Top Ten Best-Selling Biographies
Some of the best recent biographies are listed on this page. These were found on the top biographies list at Amazon. Their list is mixed with autobiographies and a few histories. I have separated those out and list only the best biographies.
Biographies tell the intimate, personal life story of someone - most often a famous person, but not always. Biographies are usually written by a non-involved third person. On this list you'll find biographies about George Washington, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and Karen Carpenter, as well as the owner of the New York Yankees. There's a lot of variety. 1. Three Cups of Tea
by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin
1. Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
by:Greg Mortenson, David Oliver Relin
Greg Mortenson, ill after a failed mountain climbing attempt in the Karakoram Mountains, rested and recovered in a small Pakistani village. So moved was he by the kindness of villagers there, he vowed to return to build a school. This is the paperback version. Also available in hardcover, Kindle, and audiobook versions, and as an Audible download. [#22 in Books at Amazon in July 2010.]
Amazon Price:$10.88 (as of 10/24/2011)
2. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by Rebecca Skloot
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
by:Rebecca Skloot
This amazing biography teaches us about Henrietta Lacks, who died at the age of 31 of cervical cancer in 1951. Her cancer cells were harvested, unknown to her or her family, and used in important scientific and medical research projects to this day. This book details Henrietta's life, and those lives of her progeny. This is the hardcover version. Also available in paperback, Kindle, audiobook format and as an Audible download. [#44 in Books at Amazon in July 2010.]
Amazon Price:$15.54 (as of 10/24/2011)
3. Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
by Eric Metaxas
Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy
by:Eric Metaxas
Inspired by the light of God to return to Germany and defeat Hitler, Dietrich Bonhoeffer was imprisoned and executed in a concentration camp at the age of 39. His inspiring example of steadfast faith and resolute action against evil make this a riveting and beloved biography. This is the hardcover edition; also available in Kindle and audiobook versions. [#150 in Books at Amazon in July 2010.]
Amazon Price:$16.62 (as of 10/24/2011)
4. Zeitoun
by Dave Eggars
Zeitoun (Vintage)
by:Dave Eggers
Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a Syrian immigrant, stayed in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina to help rescue people, using a canoe. Despite his humanitarian effort he's accused of being a member of Al Qaeda and arrested, leading to a bureaucratic nightmare. This lends credence to the saying that 'no good deed will go unpunished.' This is the paperback edition; also available in hardcover, Kindle, audiobook, and Audible download versions. [#187 in Books at Amazon in July 2010.]
Amazon Price:$10.85 (as of 10/24/2011)
5. George Washington's Sacred Fire
by Peter A. Lillback
George Washington's Sacred Fire
by:Peter A. Lillback
George Washington was not just a great politician; he was a man of ethical inspiration, and a true Christian, not just a Deist. The rumors about Washington's beliefs are rampant, but this in-depth examination of his life and writings brings the truth of his philosophies to light. This is the paperback edition; also available in hardcover and Kindle versions. [#297 in Books at Amazon in July 2010.]
Amazon Price:$13.60 (as of 10/24/2011)
6. Into The Wild
by Jon Krakauer
Into the Wild
by:Jon Krakauer
This has been in the top 100 best-selling biographies list at Amazon for more than 1000 days! (Much longer than most!) It tells the heart-wrenching story of Christopher McCandless, who graduated with honors from Emory University in Atlanta in 1992. He renounced the world and hitchhiked to Alaska to live in the wilderness. Perhaps you've seen the movie? Great biography! This is the paperback edition; also available in hardcover, Kindle, audiobook, and Audible download versions. [#260 in Books at Amazon in July 2010.]
Amazon Price:$10.17 (as of 10/24/2011)
7. Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century
by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger
Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century
by:Sam Kashner, Nancy Schoenberger
Fame, movies, and marriage. These celebrities were known during the sixties and seventies for their breakups as much as for their marriages and reunions. They couldn't make a move without everyone knowing, but this book bares all with inside information from Elizabeth Taylor and the Burton family. This is the hardcover edition; also available in Kindle and Audible download versions. [#305 in Books at Amazon in July 2010.]
Amazon Price:$17.46 (as of 10/24/2011)
9. Blind Descent
by James M. Tabor
Blind Descent: The Quest to Discover the Deepest Place on Earth
by:James M. Tabor
Those of us who are satisfied living out life on the surface of the planet may wonder why some people are dedicated to exploring deep inside the deepest caves in the world. This biographical account of deep descent by cavers Bill Stone and Alexander Klimchouk will let us understand the experience without actually having to do it ourselves. This is the Kindle edition; also available in hardcover, audiobook, and Audible download versions. [#521 in Kindle at Amazon in July 2010.]
Amazon Price:(as of 10/24/2011)
10. Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball
by Bill Madden
Steinbrenner: The Last Lion of Baseball
by:Bill Madden
A controversial and conflicted man, owner of the New York Yankees, is exposed as what most knew him to be, an angry, impulsive bully... but there are more positive aspects to his life and personality. The biographer makes Steinbrenner three dimensional as he opens a more intimate side of his life to scrutiny. This is the hardcover edition; also available in paperback, Kindle, and Audible download versions. [#798 in Books at Amazon in July 2010.]
Amazon Price:$17.81 (as of 10/24/2011)