Episode 209: Considering Biography

Biography. Since the earliest days of the United States, and even before the thirteen colonies came together to forge a nation, Americans have been interested in biography. But why?

What is it about the lives of others that makes the past so interesting and fun to explore?

This episode marks the start of the Omohundro Institute’s 4-episode Doing History series about biography. This series will take us behind-the-scenes of biography and how historians and biographers reconstruct the lives of people from the past.

About the Series

The Doing History: Biography series explores the genre of biography, how it relates to and is different from the genre of history, and how historians and biographers can best uncover and understand the lives of people from the past.

The Doing History series explores early American history and how historians work. It is part of Ben Franklin’s World, which is produced by the Omohundro Institute.

Be sure to check out Doing History season 1, Doing History: How Historians Work and Doing History season 2, , Doing History: To the Revolution!

About the Show

Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.

It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.

Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.

Ben Franklin’s World is a production of the Omohundro Institute.

Episode Summary

This episode marks the start of the Omohundro Institute’s 4-episode Doing History series about biography. This series will take us behind-the-scenes of biography and how historians and biographers reconstruct the lives of people from the past.

Scott Casper, Flora Fraser, and Annette Gordon-Reed join us to explore the origins of American traditions of biography; How ideas about biography and what it should be have changed over time; And how historians and biographers attempt to uncover and understand the lives of people from the past.

What You’ll Discover

  • Why biography captivates readers
  • History of biography in the United States
  • Goals of the genre of biography
  • Mason Locke Weems, a.k.a Parson Weems
  • John Marshall’s biography on George Washington
  • Differences between the genres of history and biography
  • Methods used by historians and biographers
  • Role of the reader in biography
  • “Great Man Biography”
  • Biographies as character-driven history
  • History through the eyes of women
  • Great Britain’s tradition of biography
  • The biographers’ process of research, writing, and storytelling
  • Writing the biographies of royals versus non-royals
  • Role of objectivity in a biographer’s work
  • Differences between biography and history
  • How historical sources inform the writing of biography
  • What a biographer needs to write a biography
  • The need for objectivity in biographical research and writing
  • What the biographies of non “Great Men” allow us to see about American life
  • The role of speculation in biography
  • How to get the most out of reading a biography

 

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