Download or read book CYCLOPDIA OF BIOG written by Elihy 1819-1875 Rich and published by . This book was released on 2016-08-25 with total page 880 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Cyclopaedia of Biography a Series of Original Memoirs of the Most Distinguished Persons of All Times Ed by E Rich written by Harriet Anne Cyclopaedia and published by Arkose Press. This book was released on 2015-10-01 with total page 874 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Download or read book Cyclop dia of Biography a Series of Original Memoirs of the Most Distinguished Persons of All Times Ed by E Rich written by . Cyclopaedia and published by Rarebooksclub.com. This book was released on 2013-09 with total page 826 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1854 edition. Excerpt: ...11ET, J. A., a Swiss astronomer, 1740-90. LLET, J. B-, a French economist, died 1736. IlXT, P., a French military engineer, known attbor of a new orthography, torn 1630. LLET, Pact. Henry, a famous antiquarian laj historian, first professor of history in an city of Geneva, afterwards professor of Ca Lectrea at Copenhagen, &c, author of Kwtbern Antiquities,1 translated by Bishop, tai several histories of the northern king 1730-1807. ilia son, H. Mallkt-prkanwrapher, 1727-1811. LUT-DUPAH, J., a native of Geneva, I ts 1 royalist and political writer at the period f rrcch revolution, when he was part conducthe "Mercure de France.' On seeking an ftta Lendoo, be edited an anti-Gallic&n paper, at lie 'Merrure Britannique, ' published in avl 1799. He is the author of works also in tad polite literature. He died at the house IvuL Lally-Tollcndal, at Richmond, in 1800. iUi.VH.LE, Claude Dr, a French poet, let lrof the Academy, 1597-1647. kLHESBURY, James Harris, earl of, son!j Harris, the author of ' Hermes, ' known rmot of tlie English court from 1767 to the f (tie century. He is author of Diaries Vrpondence, ' published in 1844. Born;r7 1746, died 1820. ILMSBURY, William Of, a famous EngHMtia of the 12th century, was born in SoULir about 1A96, and is known to have been; a-.be year 1143. He held the office of lihi ri precentor in the monastery of Malms Lkh he had become an inmate. His I an a general history of England from the K the Saxons to li26, a church history, quaes of Glastonbury, ' &c-, which are all ouemed aa trustworthy chronicles ill), VuiccxT, an ltal. painter, 1625-1670. lU'MBRA, P., a Veuct. painter, 1556-1618. tUlSE, Edmund, the well-known editor of jawe, was the son of...
Download or read book Appletons Cyclopaedia of Biography written by Francis Lister Hawks and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2017-10-21 with total page 1070 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Appletons' Cyclopaedia of Biography: Embracing a Series of Original Memoirs of the Most Distinguished Persons of All Times Several works, more or less resembling the present one, being already in circulation, it is necessary to state why the Publishers have ventured to expect a share of the public favor for a new Biographical Dictionary. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
Download or read book APPLETONS CYCLOPAEDIA OF BIOG written by Anonymous and published by Wentworth Press. This book was released on 2016-08-24 with total page 1074 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Download or read book Appletons Cyclop dia of Biography written by Elihu Rich and published by . This book was released on 1865 with total page 1078 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Cyclopaedia of Biography written by Parke Godwin and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2017-12-12 with total page 1164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from The Cyclopædia of Biography: A Record of the Lives of Eminent Persons Tee first edition of this work, prepared by Mr. Parke Godwin, was published in 1851. In his prefatory remarks. Mr. Godwin justly claimed for it the compactness of Maunder's Biographical Treas ury, with greater comprehensiveness and more fidelity to the sym pathics and principles of the American people. Presenting within small compass a great variety of information, little scope was afforded for the expression of critical opinions. The volume commended itself to popular favor by the combination of accuracy and brevity, with a fuller record of names and dates than could be found in any similar publication. In the present edition an attempt has been made to supply the few notable names that had been omitted. A cepious Supplement is appended, embracing notices of persons who have died since the issue of the original edition. These supplementary pages embrace more than an average proportion of distinguished men, American and European; andthough some names which deserve to be remembered have doubtless been passed over, it is believed that the volume, as now published, embodies nearly all that will be looked for in a manual which is intended to bring its information down to the present time. To economize space, the arrangement of the same generic names under one head has been usually adhered to; and the letters b. And d. Are used respectively for born and died. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
Download or read book Illustrated Biography written by Charles C. Savage and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2017-09-16 with total page 608 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Illustrated Biography: Or Memoirs of the Great and the Good of All Nations and All Times In a work of the extended and general scope of the present one, that minute ness of detail to be found in volumes devoted to the biography of a single, or, at most, of a limited number of individuals, will not be looked for; nor, on the other hand will it be expected to possess the completeness, in a numerical sense, of the ponderous biographical dictionary. The design, in its preparation has been, to embrace within its covers sketches of the more prominent of those eminent persons of all ages and of all nations, whose names, to the popular car, are as familiar as household words, while the incidents of their lives are known to a comparatively few. The field of selection has been almost unlim ited, and it therefore can scarcely be presumed that names have not been omitted and others inserted whose position, in the judgment of some, should be reversed; or that the memoirs have uniformly a fullness of detail in proportion to their comparative importance. Yet it is hoped that the volume will be found as faultless in these respects as could be expected, when its comprehensive character, and the wide diversity of research its preparation required, are taken into consideration. It is also believed that no sketch has found a place upon its pages the subject of which can not justly rank with either the Great or the Good. The greater proportion of the following memoirs have been prepared ex. Pressly for the work, and in those instances where the Editor has availed him self of the labors of others, the subject-matter has been so materially modified, either by abridgment, by the addition of important and interesting facts, or in; being altered in essential particulars to correspond with what was deemed more reliable testimony, that simple justice to the authors of the original sketches requires that he should assume the responsibility of them in their present form. They have been chronologically arranged, and extending, as they do, through a period of three thousand years, they may be found to possess an incidental interest, as types of successive eras in the world's history, and as illustrating the progress in civilization, arts, &c., of various nations, at different periods of their existence. Many of the engravings, also, have an historic value as delin'eations. Of the costumes of different countries and times, and through them may be' traced the changes in apparel which have occurred during past ages. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
Download or read book Eminent Americans written by Benson John Lossing and published by . This book was released on 2008-06-01 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the original. Due to its age, it may contain imperfections such as marks, notations, marginalia and flawed pages. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions that are true to the original work.
Download or read book Great American Lives written by Benjamin Franklin and published by Open Road Media. This book was released on 2016-06-14 with total page 1928 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Brilliant, captivating, and unforgettable memoirs from four of the greatest minds in American history. Penned between 1771 and 1790 and published after his death, TheAutobiography of Benjamin Franklin is one of the most acclaimed and widely read personal histories ever written. From his youth as a printer’s assistant working for his brother’s Boston newspaper through his own publishing, writing, and military careers, his scientific experiments and worldwide travels, his grand triumphs and heartbreaking tragedies, Franklin tells his story with aplomb, bringing to life the flesh-and-blood man behind the American icon. Completed just days before his death, Ulysses S. Grant’s Personal Memoirs is a clear and compelling account of his military career, focusing on two great conflicts: the Mexican–American War and the Civil War. Lauded for its crisp and direct prose, Grant’s autobiography offers frank insight into everything from the merits of the war with Mexico to the strategies and tactics employed by Union forces against the Confederacy to the poignancy of Grant’s meeting with General Lee at Appomattox Court House. Documenting a world of tariffs, insider deals, and Wall Street sharks as well as his stunning rise from bobbin boy to steel baron, The Autobiography of Andrew Carnegie opens a window into the great industrialist’s decision-making process. His insights on education, business, and the necessity of giving back for the common good set an inspirational example for aspiring executives and provide a fitting testament to the power of the American dream. The Education of Henry Adams is the Pulitzer Prize–winning memoir of a brilliant man reckoning with an era of profound change. The great-grandson of President John Adams and the grandson of President John Quincy Adams, Henry Adams possessed one of the most remarkable minds of his generation. Yet he believed himself fundamentally unsuited to the era in which he lived—the tumultuous period between the Civil War and World War I. Written in third person, this uniquely unclassifiable autobiography is the Modern Library’s number-one nonfiction book of the twentieth century. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Download or read book Reminiscences of Distinguished Men written by William B. Slaughter and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2016-08-13 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Reminiscences of Distinguished Men: With an Autobiography Two motives conspire to induce me to offer this book to the public: The first is to acquire the means of subsistence; the second is to add something to the stock of human knowledge and thereby increase human happiness; and while I do not expect to present any new truths, for that would imply a sepa rate creation, yet the manifestations of old truths are as various as the ever varying phases of nature; and these possess the interest of new truths. Man is said to be the universe in miniature; that there is no form of which he is not the type, no tone to which his being is not the response. The proper study then of mankind is man. Observation is the first fruitful source of knowledge regarding men, because in addition to the five senses which are channels of communi cation, we are endowed with spirit or mind, which is etherial, all-pervasive, and eternal. Biography is the next best source of information. It is not only the written life of man, it is also a record of human character. In the hands of a skillful artist it is a living image. Self-knowledge is the key to unlock the hidden knowledge of others. I shall therefore commence my work with an autobiographical sketch, adorned only with simple truth, which will constitute its chief merit. I am con scious of no desire for notoriety, I have outlived the love of fame, and if I had acquired fame when young, it would have killed me, as it has killed thousands in every age of the world. Autobiography is the highest source of personal knowledge, reminiscences next, biography third. And history last. In the first, we have the consciousness of our secret thoughts and actions; in the second, the visible form and apparent life; in the third, the record of human character; and in the fourth, a narrative of human events, the causes of whichare frequently left to conjecture. I shall endeavor to show that there are but few elementary principles in the character of man; that during the last two thousand years, but two individuals, Julius Caesar and George Washington, have pos sessed them in an eminent degree; that they are alike in all men, differing only in degree; and that there are but four such elementary principles: first, honesty of purpose second. Practical common sense; third, self-knowledge; fourth, self-government. In these elementary principles there is un varying unity; in their manifestations to the world. Under the in uence of surrounding circumstances, there is endless variety. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."
Download or read book Edward R Murrow An American Original written by Joseph E. Persico and published by Plunkett Lake Press. This book was released on 2020-08-17 with total page 553 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Murrow was a cut stone with an astonishing number of facets. He was born in a cabin with an outhouse, and behaved like an English squire, when he was not acting like a lumberjack, or an intellectual gadfly, or a cowboy, or a philosopher, or a daredevil, or a social crusader, or a raconteur, or a hermit. He could be found firing at metal ducks in a Times Square shooting gallery or shooting at grouse on the moors of an English country estate. He could spin dialect stories at a crowded bar or go for twenty-four hours without uttering a word to a house guest. He could send his son to the most prestigious schools, all the while telling the boy that college was not important to a successful life. He was either telling friends how humble his own origins were or insinuating into the conversation that his wife’s ancestors came over on the Mayflower. He was a handsome man and an elegant dresser who bristled at anyone who made mention of his striking appearance. He was impervious, even oblivious, to the charms of most women, yet became involved with an aristocratic beauty and nearly destroyed his marriage. He spent his professional life in world capitals, yet liked to imagine that he would be happier at a small-town college. He made a good deal of money, yet felt guilty about it and was so openhanded that it seemed at times that he was trying to give it all away. His pastimes were those of the he-man, yet he was a favorite of intellectuals. He had everything to live for, but he gambled his life dozens of times flying unnecessary combat missions. He could condemn a war, as he did in Korea, yet find it irresistible. He was modest, even flip, with colleagues about his physical bravery, but wrote letters to his parents presenting an almost maudlinly heroic self-image. He had every reason to be a happy man. He was not. I was drawn to his life because he was the preeminent figure in a profession that he essentially fathered. It is difficult for any thinking person not to be simultaneously mesmerized and repelled by the hold of mass communications over the modern world. Murrow’s story is integral to that phenomenon.” — from Joseph E. Persico’s foreword to Edward R. Murrow: An American Original “If one is curious to find out what makes some people stand out above the rest, what makes a person a hero, the story is in Edward R. Murrow: An American Original. Murrow had talent, drive, intelligence, personality and vision... In comprehensive detail, with dramatic, well-told anecdotes and insight and perceptiveness, Joseph E. Persico describes a man of extraordinary natural gifts, human failings and stunning accomplishments... a well-organized and readable trip through Murrow’s public and personal life... Mr. Persico is a diligent researcher who clearly won the confidence of the people he needed, most especially Murrow’s widow, Janet... [He] is an able reporter and a fine storyteller whose taste, tact and skill have produced an appropriate biography... We should be grateful to this book for reminding us that television once had, and on occasion still has — when someone is willing to put up a fight — the surprising and the exceptional.” — Joan Konner, The New York Times “Persico’s distinguished and compellingly readable biography does not slight the stuff of the Murrow legend — his humble origins as the son of a North Carolina dirt farmer, his work as a lumberjack in the Pacific Northwest, his invention of himself as a dashing and dapper foreign correspondent, his pioneering broadcasts from London during the Blitz, his televised showdown with Joseph McCarthy. But, then, Persico goes far beyond the myth and shows us the real man — to his surprise, and perhaps to our own... the book is rich with intimate anecdotes, recounted by a sympathetic but unadoring biographer, drawing on first-person sources who were close enough to Murrow to detect the cracks in the plaster saint of journalism... Persico brings to Murrow the intellectual discipline of the historian, the polished and memorable prose of the accomplished biographer... a fast but substantial and satisfying read.” — Jonathan Kirsch, Los Angeles Times “[T]he conjunctions of events that propelled [Murrow] into a career that didn’t exist until he created it is an absorbing tale that Persico tells compellingly. He also has a keen eye for some of the other towering egos that came to populate the scene.” — Anne Chamberlin, Washington Post “Persico has produced a work which reveals... Murrow’s spirit and his passion for broadcast journalism... Persico tells us what drove this man to such professional heights. This is the work to read for insights into Murrow’s personality, beliefs, feelings, foibles and frustrations. Persico’s work is likely to become the most popular biography of Murrow. He interviewed the right people and his research was faultless and well-documented in the book... His writing is entertaining, revealing, and alive with characters, stories, suspense and humor... Persico causes the reader to share the emotions, the tensions, and the passions felt by Murrow and those close to him. Persico’s is an excellent book to put on a reading list for students, either graduate or undergraduate, it is an especially appropriate selection for those studying the role of broadcasting in our society and the current debate over the public trusteeship of broadcast licensees.” — Edward Funkhouser, Journalism Quarterly “A plain-spoken, essentially favorable, and near definitive appraisal of the accomplished, angst-ridden man who almost single-handedly made broadcast journalism a respectable profession. Persico secured the cooperation of Murrow’s widow, Janet, and other family members; he also had access to private papers not available to previous biographers... As one result, the author is able to add telling detail to the largely familiar, often romanticized record of Murrow’s career... Persico’s diligent research has enabled him to offer a coherent, revelatory narrative that addresses Murrow’s shortcomings and setbacks as well as his triumphs. His informed, evenhanded text clears the air of myth-makers’ hyperbole without tarnishing in any significant way the achievements of a complex, charismatic broadcast pioneer.” — Kirkus
Download or read book Personal Memoirs written by Ulysses S. Grant and published by Modern Library. This book was released on 2000-11-01 with total page 738 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mark Twain had known many of the great men of the Civil War and the Gilded Age, and esteemed none more highly than Ulysses S. Grant, who was modest, sensitive, generous, honest, and superlatively intelligent. Grant's courage, both moral and physical, was a matter of record. His genius as a general assured his immortality. In 1881, Twain urged Grant to write his memoirs. No one is interested in me, Grant replied. Out of the army, out of office, and out of favor--that was his life now. He reminded Twain that the Military History of Ulysses S. Grant, written by his wartime assistant, Adam Badeau, had sold poorly. And John Russell Young's book, Around the World with General Grant, published in 1879, had been a complete flop. Broke and sick--he began suffering agonizingly painful throat cancer in 1884-- Grant agreed to write four articles for the Century Magazine on some of his Civil War battles, and Century offered to publish his memoirs if only he'd write them. Twain was on a lecture tour when he heard that Grant might be willing to write a book and hurried back to New York to tell Grant that he could arrange for publication of the book by a small firm that he controlled. Grant accepted his offer because Twain had been the first person to suggest he write his memoirs. The inflexible will and powerful mind that helped make Grant a great general were stronger than the torturing pain, the sleepless nights, the terrors of death. Yet there was no sense of this heroic struggle in the narrative he produced with stubby pencils or by dictating to a secretary. The book was like the man himself--often humorous, frequently charming, always lucid, sometimes poignant, generous to his enemies, loyal to his friends. Twain was astonished when he discovered that Grant had produced a considerably longer book than he had contracted to write, but Grant had always tried to give more than was expected of him. He did so even now. Grant finished his book in July 1885. The Memoirs were a triumph. The narrative has the directness and limpidity of the purest English prose as it was first crafted by William Tyndell and then spread throughout the English-speaking world in the King James version of the Bible. Grant had reached deep into himself and into the world history of the Anglo-American people to grasp the core of its culture, the English language. He trusted in that narrative style that achieves its effects by never straining for effect, assembled it into vivid pictures sufficiently understated to allow an intelligent reader's imagination room to expand, and shaped a literary architecture with a born artist's eye. His recollections were inevitably partial and selective. As with all memoirs, Grant's was at its best as a revelation of the way he remembered the events of his tumultuous life and the feelings they evoked in him as death drew near. Its truth was less in the details of what he recalled as in the story he had to tell, of justice triumphant over a great evil. On July 23, 1885, several days after correcting the galley proofs of his book, Grant died in a summer cottage on the slopes of Mount McGregor, New York, surrounded by friends and family. The memoirs, published a few months later, have never been out of print.
Download or read book EMINENT AMER written by Benson John 1813-1891 Lossing and published by . This book was released on 2016-08-26 with total page 430 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Wonderful Characters written by G. H. WILSON and published by Forgotten Books. This book was released on 2017-12-14 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Excerpt from Wonderful Characters: Comprising Memoirs and Anecdotes of the Most Remarkable Persons, of Every Age and Nation It is with a view to promote and facilitate this important study, that the Editor of the present work submits to the public a series of lives of those individuals who have been distinguished by any extraordinary circumstances from the mass of society. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.
Download or read book The Book of Wonderful Characters Memoirs and Anecdotes of Remarkable and Eccentric Persons in All Ages and Countries written by Henry Wilson and published by Palala Press. This book was released on 2018-02-19 with total page 546 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work was reproduced from the original artifact, and remains as true to the original work as possible. Therefore, you will see the original copyright references, library stamps (as most of these works have been housed in our most important libraries around the world), and other notations in the work. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. As a reproduction of a historical artifact, this work may contain missing or blurred pages, poor pictures, errant marks, etc. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
Download or read book Memoirs of My Life and Writings written by Edward Gibbon and published by Prabhat Prakashan. This book was released on 2021-01-01 with total page 126 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Memoirs of My Life and Writings is an account of the historian Edward Gibbon's life, compiled after his death by his friend Lord Sheffield from six fragmentary autobiographical works Gibbon wrote during his last years.