I've have just published a collection of my columns on biography published every Wednesday in The New York Sun. I'm interested in hearing from readers of biographywhy you read biographies, what you like about them, what you don't.
A blog for biographers and their readers
Published on January 21, 2005 By Carl Rollyson In Welcome
I've just published READING BIOGRAPHY, a collection of my columns on biography for The New York Sun. The book is available from www.iuniverse.com, bn.com, and amazon.com. I'm interested in hearing from readers and writers of biography. What do you like about the genre? What you don't like? What problems or pleasures do you have in reading or writing biographies.
Comments (Page 7)
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on Mar 13, 2005
I learned that writing a good essay; we have to avoid too many repetitions of words.
on Mar 13, 2005
I learned that writing a good essay; we have to avoid too many repetitions of words.
on Mar 13, 2005
I learned that writing a good essay; we have to avoid too many repetitions of words.
on Mar 15, 2005
Is it mandatory to add quotes in Marie Curie’s biography? Is it possible to write a strong biography without quoting Curie’s words?

P.S Ying Tian, thank you for providing such a excellent example of repetitions of words
on Mar 15, 2005
I think that composition is a great thing. Nevertheless, ability to wrap up work skillfully is very important. It can help (to some extent) to manipulate your audience's reaction. We see from the documentary how conclusion can absolutely change reader's(or viewer's) opinion about subject. Watching the film I couldn't help experiencing the feeling close to dislike. But the emotional end altered the perception of Hellman's life and let me see it from the different angle.
on Mar 16, 2005
Carl Rollyson's last 2 paragraphes of his biography of Lillian Hellman are similar to the last scenes of the documentary. Both describe Lillian's lawsuit with McCathry and how successful is she.
on Mar 18, 2005
The film shows Lillian Hellman individuality, humanizing her.
In the last part of the film they used very interesting way of interviewing people; same interviewees were asked about same subject. This method allows creating very bright and emotional picture of the last days of her life.
The last paragraph of the Carl Rollyson’s biographical essay just describes the quality of her writing and her place in American literature.
on Mar 20, 2005
comma seems so easy, but if you misuse it in the sentence; it will have different meaning.
on Mar 20, 2005
When writing an analytical research paper, should I focus on the content of the book itself or on the person's own story? How many references should I use?
on Mar 21, 2005
Can you tell us in more details about the research paper?How can we compare the ways that different authors use to write about the same aspect?
on Mar 27, 2005
I am worried about reading the books for the analytical research paper, because I think it will take too long for me to read them.
Do I need to wholly understand every detail of the reference books?
on Apr 03, 2005
I am having difficulty putting together several themes into one essay. I wonder how I can affectively put these ideas into correct order so that they make good sense.
on Apr 04, 2005
Before writing biographical essay on Marie Curie I've read several short biographies. What I realized was that authors discribe her life and personality differently. So, the reader doesn't have a chance to comprehend Marie in a free from someone's prejudice way, because biograther instinctively shows his(her) favorism in this or that aspect of Marie's life. In fact, the truth is hiden under biograther's illusion.
on Apr 10, 2005
Last time when I wrote biographical essay, I did not include that many opinions. What I wrote was actually a biographyical summary. I now know what the difference between the two is.
on Apr 12, 2005
Getting started with the Analytical Research paper seems a bit confusing. How do you get stated? After choosing your research question how and where do you begin presenting the info.? What should the first paragraph contain? Are you still trying to be narative or are you focusing strictly on just presenting the information you've found out?
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