The word biography comes from a Greek word meaning "life-writing". That life-writing can take the form of journals, memoirs, autobiographies or biographies. Biographies are in demand for school projects, whenever a newsworthy event occurs involving a well-known individual, and especially when a noteworthy individual dies. An account of someone's life can be fascinating reading, even if that person didn't steal a fortune, plant a bug in the Watergate hotel, marry a king or die! There can be a lot to learn from the story of someone's life.

Does the Nashua Public Library have biographies? Yes we do! You just have to expend a little effort to find them. If you look for a biography, for instance, The glass castle which is Jeanette Wall's life story, the catalog entry reads Adult biography (Lower level). Sounds like we keep them in the basement, doesn't it? We don't, they are actually very centrally located. If you take the stairs, they are just past the bathrooms on the right. There is a sign on the double door right in front of you which says East Wing Biographies with an arrow pointing to the right. If you take the elevator to the second floor, when the doors open, the East Wing is slightly to the right. There is a red sign on the door that reads East Wing meeting rooms and biographies. If you have ever gone to check out a video, you have walked right past the East Wing!

New biographies are being ordered all the time. If you hear or read about a recently published biography which sounds interesting, check the catalog to see if the library has ordered it. If it hasn't been ordered, request that it be ordered. We're always happy to have suggestions for new books. We keep our newest biographies in the non-fiction, new arrivals section on the main floor. Some of our newest biographies include:
You must set forth at dawn : the memoirs of the first African to receive the Nobel prize in Literature
First lady of the air : Anne Morrow Lindbergh's role in the exciting early years of aviation
Burnt toast : an actress and a single mom shares her life, the good and the bad

Downstairs there are more biographies worth reading :
From pieces to weight : the story of 50 cent
Dark dreams : the story of Stephen King
A year by the sea - One of my personal favorites
and of course, one of Oprah's new favorites, Sidney Poitier's The measure of a man

So when someone says to you "Get a life", check out a biography! Happy reading!