Help me find a good bio or autobio to read, por favor - AP E

[Sasafrás]

OK, my AP Language/Composition teacher told us that we have to select an autobiography or biography to read for the class and we have to tell her which one we're reading by the 12th of February. Here are the requirements:
1) It can be about anyone, regardless of race, nationality, occupation, etc. but she would prefer a writer.
2) The book has to have approximately 300 pages, but if not, we can choose up to two books whose amounts of pages added together equals approximately 300.
3) It can't be a book that we have previously read.

Now, the only autobiographies or biographies I own are "When I Was Puerto Rican" by Esmeralda Santiago and "Almost a Woman" by Esmeralda Santiago. I have yet to read the latter but the problem is that I bought the book in Spanish. My Spanish, though very good, still is somewhat limited but the teacher (who also teaches Spanish) said that I could read it if I'd like to. However, I'd prefer to read something that is in my native tongue since this is an English class.

I'm interested in Latin American people, entertainers, and writers mostly. I don't really want to read a biography about Guevara because, though I admire him, I don't think the book would be very *entertaining* and I wouldn't want to read a book about him for a class, you know? I'd rather read it for pleasure and school is displeasing. Any interesting suggestions? Email me ([email protected]) if you have any suggestions or, if you are lazy like me, just post them in here. I'd be very appreciative.

Thanks bunches you'se guys!

[Rob]

I would recommend that you read the autobiography of Malcolm X. Or Francis Wheen's biography of Karl Marx is pretty cool too.

[Breast Pump]

what about noble peace prize winner Rigoberta Menchu or Angela Davis?

[I Will Deny You]

I'm lazy, and e-mail sucks anyway (in my humble opinion).

As I recall, Rigoberta Menchu was discredited. My favorite Nobel Prize-winning biography was Elie Weisel's Night, but you said you want something entertaining and memoirs of the Holocaust are anything but. Abbie Hoffman (You just knew I was going to mention him, didn't you?) wrote the most entertaining autobiography I've ever read, and he's written a few books and a ton of articles. Maya Angelou is certainly a writer, and her autobiography is not edge-of-your-seat stuff but it's beautifully written and very moving. There's a biography of writer/actor/wacko-at-large Dario Fo, but it's very obscure and I'm not sure when you need it by. I can name some Latino writers who it would be fascinating to read about, but I'm not sure if there are biographies of any of them, sorry.


(Edited by I Will Deny You at 2:58 am on Feb. 8, 2002)

[Sasafrás]

Thanks 4 the suggestions. "Night" seems interesting but it's quite short and I'd really like to read just one book. As of now, my teacher thinks I'm going to read "Casi Una Mujer" but as long as I tell her another book by Wednesday (the 13th and my B-day!!), I won't have to read the previously mentioned.
I typed in "Dario Fo" on http://www.amazon.com but I didn't see anything that looked to be an autobiography. Everything was either a book of play (or a play), in Italian, out of print, or in Italian and out of print so my attempts were futile.
I read about Rigoberta Menchu in my Spanish book.. She seems interesting. Lindsay, what do you mean she "was discredited"?
Also interesting in my eyes: women. I almost always enjoy reading lit by women or about women. Any awesome feminists who've got autobiographies or biographies?

Let me know..

Obrigado.. Grazie.. Gracias.. Danke.. Thanks

[Breast Pump]

yeah, what do you mean she was "discredited?"

[vox]

Malcolm X is very good to read. Heck Huxley wrote it!

Also, if you're interested in US lit, you might want to try the biography of Hemingway by KS Lynn. I can't say that I agree with him on everything, not at all, but it's interesting, well written, and would meet your requirements.

vox

[I Will Deny You]

Gee, I love your new av. Are you that gorgeous in real life? :)

Some people (http://www.cnn.com/books/news/9812/15/menchu.cnn/) are wondering whether certain parts of I, Rigoberta Menchu are 100% accurate. Sorry if I seemed like I was saying that she had made up everything in her book, because I'm sure that most of it is nothing but the truth. But there are people questioning her honesty when it comes to a few experiences she claims to have gone through.

(Edited by I Will Deny You at 9:01 am on Feb. 10, 2002)

[Sasafrás]

Oh, I see, Lindsay. I was just trying to understand fully what you meant by your statement.

Anyway, my placing the new avatar was an effort to see the reactions of people. It is quite hideous. I think I'll change it in a couple days. :)

[Supermodel]

If you're looking for Latinos, which I think is a great idea, try Eva Peron, Pancho Villa, Jose Marti, Simon Bolivar, Carmen Miranda.


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/listm...2244183-1093744 (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/listmania/list-browse/-/LOJTNKAPJB03/qid=1013387204/sr=5-1/ref=sr_5_1/102-2244183-1093744)

[Sasafrás]

Hey, thanks for the suggestions you guys. Everything's cool but I've decided what I'll read Black White and Jewish (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1573229075/qid=1013387795/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_3_1/103-3556213-9915838). I had wanted to read it anyway after I read about it in my city's newspaper. The writer, Rebecca Walker (daughter of Alice Walker), came here to Memphis to sign copies of the book but I couldn't go, unfortunately. Anyway, the reviews I read on Amazon were not all that peachy but I'll see for myself. Someone even called the book "schmaltz."

But, hey, thanks for the suggestions everyone. Maybe I'll read those on my own over the next few months (or years) for my own personal benefit. Those seeming especially interesting are Night, the Menchú autobiography, Malcolm X (even though I've seen the movie at least 3 times already), and all the stuff on that list you linked to SuperModel (since I'm so into the Latino thing).

...Peace & Love all...

[I Will Deny You]

I love your new av even more than your last one.

It looks like a great book.

[Sasafrás]

Thanks :)

[Supermodel]

Great choice Rainbeaux!!!

Is Kermit taking precautions?

[I Will Deny You]

No, I'm afraid Kermit is not using his Tom Thumbrubbers even though he knows he should be.

Supermodel has to fly to Sesame Street with a suitcase full of condoms NOW!

[Sasafrás]

Ok, I bought the book last night and I read, like, the first fifty-eight pages of it. From what I've read, it does seem to be not-so-great but it is her first book. She does a lot of complaining in the book which is bad, but then again, isn't. My main problem with it is the fact that Rebecca ALWAYS writes in the present tense even though most of the events took place in the seventies and eighties. On a scale of one to ten so far? Six.

Kermit is gone!

[Rosa]

try "Agony and Extasy", if you haven't already.