The ‘Friday Five’ this week are autobiographies. I read a lot of biography and autobiography, probably more than I do fiction. Out of the two I have a preference for autobiography as I like the personal perspective.

The List

The Detail

The five I have selected for this week's favorites represent a cross-section of the sort of biographies I enjoy; starting with the Jessica Mitford which I read whilst still at school and ending with Shappi Khorsandi in 2009.

Life on Air by David Attenborough details his television career from 1952 (the year I was born) until 1997 and is a fascinating read even if you haven’t watched all his wildlife programmes.

Scoop-Wallah by Justine Hardy is an account of her adventures while working for the Indian Express

Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table is the first of three fascinating memoirs by the American food critic and writer Ruth Reichl. All are completely riveting reads and even include recipes.

Hons and Rebels by Jessica Mitford is a wonderful insight into the pre-war life of an eccentric English upper class family later immortalized in Nancy Mitford's novels. Jessica herself is an ardent communist who ends up running away to join the Spanish civil war.

Shappi Khorsandi is a talented comedian that I have been lucky enough to see live at the Edinburgh Festival. Her Beginners Guide to Acting English is an account of the Khorsandi family’s move from Tehran to London viewed through the eyes of a young girl.