All 18 Graphic Biography - SelfMadeHero Books In Order at Book DNA

1
Alice Guy

By José-Louis Bocquet, Catel Muller (illustrator) ,

In 1895, the Lumiere brothers invented the cinematograph. Less than a year later, 23-year-old Alice Guy, the first female filmmaker in cinema history, made The Cabbage Fairy, a 60-second movie, for Leon Gaumont, going on to direct over 300 films before 1922. Her life is a shadow history of early…

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2
Zátopek

By Jan Novak, Jaromir 99 (artist),

Emil Zatopek is arguably the greatest Olympic champion of all time. The Czech runner's three gold medals at the 1952 Helsinki Summer Olympics, for the 5,000 meter, 10,000 meter, and marathon is an achievement that has never been matched. His success as a runner made him a national hero, but…

3
Buñuel

Bunuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles depicts a decisive moment in the life of the great Spanish filmmaker Luis Bunuel: the moment when he doubted surrealism and contemplated embracing a more social type of cinema. At this crucial turning point in his career, he wanted to change the world…

4
Orwell

By Pierre Christin, Sebastien Verdier (illustrator),

George Orwell's most celebrated work, 1984, and the prescient vision it contains of a society governed by Big Brother, predates the constant monitoring of people and data we are familiar with today by over 70 years. But his life was every bit as fascinating and forward-looking as his books. Orwell…

5
Knock Out!

The American boxing champion Emile Griffith gained notoriety in 1962 when he brutally defeated the Cuban fighter Benny Paret. Ten days after the fight, Paret, who had directed a homophobic slur at Griffith during the weigh-in, died from his injuries. In Knock Out!, Reinhard Kleist draws a powerful, emotive portrait…

6
The Boxer

By Reinhard Kleist , Michael Waaler (translator) ,

Poland,1941. Sixteen-year-old Hertzko Haft is sent to Auschwitz. Separated from his family and his fiancee, he draws a will to survive from the thought of seeing them again. His ability to survive, though, comes from something else - a unique talent. When Haft is forced to fight against other inmates…

Mia's list on the best children's books about boxing

7
Siberian Haiku

By Jurga Vile, Lina Itagaki (illustrator),

One morning in June 1941, a quiet village in Central Lithuania is shaken out of its slumber by the sudden arrival of the Soviet Army. Eight-year-old Algiukas awakes to the sound of Russian soldiers pounding on the door. His family are given ten minutes to pack up their things. They…

8
Isadora

By Julie Birmant, Clément Oubrerie (artist) ,

"There was never a place for [Isadora Duncan] in the ranks of the terrible, slow army of the cautious. She ran ahead, where there were no paths." - Dorothy Parker
In 1899, performing in the drawing rooms of London's elite, Isadora Duncan was already laying the foundations for modern dance.…

9
Mozart in Paris

In 1778, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart leaves Salzburg for Paris. The French capital promises to liberate the 22-year-old from the suffocating grip of his father, and from a city that is unable to accommodate his genius. But there is no grand entrance for the former child prodigy. When Mozart arrives in…

10
Guantánamo Kid

By Jerome Tubiana, Alexandre Franc (artist),

Saudi Arabia offers few prospects for the bright young Mohammed El-Gharani. With roots in Chad, Mohammed is treated like a second-class citizen. His access to healthcare and education are restricted; nor can he make the most of his entrepreneurial spirit. At the age of 14, having scraped together some money…

11
Gonzo

By Will Bingley, Anthony Hope-Smith (illustrator),

Over the course of Hunter S. Thompson's extraordinary life he was publically branded a bum, a vandal, a thief, a liar, an addict, a freak and a psychopath. Some of these epithets were true. Yet, even when compared to the most significant figures of the 20th century, his legacy remains…

12
Nick Cave

13
Agatha

By Anne Martinetti, Guillaume Lebeau, Alexandre Franc (illustrator)

In December 1926, renowned crime novelist Agatha Christie vanished, sending shockwaves through British society. As the authorities scoured the country for her, theories and suspicions abounded: it was murder, a hoax, suicide, a publicity stunt, revenge. When she was finally located - ten days later, living under an assumed name…

14
Haddon Hall

Ziggy Stardust, Aladdin Sane, The Thin White Duke: David Bowie had an extraordinary talent for reinvention. But at the beginning of his career, he made the most significant transformation of his life: from "David" to Bowie.

In 1969, shortly after the release of his first hit single, David and his…

15
The Trial of Roger Casement

Book cover of The Trial of Roger Casement

In 1911, Roger Casement was knighted by King George V for his humanitarian work. Five years later, he was hanged for treason. The Trial of Roger Casement traces the astonishing downfall of an Irishman once feted for his compassion but later condemned both as a revolutionary and as a homosexual.…

16
Kiki de Montparnasse

By Jose-Luis Bocquet , Catel Muller (illustrator) ,

In the bohemian and brilliant Montparnasse of the 1920s, Kiki managed to escape poverty to become one of the most charismatic figures of the avant-garde years between the wars. Partner to Man Ray - whose most legendary photos she inspired - she would be immortalised by Kisling, Foujita, Per Krohg,…