A question about "Complete Biography". Musn't they be dead first?

Factual Questions
1

Biography is defined:

Main Entry: bi·og·ra·phy
Pronunciation: bI-'ä-gr&-fE also bE-
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -phies
Etymology: Late Greek biographia, from Greek bi- + -graphia -graphy
1 : a usually written history of a person’s life
2 : biographical writings as a whole
3 : an account of the life of something (as an animal, a coin, or a building)

Complete is defined:

Main Entry: 1com·plete
Pronunciation: k&m-'plEt
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): com·plet·er; -est
Etymology: Middle English complet, from Middle French, from Latin completus, from past participle of complEre
1 a : having all necessary parts, elements, or steps <complete diet> b : having all four sets of floral organs c of a subject or predicate : including modifiers, complements , or objects
2 : brought to an end : CONCLUDED <a complete period of time>
3 : highly proficient <a complete artist>
4 a : fully carried out : THOROUGH <a complete renovation> b : TOTAL, ABSOLUTE <complete silence>

So…wouldn’t a person’s “complete biography” be completed upon/after their death?

(This question comes from tonite hearing on CNN that two authors have co-written John Kerry’s “Complete Biography”.)

2

I suppose. But since it’s fairly common knowledge that Kerry is not dead, I think most people would assume that it goes right up to the present (or as nearly as possible, given the time it takes to publish a book). It’s like a “complete history of the civilized world.” Obviously, it’s not completely complete, but most people will figure out what you mean.

3

Heh. Ya think?

:wink: