YA Friday: Larger than Life Biographies

Submitted by Leizel Case on Fri, 07/24/2020 - 8:00 AM
Sillouettes of man and woman on top of a mountain at sunset

Check out these books about larger-than-life people!  Some of them you may have never heard of before, such as pioneering actress Sarah Bernhardt or brilliant dancer, Vaslav Nijinsky.  You may want to learn about the Russian female fighter pilots from World War II or find out more about Charles Lindbergh beyond his flight across the Atlantic.  Read about Muhammad Ali who not only fought in the ring, but for civil rights. These books and more await you in our library collection!

 

Bios

Sarah Bernhardt: The Divine and Dazzling Life of the World's First Superstar, book cover

Sarah Bernhardt: The Divine and Dazzling Life of the World's First Superstar Catherine Reef

A tantalizing biography for teens on Sarah Bernhardt, the first international celebrity and one of the greatest actors of all time, who lived an unconventional life.

The Great Nijinsky: God of Dance, book cover

The Great Nijinsky: God of Dance Lynn Curlee

Presents the life and career of the legendary Russian dancer and choreographer, describing his famous roles, his relationship with Sergei Diaghilev, director of the Ballets Russes, and his descent into mental illness in later life.

The Greatest: Muhaamad Ali, book cover

The Greatest: Muhaamad Ali Walter Dean Myers

Myers offers a portrait of one of the world's greatest boxers chronicles his childhood, his rise as a champion, his politics, and his battle against Parkinsons' disease.

Rockin' the Boat 50 Iconic Rebels and Revolutionaries: From Joan of Arc to Malcolm X, book cover

Rockin' the Boat 50 Iconic Rebels and Revolutionaries: From Joan of Arc to Malcolm X Jeff Fleischer

We love to root for the underdog, and that's part of why we're drawn to the stories of revolutionaries. Whether they fail, succeed, or succeed only to become what they once fought against, people who can rally others to their cause and shake up the status quo tend to be inherently interesting. This tells the stories of 50 such legends throughout the world, from people fed up with the Roman Empire, to the revolutionaries who helped create America.

Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Life & Work, book cover

Dissenter on the Bench: Ruth Bader Ginsburg's Life & Work Victoria Ortiz

The life and career of the fiercely principled Supreme Court Justice, now a popular icon, with dramatic accounts of her landmark cases that moved the needle on legal protection of human rights, illustrated with b/w archival photographs.

A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II, book cover

A Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II Elizabeth Wein

In the early years of World War II, Josef Stalin issued an order that made the Soviet Union the first country in the world to allow female pilots to fly in combat. Led by Marina Raskova, these three regiments, including the 588th Night Bomber Regiment--nicknamed the "night witches"--faced intense pressure and obstacles both in the sky and on the ground. Some of these young women perished in flames. Many of them were in their teens when they went to war. This is the story of Raskova's three regiments, women who enlisted and were deployed on the front lines of battle as navigators, pilots, and mechanics. It is the story of a thousand young women who wanted to take flight to defend their country, and the woman who brought them together in the sky. Packed with black-and-white photographs, fascinating sidebars, and thoroughly researched details, A Thousand Sisters is the inspiring true story of a group of women who set out to change the world, and the sisterhood they formed even amid the destruction of war

The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh, book cover

The Rise and Fall of Charles Lindbergh Candace Fleming

A riveting biography of one of America's most celebrated heroes, and most complicated, troubled men, Charles Lindbergh.

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Teens

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