7 ms·
Realistically, how would you know these biographies are actually that good? Suppose we took the most well-researched biography imaginable: a person who pores ov
by Bakary 6y ago
Realistically, how would you know these biographies are actually that good? Suppose we took the most well-researched biography imaginable: a person who pores over a single life over decades and manages to find all or most of the material still available. In this hypothetical case, you are still sold a narrative that is based on the author's own impressions and reading of the material, and the material itself lacks important details about the person that could not be recorded due to their very nature.
We can with some reasonable degree of certainty conclude that some bios are better than others and some bios are not worth reading at all, but in all cases you are left with an illusory understanding of the person.
- cambalache 6y agoYou are looking for a perfect biography, that does not exist, not even auto-biographies, those tend to be the worst. But let's compare the Einstein biography written by Pais: He had a PhD in physics, also a degree in mathematics, personally knew Einstein, personally knew most of the greatest physicists of the 20th century. Worked at the IAS in Princeton, published a lot in Quantum Physics,had several contributions to the theory, was a tenured professor, wrote several excellent books in the history of physics. Now imagine a book on Einstein which starts "Dont worry if you dont know who Albert Einstein was, I didnt know either five years ago"
- Bakary 6y agoI won't lie, that turn of phrase gave me a good chuckle