Redefining misanthropy for a fresh generation. Standard posts begin with a definition from Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary followed by a modern adjustment. Miscellany on Wednesday and storytelling on Saturday.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Biography
BIOGRAPHY, n. The literary tribute that a little man pays to a big one.
2007 Update: Reincarnation to a juster, more deferential world.
<biography -- a book in which an author describes someone else's life. It is written after much research and even greater envy, and usually manages to destroy a once stellar reputation; or polish a corroded one.
As Minka pointed out - usually compsed after one's demise and most likely the only undsiputable fact contained therein. "This book is about John. He is dead."
bio - life graphy - an anglicization of the French "graphie" inherited from the Latin "graphia", which is a transliterated direct borrowing from Greek meaning "to write" (Wiki) thus, biography: writings of a person's life that have been passed through the ages and translated through many languages and cultures (at least by the time we read it.)
27 comments:
auto: its all about me (being first) HAH!
biography - A book, paid for by the agrandized, leaving out all the bad parts and exagerating up the good.
Biography: Life writ large. In fact usually written larger than the life was.
<biography -- a book in which an author describes someone else's life. It is written after much research and even greater envy, and usually manages to destroy a once stellar reputation; or polish a corroded one.
biography,n. a fictitious, shallow and partial observation usually composed after death with the ability to make the subject turn in its grave!
and you thought being food for worms was the last of your problems!
Biography: A life, reimagined
As Minka pointed out - usually compsed after one's demise and most likely the only undsiputable fact contained therein. "This book is about John. He is dead."
Automatically, Karma.
Poobah, so a blog is a poor man's biography, I guess.
Good one, TLP. And less verbose.
Quilly, once again, that's just right.
Well, Minka, that's why I want to buried deep so I can spin in privacy from the memories of the living.
Puppy, retroself-help? The Four Agreements once you're ready to keep your end?
Right, g, and incontravertibly proven by the lack of a lawsuit.
Biography: This is your life and mine for the printing and propheting.
Exactly!
WARNING: Shameless Self-Promotion Ahead
Are you sitting down, all? I posted!
/shameless self-promotion
Biography: An autobiography written by a ghost writer.
Biography: Selective recounting of the events of someone's life. Sometimes, but not usually, as completely full of bullshit as an autobiography.
bio - life
graphy - an anglicization of the French "graphie" inherited from the Latin "graphia", which is a transliterated direct borrowing from Greek meaning "to write" (Wiki)
thus,
biography: writings of a person's life that have been passed through the ages and translated through many languages and cultures (at least by the time we read it.)
Biography: The thrills and spills.
Auto-Bio: The thrills; kind of like a resume.
I looped AP3's music and recorded it, so now I can belly dance to it in ten minute intervals. I'm also demanding my family call me Xerxes.
Biography: usually unathorized and celeb based these days
The best bio I ever read, much more than a bio was Robert Caro's The Power Broker. Spent three nights and two days doing nothing else
memoir: something best done in fiction
biography, tickling the dead.
Give the Dog a Bone
The Unauthorized Biography of Doug Pascover by Me!
Don't worry...I'll only fudge the truth a little. But oh what I'll do with those embellishments!!
And the censorship, Sar.
You're in publishing, aren't you, g?
Sar, just so we're clear: It's no less shameful when you call it shameless.
Subtle, Indie. Is that why two out of three biographies claim to be "haunting" in their jackets.
Al, no one writes biographies of the honest, do they?
So, Morgan, a translation in lieu of resurrection?
That's funny, Jamie Dawn. I think they should carry you on a litter while you belly dance with ROP. Because it would be funny, that's why.
Pia, great thinking about the memoir. Who is The Power Broker about? Sounds like Tip O'Neill or Willie Brown to me.
Ariel, that's a wonderful definition. Makes me giggle. Uh-oh.
Hey, there, Nessa! Thanks for bringing the other side of the coin up.
Actually, Jenna, I don't mind if you do as long as I get to play myself in the movie.
wouldn't it be interesting if our dogs could write our biographies?
on second thoughts...maybe not.
:-)
Doug, aren't we all?
BIOGRAPHY, n. On sale at bookstores everywhere. The more "graphy" the better. Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down ...
Ka-CHING!!!
Compressing seventy years into a few hours.
Biography: Telling it like it wasn't. How schoolchildren learn about great men who were rather human until they died.
ActonbellThat TLP! She didn't stop you from reading, I noticed.
Kyah, there's a reason we bred out the opposable thumbs and language.
Great point, g.
Amoeba, it's a fine line between parody and biography typically missed by both the author and the subject.
Icy, it's only possible if you skip the virtues.
Mushroom, Bierce says the difference between a politician and a statesman is the latter suffers the disadvantage of being alive.
did the little redhead bring you here in her basket again, Mushy? :)
epitaph with royalties.
bid for immortality.
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