Adam, I don't know the Franklin books to which you refer and think you need to narrow you inquiry for famous people. There must be a 'type' of person more interesting to you, or do you want recommendations about everyone from Army Generals to religious leaders to ancient philosophers to explorers?

picassocat, first of all, I love the quotes on your page.

I haven't read the bio of Ben Franklin but do enjoy good biographies when they come along. Most recently I read a bio of Charlotte Bronte. Very interesting as the three sisters and their brother lived a fairly isolated and strange kind of life. It amazes me that all three sisters were talented writers.
Another fairly recent reading was The Last Sorcerer, Isaac Newton.
Years ago, I read everything I could find by Irving Stone. Of course, his books, while covering the basics of the person's life, added dialogue and such that couldn't have been known for sure. But he wrote on Van Gogh, Darwin, Freud, Michelangelo, Lincoln, and several others. I only wish he were still around to give us more. Is there another writer out there similar to Stone?

You've read Ben Franklin's autobiography, right? That's well worth reading, in my opinion.

I read biographies of well-known writers if that's the sort of famous person you're interested in--?

My range of interests include the lives of authors, scientists, philosophers, explorers, composers and politicians; mainly people that have achieved extraordinary things in their lives. But also, the experiences of people in challenging circumstances. For example, Anne Frank and Primo Levi, and books like Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer interest me. I also enjoy reading letters. I have read some excellent collections by Rilke, Chekhov and Capote of late. But I like books written in an engaging style and that can tell a good story. But really, what I am asking is what books of the biographical genre have you found particularly captivating and would recommend to others? I'm open to anything really as I trust the judgement of all here at RP.

No, I haven't actually read Ben Franklin's biography yet, but I'm considering buying it, as the reviews on Amazon are positive. Isaacson has just released a biography on Einstein as well that has also received excellent reviews, but I will have to wait until it comes into paperback before I get that one.

I have heard of Irving Stone, especially his book on Michelangelo, titled Lust for Life, I think. The Last Sorcerer sounds familiar too.

The last bio I read was Caesar: Life of Colossus by Adrian Goldsworthy. I quite enjoyed it, but the battlefield toing-and-froing got a little tedious. What I found most interesting was life and politics in ancient Rome. It also gave me an idea of the toughness of the Roman soldiers.

Re Stone's books: I believe Lust for Life was the one on Van Gogh. The Agony and the Ecstasy was the one about Michelangelo. Both were extremely good.
I plan to keep checking this thread for more suggestions for great biographies.

Here are some biographies of writers I've found fascinating:

"Savage Beauty", biog. of poet Edna St. Vincent Millay, by Nancy Milford

"The Life of a Storyteller", biog. of Isak Dinesen, by Judith Thurman

"An American Childhood", autobiography of writer Annie Dillard

" "A Time to Dance, No Time to Weep", her own story of her life in Indian and England, by Rumer Godden

I just picked up Mockingbird by Charlie Shields, the unauthorized bio of Harper Lee. He interviewed 600 people, but Lee herself would never speak with him and she refused to even provide corrections when asked.

To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all-time favorite books, and I've always been interested in Lee. I hope this book sheds some light on this enigmatic individual.

I also just bought Mayflower: A Story of Courage, Community, and War by Nathaniel Philbrick, which looks very interesting.

I enjoyed Winston and Clementine , a collection of their letters edited by their daughter.
Victoria by Stanley Weintraub
Mountbatten by Richard Hough
Any of the Tudor biographies by Carolly Erickson, although it pains me that she is now writing historical fiction of the Phillippa Gregory ilk.

She is not famous, but I can recommend a series of memoirs starting with The Spy Wore Red: My Adventures as as Undercover Agent in World War II by Aline Countess Romanones. She did know famous people, including the Duchess of Windsor. Aline was an American who joined the OSS during WW II and was stationed in Spain. The first three books she claims to be true but seem to wild to be so. The final book by Aline is a novel, The Well Mannered Assassin. She was acquainted with the terrorist know as Carlos the Jackal and invents a story around him. About a year after I read the novel Carlos was captured and it was fun to actually think I, sort of, knew who he was.

Some of the best memoirs I've read have been about people who weren't famous, but knew many others. Not the name dropping ones, but the ones that can put their stories into context of the time they were living. I am trying to come up with a good example, will need to scan my shelves later.

Biographies ....... hmmmm..... I could recommend :

Adolf Hilter by John Toland (budget some time for this -- the paperback version is about 4-5 inches thick! The HB version comes in TWO volumes. That being said, I think it's definitely worth the time investment!)

Robert Kennedy And His Times -- Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr.

American Caesar: Douglas McArthur 1880-1964 -- William Manchester

The Last Lion : Winston Spencer Churchill, Visions of Glory, 1874-1932 -- William Manchester

The Last Lion : Winston Spencer Churchill, Alone, 1932-1940 -- William Manchester

How about memoirs? I like to think of them as being akin to autobiographies! For these, I'd recommend :

20th Century Journey: A Memoir Of A Life And The Times: The Start, 1904-1930 -- William L Shirer

This one's a great memoir of America and Europe in the early 20th century.

In Search of History: A Personal Adventure -- Theodore H. White

This is a great memoir from a great reporter. From a Jewish Boston upbringing to hobnobbing with the elite of the Chinese Communists in the 1940s to the Kennedys of the 1960s, Teddy White's story is quite amazing. Oh, and it's a good read too.

Live from the Battlefield: From Vietnam to Baghdad, 35 Years in the World's War Zones -- Peter Arnett

After reading this memoir, all I could think of was ..... Man, Peter Arnett's crazy. But, that being said, he's been in some of the most interesting (translation: godawfully dangerous) places in the world. A combat correspondent's life is dangerous, sometimes monotonous, and seemingly always full of alcohol. You may not like his politics or his lifestyle but you have to respect his courage. Ok, arguably it could be called foolhardiness but still .... It's a great read.

And for a nice, tabloid-like bio of some of the most influential of Caesars, I'd suggest Suetonius and his classic Lives of the Twelve Caesars. His treatment of Caligula and Nero would have done today's tabloids proud! ;-)

I read biographies rarely, but do occaisonally read biographies of authors. In the past ten years or so I've read biographies of Daphne du Maurier, Jane Austen, and Elizabeth Goudge. Right now I am reading the book Jane Aiken Hodge wrote about Georgette Heyer.

Rosefolly

>The Last Lion : Winston Spencer Churchill, Visions of Glory, 1874-1932 -- William Manchester

>The Last Lion : Winston Spencer Churchill, Alone, 1932-1940 -- William Manchester

Ditto. So sad that Manchester died before he could finish the third one.

For those interested in biographies of writers, try Virginia Woolf: An Inner Life, by Julia Briggs. Briggs ties chronological events in Woolf's life to her stories. Made me want a room of my very own.

Frongia, thanks for the clarification regarding the Stone books.

Everyone's suggestions have been great. Thank you, thank you, thank you...

Having Our Say: the Delaney Sisters' first 100 years had a spate of popularity about 10 years ago, and deservedly so. Besides drawing a portrait of 2 strong and intelligent women in their own words, you see them within the social context of America from about 1900-1990, through the Jim Crow years, civil rights, etc. Bessie and Sarah Delaney both lived to be over 100, and are fascinating to 'listen' to.

For another biography of a writer, try John Miller's Becoming Laura Ingalls Wilder: the Woman Behind the Legend. You get a biography not only of Laura as an adult but also of her daughter Rose, who was an essential partner in helping Laura to write her Little House books. I think this book is less strident and more even-handed than The Ghost in the Little House, and less uncritically affectionate than Donald Zochert's Laura, based on her memoirs.

Donnamira, thanks for the Laura recommendation. I became a Little House fan while buying the books for my daughter and have just hated hearing her criticized.

I like to read biographies of famous royal queens. Alison Weir has some really great, well researched books out on the topic. She wrote one on Queen Isabel Edward II wife and her escape from England back to France. She also had an affair with his arch-enemy Roger Mortimer. Weir also wrote a book on Elinor of Aquatine wife and mother of two Kings. Antonia Frasier is also quite good she wrote the book Marie Antionette the Journey which the Kirsten Dunst movie is based on.

Carolyn, then the Zochert book is the one for you. It fills in the famous gap between the events of Plum Creek and Silver Lake (they lost a baby brother in addition to Mary losing her sight), and covers her entire life. You discover that Nellie Oleson is actually a composite of 2 different girls! A nice touch is that it includes some illustrations by Garth Williams, as well as family photos. The Miller book covers only her adult life after she began writing; you see how Laura learned to be a writer, and where Rose helped in editing and revising. Miller acknowledges Rose's contribution but is quite clear that he considers Laura's books to be her own - conceived by her and all the first drafts written by her, even if they were substantially revised with Rose's help before publication.

Thanks, Donna. I will look for both of them.