Biography

I remember when I was in eigth grade for my social studies class I had to do this project that was essentially a amatuer biography of three people, one of which had to be me.  I remember I did my brother Bill and my Dad.  The whole experience was actually really interesting and it was something that shockingly enough resulted in me learning, knowing, and remembering an incredible amount about my Dad and his life that I never would have known otherwise.  I learned things I imagine only some kids know about there parents, like the fact my Dad sold his car to pay for a plane ticket for his wife and my older sister to get to Pittsburg when the firm he worked for in Denver fired him when they lost their biggest client, Marathon Oil.  Also I remember that he said when he arrived at the firm in Pittsburg he had to ask for an advance on his first paycheck just to get a place to stay, which he described as, "One of the most humiliating moments of my life."  I also remember a lot of funnier stories, but also some strange reflections on things like how he felt when my sister, his first child was born ("Sobering.  Because I realized I was actually responsible for someone else.")

I won't attempt to recreate the whole biography thing here, but for some reason I have been thinking about jobs and graduating from law school lately.  It leads me to reiterate a belief I have held for some time-- there are not enough biographies of "normal people".  Personally, I love to read and I especially love biographies.  To name a few I really liked- one on T.E. Lawrence, The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, and Titan- the biography of John D. Rockefellar were all quite good.  I think in part some of our fascination with these books is that we look for insight into how these people lived such remarkable lives and sometimes, how they obtained success.  I believe though, that there is a popular misconception that "normal" people live boring lives.  Truthfully, I think normal people biographies would be even MORE fascinating and helpful.  As much as I find the stories about Teddy Roosevelt inspring, I would just as much like to know the story of the life of a Boston Trial attorney, or a Providence publisher, or a Rutland organic farmer.  Proof of this should be in books like A Civil Action, which to a large extent is just such a book, only with a depressing ending.  In the mean time I suppose we just need to listen to what our parents have to say...but I just feel likes books might be more convienient-- plus books can't have too much to drink.

Comments

[Conor]

"Totally Stoked to be here: The Biography of Johnny Mosley"...that's a winner