The lives of others hold endless fascination. Biographers introduce us to personalities that have shaped our world, from Graham Greene to Chanel. Autobiography too offers new perspectives, be that Ann Glenconner’s role as a lady-in-waiting or a vision of the landscape by shepherd James Rebanks. Through memoirs, diaries and letters, Hatchards’ Biography Department is filled with engaging voices.

Our Bestsellers

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Ghost Stories: Hatchards Signed Edition by Siri Hustvedt
Ghost Stories: Hatchards Signed Edition
Siri Hustvedt
£22.00
Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams
Careless People
Sarah Wynn-Williams
£10.99
One Helluva Ride by Michael Douglas
One Helluva Ride
Michael Douglas
£25.00
The Infinity Machine by Sebastian Mallaby
The Infinity Machine
Sebastian Mallaby
£30.00
Hello Boys and Girls by Nicko McBrain
Hello Boys and Girls
Nicko McBrain
£22.00
Get Back by Hunter Davies
Get Back
Hunter Davies
£25.00
Free by Lea Ypi
Free
Lea Ypi
£12.99
The Renoir Girls by Catherine Ostler
The Renoir Girls
Catherine Ostler
£30.00
A Ghost In The Throat by Doireann Ni Ghriofa
A Ghost In The Throat
Doireann Ni Ghriofa
£12.00
Said the Dead by Doireann Ni Ghriofa
Said the Dead
Doireann Ni Ghriofa
£18.99
The Lord God Made Them All by James Herriot
The Lord God Made Them All
James Herriot
£12.99
Robert Graves by Miranda Seymour
Robert Graves
Miranda Seymour
£10.99
Flush by Virginia Woolf
Flush
Virginia Woolf
£9.99
Welcome to Your Life by Roland Orzabal
Welcome to Your Life
Roland Orzabal
£25.00
The Spinach King by John Seabrook
The Spinach King
John Seabrook
£14.99
My Greatest Race by Ciara Mageean
My Greatest Race
Ciara Mageean
£21.99
Goodbye to All That by Robert Graves
Goodbye to All That
Robert Graves
£10.99
Winston Churchill by His Personal Secretary by Elizabeth Nel
Winston Churchill by His Personal Secretary
Elizabeth Nel
£8.00
Lying abroad by Carol Chillington Rutter
Lying abroad
Do Let’s Have Another Drink by Gareth Russell
Do Let’s Have Another Drink
Gareth Russell
£20.00

Our Favourite Biographies

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The Widow Clicquot by Tilar J. Mazzeo
The Widow Clicquot
Tilar J. Mazzeo
£12.99
The Bolter by Frances Osborne
The Bolter
Frances Osborne
£12.99
The Baroness by Hannah Rothschild
The Baroness
Hannah Rothschild
£12.99
Inheritance by Robert Sackville-West
Inheritance
Robert Sackville-West
£14.99
Darling Monster by Diana Cooper
Darling Monster
Diana Cooper
£17.99
The Mountbattens by Andrew Lownie
The Mountbattens
Andrew Lownie
£12.99
The Hare With Amber Eyes by Edmund de Waal
The Hare With Amber Eyes
Edmund de Waal
£12.99
Cold Cream by Ferdinand Mount
Cold Cream
Ferdinand Mount
£12.99
Queen of the Desert by Georgina Howell
Queen of the Desert
Georgina Howell
£14.99
Kenneth Clark by James Stourton
Kenneth Clark
James Stourton
£14.99
The Moon's a Balloon by David Niven
The Moon's a Balloon
David Niven
£10.99
Ma’am Darling by Craig Brown
Ma’am Darling
Craig Brown
£10.99
Life in a Cold Climate by Laura Thompson
Life in a Cold Climate
Laura Thompson
£12.00
An Autobiography by Agatha Christie
An Autobiography
Agatha Christie
£14.99
In My Mind's Eye by Jan Morris
In My Mind's Eye
Jan Morris
£12.99
Churchill by Andrew Roberts
Churchill
Andrew Roberts
£18.99
Levels of Life by Julian Barnes
Levels of Life
Julian Barnes
£9.99
The Mitford Girls by Mary S. Lovell
The Mitford Girls
Mary S. Lovell
£14.99
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings
Maya Angelou
£9.99
Noble Savages by Sarah Watling
Noble Savages
Sarah Watling
£12.99

Contemporary Memoirs by Women

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Three Women by Lisa Taddeo
Three Women
Lisa Taddeo
£10.99
Educated by Tara Westover
Educated
Tara Westover
£11.99
Motherwell by Deborah Orr
Motherwell
Deborah Orr
£9.99
The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy
The Cost of Living
Deborah Levy
£11.99
I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes With Death by Maggie O'Farrell
I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes With Death
Maggie O'Farrell
£9.99
On Chapel Sands by Laura Cumming
On Chapel Sands
Laura Cumming
£10.99
House of Glass by Hadley Freeman
House of Glass
Hadley Freeman
£9.99
Memorial Drive by Natasha Trethewey
Memorial Drive
Natasha Trethewey
£9.99
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Everything I Know About Love
Dolly Alderton
£11.99
Clothes... and other things that matter by Alexandra Shulman
Clothes... and other things that matter
Alexandra Shulman
£9.99
Aftermath by Rachel Cusk
Aftermath
Rachel Cusk
£10.99
The Argonauts by Maggie Nelson
The Argonauts
Maggie Nelson
£10.99
Rosie by Rose Tremain
Rosie
Rose Tremain
£12.99
Bookworm by Lucy Mangan
Bookworm
Lucy Mangan
£12.99
How To Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran
How To Be a Woman
Caitlin Moran
£9.99
My Wild and Sleepless Nights by Clover Stroud
My Wild and Sleepless Nights
Clover Stroud
£9.99
The Outrun by Amy Liptrot
The Outrun
Amy Liptrot
£10.99
Country Girl by Edna O'Brien
Country Girl
Edna O'Brien
£12.99
The Importance of Music to Girls by Lavinia Greenlaw
The Importance of Music to Girls
Lavinia Greenlaw
£10.99

Hatchards Recommends

  • Electric Spark by Frances Wilson
    Electric Spark
    Frances Wilson
    £25.00
    The author of Burning Man explores the elusive Muriel Spark in elegant, perceptive prose, as she mines the early years o... See more
    The author of Burning Man explores the elusive Muriel Spark in elegant, perceptive prose, as she mines the early years of the celebrated writer in an attempt to understand her style and worl... See more
  • Homework by Geoff Dyer
    Homework
    Geoff Dyer
    £20.00
    In this reflection on childhood and coming-of-age in postwar Britain, Geoff Dyer's sharp, funny, erudite voice is as bri... See more
    In this reflection on childhood and coming-of-age in postwar Britain, Geoff Dyer's sharp, funny, erudite voice is as brilliantly clear as ever. See more
  • Buckley by Sam Tanenhaus
    Buckley
    Sam Tanenhaus
    £33.00
    See more
    See more
  • Thomas More by Dr Joanne Paul
    Thomas More
    Dr Joanne Paul
    £30.00
    Born during the Wars of the Roses, schooled in the European Renaissance and destroyed by Henry VIII, Joanne Paul’s Thoma... See more
    Born during the Wars of the Roses, schooled in the European Renaissance and destroyed by Henry VIII, Joanne Paul’s Thomas More is a compelling portrait of a political and intellectual giant.... See more
  • Notes to John by Joan Didion
    Notes to John
    Joan Didion
    £18.99
    In this previously unpublished collection of work from Joan Didion, the beloved writer addresses her husband, John Grego... See more
    In this previously unpublished collection of work from Joan Didion, the beloved writer addresses her husband, John Gregory Dunne, in a series of letters reflecting on her experiences working... See more

Bookish

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Memoirs of Bookselling, Reading & Publishing

The Bookseller's Tale by Martin Latham
The Bookseller's Tale
Martin Latham
£10.99
Faber & Faber by Toby Faber
Faber & Faber
Toby Faber
£10.99
The Diary of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
The Diary of a Bookseller
Shaun Bythell
£11.99
Ex Libris by Anne Fadiman
Ex Libris
Anne Fadiman
£10.99
Howards End is on the Landing by Susan Hill
Howards End is on the Landing
Susan Hill
£10.99
Bookworm by Lucy Mangan
Bookworm
Lucy Mangan
£12.99
84 Charing Cross Road by Helene Hanff
84 Charing Cross Road
Helene Hanff
£10.99
The Year of Reading Dangerously by Andy Miller
The Year of Reading Dangerously
Andy Miller
£12.99
The Child that Books Built by Francis Spufford
The Child that Books Built
Francis Spufford
£10.99
The Common Reader: Volume 1 by Virginia Woolf
The Common Reader: Volume 1
Virginia Woolf
£12.99
Confessions of a Bookseller by Shaun Bythell
Confessions of a Bookseller
Shaun Bythell
£10.99
Bookshops by Jorge Carrión
Bookshops
Jorge Carrión
£12.99
The Reading Cure by Laura Freeman
The Reading Cure
Laura Freeman
£9.99
The Anna Karenina Fix by Viv Groskop
The Anna Karenina Fix
Viv Groskop
£16.99
My Salinger Year by Joanna Rakoff
My Salinger Year
Joanna Rakoff
£12.99
The Face Pressed Against a Window by Tim Waterstone
The Face Pressed Against a Window
Tim Waterstone
£9.99
Jacob's Room is Full of Books by Susan Hill
Jacob's Room is Full of Books
Susan Hill
£10.99
Books, Baguettes and Bedbugs by Jeremy Mercer
Books, Baguettes and Bedbugs
Jeremy Mercer
£12.99
A Book Lover's Guide to New York by Cleo Le-Tan
A Book Lover's Guide to New York
Cleo Le-Tan
£19.95

Writers' Lives

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Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter by Simone de Beauvoir
Memoirs of a Dutiful Daughter
Simone de Beauvoir
£12.99
Mad World by Paula Byrne
Mad World
Paula Byrne
£12.99
John le Carré by Adam Sisman
John le Carré
Adam Sisman
£16.99
Goldeneye by Matthew Parker
Goldeneye
Matthew Parker
£11.99
Making Oscar Wilde by Michèle Mendelssohn
Making Oscar Wilde
Michèle Mendelssohn
£15.99
Muriel Spark by Martin Stannard
Muriel Spark
Martin Stannard
£14.99
A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway
A Moveable Feast
Ernest Hemingway
£9.99
Sontag by Benjamin Moser
Sontag
Benjamin Moser
£18.99
Samuel Pepys by Claire Tomalin
Samuel Pepys
Claire Tomalin
£12.99
In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein by Fiona Sampson
In Search of Mary Shelley: The Girl Who Wrote Frankenstein
Fiona Sampson
£11.99
Speak, Memory by Vladimir Nabokov
Speak, Memory
Vladimir Nabokov
£10.99
Charlotte Brontë by Claire Harman
Charlotte Brontë
Claire Harman
£14.99
Anthony Powell by Hilary Spurling
Anthony Powell
Hilary Spurling
£18.99
Wodehouse by Robert McCrum
Wodehouse
Robert McCrum
£27.00
Evelyn Waugh by Philip Eade
Evelyn Waugh
Philip Eade
£12.99
An Autobiography by Agatha Christie
An Autobiography
Agatha Christie
£14.99
The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham by Selina Hastings
The Secret Lives of Somerset Maugham
Selina Hastings
£16.99
Orwell by D J Taylor
Orwell
D J Taylor
£14.99
Daphne Du Maurier by Daphne Du Maurier
Daphne Du Maurier
Daphne Du Maurier
£10.99
The Disappearance of Émile Zola by Michael Rosen
The Disappearance of Émile Zola
Michael Rosen
£12.99

The Lives of the Poets

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Radical Wordsworth by Jonathan Bate
Radical Wordsworth
Jonathan Bate
£10.99
Keats by Sir Andrew Motion
Keats
Sir Andrew Motion
£20.00
Ted Hughes by Jonathan Bate
Ted Hughes
Jonathan Bate
£18.99
The Silent Woman by Janet Malcolm
The Silent Woman
Janet Malcolm
£10.99
Shelley by Richard Holmes
Shelley
Richard Holmes
£19.99
Now All Roads Lead to France by Matthew Hollis
Now All Roads Lead to France
Matthew Hollis
£14.99
Philip Larkin by James Booth
Philip Larkin
James Booth
£16.99
Coleridge by Richard Holmes
Coleridge
Richard Holmes
£14.99
Coleridge by Richard Holmes
Coleridge
Richard Holmes
£17.99
Mad Girl's Love Song by Andrew Wilson
Mad Girl's Love Song
Andrew Wilson
£9.99
Philip Larkin: A Writer's Life by Sir Andrew Motion
Philip Larkin: A Writer's Life
Sir Andrew Motion
£20.00
These Fevered Days by Martha Ackmann
These Fevered Days
Martha Ackmann
£12.99
Neruda by Mark Eisner
Neruda
Mark Eisner
£14.99
The Fall of the House of Byron by Emily Brand
The Fall of the House of Byron
Emily Brand
£12.99

Our Best Royal Biographies

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Do Let’s Have Another Drink by Gareth Russell
Do Let’s Have Another Drink
Gareth Russell
£10.99
A Brief History of the British Monarchy by Jeremy Black
A Brief History of the British Monarchy
Jeremy Black
£12.99
Regina by Emily Murdoch Perkins
Regina
Emily Murdoch Perkins
£12.99
The Royal Butler by Grant Harrold
The Royal Butler
Grant Harrold
£10.99
Catherine, the Princess of Wales: The Biography by Robert Jobson
Catherine, the Princess of Wales: The Biography
Robert Jobson
£10.99
The Royal Palaces by Kate Williams
The Royal Palaces
Kate Williams
£25.00
Betrayal by Tom Bower
Betrayal
Tom Bower
£25.00
A Voyage Around the Queen by Craig Brown
A Voyage Around the Queen
Craig Brown
£10.99
Mortal Monarchs by Suzie Edge
Mortal Monarchs
Suzie Edge
£14.99
On His Majesty's Service by Julian Francis Godolphin
On His Majesty's Service
Once a King by Jane Marguerite Tippett
Once a King
Princess Mary by Elisabeth Basford
Princess Mary
Elisabeth Basford
£14.99
Lady Pamela by India Hicks
Lady Pamela
India Hicks
£46.00
Yes, Ma'am by Tom Quinn
Yes, Ma'am
Tom Quinn
£10.99
Entitled by Andrew Lownie
Entitled
Andrew Lownie
£10.99
In the Shadow of the Empress by Nancy Goldstone
In the Shadow of the Empress
Nancy Goldstone
£14.99
Prince Philip 1921-2021 by HRH HRH The Prince of Wales
Prince Philip 1921-2021
Queens and Kings by Lucy Worsley
Queens and Kings
Lucy Worsley
£25.00
The Throne by Ian Lloyd
The Throne
Ian Lloyd
£16.99
Charles III by Robert Hardman
Charles III
Robert Hardman
£12.99

The Mitfords

  • The Mitford Girls by Mary S. Lovell
    The Mitford Girls
    Mary S. Lovell
    £14.99
    An enthralling account the captivating lives of the six Mitford sisters, revealing their unique personalities and the fa... See more
    An enthralling account the captivating lives of the six Mitford sisters, revealing their unique personalities and the fascinating dynamics of their relationships. With meticulous research an... See more
  • The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters by Charlotte Mosley
    The Mitfords: Letters between Six Sisters
    Charlotte Mosley
    £19.99
    Carefree, revelatory and intimate, this selection of unpublished letters between the six legendary Mitford sisters, comp... See more
    Carefree, revelatory and intimate, this selection of unpublished letters between the six legendary Mitford sisters, compiled by Diana Mitford’s daughter-in-law, is alive with wit, passion an... See more
  • Hons and Rebels by Jessica Mitford
    Hons and Rebels
    Jessica Mitford
    £10.99
    The classic memoir of one of the century's most extraordinary familiesMajor new TV series about the Mitfords - OUTRAGEOU... See more
    The classic memoir of one of the century's most extraordinary familiesMajor new TV series about the Mitfords - OUTRAGEOUS - coming soon. See more
  • Wait For Me! by Deborah Devonshire
    Wait For Me!
    Deborah Devonshire
    £12.99
    At the age of ninety, Debo (as she is known to all her friends) looks back on a life lived at a cracking pace. See more
    At the age of ninety, Debo (as she is known to all her friends) looks back on a life lived at a cracking pace. See more
  • The Mitford Girls' Guide to Life by Lyndsy Spence
    The Mitford Girls' Guide to Life
    Lyndsy Spence
    £12.99
    How would the Mitford girls cope with the pressures and turmoil of modern life? Whether it is Pamela’s guide to throwing... See more
    How would the Mitford girls cope with the pressures and turmoil of modern life? Whether it is Pamela’s guide to throwing a jubilee party, Nancy's guide to fashion or Diana’s tips on how to s... See more

Dear Diary...

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Letters, Diaries & Journals

Darling Winston by David Lough
Darling Winston
David Lough
£12.99
Love Letters: Vita and Virginia by Vita Sackville-West
Love Letters: Vita and Virginia
Vita Sackville-West
£12.99
Dashing for the Post by Patrick Leigh Fermor
Dashing for the Post
Patrick Leigh Fermor
£13.99
The Journals of Sylvia Plath by Sylvia Plath
The Journals of Sylvia Plath
Sylvia Plath
£20.00
Spike Milligan: Man of Letters by Spike Milligan
Spike Milligan: Man of Letters
Spike Milligan
£10.99
The Orwell Diaries by George Orwell
The Orwell Diaries
George Orwell
£14.99
Love from Boy by Donald Sturrock
Love from Boy
Donald Sturrock
£12.99
Letters from Tove by Tove Jansson
Letters from Tove
Tove Jansson
£14.99
The Grasmere and Alfoxden Journals by Dorothy Wordsworth
The Grasmere and Alfoxden Journals
Dorothy Wordsworth
£10.99
Written in History by Simon Sebag Montefiore
Written in History
Letters to Véra by Vladimir Nabokov
Letters to Véra
Vladimir Nabokov
£16.99
The Turkish Embassy Letters by Mary Wortley Montagu
The Turkish Embassy Letters
Mary Wortley Montagu
£12.99
The Journals by John Cheever
The Journals
John Cheever
£12.99
Kurt Vonnegut: Letters by Kurt Vonnegut
Kurt Vonnegut: Letters
Kurt Vonnegut
£14.99
Personal Writings by Albert Camus
Personal Writings
Albert Camus
£10.99
Selected Letters by John Keats
Selected Letters
John Keats
£33.49
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
The Diary of a Young Girl
Anne Frank
£9.99
Letters written in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark by Mary Wollstonecraft
Letters written in Sweden, Norway, and Denmark
Mary Wollstonecraft
£9.99
Dear Friend and Gardener by Beth Chatto
Dear Friend and Gardener
Beth Chatto
£9.99
Journals by Robert Falcon Scott
Journals
Robert Falcon Scott
£8.99

There's More to Life Than Work, You Know

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The Secret Barrister by The Secret Barrister
The Secret Barrister
The Secret Barrister
£10.99
Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories by Thomas Grant
Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories
Thomas Grant
£13.99
Reporter by Seymour M. Hersh
Reporter
Seymour M. Hersh
£12.99
In Your Defence by Sarah Langford
In Your Defence
Sarah Langford
£10.99
Airhead by Emily Maitlis
Airhead
Emily Maitlis
£12.99
War Doctor by David Nott
War Doctor
David Nott
£10.99
This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay
This is Going to Hurt
Adam Kay
£10.99
Do No Harm by Henry Marsh
Do No Harm
Henry Marsh
£10.99
Under the Wig by William Clegg
Under the Wig
William Clegg
£12.99
The Language of Kindness by Christie Watson
The Language of Kindness
Christie Watson
£9.99
Unnatural Causes by Richard Shepherd
Unnatural Causes
Richard Shepherd
£10.99

Lives of the Painters

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Turner by Franny Moyle
Turner
Franny Moyle
£14.99
Caravaggio by Andrew Graham Dixon
Caravaggio
Andrew Graham Dixon
£16.99
Frida by Hayden Herrera
Frida
Hayden Herrera
£18.99
The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh by Vincent Van Gogh
The Letters of Vincent Van Gogh
Vincent Van Gogh
£12.99
Leonardo Da Vinci by Walter Isaacson
Leonardo Da Vinci
Walter Isaacson
£19.99
John Nash by Andy Friend
John Nash
Andy Friend
£30.00
Renoir, My Father by Jean Renoir
Renoir, My Father
Jean Renoir
£23.00
The Lives of Lucian Freud: YOUTH 1922 - 1968 by William Feaver
The Lives of Lucian Freud: YOUTH 1922 - 1968
William Feaver
£35.00
The Lives of Lucian Freud: FAME 1968 - 2011 by William Feaver
The Lives of Lucian Freud: FAME 1968 - 2011
William Feaver
£35.00
Short Life in a Strange World by Toby Ferris
Short Life in a Strange World
Toby Ferris
£20.00
Kenneth Clark by James Stourton
Kenneth Clark
James Stourton
£14.99
The Vanishing Man by Laura Cumming
The Vanishing Man
Laura Cumming
£14.99
So Much Longing in So Little Space by Karl Ove Knausgaard
So Much Longing in So Little Space
Karl Ove Knausgaard
£16.99
Mad Enchantment by Ross King
Mad Enchantment
Ross King
£18.99
Van Gogh's Ear by Bernadette Murphy
Van Gogh's Ear
Bernadette Murphy
£16.99
Constable In Love by Martin Gayford
Constable In Love
Martin Gayford
£12.99
Lust For Life by Irving Stone
Lust For Life
Irving Stone
£11.99
Widow Basquiat by Jennifer Clement
Widow Basquiat
Jennifer Clement
£10.99
Goya by Janis Tomlinson
Goya
Janis Tomlinson
£30.00
Matisse by Hilary Spurling
Matisse
Hilary Spurling
£16.99