5 Great Autobiographies

Everyone loves a good story - but some people love a good story about a great person even more. Why? These people either once existed or still exist and it is important to tell their story, learn about their story and feel the feelings they felt at the most difficult or turbulent times in their life.

It is not only historical figures, but musicians, artists, filmmakers, scientists and even politicians that have come to write some of the most interesting autobiographies out there. It is always interesting to keep and read a wide array of autobiographies because not only do you have to remember that these things happened in some way, shape or form, but you also get to pay attention to the writing style of how someone is telling their story. You get to see what they make themselves look like and there are a few autobiographies out there, I admit, in which the writer makes themselves out to be a victim of circumstance. But, with many autobiographies, it is not just about a struggle, but about how thei redeeming factors brought them out of it.

Autobiographies are normally structured from the very beginning of someone's life to the present or the end of it, considering whether there is an afterword written by a deceased's estate or not. Autobiographies, unlike biographies, let you into glimpses, conversations and details that you would only ever hear from the words of the person themselves, information that others are not privvy to. If you are especially interested in the person you are reading about then this can seem like an incredible primary piece of research as well.

So let us take a look at five great autobiographies that I have personally read. I would like to tell you about why I love them and what in general, they are about. They are in no particular order.

5 Great Autobiographies

"My Autobiography" by Sir Charlie Chaplin

I loved reading the autobiography of Sir Charlie Chaplin. Not only is he one of my heroes, but he was an actor that completely changed the way we see comedy. When you read the book, your initial thoughts will be about how articulate he was and about his upbringing. But the most interesting thing about him is obviously about when he moved to America and began making some of the world's most iconic movies. It is such a great book filled with so many stories of his past and it is also incredibly written.

"The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Malcolm X

There are not many books that are as interesting, philosophical, deeply moving and politically charged as "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" and there is a very good reason for that. Malcolm X was not always a man of great power and oratory, and this book shows us his humble - if not traumatising - beginnings. I was deeply moved when I was reading this book and in recent days, the book "The Dead are Arising" has come out - yet another great biography about the Civil Rights Activist and his amazing movement. But nobody tells his story better than himself.

"Me: Stories of My Life" by Katharine Hepburn

It is well known that Katharine Hepburn was the daughter of a female rights' activist but what is not very well known is how she was brought up. This book tells us in short stories about the growth and becoming of Katharine Hepburn and how she also turned into one of the world's most successful and decorated actresses. Basically it is the Queen of the Movies telling us how she went from strength to strength in her lifetime. A role model for us all and one of the world's most iconic actresses - she addresses parts of her life that you would have previously never known about, including parts of her love life with Spencer Tracy.

"Lady Sings the Blues" by Billie Holiday

I was heartbroken after reading the autobiography of my favourite female singer, Billie Holiday. She had basically been pushed and shoved around all her life and yet, her voice was still as soulful, heartfelt and incredible as always. She still gave her most awe-inspiring performances and her talent stretched far beyond just the audience she was singing to at the time. Describing her upbringing as a child delinquent who was basically victimised because of her race, Billie Holiday gives us not only the truth behind her changing her name, but the way in which she was almost shunned out of the business many times. Through her arrests and onwards, she continues to strive for her rights to sing. And her voice was better than any others in my opinion.

"Satchmo" by Louis Armstrong

It is so disturbing the kind of trauma that Louis Armstrong endured whilst growing up. His mother was berated by white people and his entire life he spent trying to build himself up with barely anything to his name. He went on to become one of the greatest musicians of the 20th century and yet the story behind it is so incredibly heartbreaking it is unreal how it will move you. This one is a shorter autobiography but nonetheless, it covers parts of Louis Armstrong's life that are barely ever discussed when people talk about his music. I think it is one of the most important autobiographies out there - it really teaches us how he struggled against a system that wanted to make sure he didn't succeed.