a good man biography

The 27+ Best Biographies for Men to Read that Will Inspire and Motivate You to Become Your Strongest Self

Biographies, unlike self-help books, offer an almost unrestricted look into the lives of our world’s most prolific men and women and give us the rare opportunity to see how they  actually  thought and behaved…not just their theories and “ideas” about living a good life.

In my own journey, I’ve found biographies to be one of the most invaluable sources of wisdom and inspiration and one of the most powerful weapons in my personal development arsenal.

And today, I’m going to share the 27+ best biographies for men to read.

These biographies will not only inspire and motivate you, but they will educate you and help you become a more well-rounded man. You’ll get an insiders look into the mind’s of our species most successful individuals and walk away with a plethora of ideas for improving and optimizing your own life.

Let’s dive in.

The 27+ Best Biographies for Men to Read that Will Help You Become a Grounded Man

1. Leonardo DaVinci by Walter Isaacson 

But the intrigue of his life goes far beyond his accomplishments and inventions. In this excellent biography, easily one of the best biographies for men, Walter Isaacson gives a more complete view of DaVinci’s life, struggles, and accomplishments and with it, reveals powerful insights for living an exceptional life and rising to the top of your given field. A must-read for men of all ages.

2. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson 

In yet another best-selling biography from Walter Isaacson, the veil behind Jobs life and legacy is lifted and we are once more treated to a rare glimpse of the good, the bad, and the ugly responsible for one of our society’s most lauded men.

3. Sherman: Soldier, Realist, American by B. H. Lidell Hart 

Providing an excellent character study in the value of humility and calm strategy, Hart–a man responsible for some of the greatest books on military theory–gives readers a gripping and paradigm-shifting account of one of the most underrated leaders in military history. And every man would be well served to study it.

4. Edison by Matthew Josephson 

With an expertly crafted narrative and an uncanny blend of the personal, political, and scientific realities responsible for Edison’s legacy, Josephson’s biography stands out amidst the sea of dull recollections and over-enthused tomes that attempt to recount Edison’s life.

5. Eisenhower in War and Peace by Jean Smith 

In Eisenhower in War and Peace, author Jean Smith superbly shares a narrative that is both compelling and comprehensive and offers one of the most complete accounts of Eisenhower for the 21st century.

6. Socrates a Man for Our Times by Paul Johnson

7. The Power Broker by Robert A. Carro

Providing a rare glimpse into the history of both Moses and his city, The Power Broker is one of the best biographies of all time and will keep you engaged from beginning to end.

8. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand 

Whatever challenges you are facing in your life…however bad the hand life has dealt you…this excellent biography will challenge your assumptions about what’s possible and put into perspective even the grimmest of obstacles.

9. Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts

If you read carefully, you’ll walk away from this biography with invaluable insights into the greatest battle of all, the battle of your life, and discover uncommon strategies for winning the war on all fronts.

10. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer 

If you’ve ever felt the call of the wild and desired to eschew your materialistic lifestyle in pursuit of an authentic life, this incredible biography will both inform and inspire your journey (and likely leave you in tears).

11. Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert 

In his remarkable biography of Churchill, Martin Gilbert offers us one of the most cogent and complete records of Churchill’s life and with it, reveals powerful life lessons and personal strategies for achieving the impossible. It’s one of the best biographies for men today and one of my personal favorites.

12. My Personal Best by John Wooden 

An invaluable biography that is equal parts a personal memoir, self-help manifesto, and guide to high-performance leadership, My Personal Best is a must read for every man looking to take himself and his life to the next level.

13. When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi 

Truly an ineffable masterpiece, words simply cannot capture the gravity or importance of this biography. There’s a reason that the smartest and most accomplished men and women in the world count this book as one of the most important reads of their lives. And I’ll suffice it to say that every man, regardless of age, occupation, or ambition, must read this biography at some point in their life.

14. Not Fade Away by Laurence Shames 

15. Titan by Ron Chernow 

Driven by his desire to please his father, Rockefeller was a quintessential case study in obsession and ambition and Ron Chernow’s unprecedented recounting of his life (based on previously unreleased documents) offers readers one of the most gripping and insightful biographies of all time.

16. The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Though he was known for his firebrand and often violent views on racism, integration, and religion, Malcolm was a far cry from the man the modern media portrays him to be. And his autobiography (finished by Alex Halley) offers one of the most important books about American history and a disturbingly timely discussion about the racial and political realities of our nation.

17. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin 

And in his autobiography, he offers an intriguing (if biased) look at both his story and his processes for performance. I believe this is one of the all-time best biographies for men and is something that should be read, re-read, and then re-read again.

18. Benjamin Franklin by Walter Isaacson 

19. Washington by Ron Chernow 

When you put this biography down, you’ll walk away with a greater understanding of our first President and invaluable life lessons in leadership, bravery, and ethics.

20. Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie 

What’s most striking about this work, however, is the incisive and highly relevant views Carnegie held about capitalism, wealth, and the obligation of the wealthy to serve those less fortunate (a belief evidenced by the massive sums of money Carnegie donated in his later years). For any young man looking to make something of himself, this is one of the best biographies to read.

21. The Tycoons by Charles Morris

Few biographies offer a more comprehensive understanding of how the American super economy was created and, more importantly, the specific traits, habits, and thought processes that lead to such growth. For those of you looking to make your fortune and leave your own dent in this universe, this is a must-read biography.

22. A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway 

And A Moveable Feast offers a rare glimpse into the man’s mind as he recounts his time in Paris and details many of the real-life stories responsible for his greatest works. This is a must-read biography for men of any age looking to inject more aliveness, adventure, and joy into their daily lives.

23. American Sniper by Chris Kyle 

In his widely acclaimed and criticized autobiography, Kyle recounts his war stories and offers readers a rare glimpse into the realities of the War on Terror and the true cost of our freedoms. Whatever your opinion on the man might be, this biography is well worth reading and will, if nothing else, keep you entertained and enthralled from beginning to end.

24. Chronicles by Bob Dylan 

25. Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela 

This autobiography will move you in a way that few works of literature can and will leave you reconsidering your personal values, your mission, and your very identity as a human being. A must-read biography for men.

26. The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King 

A champion of compassion, equality, and education, Fred Rogers will go down in history as one of the greatest figures in American entertainment and The Good Neighbor provides an insightful and endearing look into the life of one of America’s most beloved characters.

27. John Adams by David McCullough 

Serving as both a biography and a political, religious, and social expose, John Adams is one of the best biographies ever written about one of the most fascinating Americans who ever lived.

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25 Biographies Every Man Should Read

KING OF THE WORLD by David Remnick (1998)

The greatest boxer of all time got treatment from a narrative-journalism heavyweight. The Champ had been written about as much as any athlete ever. But David Remnick did more than tell a story narrowly focused on Ali's individual experiences with victory and vice. Rather, he crafted a broad social and political narrative, then placed the boxer within it. It's a biography of a man as much as it is a biography of a myth"an American myth," Remnick writes, "who has come to mean many things to many people: a symbol of faith, a symbol of conviction and defiance, a symbol of beauty and skill and courage, a symbol of racial pride, of wit and love."

OPEN by Andre Agassi (2009)

This is the psychologist-couch confessional (that's really how Agassi and his collaborator, J. R. Moehringer, worked through it) that all great sports books strive to be. The abuse of youth training; the depths of disappointment and heights of ecstasy, recounted with acuity; the comings-clean of celebrity dating and crystal meth. (It will put you at ease that you were never the star athlete you'd hoped you'd be.) This would be a crazy book from any athlete; that it's from one of the most talented and popular tennis players in history makes it all the more irresistible.

SANDY KOUFAX

SANDY KOUFAX: A LEFTY'S LEGACY by Jane Leavy (2002)

It will make you fall back in love with baseball. In addition to being unflappable in demeanor, insurmountable in technical talent, and impenetrable in his personal privacy, Sandy Koufax pitched arguably the greatest game of all time. And it's the interplay of these braided narrativesthe life story of one of the best-ever lefties and the granular ticktock of his perfect outing in September 1965that gives Jane Leavy's bio cinematic lift. Koufax was a model of high-order talent and humility, and this book is a blueprint for living a life driven by both those virtues.

WHEN PRIDE STILL MATTERED by David Maraniss (1999)

He's the best-known football coach of all time. But his brand of leadership transcended his profession. At times he sounded like a general, a lawyer, a priest, and he might've been any of those, too. That universality lifted him to the status of deitythe most quoted and misquoted sports figure ever. This book roots him in his rightful place. Come for the football; stay for the nuanced "everything" that "winning isn't."

I AM ZLATAN by Zlatan Ibrahimovi (2012)

No book serves as a more efficient gateway drug to soccer fandom than this one. If Andre's is the shrink-couch confessional, Zlatan's is the barstool confessional. Ibrahimovi is one of the world's best soccer playersand easily its most colorful. Born in a Swedish housing project, he's a brutish attacker with unmatched instincts for goal-scoring. As well, he loves fast cars, reggae, body tats, trash-talking, calling things "advanced bullshit," and speaking in the third person. Even more fantastic is the fact that he put out the book when he was mid-career. He divulged all his secrets and burned all his bridges, even though he'd have to cross back over them again. He'd be your favorite athlete if he lived in America (which really could be his next stop).

JOE DiMAGGIO by Richard Ben Cramer (2000)

Joe DiMaggio was the ultimate ballplayer during the two decadesthe '30s and '40swhen the national gravitation toward baseball and the wattage of its stars was greater than the current-day NFL, NBA, and Hollywood combined. (And then he went ahead and married Marilyn Monroe.) It doesn't take an extraordinary writer and researcher to make Joe DiMaggio's crazy mix of public-private come off, but Richard Ben Cramer happens to be one.

EVERY LOVE STORY IS A GHOST STORY by D. T. Max (2012)

More than any other recent writer, DFW will go down as having influenced writers of future generations. As intelligent and inventive as any practitioner of both fiction and non-, he was purposefully enigmatic, some combination of glowing and wounded, prone to both witheringly awkward interviews and fantastic retorts. Wallace wrote about himselfmore than he probably meant tobut he could only stare in the mirror so long before turning away, or worse. D. T. Max, his first of surely many biographers, picked up the pieces and turned the mirror into a window. We'll long be looking through it, seeking a glimpse.

DE KOONING by Mark Stevens and Annalyn Swan (2004)

De Kooning's toilsome life defies all the stereotypes of what it means to be a "modern master." Sure, aspects of the Abstract Expressionist's life fit the bill of an artist's biographyhe made the scene at the Cedar Tavern with Rothko, Kline, and Rauschenberg, kept up an intense rivalry with Pollock, drank himself into the gutter, and swapped out lovers like painting aprons. But everything else about his story will force you to revise the way you think genius works. Learn to be great, but mostly learn to be patient. He'd grunt and scrape at his canvases for months at a time, painstakingly inching his way toward immortality.

OUT OF SHEER RAGE by Geoff Dyer (1998)

This is the least conventional biography on the list. It's not really even a bio, is it? A book about the extraordinary English writer D. H. Lawrence, it's as much about Geoff Dyer's inability to write that book. We hear you; that sounds like an abysmal premise. But Dyer is in much greater and fantastically entertaining control than he lets on. What he finds in the gaps between his own life and his subject's yields writing on the kinds of human Q's & A's he (Lawrence) and he (Dyer) share with each other and any reader.

LIFE by Keith Richards (2010)

Keith. Because: the Stones. Because: Mick Charlie Ronnie Brian Bill & Bobby. Because: Smack Jack & Coke. Because: Ronnie Anita & Patti. Because: Altamont Hyde Park & Nellcte. Because: open G tuning & the blues. Because: Two bars of "Malaguea" and you're in. This is the best book ever written about sexdrugsrocknroll. Keith Richards is its Gabriel, because who else could it be?

I DREAMED I WAS A VERY CLEAN TRAMP by Richard Hell (2013

Punk rock was as much an attitude as a musical genre, and Hell was the man who first articulated the look, the sound, and the feel. He was also as good a writer as he was a musicianthe poet laureate of punk, as proven line by line here. If you're interested in the history of rock 'n' roll, or of downtown New York, or of American cool, you need to read this book as much as you need to hear any of his records.

LAST TRAIN TO MEMPHIS by Peter Guralnick (1994) & CARELESS LOVE by Peter Guralnick (1999)

Elvis is among the most American of all Americansup there with Abe Lincoln, Martin Luther King Jr., and Henry Fordand after this two-volume masterpiece, nobody needs to write his biography ever again. Just be forewarned: It gets dark. Goddamn, does it get dark. But it's a journey worth taking, because you begin to understand that Elvis is basically American Jesusthe sacrificial lamb who lived our national fall from grace. From guffawing mama's boy to pop king, to an inglorious death facedown in vomit beside the crapper at Graceland.

AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Morrissey (2013)

That voicewarbling, wounded, or spitting acid, and often all three at oncetranslates pitch-perfectly to the page, as Moz, in full-throated lyrical melodrama, relives the afflictions that created him: the knuckle-rapping horrors of Dickensian school days in gray Manchester, the elusive sexual promises of '70s glam and punk, the never-good-enough success of the Smiths, and pinch-me solo fame. Around every mundane corner, misery lurks in the form of judges, suits, and so-called friends as life, it seems, conspires to stifle him. Of course, life didn't.

CHRONICLES: VOLUME ONE by Bob Dylan (2004)

The most written-about songwriter of all time put an end to others' attempts by writing the weirdest, most wonderful version himself. Dozens of writers had tried before, but it took Dylan doing Dylan to get to the heart of it: impressionistic line-writing, fractured chronologies, rivers of metaphor, elliptical anecdotes, andfor those looking for a little more grounding than the poetry providescameo-filled set pieces of the most satisfying sort. Rarely is there a moment when we learn how A led directly to B, but there's a concerted effort to relate not how something was but how something felt/seemed/appeared to have transpired. The sensation inside as a song began to blossom, the bite of winter slipping through his Village floorboards, the thinking made possible by a motorcycle ride along the bayouin the present or in the past or whenever, it's hard to tell. We're never quite fixed in one placeit's one man seeing and feeling kaleidoscopically, the clearest sense yet of the life of that man. Better still: Volume two is still on the slate.

DINO by Nick Tosches (1992)

Dino was the first tell-all about this inscrutable starit's also the best. Tosches pulls no punches in this unauthorized biography, which traces the Rat Packer from his early days as Dino Crocetti, a teenage gambler in Ohio, to Dean Martin, a marquee name with a $500 nose job, a cross-media sensation before "cross-media" was a thing. But Tosches is interested in more than fantastic celebrity; in unsparing detail, he traces Dino's sad, slow decline into a twilight of pills and booze. The result is a lesson in what not to do when you reach the end of your prime.

STORIES I ONLY TELL MY FRIENDS by Rob Lowe (2011)

Hardly any actors pull this off. It takes a lot of nerve to overhype your own celebrity memoir by calling it Stories I Only Tell My Friends. But Rob LoweRob Lowe! the Handsome Guy from DirecTV ads! he was in Tommy Boy !delivers on turning the inside way out. Lowe avoids the Chicken Soup sentimentalities that plague so many celeb memoirs and veers toward unflinching self-reflection and a tabloid reporter's eyehis own tabloid moments included. If every famous person told his tales the way Lowe does, the bookstore section with all the famous faces on the covers would be a much more appealing place to get lost.

ALFRED HITCHCOCK: A LIFE IN DARKNESS AND LIGHT by Patrick McGilligan (2003)

He's the most widely examined director of all time, and he's still wildly misunderstood. McGilligan's book is a master course for anyone interested in moviemaking, a boring-down into the relationships with Cary Grant, Grace Kelly, and company, and a more suitably complex building-out of the 2-D perversions (and stalker accusations) that have come to cloud his legacy in recent decades. It's a hugely big book that never feels longthe definitive take on the master.

THE KID STAYS IN THE PICTURE by Robert Evans (1994)

Evans wrote the Great Hollywood Memoir. A "half-assed actor" in the '50s, he became the head of Paramount Pictures. _Rosemary's Baby, Love Story, The Godfather, Chinatown_that sort of rap sheet. He was the consummate Hollywood cadkisser-and-teller of Gardners and MacGraws (he's been married seven times), wheeler-dealer of Marlons and Jacks, and film inspiration for Dustin Hoffman in Wag the Dog. He strove to be an unapologetic original, a true north he followed to heights from which he had a singular view of the industry. Today's straight-shooting, publicity-choked middle ground will make you restless once you've tasted this.**

** Listen to This Life

The Kid Stays in the Picture is the perfect book off which to pivot to mention that many of these biographies and memoirs are also exceptional audiobooks. Especially since actors and musicians very often read their own. ( Life, for example, features Keith Richards, Johnny Depp, and musician Joe Hurley.) Still, Evans is the ultimate. For those who don't know, he's got a voice that sounds like eight-millimeter film, swimming-pool chlorine, starlet perfume, and melted-down Oscar gold rolling around together in a dryer. Reading it with the voice in your head seems criminal by comparison.

BORN STANDING UP by Steve Martin (2007)

Steve Martin wrote it, and Steve Martin knows how to produce a flash bomb of comedy. Read it if you remember Martin's stand-up shtick in the '70s, but especially read it if you don't. Before he was a white-haired eminence who fathered brides and cheap dozens and novels about shopgirls, Martin was a hustler of the rarest qualitya showman who cut his teeth at Disneyland (!), who zagged in the face of every easier zig. Who struggled maniacally to perform with originality. That's always the best part of any movie, anyway, isn't it? The gritty hustle up the mountain. By the time sold-out arenas and Hollywood blockbusters roll around, Martin seems less to bask in his successes than be bored by them. It's a good lesson for a career and for a memoir: Get out while it's hot. Martin jams through his set and then drops the mike.

THEODORE REX by Edmund Morris (2001)

Teddy's life was so grandiose that this book, confined to merely his eight White House years, manages to amaze without even covering many of the hoary Roosevelt legends (cowboy days in the Dakotas, a heroic Rough Riders phase, that time he took a bullet to the chest but gave a speech anyway). America's youngest, most unusual president is 42 when he begins warring against Wall Street monopolies, creating national parks, and stretching a canal across Panama. "Don't fritter away your time" and "Get action," the president barks, heeding his own advice.

MALCOLM X: A LIFE OF REINVENTION by Manning Marable (2011)

America in 2015 looks a hell of a lot more like the dire 1964 that Malcolm described in his landmark "The Ballot or the Bullet" speech than the cuddly future Dr. King put forth in "I Have a Dream." Yet what's so striking about Marable's book is how the supposedly rigid beliefs of Dr. King's fiery militant foil were constantly evolving, and how he came to have no allies, just enemieswhich makes this book as suspenseful as a double-agent spy novel.

ANDREW CARNEGIE by David Nasaw (2006)

Of all the robber barons, Andrew Carnegie feels the most modern. The most likable, toothough that may sell him short (which, at five feet, he was as well). He was born a pauper and became, in the words of financier J. P. Morgan, "the richest man in the world." Sure, Carnegie was no saintin the laissez-faire Gilded Age, righteousness was rarely rewarded. He sold crap-ass securities and used an early railroad gig to ink insider deals that set him up in the steel business. He made his first million by 35 but vowed to die penniless and began funding libraries, museums, concert halls, and collegessetting an example that modern plutocrats like Bill Gates and Warren Buffett aspire to today.

A BEAUTIFUL MIND by Sylvia Nasar (1998)

It is terrifying to imagine the turns a life can take. One minute you're a rising stud of American mathematics, the brash young heir to Einstein, perhaps. The next, you're announcing that you've been appointed Emperor of Antarctica, that powers from outer space are speaking to you in coded messages. In the late 1950s, John Nash fell in a flash from genius to madness. Decades were lost. But the voices quieted; Nash re-emerged, began working again. Then they gave him the goddamn Nobel Prize. Sure, things can get pretty bleak. But they can turn around, too.

STEVE JOBS by Walter Isaacson (2011)

It's so very many things at oncea panoramic tribute to a singular American mind; the definitive portrait of the definitive American company; a playbook for engineers, designers, marketers, and managers in tech and in the wider world of anybody making products and selling them for money; an "Idiot's Guide to '70s Start-ups and '00s Revivals"; a manual for megalomania (and veganism); and a best-seller of such magnitude that it's dumb to opt out. We know it's the only book your less readerly bros have read since collegebut don't let that suggest anything other than the fact that Jobs offers up entry points for countless kinds of men.

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A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver Hardcover – June 5, 2012

In this intimate portrait of an extraordinary father-son relationship, Mark K. Shriver discovers the moral principles that guided his legendary father and applies them to his own life

When Sargent "Sarge" Shriver―founder of the Peace Corps and architect of President Johnson's War on Poverty―died in 2011 after a valiant fight with Alzheimer's, thousands of tributes poured in from friends and strangers worldwide. These tributes, which extolled the daily kindness and humanity of "a good man," moved his son Mark far more than those who lauded Sarge for his big-stage, headline-making accomplishments. After a lifetime searching for the path to his father's success in the public arena, Mark instead turns to a search for the secret of his father's joy, his devotion to others, and his sense of purpose. Mark discovers notes and letters from Sarge; hears personal stories from friends and family that zero in on the three guiding principles of Sarge's life―faith, hope, and love―and recounts moments with Sarge that now take on new value and poignancy. In the process, Mark discovers much about himself, as a father, as a husband, and as a social justice advocate. A Good Man is an inspirational and deeply personal story about a son discovering the true meaning of his father's legacy.

• Print length 288 pages
• Language English
• Publisher Henry Holt and Co.
• Publication date June 5, 2012
• Dimensions 5.95 x 1.16 x 8.66 inches
• ISBN-10 9780805095302
• ISBN-13 978-0805095302
• See all details

Editorial Reviews

“Since most people are happiest doing what they are good at, it's no wonder that Sargent Shriver was always smiling. He was good in every role he filled--husband, father, friend, public servant, and visionary. And he was as inspiring as they come. Mark's poignant tribute captures the idealism and exuberance that made us all love Sarge, and reminds us to find pleasure in the simple act of living.” ― Former President Bill Clinton

“This tender, endearing memoir is a moving portrait of a son's struggle to deal with the gradual disappearance of a beloved father through the progressive stages of Alzheimer's. It is a praiseworthy book.” ― Doris Kearns Goodwin

“This is a deeply touching story of a famous family and the private joys and trials that came with it. Mark's love letter to his Dad is one we can all learn from.” ― Tom Brokaw

“As founder of the Peace Corps, Sargent Shriver had the genius to change lives, mine included. With this powerful book, his son Mark shows a great man can also be a good man. What a joy to read about Sarge, the father. In a real way, he was father to everyone who ever served in the Peace Corps.” ― Chris Matthews

“What a lovely book this is. It's funny and sad and inspiring without being insipid. Why was it, this loving son wanted to know, that everyone described his highly accomplished father, Sarge Shriver, as a ‘good man'? In the middle of the active and ambitious Kennedy and Shriver families, Mark Shriver comes to understand his father's faith in God's love anchored him and allowed him to do all that he did so well, including dealing with his own Alzheimer's. In getting to know his father better even after his death, Shriver learns some lessons useful to all of us.” ― Cokie Roberts, author of We Are Our Mothers' Daughters

“In A Good Man , Mark Shriver gives a rich personal account of growing up with a father whose boundless optimism and life of public service made a profound difference for millions of people. Read it and come away, like Mark, reenergized and re-inspired to follow Sargent Shriver's extraordinary example.” ― Marian Wright Edelman, President, Children's Defense Fund

“Asking around, in order to write about Sarge Shriver, I could find no one with a bad word to say about him. This book tells why. The mystery of goodness is deeper than the mystery of evil.” ― Garry Wills

About the Author

Mark K. Shriver is the senior vice president of U.S. Programs at Save the Children in Washington, D.C., and a former Maryland state legislator. Shriver also started the Choice Program and served on the coalition to create the National Commission on Children and Disasters following the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. He lives with his wife and three children in Maryland.

Product details

• ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0805095306
• Publisher ‏ : ‎ Henry Holt and Co.; First Edition (June 5, 2012)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 288 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780805095302
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0805095302
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.01 pounds
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.95 x 1.16 x 8.66 inches
• #6,488 in Political Leader Biographies
• #6,666 in Religious Leader Biographies
• #26,698 in Personal Transformation Self-Help

About the author

Mark k. shriver.

Mark Shriver is President of Don Bosco Cristo Rey High School & Corporate Work Study Program, a high school serving young people in the Washington DC-area. Hailing from 60 zip codes, 85% of students qualify for free and reduced meals. Every student participates in a rigorous college-prep curriculum while working at local businesses once a week. 100% of graduates since the school’s inception in 2007 have been accepted to college.

In addition, Mark is Senior Advisor at Save the Children. Shriver joined Save the Children in 2003 and developed the agency’s domestic early childhood and school-age education programs, which today reach children in more than 200 underserved rural communities. He also created Save the Children’s domestic emergencies programs to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all children before, during and after disaster strikes.

An advocate for children throughout his career, Shriver led a national coalition that convinced Congress to create the National Commission on Children and Disasters. He was appointed to the Commission by Senator Harry Reid of Nevada; he was elected chairperson by his fellow commissioners and served in that role for the life of the Commission (2008-2011).

In 2013, Shriver created Save the Children’s political advocacy arm, Save the Children Action Network

(SCAN). SCAN seeks to build bipartisan solutions and generate voter support for policies that ensure that every child has an equal opportunity to succeed. With a grassroots network of 375,000 supporters across all 50 states, SCAN is working to ensure that every child in the U.S. has access to high-quality early childhood education, to protect migrant children arriving at the southern U.S. border and to promote girls’ empowerment around the world.

Shriver was a member of the Maryland House of Delegates from 1994 to 2002. He was the first Chair of the Joint Committee on Children, Youth and Families, and was appointed Chair of the Children and Youth Subcommittee of Maryland's House Ways and Means Committee. He was repeatedly recognized as Outstanding Legislator of the Year by prominent advocacy and civic organizations.

In 1988, Shriver founded the innovative Choice Program, which serves delinquent and at-risk youth through intensive, community-based counseling. He subsequently created The Choice Jobs Program, Inc., which trains, places, and supports former Choice clients in jobs, as well as The Choice Middle Schools Program, a model for keeping at-risk middle school children in school.

Shriver received his B.A. from The College of the Holy Cross and a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University.

A bestselling author, his latest book, 10 Hidden Heroes, was published in March 2021. He is also the author of Pilgrimage: My Search for the Real Pope Francis and A Good Man: Rediscovering My Father, Sargent Shriver.

Shriver lives with his wife, Jeanne, and their three children, Molly, Tommy and Emma, in Maryland.

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Blog – Posted on Monday, Jan 21

The 30 best biographies of all time.

Biographer Richard Holmes once wrote that his work was “a kind of pursuit… writing about the pursuit of that fleeting figure, in such a way as to bring them alive in the present.”

At the risk of sounding cliché, the best biographies do exactly this: bring their subjects to life. A great biography isn’t just a laundry list of events that happened to someone. Rather, it should weave a narrative and tell a story in almost the same way a novel does. In this way, biography differs from the rest of nonfiction .

All the biographies on this list are just as captivating as excellent novels , if not more so. With that, please enjoy the 30 best biographies of all time — some historical, some recent, but all remarkable, life-giving tributes to their subjects.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great biographies out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized biography recommendation  😉

Which biography should you read next?

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1. A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar

This biography of esteemed mathematician John Nash was both a finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize and the basis for the award-winning film of the same name. Nasar thoroughly explores Nash’s prestigious career, from his beginnings at MIT to his work at the RAND Corporation — as well the internal battle he waged against schizophrenia, a disorder that nearly derailed his life.

2. Alan Turing: The Enigma: The Book That Inspired the Film The Imitation Game - Updated Edition by Andrew Hodges

Hodges’ 1983 biography of Alan Turing sheds light on the inner workings of this brilliant mathematician, cryptologist, and computer pioneer. Indeed, despite the title ( a nod to his work during WWII ), a great deal of the “enigmatic” Turing is laid out in this book. It covers his heroic code-breaking efforts during the war, his computer designs and contributions to mathematical biology in the years following, and of course, the vicious persecution that befell him in the 1950s — when homosexual acts were still a crime punishable by English law.

3. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton is not only the inspiration for a hit Broadway musical, but also a work of creative genius itself. This massive undertaking of over 800 pages details every knowable moment of the youngest Founding Father’s life: from his role in the Revolutionary War and early American government to his sordid (and ultimately career-destroying) affair with Maria Reynolds. He may never have been president, but he was a fascinating and unique figure in American history — plus it’s fun to get the truth behind the songs.

Prefer to read about fascinating First Ladies rather than almost-presidents? Check out this awesome list of books about First Ladies over on The Archive.

4. Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston

A prolific essayist, short story writer, and novelist, Hurston turned her hand to biographical writing in 1927 with this incredible work, kept under lock and key until it was published 2018. It’s based on Hurston’s interviews with the last remaining survivor of the Middle Passage slave trade, a man named Cudjo Lewis. Rendered in searing detail and Lewis’ highly affecting African-American vernacular, this biography of the “last black cargo” will transport you back in time to an era that, chillingly, is not nearly as far away from us as it feels.

5. Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert

Though many a biography of him has been attempted, Gilbert’s is the final authority on Winston Churchill — considered by many to be Britain’s greatest prime minister ever. A dexterous balance of in-depth research and intimately drawn details makes this biography a perfect tribute to the mercurial man who led Britain through World War II.

Just what those circumstances are occupies much of Bodanis's book, which pays homage to Einstein and, just as important, to predecessors such as Maxwell, Faraday, and Lavoisier, who are not as well known as Einstein today. Balancing writerly energy and scholarly weight, Bodanis offers a primer in modern physics and cosmology, explaining that the universe today is an expression of mass that will, in some vastly distant future, one day slide back to the energy side of the equation, replacing the \'dominion of matter\' with \'a great stillness\'--a vision that is at once lovely and profoundly frightening.

Without sliding into easy psychobiography, Bodanis explores other circumstances as well; namely, Einstein's background and character, which combined with a sterling intelligence to afford him an idiosyncratic view of the way things work--a view that would change the world. --Gregory McNamee

6. E=mc²: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation by David Bodanis

This “biography of the world’s most famous equation” is a one-of-a-kind take on the genre: rather than being the story of Einstein, it really does follow the history of the equation itself. From the origins and development of its individual elements (energy, mass, and light) to their ramifications in the twentieth century, Bodanis turns what could be an extremely dry subject into engaging fare for readers of all stripes.

7. Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

When Enrique was only five years old, his mother left Honduras for the United States, promising a quick return. Eleven years later, Enrique finally decided to take matters into his own hands in order to see her again: he would traverse Central and South America via railway, risking his life atop the “train of death” and at the hands of the immigration authorities, to reunite with his mother. This tale of Enrique’s perilous journey is not for the faint of heart, but it is an account of incredible devotion and sharp commentary on the pain of separation among immigrant families.

8. Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

Herrera’s 1983 biography of renowned painter Frida Kahlo, one of the most recognizable names in modern art, has since become the definitive account on her life. And while Kahlo no doubt endured a great deal of suffering (a horrific accident when she was eighteen, a husband who had constant affairs), the focal point of the book is not her pain. Instead, it’s her artistic brilliance and immense resolve to leave her mark on the world — a mark that will not soon be forgotten, in part thanks to Herrera’s dedicated work.

9. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Perhaps the most impressive biographical feat of the twenty-first century, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is about a woman whose cells completely changed the trajectory of modern medicine. Rebecca Skloot skillfully commemorates the previously unknown life of a poor black woman whose cancer cells were taken, without her knowledge, for medical testing — and without whom we wouldn’t have many of the critical cures we depend upon today.

10. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Christopher McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp, hitchhiked to Alaska and disappeared into the Denali wilderness in April 1992. Five months later, McCandless was found emaciated and deceased in his shelter — but of what cause? Krakauer’s biography of McCandless retraces his steps back to the beginning of the trek, attempting to suss out what the young man was looking for on his journey, and whether he fully understood what dangers lay before him.

11. Let Us Now Praise Famous Men: Three Tenant Families by James Agee

"Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us.” From this line derives the central issue of Agee and Evans’ work: who truly deserves our praise and recognition? According to this 1941 biography, it’s the barely-surviving sharecropper families who were severely impacted by the American “Dust Bowl” — hundreds of people entrenched in poverty, whose humanity Evans and Agee desperately implore their audience to see in their book.

12. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

Another mysterious explorer takes center stage in this gripping 2009 biography. Grann tells the story of Percy Fawcett, the archaeologist who vanished in the Amazon along with his son in 1925, supposedly in search of an ancient lost city. Parallel to this narrative, Grann describes his own travels in the Amazon 80 years later: discovering firsthand what threats Fawcett may have encountered, and coming to realize what the “Lost City of Z” really was.

13. Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang

Though many of us will be familiar with the name Mao Zedong, this prodigious biography sheds unprecedented light upon the power-hungry “Red Emperor.” Chang and Halliday begin with the shocking statistic that Mao was responsible for 70 million deaths during peacetime — more than any other twentieth-century world leader. From there, they unravel Mao’s complex ideologies, motivations, and missions, breaking down his long-propagated “hero” persona and thrusting forth a new, grislier image of one of China’s biggest revolutionaries.

14. Mad Girl's Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson by Andrew Wilson

Titled after one of her most evocative poems, this shimmering bio of Sylvia Plath takes an unusual approach. Instead of focusing on her years of depression and tempestuous marriage to poet Ted Hughes, it chronicles her life before she ever came to Cambridge. Wilson closely examines her early family and relationships, feelings and experiences, with information taken from her meticulous diaries — setting a strong precedent for other Plath biographers to follow.

15. The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes

What if you had twenty-four different people living inside you, and you never knew which one was going to come out? Such was the life of Billy Milligan, the subject of this haunting biography by the author of Flowers for Algernon . Keyes recounts, in a refreshingly straightforward style, the events of Billy’s life and how his psyche came to be “split”... as well as how, with Keyes’ help, he attempted to put the fragments of himself back together.

16. Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder

This gorgeously constructed biography follows Paul Farmer, a doctor who’s worked for decades to eradicate infectious diseases around the globe, particularly in underprivileged areas. Though Farmer’s humanitarian accomplishments are extraordinary in and of themselves, the true charm of this book comes from Kidder’s personal relationship with him — and the sense of fulfillment the reader sustains from reading about someone genuinely heroic, written by someone else who truly understands and admires what they do.

17. Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts

Here’s another bio that will reshape your views of a famed historical tyrant, though this time in a surprisingly favorable light. Decorated scholar Andrew Roberts delves into the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, from his near-flawless military instincts to his complex and confusing relationship with his wife. But Roberts’ attitude toward his subject is what really makes this work shine: rather than ridiculing him ( as it would undoubtedly be easy to do ), he approaches the “petty tyrant” with a healthy amount of deference.

18. The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson IV by Robert A. Caro

Lyndon Johnson might not seem as intriguing or scandalous as figures like Kennedy, Nixon, or W. Bush. But in this expertly woven biography, Robert Caro lays out the long, winding road of his political career, and it’s full of twists you wouldn’t expect. Johnson himself was a surprisingly cunning figure, gradually maneuvering his way closer and closer to power. Finally, in 1963, he got his greatest wish — but at what cost? Fans of Adam McKay’s Vice , this is the book for you.

19. Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser

Anyone who grew up reading Little House on the Prairie will surely be fascinated by this tell-all biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Caroline Fraser draws upon never-before-published historical resources to create a lush study of the author’s life — not in the gently narrated manner of the Little House series, but in raw and startling truths about her upbringing, marriage, and volatile relationship with her daughter (and alleged ghostwriter) Rose Wilder Lane.

20. Prince: A Private View by Afshin Shahidi

Compiled just after the superstar’s untimely death in 2016, this intimate snapshot of Prince’s life is actually a largely visual work — Shahidi served as his private photographer from the early 2000s until his passing. And whatever they say about pictures being worth a thousand words, Shahidi’s are worth more still: Prince’s incredible vibrance, contagious excitement, and altogether singular personality come through in every shot.

21. Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss

Could there be a more fitting title for a book about the husband-wife team who discovered radioactivity? What you may not know is that these nuclear pioneers also had a fascinating personal history. Marie Sklodowska met Pierre Curie when she came to work in his lab in 1891, and just a few years later they were married. Their passion for each other bled into their passion for their work, and vice-versa — and in almost no time at all, they were on their way to their first of their Nobel Prizes.

22. Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

She may not have been assassinated or killed in a mysterious plane crash, but Rosemary Kennedy’s fate is in many ways the worst of “the Kennedy Curse.” As if a botched lobotomy that left her almost completely incapacitated weren’t enough, her parents then hid her away from society, almost never to be seen again. Yet in this new biography, penned by devoted Kennedy scholar Kate Larson, the full truth of Rosemary’s post-lobotomy life is at last revealed.

23. Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford

This appropriately lyrical biography of brilliant Jazz Age poet and renowned feminist, Edna St. Vincent Millay, is indeed a perfect balance of savage and beautiful. While Millay’s poetic work was delicate and subtle, the woman herself was feisty and unpredictable, harboring unusual and occasionally destructive habits that Milford fervently explores.

24. Shelley: The Pursuit by Richard Holmes

Holmes’ famous philosophy of “biography as pursuit” is thoroughly proven here in his first full-length biographical work. Shelley: The Pursuit details an almost feverish tracking of Percy Shelley as a dark and cutting figure in the Romantic period — reforming many previous historical conceptions about him through Holmes’ compelling and resolute writing.

25. Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin

Another Gothic figure has been made newly known through this work, detailing the life of prolific horror and mystery writer Shirley Jackson. Author Ruth Franklin digs deep into the existence of the reclusive and mysterious Jackson, drawing penetrating comparisons between the true events of her life and the dark nature of her fiction.

26. The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel

Fans of Into the Wild and The Lost City of Z will find their next adventure fix in this 2017 book about Christopher Knight, a man who lived by himself in the Maine woods for almost thirty years. The tale of this so-called “last true hermit” will captivate readers who have always fantasized about escaping society, with vivid descriptions of Knight’s rural setup, his carefully calculated moves and how he managed to survive the deadly cold of the Maine winters.

27. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

The man, the myth, the legend: Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, is properly immortalized in Isaacson’s masterful biography. It divulges the details of Jobs’ little-known childhood and tracks his fateful path from garage engineer to leader of one of the largest tech companies in the world — not to mention his formative role in other legendary companies like Pixar, and indeed within the Silicon Valley ecosystem as a whole.

28. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Olympic runner Louis Zamperini was just twenty-six when his US Army bomber crashed and burned in the Pacific, leaving him and two other men afloat on a raft for forty-seven days — only to be captured by the Japanese Navy and tortured as a POW for the next two and a half years. In this gripping biography, Laura Hillenbrand tracks Zamperini’s story from beginning to end… including how he embraced Christian evangelism as a means of recovery, and even came to forgive his tormentors in his later years.

29. Vera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) by Stacy Schiff

Everyone knows of Vladimir Nabokov — but what about his wife, Vera, whom he called “the best-humored woman I have ever known”? According to Schiff, she was a genius in her own right, supporting Vladimir not only as his partner, but also as his all-around editor and translator. And she kept up that trademark humor throughout it all, inspiring her husband’s work and injecting some of her own creative flair into it along the way.

30. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt

William Shakespeare is a notoriously slippery historical figure — no one really knows when he was born, what he looked like, or how many plays he wrote. But that didn’t stop Stephen Greenblatt, who in 2004 turned out this magnificently detailed biography of the Bard: a series of imaginative reenactments of his writing process, and insights on how the social and political ideals of the time would have influenced him. Indeed, no one exists in a vacuum, not even Shakespeare — hence the conscious depiction of him in this book as a “will in the world,” rather than an isolated writer shut up in his own musty study.

If you're looking for more inspiring nonfiction, check out this list of 30 engaging self-help books , or this list of the last century's best memoirs !

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My father: a eulogy to a good man from the greatest generation.

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The author with his father, Robert C. Frezza

The following remarks were delivered at Dad's wake, August 18, 2013.

Summing up my father's life, I keep coming back to one thought. Never will you meet a man who more faithfully lived his values.

My father was a teacher of all things. His method was simple. He taught by example. At any age, when faced with an ethical dilemma, after reflection, study, or even rationalization, I find myself coming back to one simple question. What would Dad do? His character is the foundation of my conscience.

My father's teachings are endless. Let me share a few.

My father was strong in body, in spirit, and in commitment. He never missed a single day of class from kindergarten through high school graduation, his perfect attendance award being the one honor he remembers receiving as a child.

My father never let another man down. He fulfilled every obligation he ever undertook. His word was his bond, and everyone knew it. I never heard him utter a lie, nor intentionally deceive.

My father was self-made and self-reliant. From his education to his career, from his skill with every kind of tool that could fashion wood or metal, brick or cement, my Dad engaged with the world as a man who would be its master.

My father was proud to be an engineer. In his office, on the wall next to the shop production schedule and the tool and die calendars, was a framed quote from Herbert Hoover praising the virtues of the engineer. That quote hangs on my wall today. I imagine it will one day hang on the wall of my son Brian, who carries the engineer's spirit into the world of science.

My father relished the good things in life including art and music, travel and photography, food and wine, and friends and family. While he never cultivated the intense relationship of a best buddy, or hunt or fish or play poker with the boys, the number of people who called my Dad friend was legion.

My father never made an enemy. Not one. While he most surely came across a few people he couldn't countenance, he solved the problem by simply avoiding them. He always insisted that violence never solved any problem. He never once hit another man in anger.

My father was loyal. His faithfulness to the important people in his life could be seen in the way he steadfastly maintained ties with his childhood friends. From the streets of Manhattan in the ethnic ghetto where they grew up through the weddings, christenings, holidays, and now wakes and funerals that mark the arc of life, my Dad could always be counted on to be there.

My father was never stingy. Though he was a child of the Depression who understood the value of a dollar and the importance of saving, the generosity he expressed with his money matched his generosity of spirit.

My father loved his martinis, teaching me to mix them for him when I was 12 years old. Yet I've never seen him visibly drunk, nor did he ever let strong drink cause him embarrassment, nor did he ever once get behind the wheel impaired.  Moderation was his byword in all things.

My father was responsible to the very end. How many elderly people do you know who put down their car keys and voluntarily announce that they are no longer fit to drive?

My father loved a good joke, including every imaginable kind of ethnic joke. Yet his humor was never mean spirited, nor designed to hurt or humiliate. I never once heard him utter a racial slur, nor did he ever treat anyone of any station with anything other than respect and kindness.

My father spoke openly of his admiration for the female figure, yet as far as I know he never kissed another woman besides my mother. And he loved my mother with every bone in his body, his visible affection overcoming his usual reserve. Dad's unflagging support for Mom's personal development in her career and in life created the perfect balance creating a childhood for me and my sister that today seems like a lost American dream.

My father provided a home for his widowed mother from the time he and Mom were newlyweds, letting grandma build a second life filled with the joy of her grandchildren. While Mom carried the burden of sharing a roof with her mother-in-law, Dad did his best to foster domestic tranquility.

My father took in his in-laws when they became old and infirm, taking his turn changing his father-in-law's diapers. He and Mom took in his elderly sister when she neared the end. And responsible man that he was, as Dad faced imminent infirmity he made sure that he and Mom were well situated so that when he was gone she would be well cared for in a community of their choosing.

Only twice did I ever see my father cry. The first time was in November 1963 when president Kennedy was shot. The second was in December 2001 when my son, his grandson and namesake, was taken from us shortly before his 22nd birthday. And while I knew Dad was as torn up inside as I was, his crying ceased long before mine did. Because he knew it was his job to be the rock for me to lean on.

My father had a quiet dignity, respecting himself the way he respected others. As he faced his final days, his body ravaged with the cancer that ate his bones, he occasionally lost his good humor. But he never had one moment of self-pity. The day before he passed when the hospice nurse asked him how he was doing, he gave the same answer he gave every day. I'm fine.

My father gave me a parting gift. He waited for me before he passed, to be sure his son would be there to comfort his beloved wife when his time came. The last words I was blessed to be able to share with him as I caressed his withered brow the night before he died were the same words we said to each other every night for the past year when we finished our daily phone call. I love you.

Farewell, Pop. You did good. You did real good.

Robert C. Frezza: Aug. 27, 1923 -- Aug. 16, 2013

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The 50 Best Biographies of All Time

Think you know the full and complete story about George Washington, Steve Jobs, or Joan of Arc? Think again.

Every product was carefully curated by an Esquire editor. We may earn a commission from these links.

Biographies have always been controversial. On his deathbed, the novelist Henry James told his nephew that his “sole wish” was to “frustrate as utterly as possible the postmortem exploiter” by destroying his personal letters and journals. And one of our greatest living writers, Hermione Lee, once compared biographies to autopsies that add “a new terror to death”—the potential muddying of someone’s legacy when their life is held up to the scrutiny of investigation.

Why do we read so many books about the lives and deaths of strangers, as told by second-hand and third-hand sources? Is it merely our love for gossip, or are we trying to understand ourselves through the triumphs and failures of others?

To keep this list from blossoming into hundreds of titles, we only included books currently in print and translated into English. We also limited it to one book per author, and one book per subject. In ranked order, here are the best biographies of all time.

Crown The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo, by Tom Reiss

You’re probably familiar with The Count of Monte Cristo , the 1844 revenge novel by Alexandre Dumas. But did you know it was based on the life of Dumas’s father, the mixed-race General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, son of a French nobleman and a Haitian slave? Thanks to Reiss’s masterful pacing and plotting, this rip-roaring biography of Thomas-Alexandre reads more like an adventure novel than a work of nonfiction. The Black Count won the Pulitzer Prize for Biography in 2013, and it’s only a matter of time before a filmmaker turns it into a big-screen blockbuster.

Farrar, Straus and Giroux Ninety-Nine Glimpses of Princess Margaret, by Craig Brown

Few biographies are as genuinely fun to read as this barnburner from the irreverent English critic Craig Brown. Princess Margaret may have been everyone’s favorite character from Netflix’s The Crown , but Brown’s eye for ostentatious details and revelatory insights will help you see why everyone in the 1950s—from Pablo Picasso and Gore Vidal to Peter Sellers and Andy Warhol—was obsessed with her. When book critic Parul Sehgal says that she “ripped through the book with the avidity of Margaret attacking her morning vodka and orange juice,” you know you’re in for a treat.

Inventor of the Future: The Visionary Life of Buckminster Fuller, by Alec Nevala-Lee

If you want to feel optimistic about the future again, look no further than this brilliant biography of Buckminster Fuller, the “modern Leonardo da Vinci” of the 1960s and 1970s who came up with the idea of a “Spaceship Earth” and inspired Silicon Valley’s belief that technology could be a global force for good (while earning plenty of critics who found his ideas impractical). Alec Nevala-Lee’s writing is as serene and precise as one of Fuller’s geodesic domes, and his research into never-before-seen documents makes this a genuinely groundbreaking book full of surprises.

Free Press Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original, by Robin D.G. Kelley

The late American jazz composer and pianist Thelonious Monk has been so heavily mythologized that it can be hard to separate fact from fiction. But Robin D. G. Kelley’s biography is an essential book for jazz fans looking to understand the man behind the myths. Monk’s family provided Kelley with full access to their archives, resulting in chapter after chapter of fascinating details, from his birth in small-town North Carolina to his death across the Hudson from Manhattan.

University of Chicago Press Frank Lloyd Wright: A Biography, by Meryle Secrest

There are dozens of books about America’s most celebrated architect, but Secrest’s 1998 biography is still the most fun to read. For one, she doesn’t shy away from the fact that Wright could be an absolute monster, even to his own friends and family. Secondly, her research into more than 100,000 letters, as well as interviews with nearly every surviving person who knew Wright, makes this book a one-of-a-kind look at how Wright’s personal life influenced his architecture.

Ralph Ellison: A Biography, by Arnold Rampersad

Ralph Ellison’s landmark novel, Invisible Man , is about a Black man who faced systemic racism in the Deep South during his youth, then migrated to New York, only to find oppression of a slightly different kind. What makes Arnold Rampersand’s honest and insightful biography of Ellison so compelling is how he connects the dots between Invisible Man and Ellison’s own journey from small-town Oklahoma to New York’s literary scene during the Harlem Renaissance.

Oscar Wilde: A Life, by Matthew Sturgis

Now remembered for his 1891 novel The Picture of Dorian Gray, Oscar Wilde was one of the most fascinating men of the fin-de-siècle thanks to his poems, plays, and some of the earliest reported “celebrity trials.” Sturgis’s scintillating biography is the most encyclopedic chronicle of Wilde’s life to date, thanks to new research into his personal notebooks and a full transcript of his libel trial.

Beacon Press A Surprised Queenhood in the New Black Sun: The Life & Legacy of Gwendolyn Brooks, by Angela Jackson

The poet Gwendolyn Brooks was the first African American to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1950, but because she spent most of her life in Chicago instead of New York, she hasn’t been studied or celebrated as often as her peers in the Harlem Renaissance. Luckily, Angela Jackson’s biography is full of new details about Brooks’s personal life, and how it influenced her poetry across five decades.

Atria Books Camera Man: Buster Keaton, the Dawn of Cinema, and the Invention of the Twentieth Century, by Dana Stevens

Was Buster Keaton the most influential filmmaker of the first half of the twentieth century? Dana Stevens makes a compelling case in this dazzling mix of biography, essays, and cultural history. Much like Keaton’s filmography, Stevens playfully jumps from genre to genre in an endlessly entertaining way, while illuminating how Keaton’s influence on film and television continues to this day.

Algonquin Books Empire of Deception: The Incredible Story of a Master Swindler Who Seduced a City and Captivated the Nation, by Dean Jobb

Dean Jobb is a master of narrative nonfiction on par with Erik Larsen, author of The Devil in the White City . Jobb’s biography of Leo Koretz, the Bernie Madoff of the Jazz Age, is among the few great biographies that read like a thriller. Set in Chicago during the 1880s through the 1920s, it’s also filled with sumptuous period details, from lakeside mansions to streets choked with Model Ts.

Vintage Penelope Fitzgerald: A Life, by Hermione Lee

Hermione Lee’s biographies of Virginia Woolf and Edith Wharton could easily have made this list. But her book about a less famous person—Penelope Fitzgerald, the English novelist who wrote The Bookshop, The Blue Flower , and The Beginning of Spring —might be her best yet. At just over 500 pages, it’s considerably shorter than those other biographies, partially because Fitzgerald’s life wasn’t nearly as well documented. But Lee’s conciseness is exactly what makes this book a more enjoyable read, along with the thrilling feeling that she’s uncovering a new story literary historians haven’t already explored.

Red Comet: The Short Life and Blazing Art of Sylvia Plath, by Heather Clark

Many biographers have written about Sylvia Plath, often drawing parallels between her poetry and her death by suicide at the age of thirty. But in this startling book, Plath isn’t wholly defined by her tragedy, and Heather Clark’s craftsmanship as a writer makes it a joy to read. It’s also the most comprehensive account of Plath’s final year yet put to paper, with new information that will change the way you think of her life, poetry, and death.

Pontius Pilate, by Ann Wroe

Compared to most biography subjects, there isn’t much surviving documentation about the life of Pontius Pilate, the Judaean governor who ordered the execution of the historical Jesus in the first century AD. But Ann Wroe leans into all that uncertainty in her groundbreaking book, making for a fascinating mix of research and informed speculation that often feels like reading a really good historical novel.

Brand: History Book Club Bolívar: American Liberator, by Marie Arana

In the early nineteenth century, Simón Bolívar led six modern countries—Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Panama, Peru, and Venezuela—to independence from the Spanish Empire. In this rousing work of biography and geopolitical history, Marie Arana deftly chronicles his epic life with propulsive prose, including a killer first sentence: “They heard him before they saw him: the sound of hooves striking the earth, steady as a heartbeat, urgent as a revolution.”

Charlie Chan: The Untold Story of the Honorable Detective and His Rendezvous with American History, by Yunte Huang

Ever read a biography of a fictional character? In the 1930s and 1940s, Charlie Chan came to popularity as a Chinese American police detective in Earl Derr Biggers’s mystery novels and their big-screen adaptations. In writing this book, Yunte Huang became something of a detective himself to track down the real-life inspiration for the character, a Hawaiian cop named Chang Apana born shortly after the Civil War. The result is an astute blend between biography and cultural criticism as Huang analyzes how Chan served as a crucial counterpoint to stereotypical Chinese villains in early Hollywood.

Random House Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay, by Nancy Milford

Edna St. Vincent Millay was one of the most fascinating women of the twentieth century—an openly bisexual poet, playwright, and feminist icon who helped make Greenwich Village a cultural bohemia in the 1920s. With a knack for torrid details and creative insights, Nancy Milford successfully captures what made Millay so irresistible—right down to her voice, “an instrument of seduction” that captivated men and women alike.

Simon & Schuster Steve Jobs, by Walter Isaacson

Few people have the luxury of choosing their own biographers, but that’s exactly what the late co-founder of Apple did when he tapped Walter Isaacson, the Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer of Albert Einstein and Benjamin Franklin. Adapted for the big screen by Aaron Sorkin in 2015, Steve Jobs is full of plot twists and suspense thanks to a mind-blowing amount of research on the part of Isaacson, who interviewed Jobs more than forty times and spoke with just about everyone who’d ever come into contact with him.

Brand: Random House Véra (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov), by Stacy Schiff

The Russian-American novelist Vladimir Nabokov once said, “Without my wife, I wouldn’t have written a single novel.” And while Stacy Schiff’s biography of Cleopatra could also easily make this list, her telling of Véra Nabokova’s life in Russia, Europe, and the United States is revolutionary for finally bringing Véra out of her husband’s shadow. It’s also one of the most romantic biographies you’ll ever read, with some truly unforgettable images, like Vera’s habit of carrying a handgun to protect Vladimir on butterfly-hunting excursions.

Greenblatt, Stephen Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare, by Stephen Greenblatt

We know what you’re thinking. Who needs another book about Shakespeare?! But Greenblatt’s masterful biography is like traveling back in time to see firsthand how a small-town Englishman became the greatest writer of all time. Like Wroe’s biography of Pontius Pilate, there’s plenty of speculation here, as there are very few surviving records of Shakespeare’s daily life, but Greenblatt’s best trick is the way he pulls details from Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets to construct a compelling narrative.

Crown Begin Again: James Baldwin's America and Its Urgent Lessons for Our Own, by Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

When Kiese Laymon calls a book a “literary miracle,” you pay attention. James Baldwin’s legacy has enjoyed something of a revival over the last few years thanks to films like I Am Not Your Negro and If Beale Street Could Talk , as well as books like Glaude’s new biography. It’s genuinely a bit of a miracle how he manages to combine the story of Baldwin’s life with interpretations of Baldwin’s work—as well as Glaude’s own story of discovering, resisting, and rediscovering Baldwin’s books throughout his life.

A Good Man is Hard to Find

Flannery o’connor, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Flannery O’Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Good Man: Introduction

Good man: plot summary, good man: detailed summary & analysis, good man: themes, good man: quotes, good man: characters, good man: symbols, good man: literary devices, good man: theme wheel, brief biography of flannery o’connor.

Historical Context of A Good Man is Hard to Find

Other books related to a good man is hard to find.

• Full Title: A Good Man is Hard to Find
• When Written: 1955
• Where Written: Milledgeville, GA
• When Published: 1955
• Literary Period: Southern Gothic
• Genre: Southern Gothic Short Story
• Setting: Twentieth Century Rural South
• Climax: The Grandmother reaches out and touches The Misfit, exclaiming, “You’re one of my own children,” and he shoots her three times.
• Antagonist: The Misfit
• Point of View: Third-person, mostly following the Grandmother

Extra Credit for A Good Man is Hard to Find

Fifteen Minutes of Fame. At the age of five, a photographer came to take photographs of one of O’Connor’s chickens, which she had taught to walk backwards. Film footage of this later made national newsreels.

Not Well Received. At ten years old, O’Connor began to write a series of sketches of her family members. Later in life, she described the collection, “My Relatives,” as “not well received.” Many of her family members were apparently displeased with how they were portrayed.

50 Must-Read Biographies

Rebecca Hussey

Rebecca holds a PhD in English and is a professor at Norwalk Community College in Connecticut. She teaches courses in composition, literature, and the arts. When she’s not reading or grading papers, she’s hanging out with her husband and son and/or riding her bike and/or buying books. She can't get enough of reading and writing about books, so she writes the bookish newsletter "Reading Indie," focusing on small press books and translations. Newsletter: Reading Indie Twitter: @ofbooksandbikes

View All posts by Rebecca Hussey

The best biographies give us a satisfying glimpse into a great person’s life, while also teaching us about the context in which that person lived. Through biography, we can also learn history, psychology, sociology, politics, philosophy, and more. Reading a great biography is both fun and educational. What’s not to love?

Below I’ve listed 50 of the best biographies out there. You will find a mix of subjects, including important figures in literature, science, politics, history, art, and more. I’ve tried to keep this list focused on biography only, so there is little in the way of memoir or autobiography. In a couple cases, authors have written about their family members, but for the most part, these are books where the focus is on the biographical subject, not the author.

The first handful are group biographies, and after that, I’ve arranged them alphabetically by subject. Book descriptions come from Goodreads.

Take a look and let me know about your favorite biography in the comments!

All We Know: Three Lives by Lisa Cohen

“In  All We Know , Lisa Cohen describes their [Esther Murphy, Mercedes de Acosta, and Madge Garland’s] glamorous choices, complicated failures, and controversial personal lives with lyricism and empathy. At once a series of intimate portraits and a startling investigation into style, celebrity, sexuality, and the genre of biography itself,  All We Know  explores a hidden history of modernism and pays tribute to three compelling lives.”

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

“Set amid the civil rights movement, the never-before-told true story of NASA’s African-American female mathematicians who played a crucial role in America’s space program. Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of professionals worked as ‘Human Computers,’ calculating the flight paths that would enable these historic achievements. Among these were a coterie of bright, talented African-American women.”

The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage by Paul Elie

“In the mid-twentieth century four American Catholics came to believe that the best way to explore the questions of religious faith was to write about them – in works that readers of all kinds could admire.  The Life You Save May Be Your Own  is their story – a vivid and enthralling account of great writers and their power over us.”

The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary by Simon Winchester

“As definitions were collected, the overseeing committee, led by Professor James Murray, discovered that one man, Dr. W. C. Minor, had submitted more than ten thousand. When the committee insisted on honoring him, a shocking truth came to light: Dr. Minor, an American Civil War veteran, was also an inmate at an asylum for the criminally insane.”

The Wives of Henry VIII by Antonia Fraser

“In a sweeping narrative, Fraser traces the cultural, familial and political roots of each of Henry’s queens, pushes aside the stereotypes that have long defined them, and illuminates the complex character of each.”

John Adams by David McCullough

“In this powerful, epic biography, David McCullough unfolds the adventurous life-journey of John Adams, the brilliant, fiercely independent, often irascible, always honest Yankee patriot — ‘the colossus of independence,’ as Thomas Jefferson called him.”

A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea: One Refugee’s Incredible Story of Love, Loss, and Survival by Melissa Fleming

“Emotionally riveting and eye-opening,  A Hope More Powerful Than the Sea  is the incredible story of a young woman, an international crisis, and the triumph of the human spirit. Melissa Fleming shares the harrowing journey of Doaa Al Zamel, a young Syrian refugee in search of a better life.”

At Her Majesty’s Request: An African Princess in Victorian England by Walter Dean Myers

“One terrifying night in 1848, a young African princess’s village is raided by warriors. The invaders kill her mother and father, the King and Queen, and take her captive. Two years later, a British naval captain rescues her and takes her to England where she is presented to Queen Victoria, and becomes a loved and respected member of the royal court.”

John Brown by W.E.B. Du Bois

“ John Brown is W. E. B. Du Bois’s groundbreaking political biography that paved the way for his transition from academia to a lifelong career in social activism. This biography is unlike Du Bois’s earlier work; it is intended as a work of consciousness-raising on the politics of race.”

Invisible: The Forgotten Story of the Black Woman Lawyer Who Took Down America’s Most Powerful Mobster by Stephen L. Carter

“[Eunice Hunton Carter] was black and a woman and a prosecutor, a graduate of Smith College and the granddaughter of slaves, as dazzlingly unlikely a combination as one could imagine in New York of the 1930s ― and without the strategy she devised, Lucky Luciano, the most powerful Mafia boss in history, would never have been convicted.”

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang

“An engrossing record of Mao’s impact on China, an unusual window on the female experience in the modern world, and an inspiring tale of courage and love, Jung Chang describes the extraordinary lives and experiences of her family members.”

Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff

“Her palace shimmered with onyx, garnet, and gold, but was richer still in political and sexual intrigue. Above all else, Cleopatra was a shrewd strategist and an ingenious negotiator. Though her life spanned fewer than forty years, it reshaped the contours of the ancient world.”

Einstein: His Life and Universe by Walter Isaacson

“Einstein was a rebel and nonconformist from boyhood days, and these character traits drove both his life and his science. In this narrative, Walter Isaacson explains how his mind worked and the mysteries of the universe that he discovered.”

Enrique’s Journey: The Story of a Boy’s Dangerous Odyssey to Reunite with His Mother by Sonia Nazario

“In this astonishing true story, award-winning journalist Sonia Nazario recounts the unforgettable odyssey of a Honduran boy who braves unimaginable hardship and peril to reach his mother in the United States.”

The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

“After stumbling upon a hidden trove of diaries, New Yorker writer David Grann set out to solve ‘the greatest exploration mystery of the 20th century’: What happened to the British explorer Percy Fawcett & his quest for the Lost City of Z?”

Georgiana: Duchess of Devonshire by Amanda Foreman

“Amanda Foreman draws on a wealth of fresh research and writes colorfully and penetratingly about the fascinating Georgiana, whose struggle against her own weaknesses, whose great beauty and flamboyance, and whose determination to play a part in the affairs of the world make her a vibrant, astonishingly contemporary figure.”

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon and Shana Knizhnik Ping Zhu

“Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg never asked for fame she was just trying to make the world a little better and a little freer. But along the way, the feminist pioneer’s searing dissents and steely strength have inspired millions. [This book], created by the young lawyer who began the Internet sensation and an award-winning journalist, takes you behind the myth for an intimate, irreverent look at the justice’s life and work.”

Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston by Valerie Boyd

“A woman of enormous talent and remarkable drive, Zora Neale Hurston published seven books, many short stories, and several articles and plays over a career that spanned more than thirty years. Today, nearly every black woman writer of significance—including Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, and Alice Walker—acknowledges Hurston as a literary foremother.”

Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin

“ Shirley Jackson  reveals the tumultuous life and inner darkness of the literary genius behind such classics as ‘The Lottery’ and  The Haunting of Hill House .”

The Path to Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson by Robert A. Caro

“This is the story of the rise to national power of a desperately poor young man from the Texas Hill Country. The Path to Power reveals in extraordinary detail the genesis of the almost superhuman drive, energy, and ambition that set LBJ apart.”

The Life of Samuel Johnson   by James Boswell

“Poet, lexicographer, critic, moralist and Great Cham, Dr. Johnson had in his friend Boswell the ideal biographer. Notoriously and self-confessedly intemperate, Boswell shared with Johnson a huge appetite for life and threw equal energy into recording its every aspect in minute but telling detail.”

Barbara Jordan: American Hero by Mary Beth Rogers

“Barbara Jordan was the first African American to serve in the Texas Senate since Reconstruction, the first black woman elected to Congress from the South, and the first to deliver the keynote address at a national party convention. Yet Jordan herself remained a mystery.”

Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

“This engrossing biography of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo reveals a woman of extreme magnetism and originality, an artist whose sensual vibrancy came straight from her own experiences: her childhood near Mexico City during the Mexican Revolution; a devastating accident at age eighteen that left her crippled and unable to bear children.”

Florynce “Flo” Kennedy: The Life of a Black Feminist Radical by Sherie M. Randolph

“Often photographed in a cowboy hat with her middle finger held defiantly in the air, Florynce ‘Flo’ Kennedy (1916–2000) left a vibrant legacy as a leader of the Black Power and feminist movements. In the first biography of Kennedy, Sherie M. Randolph traces the life and political influence of this strikingly bold and controversial radical activist.”

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel

“In 1986, a shy and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. He would not have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later, when he was arrested for stealing food.”

The Lady and the Peacock: The Life of Aung San Suu Kyi of Burma by Peter Popham

“Peter Popham … draws upon previously untapped testimony and fresh revelations to tell the story of a woman whose bravery and determination have captivated people around the globe. Celebrated today as one of the world’s greatest exponents of non-violent political defiance since Mahatma Gandhi, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize only four years after her first experience of politics.”

Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo”   by Zora Neale Hurston

“In 1927, Zora Neale Hurston went to Plateau, Alabama, just outside Mobile, to interview eighty-six-year-old Cudjo Lewis. Of the millions of men, women, and children transported from Africa to America as slaves, Cudjo was then the only person alive to tell the story of this integral part of the nation’s history.”

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

“Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors, yet her cells—taken without her knowledge—became one of the most important tools in medicine.”

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln by Doris Kearns Goodwin

“Acclaimed historian Doris Kearns Goodwin illuminates Lincoln’s political genius in this highly original work, as the one-term congressman and prairie lawyer rises from obscurity to prevail over three gifted rivals of national reputation to become president.”

The New Negro: The Life of Alain Locke by Jeffrey C. Stewart

“A tiny, fastidiously dressed man emerged from Black Philadelphia around the turn of the century to mentor a generation of young artists including Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, and Jacob Lawrence and call them the New Negro — the creative African Americans whose art, literature, music, and drama would inspire Black people to greatness.”

Warrior Poet: A Biography of Audre Lorde by Alexis De Veaux

“Drawing from the private archives of the poet’s estate and numerous interviews, Alexis De Veaux demystifies Lorde’s iconic status, charting her conservative childhood in Harlem; her early marriage to a white, gay man with whom she had two children; her emergence as an outspoken black feminist lesbian; and her canonization as a seminal poet of American literature.”

Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary by Juan Williams

“Thurgood Marshall stands today as the great architect of American race relations, having expanded the foundation of individual rights for all Americans. His victory in the Brown v. Board of Education decision in 1954, the landmark Supreme Court case outlawing school segregation, would have him a historic figure even if he had not gone on to become the first African-American appointed to the Supreme Court.”

Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

“In April 1992 a young man from a well-to-do family hitchhiked to Alaska and walked alone into the wilderness north of Mt. McKinley. His name was Christopher Johnson McCandless. He had given $25,000 in savings to charity, abandoned his car and most of his possessions, burned all the cash in his wallet, and invented a new life for himself.”

The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life and Times of Harvey Milk by Randy Shilts

“ The Mayor of Castro Street  is Shilts’s acclaimed story of Harvey Milk, the man whose personal life, public career, and tragic assassination mirrored the dramatic and unprecedented emergence of the gay community in America during the 1970s.”

Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford

“The most famous poet of the Jazz Age, Millay captivated the nation: She smoked in public, took many lovers (men and women, single and married), flouted convention sensationally, and became the embodiment of the New Woman.”

How to Live: A Life of Montaigne in One Question and Twenty Attempts at An Answer by Sarah Bakewell

This book is “a vivid portrait of Montaigne, showing how his ideas gave birth to our modern sense of our inner selves, from Shakespeare’s plays to the dilemmas we face today.”

The Silent Woman: Sylvia Plath and Ted Hughes by Janet Malcolm

“From the moment it was first published in The New Yorker, this brilliant work of literary criticism aroused great attention. Janet Malcolm brings her shrewd intelligence to bear on the legend of Sylvia Plath and the wildly productive industry of Plath biographies.”

Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley   by Peter Guralnick

“Based on hundreds of interviews and nearly a decade of research, [this book] traces the evolution not just of the man but of the music and of the culture he left utterly transformed, creating a completely fresh portrait of Elvis and his world.

Mrs. Robinson’s Disgrace: The Private Diary of a Victorian Lady by Kate Summerscale

“Kate Summerscale brilliantly recreates the Victorian world, chronicling in exquisite and compelling detail the life of Isabella Robinson, wherein the longings of a frustrated wife collided with a society clinging to rigid ideas about sanity, the boundaries of privacy, the institution of marriage, and female sexuality.”

Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt

“A young man from a small provincial town moves to London in the late 1580s and, in a remarkably short time, becomes the greatest playwright not of his age alone but of all time. How is an achievement of this magnitude to be explained?”

The Invisible Woman: The Story of Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan by Claire Tomalin

“When Charles Dickens and Nelly Ternan met in 1857, she was 18: a professional actress performing in his production of  The Frozen Deep . He was 45: a literary legend, a national treasure, married with ten children. This meeting sparked a love affair that lasted over a decade, destroying Dickens’s marriage and ending with Nelly’s near-disappearance from the public record.”

Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol by Nell Irvin Painter

“Slowly, but surely, Sojourner climbed from beneath the weight of slavery, secured respect for herself, and utilized the distinction of her race to become not only a symbol for black women, but for the feminist movement as a whole.”

The Black Rose by Tananarive Due

“Born to former slaves on a Louisiana plantation in 1867, Madam C.J. Walker rose from poverty and indignity to become America’s first black female millionaire, the head of a hugely successful beauty company, and a leading philanthropist in African American causes.”

Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

“With a breadth and depth matched by no other one-volume life, [Chernow] carries the reader through Washington’s troubled boyhood, his precocious feats in the French and Indian Wars, his creation of Mount Vernon, his heroic exploits with the Continental Army, his presiding over the Constitutional Convention and his magnificent performance as America’s first president.”

Ida: A Sword Among Lions by Paula J. Giddings

“ Ida: A Sword Among Lions  is a sweeping narrative about a country and a crusader embroiled in the struggle against lynching: a practice that imperiled not only the lives of black men and women, but also a nation based on law and riven by race.”

Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser

“But the true saga of [Wilder’s] life has never been fully told. Now, drawing on unpublished manuscripts, letters, diaries, and land and financial records, Caroline Fraser—the editor of the Library of America edition of the Little House series—masterfully fills in the gaps in Wilder’s biography.”

Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley by Charlotte Gordon

“Although mother and daughter, these two brilliant women never knew one another – Wollstonecraft died of an infection in 1797 at the age of thirty-eight, a week after giving birth. Nevertheless their lives were so closely intertwined, their choices, dreams and tragedies so eerily similar, it seems impossible to consider one without the other.”

Virginia Woolf by Hermione Lee

“Subscribing to Virginia Woolf’s own belief in the fluidity and elusiveness of identity, Lee comes at her subject from a multitude of perspectives, producing a richly layered portrait of the writer and the woman that leaves all of her complexities and contradictions intact.”

Malcolm X: A Life of Reinvention by Manning Marable

“Of the great figures in twentieth-century American history perhaps none is more complex and controversial than Malcolm X. Constantly rewriting his own story, he became a criminal, a minister, a leader, and an icon, all before being felled by assassins’ bullets at age thirty-nine.”

Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

“On a May afternoon in 1943, an Army Air Forces bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean and disappeared, leaving only a spray of debris and a slick of oil, gasoline, and blood. Then, on the ocean surface, a face appeared. It was that of a young lieutenant, the plane’s bombardier, who was struggling to a life raft and pulling himself aboard. So began one of the most extraordinary odysseys of the Second World War.”

Want to read more about great biographies? Check out this post on presidential biographies , this list of biographies and memoirs about remarkable women , and this list of 100 must-read musician biographies and memoirs .

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John Goodman (born June 20, 1952, Affton, Missouri , U.S.) is an American actor who was perhaps best known for his long-running role as Dan Conner in the television series Roseanne (1988–97; 2018). His imposing physical stature often garnered him movie roles playing over-the-top, larger-than-life figures.

Goodman attended Southwest Missouri State University on a football scholarship. An injury, however, ended his chances of a football career, and he began studying drama . After graduating in 1975, he moved to New York City to pursue acting jobs. He took roles in tiny dinner theatres and in television commercials before being cast in the Broadway production of Loose Ends in 1979. A few years later he again performed on Broadway in Big River (1985) as Huck Finn ’s father, the role for which he first received critical attention. Goodman began to regularly appear in films in the early 1980s, and in 1987 he played an escaped convict in the Coen brothers ’ quirky comedy Raising Arizona . His breakthrough, however, came when he was cast as the all-American blue-collar family man in the hit comedy television series Roseanne . His performances in this role earned him seven Emmy Award nominations and a Golden Globe Award (1993).

During his successful stint on Roseanne , Goodman’s movie career also began to take off. He played the husband of a comedian in Punchline (1988) and a pilot who fights forest fires opposite Richard Dreyfuss in Always (1989). In the 1990s Goodman appeared in more than 20 movies, including The Babe (1992), in which he starred as baseball legend Babe Ruth , and The Flintstones (1994), a remake of the classic cartoon. He reteamed with the Coen brothers for Barton Fink (1991); The Big Lebowski (1998), in which he costarred with Jeff Bridges and Steve Buscemi , portraying a Vietnam War veteran still reliving the past; and O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000), starring opposite George Clooney as a crooked Bible salesman in 1930s Mississippi.

Goodman played a father who is nervous about his daughter’s move to New York City in Coyote Ugly (2000) and a detective in One Night at McCool’s (2001). Subsequent supporting roles included the manager of singer Bobby Darin in the biopic Beyond the Sea (2004), a corrupt congressman in the comedy Evan Almighty (2007), and a baseball executive in the drama Trouble with the Curve (2012). Goodman also appeared in two consecutive winners of the Academy Award for best picture, both times as Hollywood industry figures; he portrayed a studio mogul in The Artist (2011) and a real-life makeup artist enlisted in a CIA operation in Argo (2012).

In 2013 Goodman was featured as a villainous mobster in the freewheeling comedy The Hangover Part III and as a caustic heroin-addicted jazz musician in the Coen brothers’ drama Inside Llewyn Davis . He then costarred in The Monuments Men (2014), which fictionalized Allied efforts to recover art stolen by the Nazis during World War II , and in The Gambler (2014), a remake of a 1974 drama about a man with a gambling problem. Later movies included Trumbo , a biopic about blacklisted screenwriter Dalton Trumbo (2015); the comedy Love the Coopers (2015); the horror film 10 Cloverfield Lane (2016); and Patriots Day (2016), about the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013 . In 2017 Goodman appeared in the action thrillers Kong: Skull Island ,e Once Upon a Time in Venice , and Atomic Blonde . His later movies included Captive State (2019), in which aliens have colonized Earth and face a resistance movement.

In addition, Goodman’s easily recognizable voice could be heard in numerous animated films, among them The Emperor’s New Groove (2000), Bee Movie (2007), and The Princess and the Frog (2009), as well as the Pixar hit Monsters, Inc. (2001) and its sequel Monsters University (2013).

Goodman continued to appear on television in the 21st century. He starred in the sitcom Center of the Universe (2004–05) and provided the voice of a lion in the animated Father of the Pride (2004–05). In 2010–11 he appeared on the HBO series Treme , a drama set in New Orleans shortly after Hurricane Katrina , and he joined the cast of the legal drama Damages for its 2011 season. Goodman also had a featured role in the HBO television movie You Don’t Know Jack (2010), which centred on Dr. Jack Kevorkian , a vocal supporter of physician- assisted suicide . He returned to Broadway in a 2009 production of Waiting for Godot and later starred in The Front Page (2016–17).

In 2018 Goodman reprised his role as Dan Conner in the nine-episode revival of Roseanne , which visited the working-class family 20 years after the original series had ended. The show was a ratings success, but an 11th season was canceled by its network, ABC , after star Roseanne Barr posted a racist tweet that spring. A retooled version of the show without Barr premiered in the fall as The Conners (2018– ), shifting its focus from the matriarch to Goodman and the rest of the supporting cast. During this time he also starred in The Righteous Gemstones (2019– ), a comedy series about a family of televangelists .

Flannery O'Connor: Biography

Mary Flannery O’Connor (1925-1964) is one of the greatest American short-story writers , a novelist, and an essayist. She wrote in the Southern Gothic style, portraying her native Georgia and the other Southern States. Among the themes raised in her books were religion, moral decay, family, and human decency.

Read the full Flannery O’Connor’s biography prepared by our editorial team to find out more!

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Below is the timeline of Flannery O’Connor. It reflects the most important events of the writer’s life.

👪 Flannery O’Connor: Early Years

Mary Flannery O’Connor was born on March 25, 1925 . She was the only child in a Roman Catholic family of Irish descent. Her father was a real estate appraiser. She lived in Savannah, Georgia, until her adolescence. In 1931, she was admitted to St. Vincent’s Grammar School. By the fifth grade, she was transferred to Sacred Heart Grammar School for Girls.

Flannery spent more time with books than friends, even though her relations with other girls were amicable.

Unfortunately, Edward Francis O`Connor, the father, had lupus erythematosus , which got worse in 1938. Thus, the family moved to rural Milledgeville. It was her mother’s homestead when she was a child. So, they lived in the old mansion with Flannery’s aunts, Mary and Katie, who never got married. Her father came home only on the weekends, but Flannery seemed to enjoy the new place.

In the same year, Flannery went to the experimental Peabody School . It was too progressive, with low stress on the classics, as O’Connor remarked later. After a rapid aggravation, her father died in 1941. The writer avoided providing any revelations about her father, save the fact that she continued his legacy.

Peabody High School had close relations with Georgia State College for Women (presently, Georgia College & State University ).

Flannery graduated from the College in 1945. The University of Iowa Writers’ Workshop helped her to master creative writing.

The writing style of Flannery O’Connor was influenced by James Joyce, Robert Fitzgerald, William Faulkner, and Franz Kafka.

Her first short story appeared in 1946. Wise Blood , her first novel, appeared in 1952 , exploring the “religious consciousness without a religion,” as explained by O’Connor. In 1955 , her other short stories were collected in A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories . The eponymous story of the collection is regarded as her best-known work.

Her other fiction works include The Violent Bear It Away and the collection of essays, Mystery and Manners , that was posthumously published in 1969. The Complete Stories that appeared in 1971 won a National Book Award in 1972. This edition contained several stories that had never appeared in publications before.

O’Connor’s works are notable for the seeming mismatch of devout Catholic worldview with the grim, ironic writing that commonly features appalling acts of violence and unlikeable and vicious characters. The prevalence of brutality in her literature was used to return the characters to reality and prepare them to meet their moment of grace.

Although she is commonly related to the Southern Gothic writing style, she always insisted that this assessment was too narrow. She also rejected any requests to generalize her works by interviewers. Obviously, she wanted not just to entertain her audience, but also to educate it.

For more than a decade (since 1952), she suffered from lupus erythematosus, a genetic disease she inherited from her father. Most of these years were spent at Andalusia Farm in Georgia . Despite the illness, she wrote more than twenty short stories and two novels over this period.

She started her mornings attending Mass, then spent some hours writing, and in the afternoon, she recuperated and read.

O’Connor went to the Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta due to anemia in December 1963. She kept on writing there, as much as her health condition allowed.

Next July, she won the O. Henry Award for her story “ Revelation .” Unfortunately, soon after this success, doctors found a tumor and removed it at Baldwin County Hospital. On August 3, 1964 , Flannery O’Connor passed away because of renal failure. She managed to live seven years longer than the doctors expected.

In 1965, her last stories were published in the posthumous edition Everything That Rises Must Converge by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

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• How Racist Was Flannery O’Connor? | The New Yorker
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25 Recommendations For Life Changing Biographies For The Voracious Reader In You

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Smart people read biographies. Generalizations are usually worthless, but you can pretty much take this one to the bank.

Look at their libraries and you’ll see , one biography and memoir and autobiography after another. Of course, they read other things–it’s called being well rounded–but biographies are usually the core.

There’s a reason—it’s some of the most actionable and educational reading you can do. Think about it, a biography is a sweeping portrait of a life or a career. It covers vast swaths of material that the author must make immediately understood within the context of an individual and their life.

To understand George Washington, you have to understand the American Revolution. To understand Rockefeller, you have to explain the Gilded Age. To understand Amelia Earhart, the author must make real to the reader what it was like to be a woman in the early 1900s. Often times, they do it better than books specifically about those topics–because there is a narrative and a lens through which to access the themes.

Of course, a powerful biography—or autobiography—always has a moral. Whether it’s a rise and fall story, a story of redemption, a story of power corrupting, a story of love—every biography of a man or a woman teaches the reader. It teaches us to be like the subject or often, to be nothing like the subject.

I have not lived many years so my selection of biographies is only just getting started . I imagine I will take and add to these favorites the older I get and the more I read :

1. Plutarch’s Lives Volumes One & Two by Plutarch

There are few books more influential and ubiquitous in Western culture than Plutarch’s histories. Aside from being the basis of much of Shakespeare, he was one of Montaigne’s favorite writers. His biographies and sketches of Pericles, Demosthenes, Themistocles, Cicero, Alexander the Great, Caesar, Fabius, are all excellent–and full of powerful anecdotes.

2. The Power Broker by Robert Caro

Could the biography of the former parks commissioner of New York be the definitive study of power and legacy? Apparently, because this book is it. It’s 1,000+ pages and you’ll read and learn from every single one. It is incredibly long, but as one of the first books someone gave me when I moved to Hollywood, it holds a special sway over me. Like Huey Long and Willie Stark, Robert Moses was a man who got power, loved power and was transformed by power. We can learn from him–mostly what not to be and who not to become.

3. Socrates: A Man For Our Times , Napoleon: A Life , and Churchill by Paul Johnson

These are short, clear, but eye-opening biographies from Paul Johnson as part of a series. I strongly suggest reading all of them. Each is a fascinating figure for their own reasons. Paul Johnson is the kind of author whose sweeping judgements you can trust, so you leave this book with what feels like a very solid understanding of who his subjects are a people.

4. Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi

The book has sold something like 5 million copies in Japan, which is insane. Totto-Chan is a special figure in modern Japanese culture—she is a celebrity on par with Oprah or Ellen, with a magazine, news show and exalted position to boot. The book describes a childhood in pre-WWII Japan as a poorly misunderstood girl who obviously suffered from attention disorders and excess energy. It wasn’t until she met a special school principal—unlike any I have ever heard of—who finally GOT her. And I mean understood and cared about and unconditionally supported her in a way that both inspires me and makes me deeply jealous. If only all of us could be so lucky…

5. All the Great Prizes: The Life of John Hay, from Lincoln to Roosevelt by John Taliaferro

I had this recommended to me by a random old lady in an elevator in Austin. I suppose you never know where good book recommendations come from but this one turned out to be fascinating surprise. In his early 20s, John Hay started as a teenage legal assistant in the law office of Abraham Lincoln. He ended his career as the Secretary of State for William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt. How nuts is that? You can basically understand the entire period of American history from the Civil War through WWI through one man who saw it all. Great biography of politics, the press, and American society.

6. Eisenhower in War and Peace by Jean Edward Smith

I did not fully appreciate what a strategic and political genius Eisenhower was until this book. He won WWII, ended Korea, kept us (mostly) out of Vietnam, twice prevented the use of nuclear weapons (which sent a world changing precedent), and those are the big ones in the book. He was a master of making it all look easy–which is why I think we forget to study him.

7. Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War by Robert Coram

Boyd was a world class fighter pilot who changed warfare and strategy not just in the air, but on the ground and by sea. His concepts pioneered the modern concept of maneuver warfare (and were used for the First Gulf War). His method of problem solving and problem analysis – known as the OODA Loop – is now used in boardrooms and everywhere else. He also perfected the art of “Getting Things Done” whether that was in war or in the bureaucracy of the Pentagon. You need to know and understand John Boyd.

8. Edison: A Biography by Matthew Josephson

Older biographies are better in my experience. This one is 50+ years old and that’s right in the sweet spot. It didn’t have to be trendy, it didn’t have to psychoanalyze, it didn’t have to be political correct or controversial. It just had to be a sweeping, conclusive picture of the man. Modern enough to be historically accurate, old enough to still have respect for ambition. No question, this is a big book but I learned a lot. For instance, I had no idea that Edison had been mostly deaf (and that that deafness fueled and improved many of his sound inventions). I didn’t know about his friendship with Henry Ford or what a shrewd businessman Edison was. If you like big biographies, read this.

9. Eleanor Roosevelt Volume One and Volume Two by Blanche Weisen Cook

The prospects Eleanor Roosevelt faced when she entered the White House were not good. First Ladies hadn’t done anything in decades besides party planning and a few of her predecessors had had nervous breakdowns. She wanted to do something different. This is a book about her political and social acumen–her ability to turn a meaningless position into a powerful platform for change and influence. I read this book and came away so impressed. We can learn a lot.

10. The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America’s Banana King by Rich Cohen

The book sucked me in completely. The subject, Samuel Zemurray, is fascinating and compelling. The writer has a voice that is utterly unique. Since reading this book, I have explored all of this further: I studied Zemurray (whose house was not far from mine in New Orleans and still stands) and use his story in my latest book The Obstacle Is The Way . I interviewed the author, Rich Cohen . The book has all sorts of things going for it: it’s the American Dream, it’s history via microcosm, it’s drama/violence/intrigue, and it’s a course in business strategy and leadership.

11. Empire State of Mind: How Jay-Z Went from Street Corner to Corner Office by Zack O’Malley Greenburg

Just because I didn’t want this list to be all stuffy old classics, I thought I’d put this interesting (and unofficial) biography of Jay-Z on here. This is a biography that also functions as a business book. It shows how Jay applied hustling techniques to the music business and eventually built his empire. And related to that, I also recommend The 50th Law , which while not technically a biography tells the stories of many such individuals and will stick with you just as long.

12. No Hiding Place: An Autobiography & Asylum: An Alcoholic Takes the Cure by William Seabrook

In 1934, William Seabrook was one of the most famous journalists in the world. He was also an alcoholic. But there was no treatment for his disease. So he checked himself into an insane asylum. There, from the perspective of a travel writer, he described his own journey through this strange and foreign place. Today, you can’t read a page in the book without seeing him bump, unknowingly, into the basic principles of 12-step groups and then thwarted by well-meaning doctors (like the one who decides he’s cured and can start drinking again). On a regular basis, he says things so clear, so self-aware that you’re stunned an addict could have written it–shocked that this book isn’t a classic American text. Yet all his books are out of print and hard to find. Two of my copies are first editions from 1931 and 1942. It breaks your heart to know that just a few years or decades later, his options (and outcome) would have been so very different (he eventually died of an opium overdose). No Hiding Place and Asylum are indescribably good. So good that a dying Fitzgerald wrote of how he related to them in his book The Crack Up .

13. Cyropaedia (a more accessible translation can be found in Xenophon’s Cyrus The Great: The Arts of Leadership and War ) by Xenophon

Xenophon, like Plato, was a student of Socrates. For whatever reason, his work is not nearly as famous, even though it is far more applicable. Unlike Plato, Xenophon studied people. His greatest book is about the latter, it’s the best biography written of Cyrus the Great (aka the father of human rights). There are so many great lessons in here and I wish more people would read it. Machiavelli learned them, as this book inspired The Prince .

14. Sherman: Soldier, Realist, American by B.H. Liddell Hart

There is no better biography of a military genius, period. B.H. Liddell uses Sherman to not only explain the Civil War, but strategy itself. It’s impossible to reduce a book down to just one thought or line, but Hart’s strategic explanation of attacking, always “along the line of least expectation and tactically along the line of least resistance” will change your life. Read about Sherman not because you want to learn about how the Civil War was won (though you will learn that), but to learn how wars are won, period.

15. Where Men Win Glory: The Odyssey of Pat Tillman by Jon Krakauer

The world needs more men like Pat Tillman. Ostensibly the story of a professional football player who gave up a $3M NFL contract to join the Army Rangers after 9/11, only to die under suspicious circumstances in the hills of Afghanistan, Where Men Win Glory is in its own way, a book about everything that is right and wrong with the military. On the one hand, there is the honor and selflessness and bravery. On the other, there is its inability to truly appreciate the individual, and of course, its shameful history of politics, ass-covering, and lack of accountability. Pat Tillman wasn’t perfect, but he was a man we could all learn a thing or two from.

16. The Kid Stays In The Picture: A Notorious Life by Robert Evans

One of the first books I read when I started working in Hollywood was Robert Evans’ classic The Kid Stays In The Picture (It’s also a great documentary). Evans is nuts. I’m not sure how much there is to learn from the biography but it is a fascinating life story–better than fiction. I think it shows you how far hustle and hype and heat contribute to success. And that faith in yourself–deserved or not–goes a long way.

17. My Bondage and My Freedom by Frederick Douglass

A man is born a slave. Man teaches himself to read. Man decides he will no longer consent to being whipped, realizes that slavery is dependent on this consent and then leaves it. In fact, his self-education was so complete that he went on to become one of America’s foremost intellectuals. That is the life of Frederick Douglass. You need to read it.

18. Ulysses S. Grant: Memoirs and Selected Letters by Ulysses S. Grant

Written by Ulysses S. Grant while at death’s door (and edited by Mark Twain), these are the thoughts of the man who won the Civil War through grit and determination and persistence (shockingly, traits lacked by almost all the generals who proceeded him). He calls the Mexican-American War one of the worst and most pointless wars, and the Civil War one of the most important and justified. There is a moment in the book early in Grant’s career as a soldier where he was sent to hunt down a band of guerrillas, shaking with fear as he arrived at their camp only to find they had run away. It was then that he realized the enemy was often as scared of you as you were of them. It changed his approach to battle forever. I think about that line often.

19. Knight’s Cross: A Life of Field Marshall Erwin Rommel by David Fraser

It’s going to feel weird reading a book about a German general in WWII but for Rommel we must make an exception. Yes, he fought for a terrible cause. But he did so brilliantly — as a soldier, strategist, and leader. His victories in North Africa were the stuff of legend, and had the US and British troops not ultimately had better resources, the whole thing might have turned out very differently. You cannot read about Rommel and not like and admire the man. I’m saying this so you’ll be prepared and ready to remind yourself that that doesn’t excuse his actions. But you can still learn from him .

20. Hurricane: The Life of Rubin Carter, Fighter by James S. Hirsch

Hurricane Carter’s biography is about a man who refused to be anything but himself—even in prison. There are great parallels to his personal struggles to maintain the sovereignty of self amidst awful circumstances and the lessons of Stoicism. My favorite: how he refused to sue the government after his wrongful conviction was overturned because it’d be saying that they’d taken something from him, that he was still dependent on them which even after decades in prison he refused to resign himself to accepting.

21. Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller Sr. by Ron Chernow

A biography has to be really good to make read you all 800 pages. To me, this was one of those books. Since reading it last year, I’ve since found out it is the favorite book of a lot of people I respect. I think it says something about the quality of the writing and the empathic understanding of the writer that the main lessons you would take away from someone like Rockefeller would not be business, but life lessons. In fact, when I went back through and took notes on this book, I filled out more cards for Stoicism than I did for Strategy, Business or Money. I found Rockefeller to be strangely stoic, incredibly resilient and, despite his reputation as a robber baron, humble and compassionate. Most people get WORSE as they get successful, many more get worse as they age. Rockefeller did neither of these things, he grew more open-minded the older he became, more generous, more pious, more dedicated to making a difference. Does that excuse the “awful” things that he did? Well, the things he did really weren’t that awful so yes. (By that I mean I’d certainly choose him over the robber barons of this age like Zuckerberg or Murdoch.)

22. The Autobiography of Malcolm X: As Told to Alex Haley by Malcolm X, Alex Haley

I forget who said it but I heard someone say that Catcher in the Rye was to young white boys what the Autobiography of Malcolm X was to young black boys. Personally, I prefer that latter over the former. I would much rather read about and emulate a man who is born into adversity and pain, struggles with criminality, does prison time, teaches himself to read through the dictionary , finds religion and then becomes an activist for Civil Rights before being gunned down by his former supporters when he tempers the hate and anger that had long defined parts of his message.

23. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt & Colonel Roosevelt by Edmund Morris

When I was younger I would ask any smart or successful person I met to recommend a book for me to read. Dr. Drew recommended that I read The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt . It immediately became a lifetime favorite that I have reread several times (Amazon tells me I bought it Oct 26, 2006). It ends the day he is telegraphed that McKinley has been assassinated–so the book focuses on everything before that from his unusual childhood and struggle with asthma to his love nature to his trip west after the simultaneous death of his wife and mother. I’m not sure why I took so long to read this sequel but it is just as good, if not better. Focusing on Roosevelt from the end of presidency to the end of his life, there is enough material just in that portion of his life to put everyone else to shame. It covers his retirement, his safari in Africa, his exploration of the River of Doubt, his run as a third party candidate and finally his heartbreaking struggles with WWI and his son’s death. Goddamn, TR was a good man.

24. Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow

Washington’s status as an icon shamefully understates his genius as a strategist. The man had an impeccable intuition for timing, for gestures, for politics, for the moment to strike, not just on the battlefield but in relationships, in office and in his private life. We must study Washington not only for his nearly unbelievable military victory over a superior British Army, but also for his strategic vision which quite literally was responsible for many of the most enduring American institutions and practices. I admit this book is long, but it is so good. It is packed with illustrative examples, analysis and stories. Read it.

25. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Bonus: Fictional Biographies Bonus–These are not real biographies/autobiographies, so I won’t go into detail but I think they are great studies of people and life: Memoirs of Hadrian by Marguerite Yourcenar, What Makes Sammy Run? by Budd Schulberg, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, and All The King’s Men by Robert Penn Warren. Check them out.

Personally, I try to read at least one biography a month (if you’re looking for regular recommendations here ). If you have any favorites or suggestions–pass them my way.

Related: 65+ Inspirational Quotes For Life, Love, Success, Work & More

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Annandale man arrested after good Samaritans end 90-minute Virginia carjacking spree

by JeanneTyler Moodee Lockman

FAIRFAX COUNTY, Va. (7News) — An Annandale man was arrested after a group of good Samaritans ended a 90-minute carjacking spree on Saturday, July 6, according to Fairfax County police.

Officers responded to a reported assault around 5:50 p.m. in the 8600 block of Woodlawn Court in Woodlawn. Once on scene, witnesses told officers that a suspect had assaulted a person and attempted to carjack their vehicle.

Several good Samaritans intervened and detained the man until officers arrived. As a result, Ranzo Johnson, 38, of Annandale was arrested, according to officers.

An investigation revealed earlier that day around 4:35 p.m., Johnson carjacked a woman in the 7600 block of Allman Drive in Annadale, officers said.

READ MORE | Promising athlete's family seeks answers after deadly crash claims 3 young lives

The woman was in her vehicle when Johnson approached and pulled her out. He then fled the scene in the woman’s Lexus SUV.

The woman suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to officials.

Johnson then drove to the 8600 block of Richmond Highway in Mount Vernon where the Lexus became disabled, officers said.

He attempted to carjack a second vehicle occupied by two people, but several good Samaritans prevented the theft, according to officers. The victims were not injured.

READ MORE | US Attorney describes challenges of prosecuting carjackings in DC, citing youth crime laws

Officials said Johnson attempted to flee and carjack a fourth person in the 8600 block of Woodlawn Court. The good Samaritans again prevented the theft and were able to detain Johnson until officers arrived.

The fourth person sustained non-life-threatening injuries, officers said.

Johnson was taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries he suffered before police arrived.

Police obtained a warrant for carjacking, three counts of attempted carjacking and two assault charges.

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You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown Director Joseph Hardy Dies at 95

The Tony winner had a storied career on and off Broadway.

Tony Award-winning director Joseph Hardy died on June 6. He was 95.

Both his aspirations and sense of duty early in life took him far from the cattle ranch in Carlsbad, New Mexico where he was raised. Hardy received a degree in English Literature from New Mexico Highlands University. Like so many of his age cohort, he also served in Korea. Hardy earned an MFA in directing from the Yale School of Drama and a Fulbright scholarship to study in Paris, a city he would return to throughout his life.

His early work off-Broadway included Barry Alan Grael and Richard B. Chodosha’s musical adaptation of the Dion Boucicault play The Streets of New York , which ran a remarkable 318 performances at the Maidman Playhouse.

A career breakthrough came in 1967 with the original off-Broadway run of Clark Gesner’s You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown . That show ran an incredible 1597 performances at Theatre 80 St. Marks and won Hardy a special Drama Desk Award. It also gave him a chance to join the big leagues.

Unfortunately, his Broadway debut as a director was not an auspicious one: Johnny No-Trump was written by first-time playwright Mary Mercier. The cast featured a young Bernadette Peters in the small role of Bettina, but she was not the box office draw she is today. And although William Goldman in The Season referred to Johnny No-Trump as “the best new American play of the season,” very few people had the opportunity to experience it. It opened and closed on October 8, 1967.

Undaunted, Hardy continued to work, helming a revival of the Harold Arlen-Truman Capote musical House of Flowers off-Broadway and directing Woody Allen in his stage acting debut in Play It Again, Sam . On this return to Broadway, he was nominated for a Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play.

He won the category outright the following year, in 1970, for Robert Marasco’s Child’s Play , about the palace intrigue at a Roman Catholic boarding school.

Hardy would go on to helm You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown on Broadway, a revival of Tennessee Williams’s The Night of the Iguana starring Richard Chamberlain and Dorothy McGuire, and the Broadway debut of Lerner and Loewe’s Gigi .

Hardy served as the executive producer of several television soap operas including General Hospital , Ryan’s Hope , and Loving . He introduced the world to Lily Tomlin in her first TV special, Lily (1973) and directed a TV movie adaptation of Great Expectations starring Michael York.

His final off-Broadway credit was the Red Bull Theater revival of August Strindberg’s The Dance of Death starring Daniel Davis and Laila Robins.

Hardy moved into the Actors Fund Home in 2020 and spent his remaining years there. He is survived by his sister, Caroline Rackley of New Mexico and the countless actors, directors, and designers he influenced during his long career.

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EVANSTON, Ill. --- The 2024-25 season at the Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts on Northwestern University’s Evanston campus offers a series of plays that grapple with questions of individual responsibility.

“Two critical questions inform the season,” said Tanya Palmer, Wirtz Center executive artistic director. “In the face of significant personal risk, what duty does each of us have to stand up for what we believe in? And what role can art and the artist play in making societal change?” Palmer is also assistant dean for Northwestern’s School of Communication.

Imagine U, Northwestern’s theater for young audiences, presents “The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra, Go!” from Thursday, Oct. 24 to Sunday, Nov. 3. The story follows a brother and sister with not-so-great superpowers who are suddenly responsible for the fate of the world.

Kicking off the 2025 season, the Wirtz Center will present the Chicago premiere of composer and lyricist Gabriel Kahane’s “February House” from Friday, Feb. 2 to Sunday, March 2. Based on the biography “February House,” by Sherill Tippins, the musical chronicles an unlikely group of artists in Brooklyn struggling to create a utopian community as World War II looms.

Henry Godinez, chair of the department of theatre, will direct a re-imagined production of “Man of La Mancha,” from Friday, April 25 to Sunday, May 4. This play-within-a-play, set in a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility on the U.S.-Mexico border, portrays a group of detained migrants from around the world performing the story of Don Quixote, a fictional character on a quest to right all the wrongs of the world.

Details about the 94th annual Waa-Mu show will be announced in the fall.

Flexpasses and individual tickets are available for purchase today. The $125 Flexpass can be redeemed for six tickets to any production in any combination during the 2024-25 season.

Tickets can be purchased from the Wirtz Center website by calling 847-491-7282 or by visiting the Wirtz Center box office located in the lobby of the Ethel M. Barber Theater, 30 Arts Circle Drive, on Northwestern’s Evanston campus. Visit the Wirtz Center website for box office hours.

Wirtz Center 2024-25 season:

Imagine U: “The Wong Kids in the Secret of the Space Chupacabra, Go!” Oct. 24 to Nov. 3 Ethel M. Barber Theater 30 Arts Circle Drive

Violet and Bruce Wong just don’t fit in with the other Earth kids. Sure, they have superpowers, they’re just not very good ones. But when an evil beast called the Space Chupacabra appears, intent on universal destruction, the Wong kids must travel to far reaches of outer space to stop it … if they can only stop bickering. Violet and Bruce ultimately realize that being different isn’t just okay, it might just be the most important thing ever. Written by Lloyd Suh and directed by Jamal Howard, the action-driven storytelling, puppetry and visual magic of “The Wong Kids” will transport its audience into the galaxy’s far reaches. 

“Antigone” Nov. 15 to 24 Josephine Louis Theater 20 Arts Circle Drive

Sophocles’ “Antigone,” translated by poet and MacArthur Fellow Anne Carson, remains unequaled in its ability to combine all the fundamental contradictions of the human condition into a single, universally relevant drama. Following the bloody power struggle between her brothers, Antigone attempts to secure a respectable burial for her brother Polynices, in defiance of the edict of her uncle, King Creon. Antigone is accused of treachery and must answer to Creon himself. Her fraternal love is unwavering, as is her rejection of her uncle’s political views. She stands firm, and her obstinacy threatens to bring the entire state to its knees. The production is directed by MFA directing candidate Tae-Heum Yeon.

Winter 2025

“Museum” Feb. 7 to 16, 2025 Josephine Louis Theater  20 Arts Circle Drive

A cutting and comic play, “Museum” is both an enchanting mosaic of incidents and an incisive account of how we use visual images to make our own meaning. On the final day of an art exhibit entitled “The Broken Silence,” the flamboyant artists, collectors, browsers and curators — and the security guards who watch over it all — create their own zany pieces of art in this visual, verbal and musical feast. Written by the legendary American absurdist Tina Howe, “Museum” is directed by Kathryn Walsh.

“February House” Feb. 21 to March 2, 2025 Ethel M. Barber Theater 30 Arts Circle Drive

“February House” is an inventive new musical by acclaimed composer and songwriter Gabriel Kahane, who The New Yorker called “one of the finest songwriters of the day.”  During the early days of World War II, flamboyant fiction editor George Davis brings together poet W. H. Auden, novelist Carson McCullers, composer Benjamin Britten and burlesque darling Gypsy Rose Lee in a communal utopian experiment. “February House” looks at how the residents of 7 Middagh Street transformed a dilapidated Brooklyn boardinghouse into a tumultuous and remarkable makeshift family searching for love, inspiration and refuge from the looming war in Europe. 

The story by Seth Bockley is based on the biography “February House” by Sherill Tippins. MFA directing candidate Seth Roseman directs the Chicago premiere.

MFA Writing for the Stage and Screen Alumni Production: “Lobster” March 7 to 9, 2025 Hal and Martha Hyer Wallis Theater  1949 Campus Drive 

Nora loves Patti Smith. Nora is Patti Smith. Nora is stoned out of her mind in the Chelsea Hotel, but the Chelsea Hotel is her mind, no, the Chelsea Hotel is an out-of-use portable classroom in the Pacific Northwest, and that portable classroom is a breeding ground for lobsters young women. A coming-of-age story about art, theater, friendship, grief and desire from recent Northwestern MFA alum Kallan Dana, “Lobster” captures the distance between who we are in high school and who we want to be — and the courage and desperation it takes to bridge that gap. “Lobster” is directed by Dado.

“Danceworks 2025: signal::transfer” March 14 to 16, 2025 Location TBD

Northwestern’s annual dance showcase features new works by acclaimed and nationally recognized guest choreographers and faculty. Thomas F. DeFrantz is the artistic director.

Spring 2025

“Man of La Mancha” April 25 to May 4, 2025 Location TBD

“Man of La Mancha” is one of the world’s most popular musicals; the original 1965 production won five Tony Awards, including “Best Musical.” Inspired by Miguel de Cervantes’ 17th-century masterwork, “Don Quixote, Man of La Mancha” was originally set during the Spanish Inquisition when Cervantes is in prison awaiting trial. In this re-imagined version directed by theatre department chair and Goodman Theatre Artistic Associate Henry Godinez, the Cervantes character is imprisoned in an ICE facility on the U.S.-Mexico border, along with a growing group of migrants from across the world, all looking for safety and opportunity. He and his fellow prisoners perform a play-within-a-play, telling the story of the elderly Alonso Quijana, who renames himself Don Quixote and goes on a quest to right all wrongs in the world. The rousing score includes the classic numbers “The Impossible Dream,” “I, Don Quixote,” “Dulcinea,” “I Really Like Him” and “Little Bird.”

“Man of La Mancha” was written by Dale Wasserman, with music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion. Its world premiere was directed by Albert Marre.

Imagine U: “A Tale of Peter Rabbit” April 25 to May 11, 2025 Mussetter-Struble Theater 1949 Campus Drive

Award-winning writer Trista Baldwin gives Beatrix Potter’s timeless tale of Peter Rabbit a modern twist. What does it mean to be a good bunny? If everyone thinks you’re a bad bunny, can you ever be good? In this moving and adventurous re-imagining of Beatrix Potter’s classic tale, Peter Rabbit and his three sisters come together to tell a story of their very own. Tor Campbell directs the Imagine U production.

“As It Is in Heaven” May 23 to June 1, 2025 Josephine Louis Theater  20 Arts Circle Drive

Based on true events in the history of the Shakers, the play explores the generational shifts that occur when a younger cohort comes in and begins to disrupt or change how things have been done. “Tis a gift to be simple,” sing the Shakers of Pleasant Hill. But as the young women in the community claim new spiritual gifts, Sister Hannah and the other elders must judge whether these gifts are real or rebellious. Set during America’s surge of Utopian communities, the play wrestles with belief and doubt in a swiftly changing world. “As It Is in Heaven” by Arlene Hutton features music by Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill. The production is directed by MFA directing candidate Francesca Patrón.

“Honeypot” June 2025 Location TBD

Combining oral history with magical realism and poetry, “Honeypot” bears witness to the real-life stories of queer Black women throughout the American South. In this new adaptation for the stage of E. Patrick Johnson’s award-winning creative nonfiction book, women from all walks of life recount their experiences on topics ranging from coming out and falling in love to mother/daughter relationships, religion and political activism — richly and dynamically revealing the complexity of identity. “Honeypot” is written by Johnson, dean of the School of Communication at Northwestern, and adapted and directed for the stage by D. Soyini Madison.

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The Story of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Her Mother

Gypsy Rose Blanchard’s mother, Dee Dee, falsely claimed her daughter was suffering from different illnesses until Gypsy arranged for her boyfriend to kill her mother in 2015.

We may earn commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back.

Watch the fictionalized mini-series The Act about Dee Dee and Gypsy or the documentary Mommy Dead and Dearest . Starting January 5, see The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose on Lifetime .

Dee Dee began pretending that Gypsy had different illnesses when Gypsy was a baby

Gypsy, who was born in 1991, was a baby when Dee Dee claimed her daughter had sleep apnea. When Gypsy was 8 years old, Dee Dee described her as suffering from leukemia and muscular dystrophy and said she required a wheelchair and feeding tube. The list of medical problems that Dee Dee related about her daughter would go on to include seizures, asthma, and hearing and visual impairments.

Due to Dee Dee’s actions, Gypsy was prescribed a litany of medications and had to sleep using a breathing machine. She also went through multiple surgeries, including procedures on her eyes and removal of her salivary glands. When Gypsy’s teeth rotted—perhaps due to her medications, missing salivary glands, or neglect—they were pulled out.

Yet, the truth was that Gypsy could walk, didn’t need a feeding tube, and didn’t have cancer. Her head was bald only because her mother shaved off her hair. Experts believe Dee Dee had a mental illness known as Munchausen syndrome by proxy (also called factitious disorder imposed on another), which made her fabricate her daughter’s ill health in order to receive attention and sympathy for taking care of a sick child.

Dee Dee appeared to be a charming, devoted mother, so people believed her

Medical tests often showed inconclusive or contradictory results regarding Gypsy’s diagnoses, but Dee Dee would stop seeing any doctors who questioned her daughter’s ailments. And many caregivers went along with what Dee Dee wanted. She’d had some nurse’s training, so she could accurately describe symptoms, and she sometimes gave Gypsy medication to mimic certain conditions. Dee Dee was also charming and seemed devoted to her daughter. When Gypsy was old enough to talk, Dee Dee instructed her not to volunteer information during their appointments—she was always the one relating Gypsy’s fake medical history.

Dee Dee told Gypsy’s father, Rod Blanchard, that their daughter had a chromosomal disorder that had led to her many health issues. He complimented Dee Dee for her devoted care. When some of Dee Dee’s family noticed that Gypsy didn’t seem to need a wheelchair and asked questions, Dee Dee and Gypsy moved away.

Dee Dee claimed to be a victim of Hurricane Katrina , so she and Gypsy received assistance to relocate from Louisiana to Missouri in 2005. There, Dee Dee continued to bring Gypsy to doctor’s appointments. Hurricane Katrina also provided an excuse for missing medical files.

Even when Gypsy was a teenager, Dee Dee still claimed she was sick and began to lie about Gypsy’s age

In 2008, Gypsy and Dee Dee moved into a new home in Springfield, Missouri. Built by Habitat for Humanity, it was painted pink and had a wheelchair ramp. Gypsy and Dee Dee also received benefits that included charity-sponsored visits to concerts and Disney World. All along, Dee Dee continued to bask in the attention she received for being a devoted caretaker.

When Gypsy was 14, she saw a neurologist in Missouri who came to believe she was a victim of Munchausen syndrome by proxy. However, this doctor never reported her case to authorities. In later interviews, he stated his belief that there wasn’t enough evidence to act. In 2009, an anonymous report was made to authorities stating that Dee Dee’s accounts of Gypsy’s ailments had no medical basis. This resulted in two caseworkers visiting their home, but Dee Dee convinced them there was nothing wrong.

As Gypsy grew older, Dee Dee began to lie about her age, going so far as to alter the dates on Gypsy’s birth certificate to make her daughter seem younger. But Gypsy was still becoming harder for Dee Dee to control.

Gypsy convinced a man she met online to kill Dee Dee

In 2011, Gypsy tried to get away from her mother by running away with a man she’d met at a science fiction convention. But Dee Dee soon tracked them down via mutual friends. She convinced the man that Gypsy was a minor, though she was actually 19 at the time. According to Gypsy, Dee Dee smashed her computer and physically restrained her to her bed after they returned home. Gypsy has also stated her mother would sometimes hit her and deny her food.

Gypsy eventually managed to get back online. She joined a Christian dating site, where she met Nicholas Godejohn. She told him the truth about her mother’s actions and ended up asking him to kill Dee Dee so they could be together. In June 2015, he came to her house and stabbed Dee Dee while Gypsy waited, ears covered, in the bathroom.

Gypsy and Godejohn returned to his home in Wisconsin, where they were found by police. Gypsy had twice posted to the Facebook account she shared with her mother, once writing, “That b–– is dead!” She later explained she made the posts because she wanted her mother’s body to be discovered.

Gypsy was “afraid” and believed she “didn’t have anyone to trust”

After Dee Dee’s murder, many people who’d known Gypsy wondered why she had gone so far as to kill her. Since she could walk, she simply could’ve exposed Dee Dee’s lies by standing up in public. Yet Gypsy had been conditioned to think no one would believe her. She explained, “I couldn’t just jump out of the wheelchair, because I was afraid and I didn’t know what my mother would do. I didn’t have anyone to trust.”

The fact was that Gypsy had spent her entire life being controlled and monitored by her mother. She wasn’t allowed to go to school. Although Gypsy was of normal intelligence, Dee Dee told everyone her daughter had a mental age of 7. When they were out in public, Dee Dee constantly held Gypsy’s hand, squeezing it when she wanted her daughter to be quiet.

Dr. Marc Feldman, an expert in Munchausen syndrome by proxy, said of Gypsy’s life and actions, “The control was total in the same sense that the control of a kidnapped victim sometimes is total. Her daughter was, in essence, a hostage, and I think we can understand the crime that occurred subsequently in terms of a hostage trying to gain escape.”

Now out of prison, Gypsy is “not happy” that Dee Dee is dead

As Gypsy’s medical records documented the abuse she’d been subjected to, her lawyer was able to arrange a plea deal for the charges she faced in Dee Dee’s death; in 2016, Gypsy pled guilty to second-degree murder. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison and served 85 percent of her sentence before being released December 28, 2023. Godejohn was found guilty of first-degree murder in 2018 and was sentenced to life in prison.

Gypsy said she enjoyed more freedom in prison than in the life she shared with Dee Dee. However, when asked by Dr. Phil if she was glad her mother was dead, she stated, “I’m glad that I’m out of that situation, but I’m not happy she’s dead.”

It was only after Dee Dee’s death that Gypsy realized the extent of her mother’s deception. While Gypsy had known she could walk and eat regular food, she had believed she had leukemia.

Today, Gypsy is healthy and living in Louisiana with her father and stepmother. The subject of two Lifetime shows, The Prison Confessions of Gypsy Rose Blanchard and Gypsy Rose: Life After Lock Up , also recently revealed she’s preparing to become a new mom . She and her boyfriend, Ken Urker, are expecting a baby in January 2025.

Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom

Sara Kettler is a Connecticut-based freelance writer who has written for Biography.com, History, and the A&E True Crime blog. She’s a member of the Writers Guild of America and also pens mystery novels. Outside of writing, she likes dogs, Broadway shows, and studying foreign languages.

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5 women who have actually dated a man in finance confess what it's like

• A popular TikTok suggests many women are "looking for a man in finance" who's also tall and wealthy.
• Five women who have experience dating men in finance told Business Insider what it's actually like. 
• Some found long days at demanding jobs tricky, but others found ways to make the relationships work.

Last week, I went looking for women dating men in finance.

"You want to hear our pain firsthand?" is one of the first responses I got when I posted on X , formerly Twitter, asking people to share their experiences.

If that rings a bell, you've likely been earwormed by 27-year-old content creator Megan Boni, who shot to fame in April for a 19-second video she posted on TikTok . The clip shows her singing, with vocal fry, "I'm looking for a man in finance. Trust fund. 6'5". Blue eyes."

After her video racked up over 53 million views, Boni signed a deal with a major record label and performed a remixed version of her catchphrase with electronic DJ David Guetta.

If nothing else, Boni has turned the spotlight back onto the rarefied Wall Street world of suits, ties, and Patagonia vests. The Wall Street Journal has already declared it " The Summer of the Finance Bro ."

She may have also unwittingly boosted their appeal to potential suitors. The League, a dating and social networking app that says it's for "ambitious" singles, reported male users who said they work in finance received likes "10% faster than before" and increased matches since Boni's TikTok blew up.

As someone who is dating a man in finance, I'll be the first to admit that having a relationship with someone in an industry reputed for toxic workplaces isn't always as fun as it sounds. There have been date nights interrupted by an urgent work call or email, and times when I woke up at 3 a.m. to my partner getting home from the office, bleary-eyed and exhausted.

Working in finance, however, can mean many things, and the average "finance guy" in the United States is most likely far from "The Wolf of Wall Street."

The Bureau of Labor Statistics put the number of Americans — not just men — working in "financial activities at over 9.2 million as of May. That number includes middle- and back-office employees in operational roles like tech and marketing who are often paid in the low six figures. While still well above the nation's median salary, their compensation pales in comparison to the jobs people think of when it comes to Wall Street: investment bankers, private-equity dealmakers , and traders . Those roles can make millions of dollars a year.

Here, five women with firsthand experience dating a man in finance share their experiences. Some women spoke to Business Insider on the condition of anonymity so they could speak freely about their dating experiences. Their identities are known to BI.

Some women dating men with demanding jobs discussed the challenges, from getting stood up due to work running late and endless conversations about golf and money. Others, however, said qualities they appreciated in their finance-industry partners were their ambition and ability to pay their own way.

They're often unavailable and can be self-involved

A self-described "hopeless romantic," Cristina Vanko gravitates toward guys who are "clean cut" and professional, with a good sense of humor.

Vanko, a 35-year-old advertising art director based in NYC, has dated enough men in finance that she can now spot them from their outfits (vests and expensive watches) and how they hold conversations (charming, but never diving "too deep").

Her recent experiences include a February first date with a 37-year-old JPMorgan banker who wouldn't stop talking about his work schedule and how "unavailable" it made him.

It came off like a warning but also a test, she added, almost as if he was trying to gauge whether she'd be OK with him prioritizing work going forward.

"When you're in love with somebody, I think you could still make yourself available," she said. "My mom's a doctor. Like, you're not saving lives."

Vanko described a different romantic encounter with a guy she met up with more than once who worked in private equity.

He was open about his reluctance to commit due to work and travel. At one point, she asked him if he was seeing anyone else. She said he responded frankly: "I have a London girl. You're my American girl, and I have a girl in Berlin."

One of Vanko's longest entanglements was with a vice president at Goldman Sachs, whom she met on a dating app in 2023. Their first date was at a wine bar. From the cable-knit sweater he'd thrown on to the Rolex watch poking out from beneath his sleeve, Vanko clocked him as a "finance bro" instantly.

After a few more dates, she went on vacation to Los Angeles and returned to find he was dating someone else. Vanko said he slid back into her DMs when that relationship ended, complaining about his inability to find a partner and settle down.

Reflecting on his attitude, Vanko said, "I'm not your therapist. I'm happy to be your friend. But it got to the point that I was just like, 'You're complaining about this other girl. Weren't you trying to date me?'"

Couples need trust to feel comfortable with the long workdays

A 24-year-old based in Chicago said her fiancé, a financial analyst for the auto industry, is proof that not all men in finance are cut from the same cloth.

"He's an extremely humble person, and he just has the biggest heart," said the Chicago resident, who works in PR and communications. Because they've been a couple for eight years, she said, she knew him before his "excruciating work hours."

If she didn't know him so well, she said, she might feel "anxiety" about the lack of communication and access to his phone he typically has during long days on the job.

She said she understands why people trying to pursue relationships with men in finance might wonder: "Does this guy even like me? He's not responding to me. He doesn't want to hang out with me."

She said they've had to have "hard conversations" and set "boundaries" to ensure they prioritize each other despite their demanding careers.

Big date nights happen a handful of times a month — and always on weekends — but they try to have dinner together during the week without phones or laptops present, she said.

I asked her about the Journal's claim of a "finance bro" summer.

"What finance bro is actually having a finance bro summer?" she asked. "They don't really get a lot of time off."

Some seem obsessed with playing golf and making money

In the summer of 2023, a woman interning at a private investment management firm in Boston met a senior investment consultant on a dating app. The woman, who asked to be referred to by her middle name, Summer, is now 23 and based in Washington DC.

On paper, he fit her type — older, good-looking, and ambitious. They went on to date most of that summer.

According to Summer, he was "obsessed" with two things: golf and money. These interests were obvious from how often he brought them up in conversation and also from the miniature golf set in the apartment he repeatedly told her cost him $4,000 a month in rent.

"One time, I told him, 'You know what? I really want to go to the Hamptons,'" she said.

His response? "Well, I don't make enough money to go there. You should date someone who has more money.'" Her response? "That's not why I'm dating you. I'm dating you because I enjoy your company."

In addition to other misgivings about him, Summer said their conversations never went beyond the surface despite her efforts to dig deeper.

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The relationship ended abruptly toward the end of her internship, Summer said, a week after they became exclusive.

In text messages shared with BI, Summer's former fling said they were going in two "different directions." She also said he told her he couldn't see her because he was getting shoulder surgery, which would prevent him from being intimate with her.

Looking back roughly a year later, Summer said she thinks he only saw her as "an attractive person."

"I don't think he saw me as an actual person," she added.

It can be a relief to be with someone who earns a good salary

A 25-year-old working in marketing in NYC said she's drawn to men in finance because she works in an "industry that you don't make a lot of money."

"My ex-boyfriend was literally a starving artist, and it was awful," she said. "I just wanted someone who made money and who would give me a nice lifestyle."

Not to mention, she added, "ambition is sexy."

"Someone who works hard is better than a bum," she said.

Still, dating her current partner, an investment banking analyst, since 2022 hasn't always been smooth sailing.

The work hours are tough, and there have been nights, especially in the first year of the relationship, when she'd turn up at his apartment only to be let in by his roommate and be left waiting hours for him to come home from work.

She and the investment banker are preparing to move in together. Last Sunday, she said she was left packing boxes by herself after he said he had too much work to help.

It's tough, but she said it's not like he's just ditching her to go drinking with his buddies. As she put it, it's more like he has to do his work or he "will get fired."

Overall, she feels like she "got lucky" with her boyfriend because he makes an effort to prioritize her, like working from home whenever he can manage it just to be close to her — something she knows not all bankers do.

She warned anyone dating an investment banker that it's "nice in theory and hard in practice."

"You will get canceled on," she added.

You may have to live by their schedule

A 24-year-old marketing professional in NYC was friends with a man who worked in finance for years before their relationship blossomed into something more romantic.

They dated for a year and a half, during which he worked in investment banking.

Physically, he fit Boni's TikTok to a T. "I swear to God that TikTok was made about him," she said. "Someone must have seen him on the street."

When they started dating, the marketer said she told herself, "He works a lot, but I can manage. I'll just see him when I can see him."

But endless work hours, which sometimes stretched until 4 a.m. and took over weekends, proved too much, especially as he'd routinely ditch dinners with her family or cancel date nights due to his schedule.

The marketer said her mantra became telling herself the trying schedule wouldn't last forever because many investment bankers eventually transition to easier-going roles.

But by November 2023, she said was done being "second to someone's job."

"I was like, 'Listen, man, you want to have your job, I totally respect that, but I need to have my own life,'" she recalled to BI.

In hindsight, they just weren't "meant to be," she added.

That aside, her advice to anyone in NYC taking the viral TikTok about looking for a man in finance to heart is to "widen their horizons."

"There's so much more than just the finance bros," she said.

He's been 'saving' his entire life for me

Aniesia Williams — a 43-year-old entrepreneur and chief client officer for a tech firm Epigen — had little experience dating men in finance.

But in January, Williams matched with her now-boyfriend, Sir Dennis Morrow, on Bumble.

Williams, based in Raleigh, North Carolina, said Morrow lives about three hours away, in Charlotte. He works for Bank of America combatting fraud and moonlights as a comedian, Williams added.

She usually dated people in her sector older than 40. Morrow is 36.

From their first date, Williams said she was transparent that she was "dating to marry."

Morrow was completely on board, something that she found refreshing. "He was like, 'I have prayed, I have worked, and I have been saving for this,'" she said.

Williams said they've been conscious about planning to spend time together thanks to the distance between their cities and their busy work schedules.

But she's noticed that a benefit of his career is how well he manages his personal finances.

"This is my first relationship where I have had a man to come to me like, 'I am ready for you,'" she said.

Williams and Morrow plan to move in together in Charlotte in September. While she enjoys his financial savvy, she said his job didn't make a huge difference.

"I could have cared less," she said. "I just wanted to make sure that he was a good human."

Watch: I went on a date with an AI chatbot, and it fell in love with me

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Who Is Sam McKinney On ‘The Bachelorette’? Meet The Man Who Got Jenn Tran’s First Impression Rose

Where to stream:.

• The Bachelorette

‘The View’s Whoopi Goldberg Relates To ‘The Bachelorette’ Star Jenn Tran When It Comes To Having Many Men Fawn Over Her: “25 Is Nothing!”

Stream it or skip it: ‘the bachelorette: season 21’ on abc, where jenn tran takes center stage to hand out roses, ‘the bachelorette’s jenn tran breaks down brian and jeremy’s tense car theft moment: “i’ll let these boys battle it out. i’m not their mom.”, ‘the bachelorette’s jenn tran dishes on “feral” first kiss with sam m: “i wasn’t going to kiss anybody unless i really felt that spark”.

The Bachelorette is back and one lucky guy got a kiss (and a first impression rose) from Jenn Tran on Night 1: Sam McKinney.

“Going into that first night, I didn’t really have a plan, but I’ve seen the show a couple times and I’ve seen how many people kiss. And I think that for me, a first kiss means a lot,” Tran told Decider over Zoom in a pre-premiere interview . “It takes a lot for me to be affectionate with somebody and to get to that level. So I knew in the back of my head that I wasn’t going to kiss anybody unless I really felt that spark and felt that connection and felt that the relationship could go to that level that night.”

“I didn’t know how many people I was going to kiss, but I was happy with myself for following my gut and for really just listening to myself,” the Season 21 lead continued.

So who is Sam McKinney on The Bachelorette ? Why did Jenn deem him worthy of her first (and only) Night 1 kiss and first impression rose? And how long does Sam M. stick around this season? We’ve got answers.

Here’s everything to know about Sam McKinney, including his Bachelorette bio, age, hometown, Instagram account, and a recap of his first night with Jenn Tran.

Wh o Is Sam McKinney On The Bachelorette ?

According to Sam M’s official ABC bio, the 27-year-old contractor from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina “brightens every room with his dazzling smile.”

“His tattoos and muscles might look tough on the outside, but Sam M. swears he’s a total softie. He’s always been a relationship guy and says his ‘ultimate dream’ is to be a loving husband and father,” the bio continues. “Sam M. has been in love before and is extremely loyal when it comes to his partner. Cheating is his No. 1 deal-breaker and is looking for a partner as loyal as he is. When Sam M. isn’t working in contracting, he loves riding motorcycles, golfing, and watching Sons of Anarchy . For Sam M., this journey is all about finding his forever, so here’s hoping he can find that meaningful connection with Jenn.”

And now, the moment you’ve all been waiting for. Sam’s fun facts:

● Sam M. had never been to the West Coast of the U.S. before The Bachelorette . ● Sam M. officiated his sister’s wedding recently. ● Sam M. was homeschooled while growing up.

Who Got Jenn Tran’s First Impression Rose On The Bachelorette ? How Sam McKinney Secured The First Stem

On Night 1, Sam M. walked up to Jenn and asked her to picture her life 50 years from now, waking up on a Saturday morning to him cooking breakfast and asking — with two shots in his hands — “Do you know what time it is?” The “shot o’clock” reference was a smooth nod to Jenn’s Bachelor Season 28 finale speech , and though Sam M. was incredibly naive to think he’d be the only guy making his first impression with a shots joke, he did snag the rose, so he did something right!

‘The Bachelorette’s Jenn Tran Teases “A Lot Of Twists And Turns” In Her Season: “I Was Constantly Surprised And On The Edge Of My Seat”

In his intro video, Sam said his goal in life is to find a girl he can fall in love with. He shared that he’s been single for nearly a year and was dating and engaged to a girl he’d known since middle school, who cheated on him. He felt there was no repairing that relationship, but despite the heartbreak, he says his dream is to be a husband and father (to human babies and dogs). He also shared that he was in a motorcycle accident that should have killed him, but he walked away without a scratch. Thus, he tries to make the most of every opportunity he gets — like The Bachelorette !

After Sam walked into the mansion, Jenn called him “a hottie” with “a lot of Southern charm.” She revealed that she always wanted to date a cowboy and excitedly dubbed Sam “a sexy cowboy,” but we’d be remiss not to mention something else Jenn told Decider… In our pre-premiere interview, Jenn revealed that her celebrity crushes are Shawn Mendes and Chris Evans , and considering Sam M. is probably the most Evans-coded guy in this cast of 25 men, this first impression rose tracks! Someone in the mansion even told him, “You look like you should be in Top Gun 3 !”

For those who need a refresher, Sam was the first one to steal Jenn for a second after her Night 1 welcome toast, and the two bonded over their desire for a “ferocious” and “reckless” love. Jenn told cameras she felt like there was an “undeniable connection” between the two, and later on in the evening she took Sam aside with first impression rose in hand.

“I feel like there has been something there, and I can’t stop thinking about you all night,” she explained. “I don’t always pick the right men, but there’s something in my gut that’s just telling me there’s something here. I’m really excited about it and really excited to get to know you more. I can’t stop thinking about you.”

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sam McKinney (@sam.mckinney.23)

When Sam accepted the first impression rose, Jenn gave him the first (and only!) kiss of the night. She described their make-out sesh as “feral” and told cameras “he’s got this energy that I am digging!” So we’ll have to see where the journey takes them.

Want to stay up-to-date with Sam. M outside  The Bachelorette ? Follow him on Instagram at  @sam.mckinney.23 , where he had 5,679 followers ahead of the Season 21 premiere. If you’re curious how long he could be on the show, keep reading for a Reality Steve spoiler.

How Far Does Sam McKinney Make It On  The Bachelorette ? Reality Steve Spoilers

Want to avoid major Bachelorette  spoilers? This is your chance to stop reading. But if you’re curious to know how long Sam McKinney might stick around, we’ve got a Reality Steve rumor that offers some insight below. 

Per a May 31 Instagram post , Reality Steve claims he knows Jenn Tran’s Top 2 contestants, and sadly for Sam M. fans, he’s not one of the men.

As for when and why Sam M. leaves the show, you’ll have to tune in to new episodes Mondays from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET on ABC or watch next-day on Hulu to find out. In the meantime, be sure to read  our interview with Jenn Tran  for more Bachelorette  Season 21 teases.

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Klay Thompson had to leave the Warriors, but the legend will last forever

An evening in November of 2012 revealed one of Klay Thompson ’s most classic moments and early insight into the ingredients that would make him a Golden State Warriors legend. He stepped to the free throw line at Oracle Arena in Oakland, the Warriors up by two with 13 seconds remaining in overtime. He missed both. Golden State still had a chance for the win, needing only a stop. But Klay made a costly defensive mistake, letting Denver ’s Danilo Gallinari free for a game-tying dunk. The Warriors lost in double overtime.

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By the time media was allowed in the locker room to ask about the collapse, which then-coach Mark Jackson said was the worst he felt after a game, Klay was gone. His clothes were still hanging in the locker. But he’d already left Oracle — in full uniform.

Unorthodox behavior, for sure. No postgame shower. No cooling off. He just bounced. That’s how mad he was, at himself, because that’s how much he cared. His competitive fire yet controlled. He wasn’t afraid to completely lose himself in what he loved at whatever price. He was cool, but never too cool to be fully invested.

A lesson from Klay.

That same spirit has led to the end of one of the NBA’s greatest trios . After 13 seasons, Klay Thompson is now a Dallas Maverick. And the Warriors’ championship triangle is now a chevron. Klay exited the house he helped build, the only franchise he’s known. This time, he left his uniform behind.

Players leave teams all the time. But this is different. This is an icon throwing up the deuces, altering the DNA of a franchise in the process.

It’ll be jarring to witness, the Warriors’ rock star in another band. Paired with Luka Dončić and not Steph Curry .

But as the old adage goes, loving something means letting it go. Love’s hardest and yet most necessary gesture is liberation, the sacrifice required to accept absence in the name of freedom. Klay’s gift to the Bay Area, outside of his most beautiful shooting form and the indelible moments he created, was his sovereignty.

He moved as a free spirit in an industry of concocted personalities within an era of trends and conformity. His ability and willingness to choose his path, veering away from the box of his profession, in some way granted permission for his fans to do the same. Riding with Klay meant being yourself. Klay Thompson was his own man.

That’s why he had to go. Because for the last five years, Klay hasn’t been free. He with the liberated aura had become imprisoned. His determination to recapture his past, to reach the Hall of Fame bar he set for himself, seemed so consuming as to entrap him.

It’s a plot twist for Klay to end up the one too aggrieved to stay. Five years ago, it would have been crazy to imagine Klay being so hurt by gestures, or the absence thereof, and perceptions of appreciation. He clearly always valued his respect and legacy, judging by his play. But even when he did have a gripe about his respect, it felt more fun banter than bruised feelings, like when he didn’t make the NBA75 list of the league’s greatest players and changed to No. 77 for practice . His public facade was one of indifference to typical social thirsts. He was too locked in on being Klay. You don’t show up as Jackie Moon because you care about perceptions.

Klay after scoring 52 points on Monday: "I looked like Jackie Moon out there." Klay tonight: 🎥 @NBCSAuthentic pic.twitter.com/1pYz5OLImU — SB Nation (@SBNation) November 1, 2018

But as one former player recently reminded, getting older is brutal on an athlete. Greatness exits the body faster than the mind. What Klay experienced only seems to exponentiate the brutality. His wasn’t a gradual departure. It was snatched from him. Twice. In the middle of his prime. With major injuries in consecutive years.

He’s not the first player to endure such. But his status and his natural proclivity for authenticity gave us a window into this athlete’s journey. He didn’t show everything, but enough to know his happiness was dissipating. As Draymond Green said on his podcast, it’s better to keep the inventory stocked with good memories than to create new bad ones. And he was compiling the bad ones. Not just his blight performances in elimination games the past two seasons. But the moments where his frustration and hurt manifested in ways unbecoming of him.

Klay deserves this new start. He’s earned a refresh. As much as it might hurt for him to go, he’s accrued the grace and understanding from a fan base he’s so endowed.

“I think last year was a very trying year for him,” Green said . “It was very hard on Klay. As a brother, to see someone going through that, it was hard on me to watch. … So it’s probably better this way. But it sucks.”

Kawakami: The perfect and poetic timing of Klay Thompson's 13 seasons of splash

Klay was still stewing just outside the visiting locker room in Phoenix in October of 2022, following his ejection after getting into it with Devin Booker . It can be hard to tell when Klay doesn’t want to talk. Occasionally, it will look and feel like a bad time to interview him and he’ll end up his most verbose. Dropping memorable gems and honest insight. So I risked it and asked him about his shooting after he’d gone 1-for-8 from the field. He missed all five 3-pointers, making 2 of his last 12, and totaled 10 points in two games. My question was about whether his issue was technique or shot selection.

He stopped, shot me a look of exasperation, and answered.

“Why would I stop believing now, Marcus?”

That wasn’t my question, but his answer was insight into what he was thinking and how he was processing. Sometimes with Klay, questions about his shooting, especially after off nights, he seemed to hear as indictments. As if the mere inquiry is a request for him to stop shooting. Because in his mind, and for great reason, just about every shot he takes is inherently justified by his excellence at the craft. Questioning the outcome is akin to questioning the decision to let it fly.

And why would he EVER stop shooting? Why would he EVER stop doing the thing he was born to do? Why would he EVER abandon the confidence his work and talent have concocted to brew?

His peace in life is on the court, plying his craft. Yeah, it’s also on the boat, and in the water, and lounging with his dog, Rocco. But nothing seems to fill him like basketball. Putting a ball with a 29.5-inch circumference into a hoop measuring 56.55 inches around. It’s a simple pleasure he’s mastered. And his mastery has brought so much pleasure.

Klay is still convinced he can play at the level of his heart. More important, that he’s worthy of the space and opportunity to do so.

“Changed the whole Bay Area,” Curry wrote on Instagram. “Changed the way the game is played. Killa Klay at the center of it all. Thank you for everything. Go enjoy playing basketball and doing what you do.”

Klay hasn’t stopped believing. And it is clear he contends the Warriors stopped believing in him — not giving him a monster extension, putting his contract on the backburner, envisioning a role for him off the bench, sitting him at the end of games despite all the magic he’s made.

That’s why his journey to peace was clearly tougher in the Bay. The home where he can’t escape reminders of his former glory and where the reverence, and in some cases its decline, is evidence of what he lost. The ultimate competitor in him gave it a valiant effort, and still does. He helped deliver a fourth championship in 2022. He battled. Against the restrictions of his body. Against the reality being forced upon him.

That’s why, to love Klay, in this moment, means to let him go. It’s not a word for the departing, but the remaining. It means not allowing the loss of Klay to overpower the gains he delivered. It means valuing what Klay’s given over what he’s taking with him. It means to feel this with him.

Just like when he dropped 37 in a quarter against Sacramento in a 2015 game. Just like when he stunned Oklahoma City in Game 6 of the 2016 Western Conference Finals and had Joe Lacob bow before him. Just like when he scored 60 points in 29 minutes in 2016. Just like when he tore his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals. Just like when he cried on the Warriors bench after a game in 2021. Just like when he dunked in his first game back in two years. Just like when he was on the last of the championship floats in 2022, in his sailor’s hat, and the streets filled with fans following him.

Klay gave all he had. He was genuine enough to be in a relationship with the fans. Let people in. Bare his soul. Because of that, the Bay was with him strong. An adopted son. If that was ever true, so should it remain, even with him gone.

The choice to leave the Warriors is among the most Klay things he’s ever done. The captain of his own boat. The commander of his own bike. The engineer and pilot of his own paper planes. If Klay wants to leave, Klay will leave. And he left.

But there is another part to this famous adage. The first part — if you love something, let it go — is followed by a hopeful conclusion: if it comes back, it will be yours. Forever, in some versions.

Klay will be back, presuming time will heal any wounds. Not as an opponent but as family. Not as a Maverick, but as a Warrior. Not as the one who left, but as the legend you love.

When he returns, he will be your Klay. Forever.

How Klay Thompson's 13-year run with the Warriors splintered so unceremoniously

(Top photo of Klay Thompson celebrating a series-clinching win over the Memphis Grizzlies in the 2022 playoffs: Ezra Shaw / Getty Images)

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Marcus Thompson II is a lead columnist at The Athletic. He is a prominent voice in the Bay Area sports scene after 18 years with Bay Area News Group, including 10 seasons covering the Warriors and four as a columnist. Marcus is also the author of the best-selling biography "GOLDEN: The Miraculous Rise of Steph Curry." Follow Marcus on Twitter @ thompsonscribe

Las Vegas’s power couple says goodbye to power

The goodmans were mayors for 25 years. their evolution mirrors that of sin city.

C AROLYN GOODMAN had a big decision to make. Her husband, Oscar, a former defence attorney for reputed mobsters, was going to be term-limited after serving 12 years as mayor of Las Vegas. He wanted her to succeed him. It was 2011, and there were already more than a dozen candidates vying for the job. “I said, ‘all right, I’ll file. But under one condition,’” she recalls. She coveted the black and white $100 poker chips with Mr Goodman’s likeness that he used as a business card. “I want my own chip if I win,” she demanded, “and I want it to be $1,000.”

Thirteen years later, Mrs Goodman finds herself in a similar position to her husband. She will leave office this year after serving three terms as mayor (plus an extra year when the city juggled its electoral calendar). But there is not another Goodman waiting in the wings. When a new mayor is elected in November it will mark the end of a quarter-century of Goodman rule in Las Vegas. The couple’s time in office, and their lives, are worth considering. Now in their mid-80s, the Goodmans are a bridge between the old Las Vegas —a sparsely populated playground for mobsters—and the modern desert metropolis.

When the couple arrived in Las Vegas in 1964—then just “a watering hole for cattle”, in Mr Goodman’s estimation—they had $87 between them. But Mr Goodman became America’s most notorious lawyer, representing the likes of Meyer Lansky, the Syndicate’s “chairman”, and Tony Spilotro and Frank Rosenthal , who ran the Chicago mafia’s racket at the Stardust hotel. He even played himself in “Casino”, Martin Scorsese’s film based on the lives of Spilotro and Rosenthal. “I was 666. I was the prince of darkness,” as far as law enforcement was concerned, says Mr Goodman. But he maintains that he was “doing the Lord’s work” because every man, no matter how murderous, is entitled to a lawyer.

After 35 years of lawyering, he decided to run for mayor. “A lot of people thought it was the worst thing imaginable,” says Michael Green, a historian at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. The Las Vegas Review-Journal , a newspaper, christened him a “barrister to butchers”. But, crucially, people knew who he was. “They’re really an only-in-Las-Vegas story,” says John Smith, who wrote “Of Rats and Men”, a biography of Mr Goodman.

Mrs Goodman’s decision to campaign for mayor was not foretold. She had spent decades running an elite high school, and neither Carolyn nor Oscar was particularly political: they left the Democratic Party in 2009 to register as non-partisan. But she wanted to see her husband’s visions for the city fully realised. In office she finished several projects begun on his watch, including a performing-arts centre, and, of course, a Mob Museum. But she was no slouch. Rather, she was the power behind the Goodmans, says Mr Smith, and a stabilising force for a man “full of bravado”.

Viva Las Vegas

In December Mrs Goodman will leave office with the city and its surrounding metro area vastly changed. Where once there were private, mob-run casinos, there are now glittering towers owned by multinational corporations. Sport leagues that shunned Las Vegas for its gambling are now playing games on the Strip. The Tropicana, a hotel once run by gangsters, is set to be demolished this year. Its neon has gone dark, and its sign has been scraped from the building. A major-league baseball stadium is planned to be built in its place.

Sixty years ago Clark County, which includes Las Vegas, boasted about 200,000 people. Now it is home to 2.3m. The city is much less white than it used to be. The population boom in Las Vegas and its suburbs is also responsible for the county’s outsized political importance this year. Nevada is one of six swing states expected to decide the 2024 presidential election, and nearly three-quarters of the state’s voters live in Clark County.

Are the Goodmans responsible for that growth? Las Vegas mayors are not very powerful. They are a figurehead, and preside over the city council. If the Goodmans had never decided to try politics, the region probably would have boomed anyway as Americans flocked to low-tax states in the Sunbelt. But older Las Vegans remember when the Goodmans were lonely voices cheerleading for the city. For a long time they were leading a parade of two, says Mr Smith, “and now there are plenty of people in that parade.”

Some Las Vegans are ready for the Goodman era to end. Locals bring up the couple’s missteps. Mr Goodman once said those responsible for graffiti should have their thumbs cut off. He got into a public spat with Barack Obama, after which, he suggests, he voted for Mitt Romney in 2012 out of spite. He can be Trumpian in his pugnacity. But the two men are alike only in style, not substance. (Mr Goodman was a defence attorney, whereas Donald Trump just hires them.) In 2020 Mrs Goodman said Las Vegas, which was hurt when the pandemic closed hotels and casinos, could be America’s “control group” to measure the effects of lifting restrictions. Many hope their next mayor is a technocrat focused on problems such as extreme heat, water scarcity and homelessness.

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