biographies
Written personal histories
Biographies are accounts of people's lives written by others.
A biography covers its subject from birth to death or to the present, distinguishing it from memoirs or autobiographies written by the subjects themselves.
The term also refers to the genre: She reads mostly biography.
A short biography summarizing someone's background is often called a bio.
Literature about real events
- monographSingle-topic scholarly work
- portraitureArt of depicting people
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
- sourcesPoints of origin
footnotes · bibliography · authorized · unauthorized · definitive · comprehensive · scholarly · popular
Ordered historical record
- archivesStored historical documents
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
- documentaryFactual film about reality
- genealogyStudy of family descent
heritage · antiquity · dynasty · monarchy · empire · civilization · renaissance · enlightenment
Self-penned life narrative
- recollectionRecalled mental image
- reminiscenceRecalling past experiences
- introspectionObserving one's own mind
- self-portraitArtist's image of themselves
reflection · confession · self-disclosure · self-examination · candid · personal · testimony · vignettes
Summaries of characteristics
- portraitsImages of specific people
- chroniclesSequential historical accounts
- narrativesAccounts of events
- journeysExtended trips taken
milestones · achievements · accomplishments · careers · experiences · personalities · upbringings · origins
Admired courageous figures
- iconsRepresentative small images
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
- trailblazersThose who open territory
- visionariesThose who anticipate change
achievement · perseverance · determination · overcoming · empowerment · aspiration · motivation · influential
nonfiction
Literature about real events
- monographSingle-topic scholarly work
- portraitureArt of depicting people
- researchSystematic fact-finding effort
sources · footnotes · bibliography · authorized · unauthorized · definitive · comprehensive · scholarly · popular · exposé
chronicle
Ordered historical record
- archivesStored historical documents
- manuscriptOriginal text before publication
- documentaryFactual film about reality
genealogy · heritage · antiquity · dynasty · monarchy · empire · civilization · renaissance · enlightenment · reformation
autobiography
Self-penned life narrative
- recollectionRecalled mental image
- reminiscenceRecalling past experiences
- introspectionObserving one's own mind
self-portrait · reflection · confession · self-disclosure · self-examination · candid · personal · testimony · vignettes · diary
profiles
Summaries of characteristics
- portraitsImages of specific people
- chroniclesSequential historical accounts
- narrativesAccounts of events
journeys · milestones · achievements · accomplishments · careers · experiences · personalities · upbringings · origins · trajectories
heroes
Admired courageous figures
- iconsRepresentative small images
- pioneersFirst to explore territory
- trailblazersThose who open territory
visionaries · achievement · perseverance · determination · overcoming · empowerment · aspiration · motivation · influential · exemplary
influence
Power to affect others
- impactForceful contact or consequence
- contributionSomething given to help
- heritageInherited cultural legacy
footprint · testament · monument · posterity · tradition · precedent · philanthropy · endowment · bequest · patrimony
- booksnovel, textbooks, study guides, book, paperback
- kids booksworkbooks, activity books, primers, readers, young readers
- book collectionscomplete works, box set, boxed set, collected works, volumes
- Encyclopedia FeaturesWikipedia, Britannica, World Book, Encarta, digital editions
- historicalhistorical fiction, period drama, war novels, memoirs, chronicles
- American proseessays, creative nonfiction, personal essays, narrative essays, slave narratives
biographiesautobiographies
Self-narrated life accounts
memoirs · self-portraits · confessions · personal journals · diaries
biographiesfiction
Imagined narrative work
novels · fairy tales · legends · fantasy · fabrications
biographiesnatural histories
Accounts of organisms observed
encyclopedias · textbooks · technical manuals · atlases · dictionaries
- biographical sketchBrief life account
- biographical fictionStories imagining real lives
- biographical novelsNovels depicting real lives
- biographical dramaFilm portraying real life
- biographical filmsMovies about real people
- children's biographiesBooks chronicling young people's lives
biographical, autobiographies, autobiographical, biographic, biographically, autobiographic