Biography

Biography scholar Catherine Parke explores the history, theory and practice of biographical writing in this indispensable introduction to the genre. Surveying biographies from classical times to the present, she provides detailed readings of works by James Boswell, Richard Ellman and Gertrude Stein, who collectively represent the many varieties of modern biography. Individual chapters are devoted to peerless writers, Samuel Johnson and Virginia Woolf. Perfect for AP through upper-level undergraduate courses, this guide also includes an extensive annotated list of works for further reading and a discursive critical bibliography.