What Are Biographies, Autobiographies & Memoirs?

Biographies, autobiographies & memoirs tell stories of real people’s lives.

Are Biographies, Autobiographies & Memoirs the Same Thing?

Biographies, autobiographies & memoirs are similar because they all tell stories about a person’s life, but they aren’t exactly the same.

The main differences are:
→ Who wrote it: Is the writer telling their own story or someone else’s story?
→ What perspective is used: Is the writer using the 1st person (I/me/my) or the 3rd person (he/she/they)?
→ What is covered: Does it cover a person’s whole life, whole career or a specific time period/event?
→ What is included: Does it include research findings, facts, personal thoughts or feelings?

Features	Biographies	Autobiographies	Memoirs
Written by	Someone other than who the story is about	The person themselves	The person themselves
Perspective	3rd person (he/she/they)	1st person (I/me/my)	1st person (I/me/my)
Cover	• Whole life (or a big part of it) • Whole career	• Whole life (or a big part of it) • Whole career	• A specific time period • Specific events
Include	• Research findings • Facts • Historical context	• Personal thoughts & feelings • Reflections • Memories	• Personal thoughts & feelings • Reflections • Lessons learned