Autobiography vs. Biography
What's the difference.
Autobiography and biography are both forms of non-fiction writing that focus on the life of an individual. However, there is a key distinction between the two. Autobiography is a self-written account of one's own life, where the author narrates their personal experiences, thoughts, and emotions. It provides an intimate and subjective perspective, allowing readers to gain insight into the author's unique journey. On the other hand, biography is a written account of someone's life, written by another person. It involves extensive research and interviews to gather information about the subject's life, achievements, and impact on society. Biography offers a more objective and comprehensive view of the individual, often including historical context and analysis. Both genres serve as valuable sources of inspiration, knowledge, and understanding of the human experience.
Further Detail
Introduction.
Autobiography and biography are two distinct genres of literature that provide insights into the lives of individuals. While both share the common goal of documenting someone's life, they differ in terms of perspective, authorship, and narrative style. In this article, we will explore the attributes of autobiography and biography, highlighting their unique characteristics and discussing their significance in understanding the lives of notable individuals.
Autobiography
An autobiography is a literary work in which the author writes about their own life experiences, providing a first-person account of events, emotions, and reflections. As the author and subject are the same person, autobiographies offer a direct and intimate perspective on the individual's life. The author has the freedom to express their thoughts, feelings, and personal interpretations of events, allowing readers to gain a deeper understanding of their motivations and experiences.
Autobiographies often cover a wide range of topics, including childhood, education, career, relationships, and personal growth. They can be highly subjective, as the author's memories and perceptions shape the narrative. Autobiographies also provide an opportunity for self-reflection and self-analysis, allowing the author to explore their own identity and share their life lessons with readers.
One of the key advantages of autobiographies is the authenticity they offer. Since the author is the primary source of information, readers can trust that the events and emotions described are based on the author's personal experiences. Autobiographies can be incredibly powerful, as they allow readers to connect with the author on a personal level and gain insights into their unique journey.
However, it is important to note that autobiographies may also be influenced by the author's biases, selective memory, or desire to present themselves in a certain light. While they provide a personal perspective, they may not always provide a completely objective account of events. Readers should approach autobiographies with a critical mindset, considering the author's motivations and potential biases.
Unlike autobiographies, biographies are written by someone other than the subject of the book. Biographers extensively research the life of the individual they are writing about, gathering information from various sources such as interviews, letters, diaries, and historical records. Biographies aim to present an objective and comprehensive account of the subject's life, providing a broader perspective that goes beyond the author's personal experiences.
Biographies often delve into the historical and cultural context in which the subject lived, offering insights into the societal influences and events that shaped their life. They provide a detailed examination of the subject's achievements, struggles, relationships, and impact on the world. Biographers strive to present a balanced portrayal of the individual, considering multiple perspectives and analyzing the significance of their actions.
One of the key advantages of biographies is their ability to provide a more objective and well-rounded view of the subject's life. By drawing on a wide range of sources, biographers can present a comprehensive narrative that takes into account different viewpoints and historical context. Biographies also allow readers to explore the lives of individuals they may not be familiar with, expanding their knowledge and understanding of different eras and cultures.
However, it is important to acknowledge that biographies may also be influenced by the biographer's own interpretations and biases. Despite their efforts to present an objective account, biographers may still make subjective judgments or interpretations based on the available information. Readers should approach biographies critically, considering the biographer's expertise, sources, and potential biases.
While autobiographies and biographies have distinct characteristics, they also share some similarities. Both genres aim to provide insights into the lives of individuals, allowing readers to learn from their experiences and gain a deeper understanding of their motivations and impact. Both genres can be highly informative and engaging, offering valuable lessons and inspiration.
Autobiographies and biographies also have the potential to inspire empathy and connection. By exploring the lives of others, readers can develop a sense of empathy and understanding for different perspectives and experiences. Both genres offer opportunities for personal growth and self-reflection, as readers can relate their own lives to the challenges and triumphs of the individuals they are reading about.
However, the key difference between autobiographies and biographies lies in the perspective and authorship. Autobiographies provide a first-person account, allowing readers to directly engage with the author's thoughts and emotions. On the other hand, biographies offer a third-person perspective, providing a more objective and comprehensive view of the subject's life.
Autobiographies are often more subjective, as they are influenced by the author's personal memories, interpretations, and motivations. Biographies, on the other hand, strive to present a balanced and well-researched account, drawing on multiple sources and perspectives. While autobiographies offer a more intimate connection with the author, biographies provide a broader understanding of the subject's life within a historical and cultural context.
Autobiographies and biographies are two valuable genres of literature that offer unique insights into the lives of individuals. Autobiographies provide a personal and subjective perspective, allowing readers to connect with the author on a deeper level. Biographies, on the other hand, offer a more objective and comprehensive view, drawing on extensive research and multiple sources.
Both genres have their own strengths and limitations, and readers should approach them with a critical mindset. Autobiographies can be powerful in their authenticity, while biographies provide a broader understanding of historical and cultural contexts. By exploring both genres, readers can gain a well-rounded perspective on the lives of notable individuals and find inspiration in their stories.
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- Key Differences
Know the Differences & Comparisons
Difference between Biography and Autobiography
Both of these two presents the view of, what happened in the past where the author lived. These are non-fiction books, written in chronological order, tells a story about the person who made a significant contribution in a specific field. Many think that the two writing forms are one and the same thing, but there are noticeable difference between the two, that are presented in the given article.
Content: Biography Vs Autobiography
Comparison chart, definition of biography.
A biography also referred as ‘bio’ is a detailed account of a person’s life written or produced by another person. It gives an elaborate information regarding the birthplace, educational background, work, relationships and demise of the person concerned. It presents the subject’s intimate details about life, focusing on the highs and lows and analysing their whole personality.
A biography is usually in the written form but can also be made in other forms of a music composition or literature to film interpretation.
It is the recreation of the life of an individual composed of words by another person. The author collects every single detail about the subject and presents those facts in the biography, which are relevant and interesting, to engross the readers in the story.
Definition of Autobiography
An autobiography is the life sketch of a person written by that person himself or herself. The word auto means ‘self.’ Therefore, autobiography contains all the elements of a biography but composed or narrated by the author himself. He/She may write on their own or may hire ghostwriters to write for them.
An autobiography presents the narrator’s character sketch, the place where he is born and brought up, his education, work, life experiences, challenges, and achievements. This may include events and stories of his childhood, teenage, and adulthood.
Key Differences Between Biography and Autobiography
The difference between biography and autobiography are discussed in detail in the following points:
- Biography is a detailed account of a person’s life written by someone else, while an autobiography is written by the subject themselves.
- Biography can be written with (authorised) or without permission (unauthorised) from the person/heir’s concerned. Therefore, there are chances of factual mistakes in the information. On the other hand, autobiographies are self-written and therefore doesn’t require any authorization.
- Biographies contain information that is collected over a period of time from different sources and thus, it projects a different outlook to the readers. On the other hand, autobiographies are written by the subject themselves, therefore, the writer presents the facts and his thinking in his own way, thus providing an overall narrow and biased perspective to the readers.
- In an Autobiography, the author uses the first narrative like I, me, we, he, she, etc. This, in turn, makes an intimate connection between the author and the reader since the reader experience various aspects as if he/she is in that time period. As opposed a biography is from a third person’s view and is much less intimate.
- The purpose of writing a biography is to introduce and inform the readers about the person and his life whereas an autobiography is written in order to express, the life experiences and achievements of the narrator.
Video: Biography Vs Autobiography
There are several autobiographies which are worth mentioning like ‘The Story of My Life’ by Helen Keller, ‘An Autobiography’ by Jawaharlal Nehru, ‘The Diary of a Young Girl’ by Anne Frank, ‘Memoirs of the Second World War’ by Winston Churchill, ‘Wings of Fire’ by A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and much more.
Examples of some famous biographies are- Tolstoy: A Russian Life by Rosamund Bartlett, His Excellency: George Washington by Joseph J. Ellis, Einstein: The Life and Times by Ronald William Clark, Biography of Walt Disney: The Inspirational Life Story of Walt Disney – The Man Behind “Disneyland” by Steve Walters, Princess Diana- A Biography Of The Princess Of Wales by Drew L. Crichton.
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Autobiography vs Biography: Differences and Similarities
So you want to learn more about your favorite influential figure. Should you read an autobiography or a biography about them?
It depends on what you’re looking for!
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In this guide, we’ll explain autobiography vs biography and help you choose which one you want to read. We’ll also touch on where memoirs fit in with these genres. Let’s dive in!
The similarities between biographies and autobiographies
Both biographies and autobiographies are written accounts of a person’s life. They typically recount the person’s life experiences, challenges, and accomplishments.
Usually, each of these genres is written in a narrative style. In other words, it uses storytelling techniques to convey information about its subject.
Autobiographies and biographies both feature context about the subject’s life by discussing the time in which the subject lived (or is living), the culture and location in which they live(d), and more.
Like any good story, the best biographies and autobiographies often feature narratives about trials that are overcome and lessons that are learned. They may also focus on the influence and impact of the book’s subject.
Difference between biography and autobiography
The biggest difference between an autobiography and a biography is that an autobiography is written by the subject of the book about their own life, while a biography is written by another person.
For example, actress Lucille Ball wrote an autobiography about her life called Love, Lucy . Meanwhile, an author named Kathleen Brady wrote a biography about Lucille Ball called Lucy: The Life of Lucille Ball .
Here are a few other key differences between the two genres:
1. Different perspectives
Naturally, an autobiography is written from the first-person perspective, which means the author is providing a personalized point of view on their own life.
Meanwhile, a biography is written from a third-person perspective , meaning the author is writing from an external point of view, with limited insight into the subject’s personal thoughts or feelings.
2. Control of the narrative
When someone writes their autobiography, they control which parts of their life story they include and which they omit. They can choose which perspective they share and which parts of themselves they want to spotlight.
Meanwhile, a biography relies on research, interviews and sources to construct a complete picture of a subject’s life. A biographer is likely to be more objective in their presentation of a person—perhaps even including unsavory details about their subject that the subject themselves wouldn’t include.
3. Levels of objectivity
Even the best autobiography will be subjective because it’s based on the author’s personal memories and feelings.
On the other hand, many biographers strive to be more objective in their writing. They tend to consult multiple sources, conduct a variety of interviews, and more to make sure they’re writing an accurate portrayal of their subject.
4. Sources used
Because an autobiographer is writing a story about their own life, their sources will primarily be self-generated. Though they may rely on those close to them, like family members, to verify or recount certain memories they hold.
That said, many autobiographers still need to do research to add context and depth to their life stories, whether that’s learning about the town they grew up in, their family history, or something else.
Meanwhile, biographers rely on archival materials, research, interviews, historical documents, and more to help them write the story about their subject .
5. Writing style
Because autobiographies are more personal, they often reflect the author’s unique writing style and personality. You can use an autobiography template to help map out the structure of your book, but ultimately, the flow and details will be dictated by your personal story.
On the other hand, biographies generally strive to be more objective, with a focus on a cohesive, well-researched narrative. (But to be clear: they can still be very engaging!)
Where do memoirs fit in?
We’ve learned about the differences and similarities between autobiographies and biographies, so where do memoirs fit into the puzzle?
Like an autobiography, a memoir is written by the subject of the book. Both genres tend to focus on the author’s personal life, are written in the first person, and can be highly subjective.
However, where autobiography vs memoir differs is partially in the scope of the book. An autobiography often encompasses most of the author’s life, while a memoir is likely to focus on one specific event, theme, or period in the author’s life.
Memoirs also adhere less to chronological storytelling than autobiographies do. They can jump around in time and tend to be centered more on themes, reflection, or specific, impactful moments in the author’s life.
In summary, you can think of memoirs as even more personal than autobiographies, focusing on a selected part of the writer’s life. They’re also more likely than autobiographies to be written by folks who aren’t famous.
Related: Examples of Memoirs
Final thoughts
While biographies, autobiographies and memoirs all tell a subject’s life story, they do it in different ways. The type of genre you’d like to read (or write) will be contingent on what you’d like to learn about your chosen subject.
If you’re interested in writing your own memoir, autobiography or memoir, we can help you do it. Simply schedule a book consultation to get started.
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