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Biographies and memoirs, or books written about a particular person’s life, are a longtime favorite of vintage book collectors, especially when signed by the individual in question. From historical figures to more modern celebrities, and from scholarly works to tell-all reminiscences, this genre is highly varied and can be a lot of fun.
Show & Tell - Share Your Stuff!
The Bullfighter From Brooklyn, By Sin…
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by loofy62 on Feb. 6, 2012
Books About Elbert Hubbard
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by stefdesign on Feb. 6, 2012
» See all biographies and memoirs Show & Tells
Interviews & Articles
To Catch A Thief: A Rare Book Expert on His Literary Obsessions
I don’t remember a time when I didn’t read books. In grade school, I devoured library books. I also loved comic books, and was whe… [more]
An Interview on First Editions with Vintage Book Appraiser Matthew Haley
Strictly speaking, a book’s edition refers to the setting of the text. So the first time you set the text and print a book with it… [more]
An Interview With American Cookbook Expert and Rare Book Curator Peter Berg
Special collections is where we keep non-circulating rare materials which have to be used in the reading room. Our holdings range … [more]
Rita Smith on the Story of Children’s Books
I started working as the curator of the Baldwin Library of Historical Children's Literature in 1994, but I’d worked with the mater… [more]
Best of the Web (“Hall of Fame”)
Great War Dust Jackets
Alan Hewer's comprehensive site is devoted to World War I books and dust jackets from 1914 to 1939. Most of the boo… [read review or visit site]
Google Book Search
Want to do one quick search and pull up the mother lode of vintage books? Try Google Book Search, a database filled… [read review or visit site]
Baldwin Library of Childrens Literature
If you’re interested in collectible childrens books, check out this special digital collection from the Universit… [read review or visit site]
Feeding America
This archive of 76 influential American cookbooks from the late 1700s to early 1900s, assembled by the Michigan St… [read review or visit site]
Gallery of Book Trade Labels
Greg Kindall's collection of over 2100 colorful and historic book labels, pasted into books by publishers, printers… [read review or visit site]
Vintage Kids' Books My Kid Loves
This great blog, by an anonymous mom in Texas, is an ongoing bibliography of hundreds of vintage childrens books, c… [read review or visit site]
Vintage Cookbooks Photo Pool
This Flickr photo pool features over 2,000 photos and scans of vintage cookbooks and old recipes from the 1940s to … [read review or visit site]
Rare Karate Book Collection
This visually interesting and highly specialized collection from the Hawaii Karate Museum focuses on rare and histo… [read review or visit site]
Czech Book Covers
This Smithsonian microsite showcases Czech avant-garde book cover designs from the 1920s and 30s, complete with hig… [read review or visit site]
Bookscans.com
Bruce Black's gallery of paperback book covers from the 1940s and 50s. With help from numerous contributors, he's a… [read review or visit site]
Clubs & Associations: Books
- Antiquarian Booksellers' Association of America
- Bibliographical Society of America
- American Society of Bookplate Collectors
- The Bookplate Society
Other Great Reference Sites: Books
Top eBay Auctions
Freeman, Douglas. George Washington,a Biography,7 Vols,5 Of 7 1st Eds,1948-57
Life Of Charles Darwin:biography/letters*3 Vols-1887-2nd Edition-autobiography
Rare *signed* Slipcased Edition Of The Real Life Of Alejandro Mayta
Life Of Arthur Lee , Lld , 2 Vols. , R. H. Lee , 1829 - Revolutionary Virginian
The Life Of George Washington , Commander In Chief ----, David Ramsay , 1807
President Bill Clinton Signed Giving 2007 Change The World Memoir
The Autobiography Of A Clown, Marcosson, 2nd Printing March 1910
The Life Of George Washington Commander In Chief Of The American Army 1833 2vol
Apache__memoirs___ Sw__indian__wars___geronimo__ Photos __carlisle Indian_school
Lorenzo Dow's Works Or, Lorenzo's Autobiography Antique
Rare 1885 Memoirs Of Civil War General U. S. Grant 2 Vol Set 1st Ed.
1885 Personal Memoirs Of U.s. Grant (2 Volumes, First Edition) Civil War
1883 Civil War Officer Memoir Confederate Union Rebel Prisons Gettysburg Glazier
Set Journals Of Lewis & Clark Expedition 1803-1806 Easton Press Leather Memoir
Easton Press Personal Memoirs Of Us Grant
Set Henry King & His Court Life Of Elizabeth Weir Easton Press Leather History
Life Of Jesus Christ & Biblical Revelations From Visions Anne Catherine Emmerich
Rare 1928 Walt Whitman Signed Copy Biography 1st Edition Very Scarce Gift Idea
Edgar Allan Poe 1809 - 1849 Critical Biography First 1934
Life Of Audubon Naturalist Adventures Discoveries St. John Philadlephia 1879 
Complete Poetical Works Of Edgar Allan Poe Illustrated Edition And Memoir 1887
Easton Press The Life Of Jesus Like New
Ellen Degeneres Signed The Funny Thing Is... 2003 Memoir Obtained After Show
Boswell's Life Of Johnson-5 Vols. Hill
Secret Memoirs Count Parades French Revolution Bastille Spy England Plymouth
Franklin Library Leather Autobiography Of Benjamin Franklin "100 Greatest Books"
Club Life Of London,coffee Houses,taverns 17th -19th Century Vols. I & Ii 1866
Boswell's Life Of Johnson-4 Vols. Powell Oxford 1934 
Jimmy Carter Signed Beyond The White House Memoir With Carter Foundation Letter
The Life Of The Blessed Thomas More Dec Hb Portrait Vgc
Hawaiian Life Of The Pre-european Period - Artifact Reference Book
Life Of Herod, Flavius Josephus - Folio Society - Mint W/ Slipcase
1939 Charles Dickens The Life Of Our Lord Illustrated By Everett Shinn In Dj
Duke Of Windsor A King's Story 1st 1951 Hc/dj Memoir British Abdication Simpson
Scott Carpenter And Kris Stoever Signed For Spacious Skies Astronauts Memoir
1800's Waco, Austin; Texas 1903 W.c. Brann, Iconoclast Newspaper Editor Memoirs
1884 "life Of Rocket" The Life Of Colonel David Crockett By Edward S.ellis
Personal Memoirs Of U.s. Grant - 1885 1st Edition Vol. 1 Calfskin Leather Book
Pattie Boyd Signed Wonderful Tonight George Beatles Clapton 2007 Wife Memoir
Sioux County Memoirs Of It's Pioneers Nebraska Geneolgy 1967 Rare Oop
Life Of Jefferson Author Declaration Of Independence 3rd President 1834 Linn
Newt Gingrich Signed To Renew America 1995 Political Memoir Our Next President?
The Life Of Jesus Christ For The Young, In 4 Volumes, Rev Richard Newton
Life Of Fran
My Turn: The Memoirs Of Nancy Reagan - Signed 1st Edition
Sarah Palin Signed Going Rogue 2009 An American Life First Edition Memoir
Herbert Hoover: A Biography Eugene Lyons Easton Press
The Life Of Andrew Jackson, U.s. President,civil War Era Book 1863
Life Of Tom Horn,government Scout & Interpreter,lakeside Press Classics,1987
1998 Leigh Bowery Hardcover Autobiography Of A Gay Man's Life
Antique 1838 Leatherbound - Works Of Ben Jonson W/ Memoir Marblelized Paper Rare
Life Of Abraham Lincoln By Holland 1866 Vintage Book 1st Ed. 
1903 General George Washington American Revolution President Life Biography Nr!
1888 Personal Memoirs Of P.h. Sheridan Leather W Raised Bands Civil War
Life Of Abraham Lincoln Herndon Leather Illustrated Civil War History
1967 An Emotional Memoir Of Franz Kline By Fielding Dawson. First Edition Hc/dj
Beatrix Potter--judy Taylor--hardbound Biography--near Mint In Dj 
Ian Botham Hand Signed "botham My Autobiography" 1st Edition 1994
Jonathan Winters Signed Winters' Tales 1987 Stories And Observations Memoir
Scarce - 1853 - Life Of Philip Melanchthon - Ledderhose. German Reformation
