BIOGRAPHIES

OF FAMOUS
HISTORICAL PERSONS

BRAILLE INSTITUTE
Library Services
Large-Print Bibliography

10/02

FOREWORD

Braille Institute Library Services is committed to providing high quality

services and bibliographical support. To serve our patrons better, we
have prepared a series of subject bibliographies produced in large print.
Biographies of Famous Historical Persons focuses on notable men and
women in the ancient and modern world. It includes works unveiling the
truth and fiction about Cleopatra VII, profiling Winston Churchill,
brainchild of Englands finest hour and analyzing Malcolm X,
controversial critic of Martin Luther King.
Information Resources Librarian Julie Uyeno and staff compiled these
biographies with input from Gerri Rossi past Chair of the Library
Advisory Committee, for your reading pleasure.
Henry C. Chang, Ph.D.
Director of Library Services

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Foreword.......................................................................................................... i
Table of Contents........................................................................................ ii-iv
Introduction......................................................................................................v
Bibliography .............................................................................................. 1-22
Alexander of Macedon.....................................................................................1
Aristotle ...........................................................................................................1
Beethoven ........................................................................................................1
Bismarck ..........................................................................................................1
Bonaparte, Louis Napoleon..............................................................................2
Boone, Daniel ..................................................................................................2
Buddha .............................................................................................................2
Bush, George H. W...................................................................................... 2-3
Caesar, Julius ...................................................................................................3
Churchill, Winston...........................................................................................3
Cleopatra..........................................................................................................3
Clinton, William J............................................................................................4
Collins, Michael...............................................................................................4
Columbus, Christopher ....................................................................................4
Commodore Perry............................................................................................4
Cook, Captain ..................................................................................................5
Crazy Horse .....................................................................................................5
Cromwell, Oliver .............................................................................................5
Dalai Lama of Tibet .........................................................................................5
Darwin, Charles ...............................................................................................6
De Gaulle, Charles ..........................................................................................6
Douglass, Frederick .........................................................................................6
Edison, Thomas ...............................................................................................6
Einstein, Albert ................................................................................................7
Elizabeth I ........................................................................................................7
Fein, Sinn .........................................................................................................7
Franklin, Benjamin ..........................................................................................8
Freud, Sigmund................................................................................................8
Galileo Galilei..................................................................................................8
Gandhi, Mahatma.............................................................................................8
Geronimo .........................................................................................................9
Hadrian ............................................................................................................9
ii

Hamilton, Alexander........................................................................................9
Harriman, Pamela Digby Churchill Hayward ............................................ 9-10
Henry VIII......................................................................................................10
Hitler, Adolf...................................................................................................10
James, Jesse ............................................................................................. 10-11
Jefferson, Thomas ..........................................................................................11
Jesus...............................................................................................................11
Johnson, Lyndon ............................................................................................11
Joyce, James............................................................................................. 11-12
Kennedy, John F. ...........................................................................................12
King, Martin Luther, Jr. .................................................................................12
Lee, Robert E. ................................................................................................12
Lenin, Vladimir..............................................................................................13
Lincoln, Abraham ..........................................................................................13
Lorca, Federico Garcia...................................................................................14
Louis XIV ......................................................................................................14
Luther, Martin ................................................................................................14
Machiavelli, Niccolai.....................................................................................14
Malcolm X .....................................................................................................15
Mandela, Nelson ............................................................................................15
Marcos, Imelda ........................................................................................ 15-16
Marie Adelaide of Savoy ...............................................................................16
Marshall, Thurgood........................................................................................16
Marx, Karl......................................................................................................16
Mozart............................................................................................................17
Muhammad ....................................................................................................17
Newton, Isaac.................................................................................................17
Nixon, Richard M. .........................................................................................17
Paine, Thomas................................................................................................18
Pasteur, Louis.................................................................................................18
Penn, William ................................................................................................18
Peron, Eva......................................................................................................18
Peter the Great ...............................................................................................19
Powell, Colin .................................................................................................19
Princess Diana................................................................................................19
Romanoff, Nicholas .......................................................................................20
Shah of Iran....................................................................................................20
Shakespeare, William ....................................................................................20
iii

Stalin, Joseph .................................................................................................20

Thatcher, Margaret.........................................................................................21
Tocqueville ....................................................................................................21
Truman, Harry S. ...........................................................................................21
Washington, George ......................................................................................22
Wilde, Oscar ..................................................................................................22
Zedong, Mao..................................................................................................22
Author Index ............................................................................................ 23-25
Title Index................................................................................................ 26-28
Book Order Form..................................................................................... 29-30

iv

INTRODUCTION
Biographies of Famous Historical Persons focuses on the lives of some of the worlds
most famous leaders, scientists, musicians, artists, and other notable persons throughout
history. Books on the lives of Galileo, Rembrandt, Elizabeth I, Albert Einstein, Peter
the Great, and others are included.
In this bibliography, you may find interesting books about famous historical persons
rise to fame and leadership. In John Biermans Napoleon III and His Carnival Empire
you may read about the interesting life of Napoleon Bonaporte and his eventual exile in
Elba. Or, you may find out about the promiscuous life of Henry VIII in Alison Weirs
Henry VIII: The King and His Court.
A special acknowledgement is given to Mr. Gerri Rossi, a former professor of history at
Long Beach City College, for suggesting famous persons to profile in this bibliography.
His suggestions were extremely helpful.
You may enjoy reading about the lives of many notable historical persons. If you wish
to order any of these books, please contact the Reader Advisors at (323) 660-3880 or
(800) 808-2555 or mail the Book Order Form in the back of the bibliography to Braille
Institute Library Services. For your convenience, there is an Author Index and Title
Index in the back of the bibliography.

ALEXANDER OF MACEDON
Green, Peter
Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C.: A Historical Biography
RC 35370
Philip of Macedon's practice of centralized government for his widespread domain had a
profound effect on his son, Alexander. Green describes Alexander's education under
Aristotle; his conquest of lands for his empire, which split after his death; his battles; his
treaties, made and broken; and his contemporaries, such as Diogenes and Darius.
ARISTOTLE
Downey, Glanville
Aristotle, Dean of Early Science
RC 18138
Biography and introduction to philosophy, with an explanation of how Aristotle
revolutionized scientific thinking. For high school and adult readers.
BEETHOVEN
Solomon, Maynard
Beethoven
RC 25162
Analytical, perceptive, and eloquent biography of the composer. Solomon incorporates
all prior significant data and research on Beethoven, his family, and his associates.
BISMARCK
Crankshaw, Edward
Bismarck
RC 18978
An objective biography of the nineteenth-century Prussian leader. He forged the modern
German nation through the hypnotic force of his personality and a series of brilliantly
engineered wars against Denmark, Austria, and France. Some strong language.

BONAPARTE, LOUIS NAPOLEON

Bierman, John
Napoleon III and His Carnival Empire
RC 29272
Louis Napoleon Bonaparte was the ruler of France's Second Empire. Three years after
being elected president of France, he proclaimed himself Napoleon III. Bierman draws
heavily on memoirs of the period to describe Napoleon III as pompous, devious, and a
womanizer, yet also displaying the political pragmatism and personal courage needed to
rule France successfully.
BOONE, DANIEL
Faragher, John Mack
Daniel Boone: The Life and Legend of an American Pioneer
RC 38055
Biography of a frontiersman, whose accomplishments have been the subject of
conflicting legends for more than two centuries. Faragher draws on Boone's
autobiographical accounts of his adventures, the public record, folklore, and the writings
of nineteenth-century historians. Acknowledging his debt to sources, the author
questions suspicious facts and explores the social milieu of the period that helped to
create the folk hero. 1992.
BUDDHA
Armstrong, Karen
Buddha
RC 51841
A biographical study of the revered religious leader, traditionally thought to have died in
India in 483 B.C. Traces the main events of his life, from his renunciation of family life
through his quest for enlightenment, as evidenced in his teachings. Examines his
philosophy for its message to humanity. Bestseller. 2001.
BUSH, GEORGE H. W.
Parmet, Herbert S.
George Bush: The Life of a Lone Star Yankee
RC 48100
Depicts George Bush as the president who led the U.S. through the end of the cold war.
2

Traces his youth in New England, service in the navy, years at Yale, and careers as
oilman, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, C.I.A. director, vice president, and
forty-first president.
CAESAR, JULIUS
Bradford, Ernle
Julius Caesar: The Pursuit of Power
RC 23472
Presents the famous Roman as an elegant, charming, and extravagant man, a
spellbinding orator, and a ruthless, amoral politician. Also describes Caesar's military
campaigns and victories, as well as the conspiracy that led to his assassination.
CHURCHILL, WINSTON
Brendon, Piers
Winston Churchill: A Biography
RC 22922
Brendon evokes the "animal vitality, rich self-approval and wicked good humor" of an
irascible political genius who first came to prominence when Queen Victoria was still
on the throne. An aristocrat and romantic who loved polo, fine food, and wines,
Churchill recognized the great causes of his era. 1984.
CLEOPATRA
Nardo, Don
Cleopatra
RC 39806
Cleopatra VII, queen of Egypt from 51 to 30 B.C., became a legend in her own time.
Her intimate relationships with Julius Caesar and Mark Antony, two of the most
powerful men of her day, make her controversial. Noting that she was called greedy,
dishonest, immoral, and a poor ruler by some and resourceful and an able ruler by
others, the author attempts to separate fact from fiction in this biography. For junior and
senior high and older readers.

CLINTON, WILLIAM J.
Morris, Roger
Partners in Power: The Clintons and Their America
RC 43127
Examination of Bill and Hillary Clinton's rise to power. Morris details many of the
controversies and scandals associated with the Clintons: the Whitewater investment
deal, the handling of Vince Foster's suicide, and allegations of Bill Clinton's numerous
infidelities and financial misdealings while still governor of Arkansas. Bestseller. 1996.
COLLINS, MICHAEL
Mackay, James
Michael Collins: A Life
RC 46489
Biography of Ireland's hero of the civil war with Great Britain. Collins first fought in the
Easter Rising of 1916, was arrested and, once released, joined the Sinn Fein. He rose to
become the minister of finance and director of intelligence for the Irish Free State.
Collins was assassinated by the Irish Republican Army at the age of thirty-one while at
home in County Cork. 1997.
COLUMBUS, CHRISTOPHER
Morison, Samuel Eliot
Admiral of the Ocean Sea: A Life of Christopher Columbus
RC 29444
A condensation of the author's two-volume work of the same title, published at the same
time. The two-volume biography of Columbus concentrates on the voyages, with much
discussion of the problems and methods of navigation, and it won the Pulitzer Prize in
1942.
COMMODORE PERRY
Blumberg, Rhoda
Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun
BR 06429
A well-researched chronicle of the story of Commodore Perry's mission in 1853 to open
Japan to American trade and whaling ports. Told with awareness of the cultural
differences between the Japanese and the Americans. For grades 4-7 and older readers.
4

COOK, CAPTAIN
Withey, Lynne
Voyages of Discovery: Captain Cook and the Exploration of the Pacific
RC 27426
History of eighteenth-century British exploration of the Pacific concentrating on Cook's
three voyages (1768-80). Withey relates the explorers' political and social beliefs to
their interpretations of the Pacific Societies they encountered, and she points out the
dichotomy that existed between two perceptions of the natives: as unspoiled children of
nature, and as depraved evildoers.
CRAZY HORSE
Sandoz, Marie
Crazy Horse, the Strange Man of the Oglalas: A Biography
RC 14430
A hero tale of a great Indian chief. Traces the life story of the Oglala Sioux
chieftain from boyhood to his death in 1877.
CROMWELL, OLIVER
Fraser, Antonia
Cromwell the Lord Protector
RC 44016
Presents the life and career of Oliver Cromwell, soldier and politician, who in 1653 was
declared lord protector of England. Follows the course of his troubled reign and
describes the brutal military campaigns that he led against Ireland, Scotland, and Spain.
Violence.
DALAI LAMA OF TIBET
Dalai Lama of Tibet
My Land and My People
RC 22404
A dignified testament and chronicle of a national tragedy by a renowned spiritual and
temporal leader. His holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama of Tibet relates the story of his
brief, tumultuous reign which was climaxed by the destruction and systematic murder of
his people by the Chinese.
5

DARWIN, CHARLES
Brent, Peter Ludwig
Charles Darwin, "A Man of Enlarged Curiosity"
RC 19098
Biography of the naturalist covers Darwin's youth, his voyage on the Beagle, and the
years of patient work that produced On the Origin of Species (RC 15937). Brent's
portrait attempts to modify a number of long-held misinterpretations.
DE GAULLE, CHARLES
Lacouture, Jean
De Gaulle, the Rebel, 1890-1944
RC 33284
This first of a two-volume biography covers De Gaulle from his birth in the north of
France and his childhood in Paris, to his career as an army hero in World War I and his
triumphant role in the liberation of Paris in World War II. The author uses information
from letters, military files, diaries, and other writings to reveal De Gaulle as a stubborn,
lonely, great patriot, but not an agreeable man.
DOUGLASS, FREDERICK
Douglass, Frederick
Life and Times of Frederick Douglass: The Complete Autobiography
RC 21421
A personal narrative covering Douglass's experiences as a slave, a fugitive, and a
spokesman for the Abolitionist cause and describing the full impact of the early struggle
for freedom by Negroes. First published in 1881.
EDISON, THOMAS
Conot, Robert E.
A Streak of Luck
RC 15413
Full-length human portrait of the prolific inventor. Edison is seen as a crusty, ruthless,
opportunistic Midwesterner with a genius for invention, who connived to have his
employees work for low wages. The author attributes his success to a combination of
audacity and luck.
6

EINSTEIN, ALBERT
White, Michael and John Gribbin
Einstein: A Life in Science
RC 40154
Combines explanations of physics in lay language with a portrait of the personal life of
one of the most recognizable names in the scientific world. One author chronicles the
successes and failures of Einstein's career; the other examines the public and private
side of the man whose name is a symbol for genius. Suggested reading by the same
authors: Stephen Hawking: A Life in Science (RC 36026).
ELIZABETH I
Thomas, Jane Resh
Behind the Mask: The Life of Queen Elizabeth I
RC 48753
Discusses Elizabeth from her birth in 1533 to her death in 1603 within the social and
political context of the time in which she ruled. The author looks at the personal aspects
of the queen's life, including why she never married. For grades 6-9.
Weir, Alison
The Life of Elizabeth I
RC 48025
Beginning with Elizabeth's accession to the throne in 1558, Weir describes the queen's
private and public life in the context of the political and social events of her time. Weir
also explores Elizabeth's reasons for not marrying. Companion to The Children of Henry
VIII (RC 47484). 1998.
FEIN, SINN
Adams, Gerry
Falls Memories: A Belfast Life
RC 42517
Personal reminiscences, Irish history, and local color are interwoven in this book of
Belfast memories by the president of Sinn Fein. The author recounts events of his youth
and tells tales of faeries and in-house-wakes. He also makes observations on politics and
the Irish labor movement. 1994.
7

FRANKLIN, BENJAMIN
Meltzer, Milton
Benjamin Franklin: The New American
RC 31665
In this well-researched biography, the author uses many primary sources to paint a
portrait of this multitalented and accomplished founding father. Printing, publishing,
commerce, writing, inventing, politics, diplomacy--Benjamin Franklin excelled in them
all. The author traces Franklin's life from his birth to his last years as a respected
statesman. For junior and senior high and older readers.
FREUD, SIGMUND
Gay, Peter
Freud: A Life for Our Time
RC 28429
Biography of the Viennese psychoanalyst whose ideas influenced psychotherapy around
the world. Gay draws on new material from unpublished documents. He deals with the
controversies surrounding Freud and discloses Freud's love for his daughter, Anna.
GALILEO GALILEI
Reston, James, Jr.
Galileo: A Life
RC 39578
Biography of the sixteenth-century Italian genius who was persecuted by the Catholic
hierarchy for his scientific convictions. The author creates a portrait of this Renaissance
man going about his business, yet preoccupied with political, scientific, and religious
matters. Reston turns a telescope (one of Galileo's inventions) back on the mad scientist
who had a notion that the earth revolves around the sun.
GANDHI, MAHATMA
Shirer, William L.
Gandhi, a Memoir
RC 15753
The author, a foreign correspondent, felt privileged to be in India when Gandhi launched
the great Civil Disobedience movement that eventually freed his country from British
rule. Here he writes about Mahatma's frailties as well as his achievements.
8

GERONIMO
Dugan, Bill
Geronimo: War Chiefs
RC 39123
A fictionalized account of the disputes between Apaches and whites from 1881 to 1886.
Good and bad characters people both sides, but the overriding problem is clear: the U.S.
Army feels it has the right to strip the Apaches of their land, over and over again. Angry
that many of his tribesmen who once feared no one in battle are now afraid only that
they will upset "White Eyes," Chief Geronimo makes one last effort to win. Violence
and some strong language. 1991.
HADRIAN
Birley, Anthony R.
Hadrian: The Restless Emperor
RC 48493
A biography of the Roman emperor Hadrian (A.D. 76-138), who traveled extensively
throughout his empire and constructed massive walls to identify its boundaries. Hadrian
promoted Greek cultural influences and attacked Judaea when the Jews resisted Hellenic
tradition. Investigates his personal life with his lover Antinous, a Bithynian youth whose
death devastated the emperor. 1997.
HAMILTON, ALEXANDER
McDonald, Forrest
Alexander Hamilton: A Biography
RC 26476
A biography of the first U.S. secretary of the treasury. Analyzes the origins and
development of Hamilton's political and economic theories against the backdrop of his
personal intellectual milieu. Also discusses his financial policies and programs.
HARRIMAN, PAMELA DIGBY CHURCHILL HAYWARD
Ogden, Christopher
Life of the Party: The Biography of Pamela Digby Churchill Hayward Harriman
RC 38859
Unauthorized account of the life of a U.S. Ambassador to France, which began in an
9

English country manor house between the two world wars. Ogden asserts that rich and
famous husbands and lovers have ensured a lifelong colorful romantic reputation for
Pamela Harriman, while powerful political alliances have provided her with influential
entrees on both sides of the Atlantic. Bestseller. 1994.
HENRY VIII
Weir, Alison
Henry VIII: The King and His Court
RC 52095
Author of The Six Wives of Henry VIII (RC 47483) and The Children of Henry VIII (RC
47484) examines the life of this refined and educated monarch (1491-1547) in the
context of his times. Discusses court life during the Tudor era and the king's
accomplishments as well as his wrongdoings. 2001.
Weir, Alison
The Six Wives of Henry VIII
RC 47483
Account of the six very different women who married Henry VIII and the marks they
made on England's history. Weir discusses their distinctive traits and how they handled
their primary responsibilities, which were to produce heirs and to set high moral
standards for the kingdom. Companion to The Children of Henry VIII (RC 47484).
HITLER, ADOLF
Toland, John
Adolf Hitler
RC 14750
Comprehensive biography that reveals the dictator as man, politician, and military
leader. Based on extensive research and taped interviews with people directly involved
in Hitler's private and public life, this study offers a wealth of new personal material
JAMES, JESSE
Settle, William A.
Jesse James Was His Name: Or, Fact and Fiction Concerning the Careers of the
Notorious
CBB00530
Jesse James Was His Name, or, Fact and Fiction Concerning the Careers of the
10

Notorious. This well-documented volume cuts cleanly through the tangle of folklore of
the American bandit Jesse James, identifying the demonstrable facts and labeling the
remainder as folklore and legend. This is the first volume which is scholarly throughout
JEFFERSON, THOMAS
Peterson, Merrill D.
Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation; a Biography
RC 15944
A massive, in-depth study of Jefferson's life, politics, presidency, and thought by a
Jefferson scholar and professor at the University of Virginia.
JESUS
Wilson, A.N.
Jesus
RC 37168
The author examines the Gospels and the findings of archaeologists and theologians to
support his account of the life of Jesus. In so doing, Wilson separates the historical
figure of the Jesus with Jewish roots from the Christ of Christianity, and concentrates on
his interpretation of the former. He also presents some unorthodox conclusions about the
apostle Paul and the Resurrection. 1992.
JOHNSON, LYNDON
Dallek, Robert
Lone Star Rising: Lyndon Johnson and His Times 1908-1960
RC 34378
This is the first of a two-volume biography by a historian who researched original
sources for seven years. Dallek finds much about the former president's character to be
offensive. Nevertheless, he focuses on the importance and impact of Johnson's
achievements, such as civil rights legislation, weighing them against his liabilities.
JOYCE, JAMES
Ellmann, Richard
James Joyce
RC 20790
Considered by many critics as the definitive biography of Joyce. Ellmann had access to
11

the major sources of Joyce's letters and manuscripts. He visited the cities where the
writer lived--Dublin, Zurich, Trieste, Paris--and interviewed Joyce's relatives and
friends. The fresh material in this revision deals with most aspects of Joyce's life. Some
strong language and some descriptions of sex.
KENNEDY, JOHN F.
Leigh, Wendy
Prince Charming: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story
RC 48831
Originally published in 1993 and updated following his death in 1999, this account of
John F. Kennedy Jr. looks at his public and private lives. Discusses his relationship with
his parents, his desire to be an actor, his law career, the publication of George, his
marriage, and finally his untimely death. Bestseller.
KING, MARTIN LUTHER, JR.
Oates, Stephen B.
Let the Trumpet Sound: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr.
RC 18404
Sympathetic biography traces the evolution of King's religious thought as he became
increasingly involved in the civil rights movement and committed to nonviolence.
Portrays King as an intelligent, and sensitive man not without weaknesses. Some strong
language.
LEE, ROBERT E.
Thomas, Emory M.
Robert E. Lee: A Biography
RC 42203
Thomas, a professor of history at the University of Georgia, believing the true Lee has
never been seen, offers a portrait of a man he considers an enigma. Thomas' discussion
of the man perhaps best known as the commander of the Army of Virginia includes
Lee's years at West Point, his career as an engineer, his marriage to Mary Curtis, their
seven children, and his presidency at Washington College. 1995.

12

LENIN, VLADIMIR ILICH

Clark, Ronald William
Lenin
RC 29793
Biography of Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov, the revolutionary Soviet leader known as Lenin.
Reveals many of the personal features of his social life, and his many interests,
including skating, bicycling, and mountain climbing. A sympathetic and intimate view
of Lenin's personality and the influences that brought him into the world arena.
Service, Robert
Lenin: A Biography
RC 52071
An Oxford historian investigates the life of Vladimir Ilich Ulyanov, who, as V.I. Lenin,
became one of the principal architects of twentieth-century Communism. Using archival
material opened after the Soviet Union's collapse, the author chronicles Lenin's
comfortable childhood, revolutionary beginnings, and exile, and the eventual triumph of
his Bolshevik party. 2000.
LINCOLN, ABRAHAM
Sandburg, Carl
Abraham Lincoln, the Prairie Years
RC 15989
The Prairie Years follows Lincoln from his boyhood to his lawyer days in Springfield
and to his election as president of the U.S. This is a condensed version of the original
two volume work. The biography is continued in Abraham Lincoln, the War Years
(RC 11766).
Sandburg, Carl
Abraham Lincoln, the War Years
RC 15990
A continuation of Abraham Lincoln, the War Years" (RC 11766). Begins with a
discussion of the renomination of Lincoln as president and ends with his assassination.
This edition is a condensed version of the original four-volume work.

13

LORCA, FEDERICO GARCIA

Gibson, Ian
Federico Garcia Lorca: A Life
RC 31274
Born in Granada, Spain, in 1898, Lorca was a gifted poet, playwright, pianist, artist,
actor, and lecturer. The author discusses Lorca's friendships with the famous, among
them Salvador Dali, Luis Buneul, and Pablo Neruda; his depressions and
homosexuality, and their relationship to his work; and his tragic death in 1936 at the
hands of the
Fascists.
LOUIS XIV
Bernier, Olivier
Louis XIV: A Royal Life
RC 27524
A sympathetic biography of France's controversial Sun King, Louis XIV, who reigned
from 1651 to 1715. Louis is often criticized for his excesses, including the very
expensive Palace of Versailles, but this author takes the critics to task and presents an
apologetic appraisal of his rule.
LUTHER, MARTIN
Bainton, Roland Herbert
Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther
RC 10905
Inspiring portrait of the religious leader who changed the structure of the medieval
church and spearheaded the Protestant Reformation.
MACHIAVELLI, NICCOLO
Viroli, Maurizio
Niccolo's Smile: A Biography of Machiavelli
RC 52078
A biography of the Italian Renaissance statesman Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), a
native of Florence and the author of The Prince (RC 39689). Discusses his life and
turbulent times, his political beliefs, and his ultimate fall from power, as well as the
near-universal misunderstanding of his philosophy. 2000.
14

MALCOLM X
Myers, Walter Dean
Malcolm X: By Any Means Necessary: A Biography
RC 36735
This controversial man challenged the civil rights movement and "scared America" with
his anger. Discouraged in school, Malcolm X became a sharp-dressing street hustler
who ultimately found satisfaction in the sober life-style and black nationalist philosophy
of the Nation of Islam, where he became a leader and chief critic of the nonviolent
tactics of Martin Luther King. For grades 5-8 and older readers. 1993.
MANDELA, NELSON
Meer, Fatima
Higher Than Hope: The Authorized Biography of Nelson Mandela
RC 32773
The author--professor, family friend, and anti-apartheid activist--has organized a book
that is part praise for Mandela and his family, part history of the anti-apartheid struggle
and the African National Congress, and part compilation of Mandela's own writings--his
letters, his eloquent self-defense in 1964, and portions of his autobiography. For high
school and older readers.
Sampson, Anthony
Mandela: The Authorized Biography
RC 49243
Traces Nelson Mandela's youth in South Africa, his career as a lawyer and freedom
fighter, and his rise to fame as the leader who transformed the nation from apartheid to a
multicultural democracy through unity, justice, reconciliation and forgiveness. Explains
how the ex-president developed into a renowned statesman while in prison. 1999.
MARCOS, IMELDA
Ellison, Katherine
Imelda: Steel Butterfly of the Philippines
RC 29526
The author, who won the Pulitzer Prize for her reports about the tracing of the Marcos
fortune around the world, now offers a detailed biography of the fallen first lady of the
Philippines. Ellison captures the dream world that Imelda helped to create and depicts
15

how the "Steel Butterfly," in her selfishness, made a comic opera out of a historic
opportunity for greatness.
MARIE ADELAIDE OF SAVOY
Elliot, Charles
Princess of Versailles: The Life of Marie Adelaide of Savoy
RC 41719
Elliot's account of Marie Adelaide of Savoy is interwoven with the story of life at the
court of Louis XIV, the Sun King. Marie is only ten when she arrives at Versailles to
marry the duc de Bourgogne, but her arrival brings life back into what has become a
dying court. Marie is portrayed as having a keen wit and also as kind, thoughtful,
intelligent, and dignified. 1992.
MARSHALL, THURGOOD
Williams, Juan
Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary
RC 47943
Describes Marshall's importance to the 1960s civil rights movement, not only for his
legal victory in "Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka." which outlawed school
segregation in 1954, or even for his appointment as the first African American Supreme
Court justice in 1967, but for his lifelong pursuit of the principle of equality before the
law. 1998.
MARX, KARL
Wheen, Francis
Karl Marx: A Life
RC 52066
A biography of Karl Marx (1818-1883), author of The Communist Manifesto (RC
19621), whose theories have inspired world revolutionary movements. Traces his
middle-class upbringing in Prussia and his political exile in bourgeois Victorian London
with his beloved wife and children, and explores his relationship with his patron
Friedrich Engels. 1999.

16

MOZART
Davenport, Marcia
Mozart
RC 35415
First published in 1932. Revised in 1956 on the bicentenary of the Austrian composer's
birth, following the publication of Mozart's letters and a new index to his works. This
portrait of the child prodigy, who grew up in a talented family and developed into a
musical genius, combines documented facts about his career with imaginary
conversations. 1956.
MUHAMMAD
Cook, Michael
Muhammad
RC 44357
Life of the Arab merchant turned prophet and politician who established a religious state
in western Arabia in the 620s. Cook discusses the history of monotheism; Koranic law;
the concepts of the "Hijra", the "Jihad," and the "Umma;" the importance of Mecca; and
the origins of Islam. 1983.
NEWTON, ISAAC
Christianson, Gale E.
In the Presence of the Creator: Isaac Newton and His Times
RC 22337
Thoughtful account of the life of the seventeenth-century genius whose basic
discoveries--the three laws of motion, the existence of gravity, and the mathematics of
calculus are the foundations of modern science.
NIXON, RICHARD
Sulzberger, C. L.
The World and Richard Nixon
RC 26326
The former Chief Foreign Correspondent for the "New York Times" examines and
appraises Nixon's handling of foreign policy. Information is derived from policy
questions Nixon has answered in personal interview sessions.
17

PAINE, THOMAS
Gerson, Noel Bertram
Rebel! A Biography of Tom Paine
RC 08607
Traces Paine's rise from a lower middle-class corset maker through his pamphleteering
in the causes of U.S. Independence and the French Revolution.
PASTEUR, LOUIS
Dubos, Ren
Louis Pasteur, Free Lance of Science
RC 33292
Born in 1822 in France, Pasteur devoted his life to the welfare of his fellow humans. A
scientist interested in a variety of subjects, he studied the structure of molecules, the
process of fermentation, the effect of microorganisms on disease, the practice of
immunization, and public hygiene policies. He discovered a successful treatment for
rabies.
PENN, WILLIAM
Fantel, Hans
William Penn: Apostle of Dissent
BR 02863
Challenges the popular notion of Penn as a straitlaced Quaker and portrays him as an
inspired rebel and bold adventurer matching radical vision with personal courage.
PERON, EVA
Fraser, Nicholas and Maryysa Navarro
Eva Peron
RC 17354
Biography of the wife of the former Argentinian dictator Juan Peron from her povertystricken childhood to her death in 1952. Detailed are her achievements on behalf of
urban workers and the rural poor, as well as her shrewd handling of organized labor and
lower income groups to further her own political objectives and those of her husband.

18

PETER THE GREAT

Troyat, Henri
Peter the Great
RC 27562
Peter I, Emperor of Russia, a man of great complexity, is credited with opening Russia
to the West, enlarging the Russian empire, and building St. Petersburg. He was also
known for his cruelty, crudity, and excesses. The author details both the life and times
of Peter the Great.
POWELL, COLIN
Powell, Colin L.
My American Journey
RC 41549
Powell shares with his fellow Americans what he believe has been a great life. The son
of immigrants, he was raised in New York's South Bronx and was undistinguished in
school. But he found his place in life when he joined the ROTC and the army. Powell's
is a story of hard work and good luck, of service, and of love from and for the people
who helped make the former general and Joint Chiefs chairman a popular figure in the
1990s. Bestseller. 1995.
PRINCESS DIANA
Edwards, Anne
Ever After: Diana and the Life She Led
RC 51935
Recounts the Spencer family history and examines how Diana's unhappy childhood
impacted her adult life. Discusses the princess' relationships with her family, her
discovery of Charles' infidelity before their marriage, her position within the troubled
House of Windsor, her divorce, and her life afterwards. 1999.
Morton, Andrew
Diana: Her True Story--In Her Own Words
RC 44842
Morton covers the life of Diana, princess of Wales, from early childhood to her death in
1997. He includes her responses to questions he submitted to her in 1991 and 1992. He
asserts that her answers show that she felt trapped and powerless within the royal
family.
19

ROMANOFF, NICHOLAS
Massie, Robert K.
Nicholas and Alexandra
RC 50621
Evokes the final years of the Romanov dynasty in Imperial Russia. Discusses the
hemophilia of the Tsarevich Alexis as a pivotal factor in the personal and political lives
of his parents, the influence of the Siberian mystagogue Rasputin, the subsequent
revolution, and the courage of the Tsar's family. 1967.
SHAH OF IRAN
Shawcross, William
Shah's Last Ride: The Fate of an Ally
RC 29518
Recounts the late Iranian leader's flight into ignominy and exile. The author juxtaposes
details of the Shah's futile attempts to find peace and sanctuary in the West with a
striking depiction of his lavish and despotic rule and the popular revolution that
ultimately brought down his regime.
SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM
Schoenbaum, Samuel
William Shakespeare: A Compact Documentary Life
RC 47027
Schoenbaum presents a scholarly biography based on written records. Recounts
Shakespeare's simple life story as evidenced in documents found in Stratford, where he
was born, raised, and died, and in London, where he gained his livelihood.
STALIN, JOSEPH
McNeal, Robert H.
Stalin: Man and Ruler
RC 34485
Drawing on previously unused sources, McNeal describes the life of the powerful,
violent ruler, who was a devout Christian before becoming a Marxist. Stalin's political
life is detailed, including his arrests prior to the 1917 revolution, his role in the Lenin
regime, and his reign as Soviet dictator until his death in 1953.
20

THATCHER, MARGARET
Thatcher, Margaret
The Downing Street Years
RC 39179
Memoirs of the grocer's daughter who became prime minister of Great Britain. Thatcher
recounts her political life, beginning with the day the conservatives gained a majority in
the House of Commons and she, as head of the party, was asked to form a new
government. She speaks candidly of the members of her cabinet, her contacts with
foreign leaders, efforts to reform the Tories, her pursuit of national interests, and her
last days at Number Ten. Bestseller. 1993.
TOCQUEVILLE
Jarden, Andre
Tocqueville: A Biography
RC 29544
Tocqueville is probably best remembered for his book Democracy in America which he
wrote at the age of twenty after a visit to America. This biography shows other aspects
of his life--as an aristocrat, prison reformer, and government office holder in the Second
Republic of France, as well as a husband, traveler, politician, and moralist.
TRUMAN, HARRY S.
Miller, Richard Lawrence
Truman: The Rise to Power
RC 23817
Truman's pre-presidential years, with emphasis on what Miller sees as Truman's early,
questionable business ventures and connections with the corrupt Pendergast machine in
Kansas City. Miller portrays Truman as a practical politician who, to assure his power
base, constantly struggled with his "life plan" and his own vision of the public good.
Some strong language.

21

WASHINGTON, GEORGE
Freeman, Douglas Southall
Washington
RC 26098
A condensed biography portraying George Washington both as a private citizen and as a
public hero.
McDonald, Forrest
The Presidency of George Washington
RC 43027
The author explores the reputation of the first president and its role in American history,
arguing that the mystique surrounding Washington allowed a divided and contentious
young country to trust executive authority and establish the office of president.
McDonald also describes Washington's administration and the end of his immunity to
public criticism.
WILDE, OSCAR
Ellmann, Richard
Oscar Wilde
RC 27498
A sympathetic yet critical study of the nineteenth-century Irish author, which utilizes
factual and anecdotal details. We see Wilde as the brilliant and outrageous Oxford
student, the "Aesthete" in America and Pre-Raphaelite London, the conqueror of
belle-epoque Paris, the taunter of bourgeois society, the husband of Constance Lloyd,
and lover of Lord Alfred Douglas. Bestseller.
ZEDONG, MAO
Short, Philip
Mao: A Life
RC 52446
Chronicles the life and times of the Chinese leader Mao Zedong (1893-1976).
Highlights the turmoil of decades of civil war and power struggles within the
Communist Party and examines the subsequent failures of the "Great Leap Forward"
and the Cultural Revolution. Analyzes the leader's achievements and his continuing
legacy. Some strong language. 1999.
22

AUTHOR INDEX
Adams, Gerry...................................................................................................7
Armstrong, Karen ............................................................................................2
Bainton, Roland Herbert ................................................................................14
Bernier, Olivier ..............................................................................................14
Bierman, John ..................................................................................................2
Birley, Anthony R............................................................................................9
Blumberg, Rhoda .............................................................................................4
Bradford, Ernle ................................................................................................3
Brendon, Piers..................................................................................................3
Brent, Peter Ludwig .........................................................................................6
Christianson, Gale E. .....................................................................................17
Clark, Ronald William ...................................................................................13
Conot, Robert E. ..............................................................................................6
Cook, Michael................................................................................................17
Crankshaw, Edward .........................................................................................1
Dalai Lama of Tibet .........................................................................................5
Dallek, Robert ................................................................................................11
Davenport, Marcia .........................................................................................17
Douglass, Frederick .........................................................................................6
Downey, Glanville ...........................................................................................1
Dubos, Ren...................................................................................................18
Dugan, Bill.......................................................................................................9
Edwards, Anne...............................................................................................19
Ellison, Katherine .................................................................................... 15-16
Elliot, Charles ................................................................................................16
Ellmann, Richard ............................................................................... 11-12, 22
Fantel, Hans ...................................................................................................18
Faragher, John Mack........................................................................................2
Fraser, Antonia.................................................................................................5
Fraser, Nicholas .............................................................................................18
Freeman, Douglas Southall ............................................................................22
Gay, Peter.........................................................................................................8
Gerson, Noel Bertram ....................................................................................18
Gibson, Ian.....................................................................................................14
23

Green, Peter .....................................................................................................1

Gribbin, John ...................................................................................................7
Jarden, Andre .................................................................................................21
Lacouture, Jean ................................................................................................6
Leigh, Wendy.................................................................................................12
Mackay, James.................................................................................................4
Massie, Robert K. ..........................................................................................20
McDonald, Forrest .....................................................................................9, 22
McNeal, Robert H..........................................................................................20
Meer, Fatima ..................................................................................................15
Meltzer, Milton ................................................................................................8
Miller, Richard Lawrence ..............................................................................21
Morison, Samuel Eliot .....................................................................................4
Morris, Roger...................................................................................................4
Morton, Andrew.............................................................................................19
Myers, Walter Dean .......................................................................................15
Navarro, Maryysa ..........................................................................................18
Nardo, Don.......................................................................................................3
Oates, Stephen B............................................................................................12
Ogden, Christopher .................................................................................... 9-10
Parmet, Herbert S......................................................................................... 2-3
Peterson, Merrill D.........................................................................................11
Powell, Colin L. .............................................................................................19
Reston, James, Jr..............................................................................................8
Sampson, Anthony.........................................................................................15
Sandburg, Carl ...............................................................................................13
Sandoz, Marie ..................................................................................................5
Service, Robert...............................................................................................13
Settle, William A. .................................................................................... 10-11
Schoenbaum, Samuel.....................................................................................20
Shawcross, William .......................................................................................20
Shirer, William L. ............................................................................................8
Short, Philip ...................................................................................................22
Solomon, Maynard...........................................................................................1
Sulzberger, C. L. ............................................................................................17
Thatcher, Margaret.........................................................................................21
Thomas, Emory M. ........................................................................................12
Thomas, Jane Resh...........................................................................................7
Toland, John...................................................................................................10
24

Troyat, Henri..................................................................................................19
Viroli, Maurizio .............................................................................................14
Weir, Alison...............................................................................................7, 10
Wheen, Francis ..............................................................................................16
White, Michael.................................................................................................7
Williams, Juan ...............................................................................................16
Wilson, A. N. .................................................................................................11
Withey, Lynne .................................................................................................5

25

TITLE INDEX
Abraham Lincoln, the Prairie Years...............................................................13
Abraham Lincoln, the War Years ..................................................................13
Admiral of the Ocean Sea: A Life of Christopher Columbus ..........................4
Adolf Hitler....................................................................................................10
Alexander Hamilton: A Biography ..................................................................9
Alexander of Macedon, 356-323 B.C.: A Historical Biography......................1
Aristotle, Dean of Early Science......................................................................1
Beethoven ........................................................................................................1
Behind the Mask: The Life of Queen Elizabeth I ............................................7
Benjamin Franklin: The New American ..........................................................8
Bismarck ..........................................................................................................1
Buddha .............................................................................................................2
Charles Darwin, "A Man Of Enlarged Curiosity"............................................6
Cleopatra..........................................................................................................3
Commodore Perry in the Land of the Shogun..................................................4
Crazy Horse, the Strange Man of the Oglalas: A Biography ..........................5
Cromwell the Lord Protector ...........................................................................5
Daniel Boone: The Life and Legend of an American Pioneer .........................2
De Gaulle, the Rebel, 1890-1944.....................................................................6
Diana: Her True StoryIn Her Own Words ................................................19
The Downing Street Years.............................................................................21
Einstein: A Life in Science ..............................................................................7
Eva Peron.......................................................................................................18
Ever After: Diana and the Life She Led........................................................19
Falls Memories: A Belfast Life.......................................................................7
Federico Garcia Lorca: A Life ......................................................................14
Freud: A Life for Our Time .............................................................................8
Galileo: A Life .................................................................................................8
Gandhi, a Memoir ............................................................................................8
George Bush: The Life of a Lone Star Yankee............................................ 2-3
Geronimo: War Chiefs ....................................................................................9
Hadrian: The Restless Emperor .......................................................................9
Henry VIII: The King and His Court .............................................................10
Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther ...........................................................14

26

Higher Than Hope: The Authorized ............................................................15

Biography of Nelson Mandela
Imelda: Steel Butterfly of the Philippines ............................................... 15-16
In the Presence of the Creator: Isaac Newton and His Times ........................17
James Joyce.............................................................................................. 11-12
Jesse James Was His Name: Or, Fact and Fiction .................................. 10-11
Concerning the Careers of the Notorious
Jesus ..............................................................................................................11
Julius Caesar: The Pursuit of Power ................................................................3
Karl Marx: A Life ..........................................................................................16
Lenin ..............................................................................................................13
Lenin: A Biography ......................................................................................13
Let the Trumpet Sound: The Life of Martin Luther King, Jr. .......................12
Life and Times of Frederick Douglass: The Complete ...................................6
Autobiography
The Life of Elizabeth I .....................................................................................7
Life of the Party: The Biography of ......................................................... 9-10
Pamela Digby Churchill Hayward Harriman
Lone Star Rising: Lyndon Johnson and His Times 1908-1960......................11
Louis Pasteur, Free Lance of Science ............................................................18
Louis XIV: A Royal Life ...............................................................................14
Malcolm X: By any Means Necessary: A Biography ..................................15
Mandela: The Authorized Biography............................................................15
Mao: A Life ...................................................................................................22
Michael Collins: A Life ..................................................................................4
Mozart............................................................................................................17
Muhammad ....................................................................................................17
My American Journey....................................................................................19
My Land and My People..................................................................................5
Napoleon III and His Carnival Empire ............................................................2
Niccolos Smile: A Biography of Machiavelli..............................................14
Nicholas and Alexandra .................................................................................20
Oscar Wilde ...................................................................................................22
Partners in Power: The Clintons and Their America .......................................4
Peter the Great ...............................................................................................19
The Presidency of George Washington..........................................................22

27

Prince Charming: The John F. Kennedy Jr. Story..........................................12

Princess of Versailles: The Life of Marie Adelaide of Savoy........................16
Rebel! A Biography of Tom Paine.................................................................18
Robert E. Lee: A Biography .........................................................................12
Shahs Last Ride: The Fate of Ally...............................................................20
The Six Wives of Henry VIII.........................................................................10
Stalin: Man and Ruler ....................................................................................20
A Streak of Luck..............................................................................................6
Thomas Jefferson and the New Nation; a Biography.....................................11
Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary ..............................................16
Tocqueville: A Biography..............................................................................21
Truman: The Rise to Power ...........................................................................21
Voyages of Discovery: Captain Cook and ......................................................5
the Exploration of the Pacific
Washington ....................................................................................................22
William Penn: Apostle of Dissent..................................................................18
William Shakespeare: A Compact Documentary Life ...................................20
Winston Churchill: A Biography ....................................................................3
The World and Richard Nixon.......................................................................17

28

Historical Biographies
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