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From Marilyn to Mussolini, people captivate people. A&E's Biography, best-selling autobiographies, and biographical novels testify to the popularity of the genre. But where does one begin? Collected here are descriptions and evaluations of over 10,000 biographical works, including books of fact and fiction, biographies for young readers, and documentaries and movies, all based on the lives of over 500 historical figures from scientists and writers, to political and military leaders, to artists and musicians. Each entry includes a brief profile, autobiographical and primary sources, and recommended works. Short reviews describe the pertinent biographical works and offer insight into the qualities and special features of each title, helping readers to find the best biographical material available on hundreds of fascinating individuals.

Toward the end of her life, Viennese artist Marie-Louise von Motesiczky (1906–1996) at last gained recognition as one of Austria’s most important 20th-century painters. The great art historian Ernst Gombrich praised the artist’s striking individuality and the delicacy and subtlety of her painting. This book celebrates Motesiczky’s work and situates the artist in the troubled history of her times. Drawing on a wealth of unpublished family archives, including decades of correspondence between Marie-Louise and the writer Elias Canetti, the book tells the story of Motesiczky’s life from her childhood in Vienna amidst talented and distinguished family members to her later years living and working among other exiled artists in England. The book also offers a sensitive critical study of Marie-Louise’s paintings, discussing particular works and the circumstances that surrounded their creation. These include compelling self-portraits, a moving series of paintings of the artist’s aging mother, and lyrical depictions of her English garden.