By the time I was caught, I was considered the youngest and most daring con man in US history.” This is the incredible opening line to Steven Spielberg’s 2002 film “Catch Me If You Can.” The movie is based on a biographical book written by Frank Abagnale Jr. – played in the movie by Leonardo DiCaprio. His book was an autobiography, telling the story of his own life. Some of the most iconic movies and books ever written are based on biographies and autobiographies. After reading this article, you’ll understand what biographies are, biographies vs. autobiographies, and more.
Biography meaning
First, let’s define biography
Biographical stories come in many forms, but what is the true meaning of the word “biography”?
BIOGRAPHY DEFINITION
What is a biography?
The definition of a biography is when someone’s life story is told by another person, often in a book or a film or television show. Biography is a common genre in nonfiction literature, meaning it’s a story that isn’t made up. Life stories are either biographies, or autobiographies.
An autobiography is an account of a person's life written by that person themself. For example, the book “The Diary of A Young Girl” is an autobiography written by Holocaust victim Anne Frank. Since Frank wrote the book, and she’s telling the story of her own life, the book is an autobiography.
What are some other differences between biography vs. autobiography? Biographies are told in third person, since the author is writing about another person’s life. Autobiographies are told in first person, since the author is writing about themselves. Also, biographies are objective, focused on telling the truth of a person’s life, while autobiographies are subjective, since a person is telling their side of their own story.
Biography examples:
- “Eleanor Roosevelt” by Blanche Wiesen Cook
- “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln” by Doris Kearns Goodwin
- “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson
Autobiography examples
- “The Story of My Life” by Helen Keller
- “I am Malala by Malala Yousafzai
- “Agatha Christie: An Autobiography” by Agatha Christie
Biography vs. autobiography
Understanding the different types of biographies
Now you know what a biography’s definition is, and also how it’s different from autobiography. But stay with us here, because it’s about to get tricky: Biography actually has two meanings! Biography still refers to the story of someone else’s life, told by another. But the word “biography” can also refer to the genre of these types of stories, which includes biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, and biopics.
What is the difference between biography, autobiography, and memoir?
We’ve discussed how biographies are life stories written by another, and autobiographies are life stories written by the person themselves. Biopics are films or TV shows about a person’s life.
So what is a memoir? A memoir is similar to an autobiography, but memoirs focus on specific events rather than the person’s life as a whole. The book “Wild” by author Cheryl Strayed is a memoir, since the story focuses mostly on one big event, which is when Strayed hiked the Pacific Crest Trail.
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How to write a biopic
Do you want to know how to write a biography for film? If there’s a story about someone else’s life that you’re just dying to write a movie about, you probably want to write a biopic. Biopics come in many genres and tones, and there have been several popular ones in recent years in both film, and television. Biopics often require time and research. Our next article can help you learn how to write a film or show based on a biography or autobiography.
