"How To Do Biography: A Primer" by Nigel Hamilton

It is not surprising that biography is one of the most popular literary genres of our day. What is remarkable is that there is no accessible guide for how to write one. Written with humor, insight, and compassion, How To Do Biography is the manual that would-be biographers have long been awaiting.





Hamilton invites the reader to join him on a fascinating journey through the art of biographical composition. Starting with personal motivation, he charts the making of a modern biography from the inside: from conception to fulfillment. He emphasizes the need to know one’s audience, rehearses the excitement and perils of modern research, delves into the secrets of good and great biography, and guides the reader through the essential components of life narrative.

With examples taken from the finest modern biographies, Hamilton shows how to portray the ages of man—birth, childhood, love, life’s work, the evening of life, and death. In addition, he suggests effective ways to start and close a life story. He clarifies the difference between autobiography and memoir—and addresses the sometimes awkward ethical, legal, and personal consequences of truth-telling in modern life writing. He concludes with the publication and reception of biography—its afterlife, so to speak.

Contents
Introduction
I. Getting Started
1. The Task of Biography
2. What Is Your Agenda?
3. Defining Your Audience
4. Researching Your Subject
5. The Shape of a Life
II. Composing a Life-Story
6. The Starting Point
7. Birthing Your Subject
8. Childhood and Youth
9. Love Stories
10. Life’s Work
11. The Twilight Years
12. Ending Your Story
III. Variations on a Theme
13. Autobiography and Memoirs
14. Memoir
15. Truth—and Its Consequences
16. The Afterlife
Notes
Selected Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Index