Genre Starter List: Biographies

Welcome back to another installment of the Genre Starter List series! Biographies tell the story of a significant person’s life. There are a lot of fascinating individuals whose life stories you can read, and we have several here in the library! Here are some biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs that you can get from the Logos. 

*All descriptions written by Darius Mullin. 

American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin 

The landmark biography of the “father of the atomic bomb,” J. Robert Oppenheimer, and the inspiration for Christopher Nolan’s 2023 blockbuster film, Oppenheimer.  

All My Knotted-Up Life by Beth Moore 

Christian author and founder of Living Proof Ministries Beth Moore tells edifying and encouraging stories from her own life in this recent memoir.  

What to Do About Alice? by Barbara Kerley and Ed Fotheringham 

“I can be president of the United States, or I can control Alice. I cannot possibly do both!” –Theodore Roosevelt 

This fun picture book tells of the exploits of President Theodore Roosevelt’s bold and adventurous daughter, Alice. This book is also part of our currently ongoing March Book Madness 2024! 

Just Mercy by Bryan Stevenson  

Bryan Stevenson is the founder of the Equal Justice Initiative, an Alabama-based non-profit organization that provides good legal representation to the people who need it most and otherwise wouldn’t get it. In Just Mercy, Stevenson pairs data with anecdotes from his early years as a lawyer to paint a moving picture. 

The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom, John L Sherrill, and Elizabeth Sherrill 

The incredible autobiographical story of Corrie ten Boom’s experience hiding Jews from Nazis during the Holocaust and the German occupation of Holland. 

Quiet Strength by Tony Dungy and Nathan Whitaker 

Tony Dungy is a Christian, former NFL player, and head coach, whose leadership style took the Indianapolis Colts to victory in Super Bowl XLI and led Dungy to become the first black head coach to win the big game. In Quiet Strength, Dungy tells stories from his life and reveals the principles that accompanied him along the way.  

The Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder 

The classic Little House series includes eight autobiographical children’s novels by Laura Ingalls Wilder, an American pioneer who grew up in the latter half of the 19^th century. Farmer Boy, the only of these books about the childhood of Almonzo Wilder (Laura’s future husband), is currently a part of March Book Madness 2024! 

Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly 

“The untold story of the Black women mathematicians who helped win the space race.” The basis for a major motion picture, Hidden Figures recounts the exciting stories of the “human computers” who helped overcome discrimination to help America get to the moon. 

Symphony for the City of the Dead by M.T. Anderson 

The shocking tale of Dmitri Shostakovich, a composer who endured one of the most brutal sieges of human history: the Nazi siege of Leningrad during World War II. Shostakovich would go on to write the “Leningrad Symphony,” a work that simultaneously encouraged and eulogized his fellow citizens.  

Autobiography of Mark Twain 

The great American humorist and storyteller tells his own story in his own words, published posthumously so that he could really speak his mind. “You will never know how much enjoyment you have lost until you get to dictating your autobiography,” Twain told a friend.  

Dancing at the Pity Party: A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir by Tyler Feder 

Tyler Feder will have you laughing at one page and crying at the next in this memoir about the author’s mom who, well, died. The graphic novel format makes this a surprisingly impactful work.  

Choosing Brave by Angela Joy and Janelle Washington 

This 2022 book tells the story of Emmett Till, the 14-year-old black boy who was brutally murdered in 1955, and Mamie Till-Mobley, Emmett’s mother, who was the catalyst for her son’s wrongful death to become a rallying point for the civil rights movement.  

Against All Odds by Travis “Thi’sl” Tyler 

Rapper, label founder, and motivational speaker Thi’sl—a former gang member and drug dealer before becoming a Christian—tells his life story in this gripping autobiography. 

The Story of My Life by Helen Keller 

Everyone has heard of Helen Keller, who lost her sight and hearing at the young age of 19 months. Here, you can read about Keller’s remarkable life in her own words.  

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin 

The American founding father tells his own story in this short, fascinating autobiography.  

Darius Mullin’s reviews reflect his personal opinions and not necessarily those of the library or university. 

Library Staff Book Club: Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder

The library staff book club met this week to discuss Dancing at the Pity Party: A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir by Tyler Feder. We picked a graphic novel for a change of pace and exploration of different genres. In this graphic memoir, Feder tells readers about her grief story. Feder’s mom died when she was in college; ten years later, Feder explains what it was like to lose her mother.

Our discussions wrapped around how candid Feder is about her experiences. She has us laughing on one page and brought tears to our eyes on the next. This graphic novel can be found in the library’s Family Room. Continue reading to see what we discussed and thought about Dancing at the Pity Party by Tyler Feder.

What surprised you most about the book?

Rachel Bloomingburg, Circulation Manager, said: How candid she was about her feelings.

Amber Wessies, Instruction Librarian, said: I was surprised by Feder’s ability to be so funny, but also heartfelt. I cried at parts and laughed at parts.

Darius Mullin, Evening Circulation Supervisor, said: How remarkably well written it is! I was blown away by Feder’s ability to make me tear up on one page and then laugh out loud on the next.

If you could ask the author anything, what would it be?

Rachel answered: I would ask about her writing process and when she decided to write the book.

Amber answered: I would ask her what happened or what made her decide to publish a book about something that is so personal.

Do you think the graphic novel format helped or hindered the story telling?

Rachel answered: I think the graphic novel format added to the story for me. It helped to see how she felt and to consider better ways to be there for people who are grieving.

Amber answered: The graphic novel adds layers to the story that wouldn’t be there in a traditional novel. I think it also showed a lot more of Feder’s personality. The reader can tell she is grieving and forever changed by being the child of a dead mother. There were certain things, like charts in the book, that would not have translated well into sentences.

Darius answered: So much of the humor of the book hinged on the drawings. Often the overarching dialogue would be really heavy without Feder’s sketches, visual jokes, and little quips in the visual aspects of the graphic novel throughout. If Dancing at the Pity Party wasn’t a graphic novel, the tone of the story would be fundamentally different and, I think, take away most of the elements that make it stand out so much.

If you could give the book a new title, what would it be?

Rachel would give the title My mom died: what do I do now? or Dealing with Death 101

Amber might give the new title Dead Mom’s Society or Dead Mom’s Club

Darius shared this thought: “Honestly, I think the sort of tension presented in the title, subtitle (“A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir”), and cover illustration could not possibly be better in communicating the content and tone of the book.”

What is something you learned from reading this book?

Rachel answered: It helped me look at the grief process in a new light and to think of ways to better be there for someone when they’ve lost someone important to them.

Amber answered: This book gave me insight into the Jewish grieving process. It also reminded me of how we often don’t know how to respond to death, but Feder gave ways that people helped her during the grieving process.

Darius answered: I enjoyed the bits of info given about Jewish American culture, which is not something I’ve been very privy to and I found really cool to learn about. From a larger perspective, having such an honest deep dive into the mind and emotions of someone experiencing such a great loss is helpful context for loving and caring for friends and acquaintances who have experienced loss.

Have you read Dancing at the Pity Party? What stood out to you? Leave a comment to let us know! And remember, you can find Dancing at the Pity Party in the library’s collection!