# Recommendations on some biographies, please.
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-on-some-biographies-please/335723
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [December 15, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-on-some-biographies-please/335723 "2005-12-15T15:05:17Z")
**Posts on this page:** 7
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2005, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-on-some-biographies-please/335723/1 "2005-12-15T15:05:17Z")
A lot of times, when I watch biopics, I become interested in knowing more and knowing more accurately, the lives of these people. So after watching \*The Aviator \*and _De-Lovely,_ I’ve wanted to learn more about the people portrayed in them.
I don’t read a lot of non-fiction, and what I do read needs to be very interesting. To give you some ideas, I’ve read recently, \*Vamp: The Rise and Fall of Theda Bara, \*and Bruce Campbell’s _If Chins Could Kill._ Not quite as biographical, but I’ve also read William Goldman’s _What Lie Did I Tell?_
So, what are some good, interesting biographies on \*\*Howard Hughes \*\*and **Cole Porter?**
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### Author:  [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-on-some-biographies-please/335723/2 "2005-12-15T15:17:55Z")
I haven’t read it, but have heard that [this](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0679727922/qid=1134659626/sr=2-2/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_2/103-9345732-5432606?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) is the definitive Cole Porter bio.
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### Author:  [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)
#### Post date: [December 15, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-on-some-biographies-please/335723/3 "2005-12-15T16:00:18Z")
Thank you, **twickster**. I’ve added it to my Wish List.
(I found it amusing that “Customers who shopped for other items in your Wish List also shopped for: King of the Hill: The Complete Third Season.”)
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### Author:  [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-on-some-biographies-please/335723/4 "2005-12-16T02:33:42Z")
Bumping this to see if anyone can recommend a Howard Hughes bio. Thanks.
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### Author:  [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)
#### Post date: [December 16, 2005, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-on-some-biographies-please/335723/5 "2005-12-16T23:55:53Z")
> [@DeadlyAccurate](#):
>
> . . . what I do read needs to be very interesting. To give you some ideas, I’ve read recently, \*Vamp: The Rise and Fall of Theda Bara \* . . .
[blushes prettily]
Did you like it? I do hope so. As for Howard Hughes, I’d recommend [this book](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0233051287/qid=1134776912/sr=1-5/ref=sr_1_5/102-8609994-7355327?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) over [this one](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0312329970/qid=1134776912/sr=1-4/ref=sr_1_4/102-8609994-7355327?s=books&v=glance&n=283155); and I read and enjoyed [this](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0394582357/qid=1134777283/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-8609994-7355327?s=books&v=glance&n=283155) Cole Porter bio.
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### Author:  [@Balle\_M](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balle_M)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2005, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-on-some-biographies-please/335723/6 "2005-12-17T04:38:01Z")
> [@DeadlyAccurate](#):
>
> Bumping this to see if anyone can recommend a Howard Hughes bio. Thanks.
I enjoyed [this one…](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1893224643/qid=1134794212/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/002-1648116-3111200?s=books&v=glance&n=283155)
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### Author:  [@DeadlyAccurate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DeadlyAccurate)
#### Post date: [December 17, 2005, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommendations-on-some-biographies-please/335723/7 "2005-12-17T05:10:02Z")
> [@Eve](#):
>
> [blushes prettily]
>
> Did you like it? I do hope so.
Yes, very much so. I’d never even heard of her before, and your book made me want to watch her movies (which is pretty impressive if you consider the fact that I think movies made before 1990 are old. ;)) You made me feel like I knew Bara when I got done reading it.
Thanks for the recommendations, **Eve** and **Balle\_M**. I’ve add those books to my wishlist, too. I see another large Amazon order in the making.