Biography in Braille (Word)

Biography/Autobiography

Braille - Grade 2. Compiled: 2007.

The titles in this booklist are just a selection of the titles available for loan from the RNIB National Library Service braille collection.

Books are lent for up to 3 months, but you can renew your books by telephone, letter or email, unless another reader requires them.

If you would like to read any of these titles then please contact the Customer Services team:

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Akhbar, M.J.

Nehru: the making of India. 1988. 18v. UK Loan only.

Jawaharlal Nehru, India's first Prime Minister, was the ideological and political heir of Gandhi. Building on Mahatma's foundations as leader both of Congress and of independent India from 1947, M.J. Akbar looks at Nehru's life against the background of volatile political forces that have dominated twentieth-century India. He also examines the social and cultural milieu in which Nehru grew up, giving a fascinating picture of the man behind the public figure.

Amis, John.

A miscellany: my life, my music. 1985. 4v.

Heavily involved with music both behind the scenes and in front for longer than he can care to remember. You name the musician; the author has met him or her; often they have become his friends, and if not he can always be counted on for a reminiscence or anecdote.

Armstrong, Karen.

Muhammad: a Western attempt to understand Islam. 1991. 6v. UK Loan only.

This biography offers a picture of Muhammad which facilitates a more accurate and profound understanding of Islam and the people who adhere to it so strongly.

Armstrong, Lance and Jenkins, Sally.

It's not about the bike: my journey back to life. 2000. 5v. UK Loan only.

In 1996, 24-year-old Lance Armstrong was ranked number one cyclist in the world. But that October tests revealed that advanced testicular cancer had spread to his lungs and brain. In this book, he reveals his journey from a 20% chance of survival, to victory in the 1999 Tour de France. Although scarred physically and emotionally, Armstrong considered his cancer a "wake-up call" - one that crystallized the blessings of good health, family, friends and marriage. Since 1996, he had dedicated himself to fighting cancer and supporting the cancer community, establishing an educational and fund-raising foundation, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, in his hometown of Austin, Texas. This autobiography is about Lance Armstrong who won the 1999 Tour de France in spectacular style, taking four stages and both a mountain and a time trial. His story is even more remarkable because he was diagnosed with stage four testicular cancer in October 1996.

Ashworth, Andrea.

Once, in a house on fire. 1998. 6v.

Andrea Ashworth's father drowned when she was five and her sister was three. They lived in Manchester where money was tight, but people were kind. Then, with a new father, and a new baby sister, came a new smell, of meat and onions and fear. As Andrea grew, she discovered that there was another life to be lived; a happier world, hidden in pictures and music and - especially - in books.

Avedon, John F.

In exile from the land of snows. 1984. 10v. UK Loan only.

In this book, the author gives a complete and graphic account of the Dalai Lama and Tibet since the Chinese conquest. In 1950, completely unprovoked, the Chinese People's Liberation Army took Tibet by storm. Communist reforms resulted in widespread revolt, and in 1959 the Dalai Lama fled to exile in India, followed by 100,000 refugees. Twenty-five years later, the Tibetan refugees have not only endured; they have created a nation-in-exile.

Babington-Smith, Constance.

Amy Johnson. 1967. 7v. UK Loan only.

Constance Babbington-Smith has written a compelling and penetrating study of a woman whose death was in keeping with her unconventional life. She has succeeded not only in recreating the adventure of Amy's great world flights but also, because she had discovered previously unknown series of letters, has found out what inspired and sustained her passion for the air.

Bailey, Paul.

An English madam: the life and work of Cynthia Payne. 1982. 4v. UK Loan only.

This biography of a high-class brothel keeper, Cynthia Payne, christened `Madame Sin' by the tabloids on her arrest in December 1978, is both honest and explicit.

Warning: Unsuitable for family reading

Barltrop, Robert.

Jack London: the man, the writer, the rebel. 1976. 5v. UK Loan only.

Jack London was a pirate, a hobo, an adventure, a factory worker, a seaman, a journalist, a propagandist and many other things. He was also a writer, read by millions. Robert Barltrop tells more than the story of a dramatic life. He explains how Jack London came to be a radical, how he succeeded as a popular writer, and why he still lives as a story-teller all over the world.

Bellamy, David.

Jolly green giant: the autobiography of David J Bellamy OBE, Hon FLS, an Englishman. 2002. 7v.

This autobiography depicts a childhood of discovery and adventure in Carshalton during the Second World War. His growing love of nature is interwoven with loving, often hilarious, portraits of the various characters he meets along the way. From his days as a student in fifties' London, to his trial by fire lectureship at Durham University with a young wife and ever-growing family to support, Bellamy reveals his many great loves from sports cars to ballet. He also writes of more serious issues, battling against big enterprises and corporations and campaigning.

Blunden, Margaret.

The Countess of Warwick: a biography. 1967. 8v. UK Loan only.

Lady Warwick was born into a world of elegance, luxury and mid-Victorian tranquillity. But she lived to identify herself with the turbulence of a changing society in which the self-confident supremacy of her class and the restrictive barriers of her sex were gradually broken down. An heiress in her own right, young and beautiful, she found the world at her feet when she was launched into society at the age of eighteen. But Lady Warwick was not by nature a selfish woman and it disturbed her conscience to be surrounded by so much poverty. Gradually the seed of Socialism grew in her, bore fruit and matured in the most surprising abundance and variety.

Bower, Tom.

Fayed: the unauthorized biography. 1988. 10v. UK Loan only.

Mohamed Al Fayed has become Britain's most controversial tycoon. Few men enjoy so much publicity and provoke so many questions about themselves as the Egyptian owner of Harrods, bereaved father of Dodi, and instigator of the "cash for questions" row that occurred during the last Tory government. Mohamed Al Fayed has become Britain's most controversial tycoon. Warning: Contains sex scenes

Brahms, Caryl.

Song by song: the lives and work of 14 great lyric writers. 1984. 9v.

Caryl Brahms and Ned Sherrin write affectionately and perceptively about the personal and professional lives of fourteen of the greatest lyric writers of this century - their families and friends; their triumphs and disasters; their musical associates and the impresarios who helped or frustrated them. The principal lyrics, shows and films, for which each of the writers has been responsible, are listed in the appendix.

Branson, Richard.

Losing my virginity: the autobiography. 1990. 10v.

This autobiography looks at the highs and lows of Richard Branson's life, what he has achieved, and why he has done it. The book discusses how Virgin was made into what it is today, and its vision for the next century.

Brittain, Vera.

Envoy extraordinary: a study of Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit and her contribution to modern India. 1965. 5v. UK Loan only.

The author has brought her gifts of analysis to this portrait of a famous woman whose political and diplomatic career has contributed a new chapter to the history of women, and whose ideals, in spite of a totally different background, are similar to those of her biographer. Vera Brittain's correspondence with Mrs Pandit began in 1940, and developed into friendship between 1954 and 1961, when Mrs Pandit was the Indian High Commissioner in Britain

Britton, Paul.

The jigsaw man: the remarkable career of Britain's foremost criminal psychologist. 1997. 14v.

Forensic psychologist, Paul Britton, has an almost mythic status in the field of crime deduction because of his ability to detect the psychological characteristics of those who stalk, torture, rape, abduct and kill other human beings. In recent years he has been at the centre of more than a hundred headline-making investigations, from the murder of Jamie Bulger to the slaying of Rachel Nickell. Over the past dozen years, Britton has assisted the police in over one hundred cases involving murder, rape, arson, extortion and kidnapping. He has also advised the FBI and the Russian Ministry of the Interior. Warning: Contains sex scenes.

Burns, Peggy.

Louis Braille. 1993. 1v.

In 1812, at the age of three, the little French boy Louis Braille was blinded in an accident. In those days no one believed blind people could learn to read, but Louis was determined, and learned to read raised letters with his fingertips. Later, he invented a new reading system for the blind, using raised dots. His idea is now used all over the world.

Bragg, Melvyn.

The adventure of English 500AD to 2000: the biography of a language. 2007. Coming soon.

In this book Melvyn Bragg shows us the story of the English language; from its beginnings as a minor guttural Germanic dialect to its position today as a truly established global language. The Adventure of English is not only an enthralling story of power, religion and trade, but also the story of people, and how their day-to-day lives shaped and continue to change the extraordinary language that is English.

Bryson, Bill.

The life and times of the Thunderbolt Kid: a memoir. 2006. 4v.

Across the moth-holed chest was a golden thunderbolt. It may have looked like an old college football sweater, but young Bryson knew better. It was obviously the Sacred Jersey of Zap, and proved that he had been placed with this innocuous family in the middle of America to fly, become invisible, shoot guns out of people's hands from a distance, and wear his underpants over his jeans in the manner of Superman. Bill Bryson's first travel book opened with the immortal line, 'I come from Des Moines. Somebody had to.' In his deeply funny new memoir, he travels back in time to explore the ordinary kid he once was, and the curious world of 1950s America. It was a happy time, when almost everything was good for you, including DDT, cigarettes and nuclear fallout. Warning: Contains swear words.

Campbell, Nicky.

Blue-eyed son: a story of an adoption. 2004. 4v.

Nicky Campbell was adopted as a tiny baby into a comfortable Protestant Scottish family. He was in his thirties when he embarked on the hunt for his birth mother. When he found her, he learned he had a sister who like him had been given up for adoption. His natural father was not only an Irish Catholic, but a committed Irish Republican and his paternal grandfather had served in the IRA at the time of Michael Collins in the 1920s. The clash of cultures, of creed and of ideology between their world and the world he grew up in couldn't be more striking.

Carpenter, Humphrey.

Robert Runcie: the reluctant archbishop. 1996. 10v. UK Loan only.

In this biography we learn the former Archbishop's opinions of the Pope, Terry Waite, the Falklands War, Margaret Thatcher and the survival of the monarchy. Meanwhile, Graham Leonard, Hugh Montefiore, Eric James, the new Bishop of London, Richard Chartres and, not least, Rosalind Runcie, the Archbishop's sometimes controversial wife, are among those who in turn shed light on the enigmatic figure who became the 102nd Archbishop.

Chamberlain, Ena.

29 Inman Road. 1990. 4v.

This lyrical, poignant autobiography belongs to the 1920s, to a street in South West London, to its people - and especially to Ena Chamberlain. It is a celebration of the women who dominate street society, shape it or perish by it. But it is Ena's adored father who is the catalyst for the end of the story, and the end of childhood.

Cookridge, Edward, Henry.

Orient Express: the life and times of the world's most famous train. 1979. 4v. UK Loan only.

The Orient Express was the greatest train in the world. From Agatha Christie to Graham Greene it provided a magical formula with its luxury and glamour, its legendary association with secret agents, intrigue and sabotage, and the mystery which enshrouded its destinations on the edge of the civilised world. Subtitled 'The life and times of the world's most famous train', this biography of the train and its passengers presents a history which confirms that truth is often stranger than fiction.

Coote, Stephen.

A play of passion: the life of Sir Walter Raleigh. 1993. 9v.

In the first biography of Raleigh for over twenty years, the author describes one of the most compelling figures in English history. This book describes Sir Walter Raleigh as an explorer, pirate, lover, poet, courtier, philosopher and political prisoner, a man of many achievements who fashioned himself as the "universal renaissance man".

Crawford, Michael.

Parcel arrived safely: tied with string: my autobiography. 1999. 8v.

In his autobiography, Crawford recalls his childhood, his early years in show business and the friendships it led to. Stage shows like "The Phantom of the opera" and films such as "Hello Dolly!" are all remembered, and he offers a wealth of professional and personal behind-the scenes anecdotes.

Curtis, Douglas.

Dartmoor to Cambridge: the autobiography of a prison graduate. 1973. 4v. UK Loan only.

Douglas Curtis was first convicted through a bureaucratic bungle. Imprisoned on numerous occasions, he finally decided to reform and characteristically aiming high, he made Cambridge his objective. He writes of the injustices he has witnessed, his personal achievements, and his ambitious plan to help the criminal population of this country. In 1973, he left Cambridge with an honours degree in Economics and Sociology.

Derry, John Wesley.

Castlereagh. 1976. 6v. UK Loan only.

Despite the fact that he served his country faithfully and with distinction, the political reputation of Lord Castlereagh (1769-1822) suffered from the vilification of his opponents, and from misrepresentation after his death. The author shows how his careers reflected the assumptions and circumstances of the time, and contributed to the development of a distinctive political tradition. He hopes that the book will help to rescue Castlereagh from the abuse of posterity.

Dirie, Waris and Miller, Cathleen.

Desert flower: the extraordinary journey of a desert nomad. 2001. 5v.

Waris Dirie, whose name means "desert flower", was born in Somalia of nomadic parents. She underwent extreme female circumcision at the age of five, and when she was 13 her father sold her into marriage with a 60-year-old for five camels, at which time she ran away. She was discovered by a fashion photographer in the United States whilst working as a janitor at McDonald's, and became a model whom has been used to promote Revlon skin-care products. She also speaks on women's rights in Africa and travels the world to give lectures on behalf of the UN. This is her autobiography.

Du Boulay, Shirley.

Cicely Saunders: founder of the modern hospice movement. 1984. 6v. UK Loan only.

This biography of the founder of the modern hospice movement is a story of personal dedication and faith, of love and loss, and of a revolution in the medical care of the dying. According to "The Lancet" this book "Describes the philosophy of modern hospice care better than any other book yet published. A skilfully balanced, perceptive, and sensitive picture of a great woman of our time".

Eames, Andrew.

The 8.55 to Baghdad. 2004. 5v.

Andrew Eames is an adventurous, insightful observer who sets out to travel from London to Baghdad by train, following the route of the old Orient Express. Interwoven through his own experience, with the colourful cast of characters he encounters, is an identical journey made by Agatha Christie in 1928, a journey which led to her spending 30 seasons on archaeological digs in the deserts of Syria and Iraq. Merges literary biography with an intensely personal travel adventure, and ancient history with contemporary events.

Easton, Carol.

Jacqueline du Pré: a biography. 1989. 6v. UK Loan only.

Jacqueline du Pre, her enormous courage notwithstanding, was neither golden girl nor saint: away from her cello she was completely and achingly human. As a child, she had been isolated by her phenomenal talent; as an adult, she was confined to the rarefied insular concert world. During the last fifteen years of her life, she lived in the inexorably shrinking world of the invalid. The true story of her life is as extraordinary as her talent.