Portal:Biography
The Biography Portal
A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or curriculum vitae (résumé), a biography presents a subject's life story, highlighting various aspects of their life, including intimate details of experience, and may include an analysis of the subject's personality.
Biographical works are usually non-fiction, but fiction can also be used to portray a person's life. One in-depth form of biographical coverage is called legacy writing. Works in diverse media, from literature to film, form the genre known as biography.
An authorized biography is written with the permission, cooperation, and at times, participation of a subject or a subject's heirs. An unauthorized biography is one written without such permission or participation. An autobiography is written by the person themselves, sometimes with the assistance of a collaborator or ghostwriter. (Full article...)
Featured biographies –
Did you know... -
- ... that President James Monroe promised the eastern Cherokee a "gateway to the setting sun" where they were not "surrounded by the White man", which resulted in the creation of Lovely's Purchase?
- ... that actor George Kunkel portrayed in blackface the character of Uncle Tom, using it at first to promote slavery during the American Civil War but later to attack it, after his views had changed?
- ... that artist Joan Brigham is best known for her work with steam?
- ... that artist Percy Delf Smith's work included lettering using Roman capitals and depictions of the First World War inspired by his experiences in the trenches?
- ... that after Ursula K. Le Guin published her collection The Wind's Twelve Quarters, a reviewer called her the "ideal science fiction writer for readers who ordinarily dislike science fiction"?
- ... that an Indian rhinoceros, sent as a gift to Pope Leo X
- ... that Lucy Salani is considered the only known Italian transgender person to survive the Nazi concentration camps?
- ... that British communist leader Trevor Carter was the stage manager for the first British-Caribbean carnival, held in St Pancras Town Hall?
- ... that the Cross of Wales, leading the procession at the coronation of Charles III and Camilla, features two relics of the True Cross gifted to the King by Pope Francis?
- ... that Japanese actor Kouhei Higuchi prepared for his role on the television drama adaptation of My Personal Weatherman by learning from a weather forecaster?
- ... that Debra Lew Harder is the fifth person to host the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts since they began in 1931?
- ... that in 1976, Carmen Valero became the first female track and field athlete to represent Spain at the Olympics?
Get involved
For editor resources and to collaborate with other editors on improving Wikipedia's Biography-related articles, see WikiProject Biography.
On this day – December 6
Births
- 1421 – Henry VI of England, last King of England from the House of Lancaster (d. 1471)
- 1898 – Gunnar Myrdal, Swedish economist and Nobel Prize laureate (d. 1987)
- 1916 – Kristján Eldjárn, 3rd President of Iceland (d. 1982)
- 1917 – Irv Robbins, co-founder of Baskin-Robbins (d. 2008)
- 1920 – George Porter, English chemist and Nobel Prize laureate (d. 2002)
- 1930 – Daniel Lisulo, 3rd Prime Minister of Zambia (d. 2000)
Deaths
- 1352 – Pope Clement VI, 4th Avignon Pope (b. 1291)
- 1892 – Werner von Siemens, German businessman and founder of Siemens (b. 1816)
- 1889 – Jefferson Davis, President of the Confederate States of America (b. 1808)
- 1951 – Harold Ross, American journalist and founder of The New Yorker (b. 1892)
- 1976 – João Goulart, 24th President of Brazil (b. 1918)
- 1990 – Tunku Abdul Rahman, 1st Prime Minister of Malaysia (b. 1903)
In the news
- 13 February 2024 – Estonia–Russia relations
- Prime Minister of Estonia Kaja Kallas is reportedly placed on the Russian Interior Ministry's register of wanted people due to the country's removal of Soviet War Memorials, making Kallas the first known government leader to be added to a wanted list by Russian authorities. (The Guardian)
- 4 February 2024 – 66th Annual Grammy Awards
- Taylor Swift wins Album of the Year for Midnights, becoming the first artist to win the award four times. She also announces the release of a new album, The Tortured Poets Department, on April 19. (Variety)
- 27 January 2024 –
- Venezuela's Supreme Court ratifies a ban from seeking any political office for 15 years on María Corina Machado, opposition leader backed by the United States. (Le Monde) (The Economist)
- 24 January 2024 –
- The Constitutional Court of Thailand acquits former Move Forward Party leader Pita Limjaroenrat for owning shares in the defunct media company iTV, thereby allowing Limjaroenrat to resume serving as a Member of Parliament in the House of Representatives. (AP)
- 23 January 2024 –
- North Korea demolishes the Arch of Reunification in Pyongyang after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un ruled out peaceful reunification with South Korea. (NDTV)
- The Senate of the Philippines' committee on women conducts a public hearing regarding the alleged abuses within the Kingdom of Jesus Christ. Three women, two Ukrainian nationals and one Filipino, accuse church leader Apollo Quiboloy of sexually abusing them. (CNN Philippines)