5 Autobiographies you must read once in your lifetime
Want to know about the first-hand life experiences of eminent personalities? Read these exhilarating autobiographies tracing their extraordinary journey.
An autobiography is a self-written account of an author’s life. These books capture the different life stories, author’s struggle in life, ups and downs that they went through and how they overcome obstacles in life to become the person they are.
Autobiographies are a first-person peek into a famous personality’s life, and sometimes they leave an indelible impression on the reader’s mind.
Here we have shortlisted top five autobiographies that you must read at least once.
The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin – Benjamin Franklin
This book is one of the best autobiographies ever published. Benjamin Franklin’s autobiography, written from 1771 to 1790, traces his journey from a lower-middle-class youth into one of the most admired and renowned men in the world.
This autobiography highlights life in the 18th century and author’s idealism, intellectualism and optimistic beliefs that remain essential to humankind even now. This book is divided into four parts, and Franklin’s 13 virtues mentioned in the book are still relevant in the current times for all of us. It’s worth a read!
Long Walk To Freedom – Nelson Mandela
Long Walk To Freedom, Nelson Mandela’s autobiography, chronicles the journey of the most legendary and notable leader of all times. Starting from his childhood days in Mvezo, South Africa, to his growing up years, including his formal education and training to become a lawyer, this book has it all. This book also recounts 27 years that he spent in prison, his ascension to presidency and his remarkable contribution to building a new, democratic South Africa. One of the most inspiring autobiographies of all times, Long walk to freedom is a book that you should read at least once in your lifetime.
The Diary of a Young Girl – Anne Frank
This notable work is a collection of daily writings from the diary kept by Anne Frank for two years when she was in hiding along with her family during World War II. This diary beautifully describes everything that a 13-year old girl would ever experience, including intimate details about her family, her crushes, her religion, her academic performances and her day-to-day experiences. She recorded all about her life while in hiding for two years until her tragic death at the age of 15. Anne’s thoughts, beautifully expressed in this autobiography continue to touch millions of hearts even now!
Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1 – Mark Twain
Mark Twain’s autobiography is unlike conventional autobiographies and does not trace his life’s journey in chronological order. The first volume is based on a 5,000-page memoir, left by Twain before his death in University of California at Berkeley. This book is a perfect representation of the author’s life, illustrating different roles he played in life as a son, a brother, a family man, a friend and an author. It is a classic collection of Twain’s exceptional life experiences, and everyone must read this book.
Open: An Autobiography – Andre Agassi
Open is an autobiography of one of the most talented tennis players of all times Andre Agassi, which is both shocking and enthralling at the same time. This tale of resurrection by Agassi elaborates on the author’s life, his love life, his confession to controversies and also his hate for the game of tennis. He writes about his rigorous training in teenage years, his personal life and the highs and lows of his celebrated sports career. This memoir was one of the National Bestsellers of that time!
