Biographies of people from 1950s to present that you have read and loved...

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

I'm loaded up on bios from early America through the 1950s but I am hurting for bios of modern figures. I can't believe how challenging it is to find well-written biographies for recent times!

 

:bigear:

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

:toetap05: Throw me a bone, people!

 

:D

[UnPrairieMuffin]

I think that Flannery: A Life of Flannery O'Connor by Brad Gooch was wonderful. I found it the D/FW airport, and I was practically desparate for something. It was a wonderful read, well researched and not too biased. I kept it to read again...it's one I'd read once a year or so. I love Flannery O'connor.

 

How's that for a bone?

 

Erin

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

 

How's that for a bone?

 

Erin

 

Delicious, thanks! :D I appreciate the bump too! Maybe I am not getting many replies because I failed to specify age. I am looking for anything from picture book bios to upper elementary read-alouds, specifically for American history.

[ScoutTN]

Ok, I'm not a big bio reader and I can't remember the titles too well.

Here's my quick list:

My Grandfather's Son, the autobiography of Clarence Thomas - interesting whether you like his politics or not.

Tolkien by Humphrey Carpenter

and the bio of Beatrix Potter was good too, the one they made the film

Miss Potter from.

[ElizabethB]

Helen Keller!

 

I love the Adler ones for the young crowd. (Sometimes they are just the right length for me, too!)

 

Braille was my favorite, although not in your timeframe.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Picture-Book-Louis-Braille-Biography/dp/0823414132/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281141934&sr=8-1

[elegantlion]

I haven't read it yet, but I'm buying a bio on Jacques Cousteau for ds. It's a Sterling biography, which they have at Barnes and Noble.

 

Other modern figures:

 

MLK Jr(Landmark bio for grades 2 and up - was good)

Basher 52 (Scott O'Grady - pilot who was shot down - very good)

[MGK]

My daughter has enjoyed the History Makers Bio's series. We mostly used them for early American history, so I can't recommend specific titles. They have lots of modern day figures - US presidents, MLK Jr, Colin Powell, and many more.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

Ok, I'm not a big bio reader and I can't remember the titles too well.

Here's my quick list:

My Grandfather's Son, the autobiography of Clarence Thomas - interesting whether you like his politics or not.

Tolkien by Humphrey Carpenter

and the bio of Beatrix Potter was good too, the one they made the film

Miss Potter from.

 

Thanks for these. I loved Miss Potter too!

 

Helen Keller!

 

I love the Adler ones for the young crowd. (Sometimes they are just the right length for me, too!)

 

Braille was my favorite, although not in your timeframe.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Picture-Book-Louis-Braille-Biography/dp/0823414132/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1281141934&sr=8-1

 

I have the Signature bio for Helen Keller. My library has some of the Adler bios. I'll check them out. Thanks!

 

I haven't read it yet, but I'm buying a bio on Jacques Cousteau for ds. It's a Sterling biography, which they have at Barnes and Noble.

 

Other modern figures:

 

MLK Jr(Landmark bio for grades 2 and up - was good)

Basher 52 (Scott O'Grady - pilot who was shot down - very good)

 

Oooh, Jacques Cousteau! I have to say I saw the cutest picture book about him but would rather have the Sterling for re-reading worth, I think. Thanks! I have the Dell Yearling on MLK.

 

The Scott O'Grady book is a great recommendation. Unfortunately, with DH being an Army pilot, I have to tread very carefully with the disclosure of the dangers of the job. Plus, when ds7 was only 8 months old, DH was in Iraq and had a fire in flight, resulting in an emergency landing in hostile territory. His helicopter was a total loss (actually exploded like in the movies due to full ammo on board). He had to have people come out to rescue him (not nearly so dramatic as what O'Grady went through, as he was brought back immediately, but it still makes me want to hurl to think about it). :crying: Anyway, dc don't know any of that...or that DH's job is actually dangerous. I'm keeping them blissfully ignorant for as long as possible, preferably until retirement. I don't think I could actually make it through a bio like this though.

Edited August 7, 2010 by Alte Veste Academy

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

My daughter has enjoyed the History Makers Bio's series. We mostly used them for early American history, so I can't recommend specific titles. They have lots of modern day figures - US presidents, MLK Jr, Colin Powell, and many more.

 

Ooh, I think I had wish-listed the Clinton one because it was the best bio of him I could find but it was pricey (they didn't have it in paperback). That was when I was specifically searching for Clinton though so now I'll spend some time looking at the whole series. Thanks!

[JennyW]

I read the one on Dr. Seuss. I think it was called Mr. Geisel and Dr. Seuss or something like that. Excellent. Loved it.

[EmilyK]

We like the Mike Venezia books, and he has a presidents series which would cover some of the more modern presidents. Also the artist ones might be good -- when did Faith Ringgold paint? And there are 20th century scientists covered.

 

There are lots of good MLK biographies at our library.

 

Seems like there were other good civil right leader bios too -- we read one (an Adler one?) on Thurgood Marshall that I enjoyed. (I like the Adler bios too.)

 

We read a picture book about Theodore Geisel from the library that was great.

 

My son has read several good biographies on Einstein but I think they were all from his then-school library.

[Matryoshka]

My dds really like the Signature Lives biography series. They have a lot from recent times. The only one they didn't like from that series was Douglas McArthur, for some reason.

[elegantlion]

 

Oooh, Jacques Cousteau! I have to say I saw the cutest picture book about him but would rather have the Sterling for re-reading worth, I think. Thanks! I have the Dell Yearling on MLK.

 

The Scott O'Grady book is a great recommendation. Unfortunately, with DH being an Army pilot, I have to tread very carefully with the disclosure of the dangers of the job. Plus, when ds7 was only 8 months old, DH was in Iraq and had a fire in flight, resulting in an emergency landing in hostile territory. His helicopter was a total loss (actually exploded like in the movies due to full ammo on board). He had to have people come out to rescue him (not nearly so dramatic as what O'Grady went through, as he was brought back immediately, but it still makes me want to hurl to think about it). :crying: Anyway, dc don't know any of that...or that DH's job is actually dangerous. I'm keeping them blissfully ignorant for as long as possible, preferably until retirement. I don't think I could actually make it through a bio like this though.

 

:grouphug: Oh, yes, I'd skip that then. I'm glad your dh was all right. How scary for you. :grouphug:

 

Another option that would be interesting is give some questions to your family members and do a family bio. I bought a nice book for my mom and dad a few years ago. :toetap05: They still haven't returned them like I asked, but it will make a wonderful family history if they ever get around to it.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

Thanks everyone! I'll check everything out.

[Guest Alte Veste Academy]

Another option that would be interesting is give some questions to your family members and do a family bio. I bought a nice book for my mom and dad a few years ago. :toetap05: They still haven't returned them like I asked, but it will make a wonderful family history if they ever get around to it.

 

I'm :toetap05: with you! I gave my mom one of those books too! She actually got very hurt feelings and said something about assuming it meant we would never live close enough to her for her grandkids to get to know her. That's obviously the only reason I would want a bio. :rolleyes: