacy and permanently etched his name into history. More details about him and his daily life can be found in the volumes by Carl Sandburg.