A biography is a written account of a real person’s life, usually describing their experiences, achievements, and challenges. It is often written by someone else, not by the person themselves.
From Greek “bios” meaning “life” and “-graphia” meaning “writing.” It literally means “life writing.”
A good biography doesn’t just list events; it tries to explain why a person made certain choices and how their time shaped them. In a way, reading biographies lets you “borrow” other people’s lives to upgrade your own decisions.
Biographies have historically focused on men, especially in politics, science, and the arts, often sidelining or romanticizing women’s lives. Women’s biographies were frequently framed around their relationships to men rather than their own achievements.
When writing or selecting biographies, seek gender balance and avoid framing women primarily in relation to male figures. Use neutral descriptors for roles and achievements.
["life story","life history"]
Many women’s biographies were never written or were framed narrowly, contributing to their erasure from public memory.
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