Biographies & Memoirs

Here’s my current reading list for biographies and memoirs (and a couple of autobiographies folded under biographies), roughly prioritized in the order I’d like to read them. This reflects my interests and biases (heavy on science and technology, for example). But if there are particular biographies you’d recommend that I’ve left out or deprioritized, please do let me know. I’d love to hear from you!

Completed

Higher priority

Backstage Montek Singh Ahluwalia Backstage
Leibniz Maria Rosa Antognazza Leibniz
How to Live Sarah Bakewell How to Live
Endgame Frank Brady Endgame
Leonhard Euler Ronald S. Calinger Leonhard Euler
Alexander Hamilton Ron Chernow Alexander Hamilton
Benjamin Franklin Walter Isaacson Benjamin Franklin
Einstein Walter Isaacson Einstein
Leonardo da Vinci Walter Isaacson Leonardo da Vinci
The Brass Notebook Devaki Jain The Brass Notebook
Edison Matthew Josephson Edison
The Maverick and His Machine Kevin Maney The Maverick and His Machine
Poet of Revolution Nicholas McDowell Poet of Revolution
Edison Edmund Morris Edison
James Watt Ben Russell James Watt
The Last Man Who Knew Everything Enrico Fermi The Last Man Who Knew Everything
The Pope of Physics Gino Segre, Bettina Hoerlin The Pope of Physics
Wizard Marc J. Seifer Wizard
I Invented the Modern Age Richard Snow I Invented the Modern Age
A Mind at Play Jimmy Soni, Rob Goodman A Mind at Play
The Wizard of Menlo Park Randall E. Stross The Wizard of Menlo Park
Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China Ezra F. Vogel Deng Xiaoping and the Transformation of China
The Shape of a Life Shing-Tung Yau and Steve Nadis The Shape of a Life
From Third World to First Lee Kuan Yew From Third World to First

Lower priority

Tolstoy Rosamund Bartlett Tolstoy
Washington Ron Chernow Washington
The House of Rothschild Niall Ferguson The House of Rothschild
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Alan Turing Andrew Hodges Alan Turing
In Search of Memory Eric R. Kandel In Search of Memory
Popper Bryan Magee Popper
The Tristan Chord Bryan Magee The Tristan Chord
The Man Who Knew Sebastian Mallaby The Man Who Knew
Living to Tell the Tale Gabriel Garcia Marquez Living to Tell the Tale
Catherine the Great Robert K. Massie Catherine the Great
Peter the Great Robert K. Massie Peter the Great
John Adams David McCullough John Adams
Speak, Memory Vladimir Nabokov Speak, Memory
Miyazakiworld Susan J. Napier Miyazakiworld
Subtle Is the Lord Abraham Pais Subtle Is the Lord
Models of My Life Herbert A. Simon Models of My Life
Beethoven Jan Swafford Beethoven
Mozart Jan Swafford Mozart
Memoirs Edward Teller, with Judith Schoolery Memoirs
Adi Shankaracharya Pavan K. Varma Adi Shankaracharya
Montaigne Stefan Zweig Montaigne
The World of Yesterday Stefan Zweig The World of Yesterday


Memoirs

Nothing to Be Frightened Of Julian Barnes Nothing to Be Frightened Of
A Long Way Gone Ishmael Beah A Long Way Gone
Six Memos for the Next Millenium Italo Calvino Six Memos for the Next Millenium
I Remember Nothing Nora Ephron I Remember Nothing
Barbarian Days William Finnegan Barbarian Days
Seven Pillars of Wisdom T. E. Lawrence Seven Pillars of Wisdom
Old in Art School Nell Irvin Painter Old in Art School
The Book of Disquiet Fernando Pessoa The Book of Disquiet
On the Move Oliver Sacks On the Move
Calypso David Sedaris Calypso
Not Fade Away Laurence Shames, Peter Barton Not Fade Away
Discovery Vernon Smith Discovery
Darkness Visible William Styron Darkness Visible
Let's Go (So We Can Get Back) Jeff Tweedy Let's Go (So We Can Get Back)

All book cover images are from Goodreads unless specified otherwise.