Abstract
Are we living in a 'golden age' of biography? This extended commentary on biography today concludes that we probably are. Based on a selection of recent significant biographies, mostly Australian, a long association with the Australian Dictionary of Biography, and personal experience, it offers a perspective on the enhanced status of biography, highlights the widening scope and inclusiveness of the genre, and notes its increasingly porous boundaries. Problems of innovation are considered as well as achievements. Some current issues and expectations are also addressed. An awareness that the collapse of 'grand narratives' in the 1970s has created new opportunities for biography underpins the argument.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 107-118 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Australian Historical Studies |
| Volume | 43 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Mar 2012 |