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13 Entertaining and Informative YouTube History Channels

The video-sharing site has content for every kind of history buff.

• Photo Credit: The Armchair Historian via YouTube

Do you enjoy learning about history? Since you’re reading The Archive , we’re going to assume that the answer is “yes.” But just because you’re already interested in a subject doesn’t mean that you don’t also still want learning about that subject to be fun, and even the most fascinating topic can be rendered dry and dull by the wrong presentation. 

Fortunately, these 13 YouTube history channels not only provide reputable, reliable historical content, they do so in a way that’s fun to watch and easy to consume—so that we can all learn and be entertained at the same time. What could be better? Maybe you already follow some of these, but we’re also betting that there’ll be something new on this list for even the most dedicated history buff…

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It may be the most obvious inclusion on this list, but you can’t go wrong with HISTORY (formerly known as The History Channel). With online versions of some of your favorite TV shows and YouTube exclusives alike, you can find all kinds of content on the HISTORY YouTube channel, such as shows on the World Wars, listicles of female spies, ancient recipes, and even ancient aliens. Some videos may be a little more sensational than historical, but there’s plenty of stuff to see, and it’s always entertaining.

Related: 10 Most Influential World War II Battles

Weird History

A lot of YouTube history channels cover the obvious stuff, like the American Civil War or the rise and fall of the Roman Empire. Weird History is a channel dedicated to, as they put it, “the chronicles of history that your social studies class never covered in high school.” From Crystal Pepsi to gout and from life in a medieval castle to Victorian-era pastimes, the videos at Weird History are filled with unexpected facts. Sometimes they’re funny, sometimes they’re spooky, and sometimes they’re just head-scratching—but they’re always weird.

Tasting History with Max Miller

Judging solely by the ubiquity of fantasy-themed cookbooks, people are interested in learning more about the sumptuous banquets that are described in epic series like George R. R. Martin’s Game of Thrones . If you’ve got a taste for historical cuisine, there’s no better place to indulge it than the Tasting History channel. A furloughed former Disney employee created the channel as a way to pass the time during the pandemic before ultimately turning his hobby into a full-time gig, recreating recipes from ancient Rome to medieval England and beyond.

Related: 8 Culinary History Books That You’ll Want to Savor

Historia Civilis

Created by a self-professed “Rome freak,” Historia Civilis is a YouTube channel dedicated, as you might imagine, to the Roman Empire, though videos have also covered everything from the history of NATO to Cleopatra’s bureaucracy. Eschewing the “talking heads” format in favor of simple-yet-direct illustrations and graphic designs, the videos are quick and informative, with most running no longer than half an hour or so. They frequently cover important battles, but also hit upon everything from the funeral of Julius Caesar to whether or not animals can commit crimes.

Related: Worst Roman Emperors, from Incompetent to Insane

Kings and Generals

Kings and Generals creates and distributes “animated historical documentaries,” as they put it. The channel features various concurrently-running series covering periods in history as diverse as the Hundred Years’ War and the Restoration of Justinian. As you might imagine from the title, the channel often focuses heavily on battles and politics, but its videos give concise-yet-sweeping overviews of some of the most important events in history. Each series is doled out in a sequence of digestible chunks so that you can try as little (or binge as much) as you’d like.

The Great War

So far, all the channels we’ve talked about have covered the width and breadth of history. Sure, some have specific focuses or themes—like historic recipes—but they sample from across time. Not so with The Great War, a channel focused solely on the era of World War I. 

Related: 14 Fascinating Books About the War to End All Wars

Despite the name, this isn’t just a recitation of troop movements, battle outcomes, and strategic decisions. The Great War has videos covering just about every aspect of life a century ago, as the so-called “war to end all wars” raged across Europe. You will absolutely find details on battles, warfare, and military technology, but you will also find videos about the arts and culture that flourished in wartime, the other subjects that dominated world headlines of the age, and much more.

OverSimplified

As students of history, we all love a deep dive into a complicated subject, and there’s a seemingly infinite world of nuance out there to explore. But we also have our blind spots, the places where our knowledge of a subject is barely conversant. For those times, there are channels like OverSimplified, which is dedicated to explaining subjects ranging from Prohibition to the French Revolution to the Battle of Hastings in, well, “an OverSimplified way.” These short videos will give you the basics you need on a subject in an entertaining and usually humorous form, so that you can get on to the next bit of history that you can’t wait to consume.

The History Guy

“If you love history,” the channel intro for The History Guy begins, “this is the channel for you!” We guess we’ve come to the right place! We’ve called the videos on several of these other channels “short,” but The History Guy has most of them beat, with all of his videos settling in somewhere between 5 and 15 minutes long. He covers all kinds of odd and intriguing bits of history. From the Wild West to the New York blackout of 1977 and from the European discovery of Alaska to the “Great Olive Poisoning” of 1919, The History Guy's videos are delivered in short, informative bites that are quick and easy to watch whenever you have some free time.

Related: 7 Strange Facts About Wyatt Earp and the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral

Military History Visualized

This absorbing channel offers military history content spanning the Classical era through current wars. Its content is concise, appealing to the eye, informative, and amusing. For those who want to dig a little deeper, each video employs academic texts whenever possible and links its sources in the description.

Mr. Terry History

Mr. Terry History is a channel run by a high school history teacher. He creates funny reaction videos on YouTube in addition to more traditional educational material. His videos are relatively simple to understand, making them an ideal choice if you want to unwind while also learning something new.

The Armchair Historian

The Armchair Historian, a YouTube channel that posts informative and enjoyable animated history videos, was created by Griffin Johnsen. Not only are the animations visually appealing, but the themes covered also distinguish him from the competition. From tank evolution and uniform comparisons to very detailed war visualizations, he covers it all.

Related: 10 Civil War Battles That Shaped America's Bloodiest Conflict

Another YouTube user named TIKhistory makes meticulous historical videos that are meant to outdo TV documentaries. TIKhistory aims to eliminate historical myths and misconceptions with an emphasis on World War II and related subjects so we are able to learn from the past and avoid repeating the same mistakes.

Along with his attention to detail, his analysis of all the key sources on a given topic sets him apart from other YouTube history channels. He attempts to create a narrative that is supported by numerous independent sources while proving why contradictory information is not correct. All historians should carry out this task, right?

The Operations Room

For those who are more interested in tactics and strategy, we also highly recommend The Operations Room. It is comparable to The Armchair Historian in that it concentrates on the events of great battles, including the precise movements of the forces, the information that each party had, how they responded to enemy moves, and the reasoning behind their actions. Knowing what Isoroku Yamamoto (Japanese Marshal Admiral of the Imperial Japanese Navy) knew at the time of the Battle of Midway, what would you have done? Would you have made the same decision?

Related: Explore Weapons Through the Ages With These 10 Books

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Abraham Lincoln

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A biography of Abraham Lincoln, who led the country during its greatest crisis.

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The HISTORY Channel’s three-night documentary event “Abraham Lincoln” will be a definitive biography of the 16th president, the man who led the country during its bloodiest war and greatest crisis. Executive produced by world-renowned presidential historian and Pulitzer Prize®-winning bestselling author Doris Kearns Goodwin, “Abraham Lincoln” is based upon Kearns Goodwin’s New York Times bestseller, “Leadership: In Turbulent Times.”

From the impoverished childhood of Lincoln (played by Emmy-nominated actor Graham Sibley) to his days as a young prairie lawyer and budding politician, through his unlikely election to the presidency and his assassination only five days after the end of the Civil War, “Abraham Lincoln” offers viewers new and surprising insights into the man consistently ranked by historians and the American people as the country’s greatest president. Viewers will learn of the lesser-known aspects of Lincoln’s life and leadership through premium dramatic live-action scenes where his humility, empathy, resilience, ambition, political acumen, and humor are on full display. Combined with expert interviews —including President Barack Obama, Gen. Stan McChrystal, and renowned historians Christy Coleman, Dr. Allen Guelzo, Dr. Edna Greene Medford, Harold Holzer, Dr. Caroline Janney, Dr. Catherine Clinton— archival photos and news accounts, Lincoln’s letters, writings and speeches, and remembrances from his contemporaries, this miniseries provides a fresh, present-day understanding of the complexities of young Abraham Lincoln who grows to become President Lincoln, the man who saved the Union, won the war and secured emancipation.

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The 7 Best YouTube Channels to Learn About History

If you're looking to learn and have fun, these YouTube channels make learning history entertaining.

If you want to learn more about history, YouTube is the perfect place to start. These days, you don’t need to go back to school if you want to learn more about the past. There’s an incredible amount of high-quality historical content on YouTube. Best of all, most of it is absolutely free.

So whether you want to learn more about life in the 20th century or what the ancient world was really like, check out these seven YouTube channels.

1. hochelaga

The hochelaga channel is all about uncovering strange mysteries from the past. On this channel, you can dive deep into topics like weird Christian art from the Middle Ages, ghost stories from feudal Japan, and even historical mysteries that remain unsolved, like the Voynich Manuscript.

The hochelaga channel takes what you think you know and flips it on its head. You’ll also learn the stories behind some of history’s most influential art and books. All of hochelaga’s videos have insane production values and great attention to detail. Spend enough time on this channel, and you might even forget you’re watching a YouTube video instead of a featured documentary.

2. Told in Stone

Told in Stone is one of the best places on YouTube to learn about ancient Greek and Roman history. On this channel, you’ll see the classical world come to life and get answers to questions you might not have even thought of.

Garret Ryan, a former university professor with a Ph.D. in Greek and Roman history, narrates the channel. But even though a professor created Told in Stone, it’s nothing like sitting in a lecture hall. You'll get an in-depth look at what life was like in the ancient world, from the streets of ancient Rome to behind closed doors at imperial palaces.

If you’ve ever wanted to see a recreation of ancient Greek drinking games, learn what’s buried under the Colosseum, or discover what public bathrooms in ancient Rome were like, Told in Stone is right up your alley.

3. Weird History

As the name suggests, Weird History is all about strange and fascinating stories from the past. Weird History covers topics and events from all eras of history, from ancient, to medieval and all the way up to the 20th century.

Weird History does a great job of taking intimidating topics and breaking them down into videos that are fun and easy to understand. Because the channel covers so many historical periods and topics, it's a great way to start learning about parts of history you might not have known you were interested in.

And because Weird History’s videos break down complex topics into bite-sized videos, it’s a great way to get your kids interested in the many fascinating stories from our past.

HISTORY is the official YouTube channel of the HISTORY network, and it's a great way to catch up on your favorite shows, even if you don’t have access to a TV or streaming subscription. On the HISTORY YouTube channel, you’ll be able to see clips and full episodes from many of the network’s biggest shows and documentaries, making it one of the best YouTube channels to watch free shows and movies .

To be fair, the HISTORY network has been criticized for being more entertaining than fact-based. And although HISTORY does have its fair share of pseudo-science shows like Ancient Aliens, the network still produces some high-quality programs and documentaries. Shows like The Revolution transport you back to the struggle for American independence, and Colosseum features dramatic recreations of some of ancient Rome’s biggest events.

HISTORY is part of a fully-fledged TV network, and it has the resources to get exclusive interviews and on-site footage that you won’t find anywhere else on YouTube. And because​​​​​​​ YouTube Shorts are becoming increasingly popular , HISTORY even has a collection of bite-sized videos to check out.

Although not everything on HISTORY is 100% accurate, there are still a few hidden gems on the channel. And besides, who doesn’t love a little Pawn Stars every once in a while?

5. Feature History

Feature History does deep dives into popular historical topics like medieval Europe, World War II, or Genghis Khan. But the channel is also a great place to learn more about topics you might not be so familiar with.

Whether it’s a breakdown of the First Boer War or the story behind the Haitian Revolution, all the videos on Feature History are well-researched and well-produced. They feature a great mix of hand-drawn art, animations, and historical video footage.

If you’ve got a big interest in some of the more obscure and less-talked-about parts of history, Feature History has definitely got you covered. And if that's not enough for you, you can always try the​​​​​​​ best apps that make learning history exciting .

6. Biographics

If you’re interested in the stories behind the great men and women that shaped history, you’re going to absolutely love Biographics.

The Biographics channel features well-researched and extremely entertaining videos documenting the lives of some of the most influential people who have ever walked the earth. In just a few short years, the team at Biographics has managed to create videos on literally hundreds of different historical figures.

On the channel, you’ll find bios of people from across human history. That includes ancient rulers like Nebuchadnezzar II, musicians like Elvis Presley, and contemporary figures like Queen Elizabeth II. You can even find biographies of some of history’s most strange and twisted people, like Jack the Ripper and Jeffrey Dahmer.

No matter who you’re fascinated by, chances are that Biographics has a video all about them.

7. CrashCourse

Watching CrashCourse makes you feel like you’re sitting in class with your favorite teacher ever. Hosted by John Green, the channel makes intimidating topics easy and accessible to everyone.

CrashCourse has many videos on different historical periods, events, and people, including many of the most common topics taught in history classes, making the channel an amazing resource for students.

So if you’ve got a big exam coming up, using one of the best study planning apps and watching CrashCourse might be the perfect way to jog your memory and learn something new while you’re at it. But although CrashCourse can definitely help make your study sessions a little more fun, don’t forget to pay attention in your actual classes too.

Best of all, CrashCourse’s videos aren’t just limited to history; the channel also covers topics like science, economics, and more. That makes it a great place to start, no matter what you want to learn about.

Ready to Jump Into the Past?

Learning about history doesn’t have to be boring. YouTube has become a platform for entertainment and a place where you can learn so much about our shared past. And the right video can spark an interest in history that can last a lifetime. So it's never too late to get started, even if you weren’t a history buff in school.

The Best Historical Biographies of Influential Figures and Events

From Ulysses S. Grant to Juneteenth, Sylvia Plath to James Baldwin, here are biographies that make you think again about famous historical events and trailblazers.

I was pondering—as one does—what makes history come alive, and I noticed listeners often say, “This is the biography X deserves!” when they love a title. Sometimes biographies are about multiple people or a famous event, but a great biography manages through deep research and narrative arc to provide a fresh take on a familiar subject. Here, I’ve curated my favorite biographies that reveal a “household name” in a whole new way in audio; all of them feature rich historic detail and unpausable, stellar narration. Enjoy!

Jesus Christ

By Reza Aslan

Narrated by Reza Aslan

A fascinating, provocative, and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as Jesus of Nazareth....

To look at the historical Jesus within the context of Roman-occupied Palestine seems to fascinate everyone: Christians, atheists, and adherents to other religions. The author’s narration adds to the experience of Zealot .

Genghis Khan

Genghis Khan and the Making of the Modern World

By Jack Weatherford

Narrated by Jonathan Davis, Jack Weatherford

The Mongol army led by Genghis Khan subjugated more lands and people in 25 years than the Romans did in 400....

It took an anthropologist—who spent years learning Mongolian, living on the steppes for a part of each year, and listening for the truth of Genghis Khan’s life—to flesh out a biography of a man whose life may actually have been bigger than his myth.

George Washington

You Never Forget Your First

By Alexis Coe

Narrated by Brittany Pressley, Alexis Coe

With irresistible style and warm humor, You Never Forget Your First combines rigorous research and lively storytelling that will have listeners - including those who thought presidential biographies were just for dads - inhaling every word....

The father of our country, up close and personal. Alexis Coe delves into primary sources to assemble a picture of Washington that includes but is not limited to the truth about those wooden teeth, his complex and loving relationship with family members, the enslaved people he owned, and of course his political and military wisdom.

Ulysses S. Grant

By Ron Chernow

Narrated by Mark Bramhall

Pulitzer Prize winner Ron Chernow returns with a sweeping and dramatic portrait of one of our most compelling generals and presidents, Ulysses S. Grant....

The Civil War didn’t win itself, people. Grant was a brilliant military supply problem-solver who inspired the loyalty of those he commanded, and he was an underrated president too. Ron Chernow’s prose and Mark Bramhall’s narration are both sublime!

On Juneteenth

By Annette Gordon-Reed

Narrated by Karen Chilton

The essential, sweeping story of Juneteenth’s integral importance to American history, as told by a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and Texas native....

Almost everyone has heard of Juneteenth, but it took Annette Gordon-Reed’s essays to drive home the deep and multifaceted meaning of the holiday. Growing up in Texas, she shares how Juneteenth history is a part of her state’s, and our nation’s, history.

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Prairie Fires

By Caroline Fraser

Narrated by Christina Moore

Since her wholesome familial autobiographies are almost universally read and nearly synonymous with her name, you might think you know all there is to know about Laura Ingalls Wilder. But through the unfiltered eye of an outsider, Prairie Fires brings the dramatic and tumultuous life of America’s most famous pioneer girl into full light for the first time. As the editor of the Library of America edition of the Little House series , author Caroline Fraser is perhaps more familiar with Ingalls Wilder than anyone else alive. Meanwhile, narrator Christina Moore’s broad background in children’s lit (you may recognize her as the voice behind classics like Practical Magic , Go Ask Alice , and Julie of the Wolves ) makes her the perfect selection to illuminate the woman behind one of the world’s most treasured storybook collections.

I love the Little House books, although they aren’t perfect. Prairie Fires explores how the real Ingalls family was playing a pioneer game they couldn’t win, and how Laura Ingalls Wilder overcame and transmuted her personal grief into beloved, and flawed, works of fiction.

Winston Churchill

The Splendid and the Vile

By Erik Larson

Narrated by John Lee, Erik Larson

John Lee is known for narrating some epic books: Ken Follet's Kingsbridge novels, Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers , and One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez. He's a narrator, actor, and producer who has won multiple Audie Awards, Earphones Awards, and was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine. With over 500 audiobooks under his belt, he has plenty of experience narrating everything from epic fantasy to fascinating nonfiction.

I tried not to be a fan of this book (I was Churchill-ed out, I guess), but Editor Kat’s interview with Erik Larson, and John Lee’s narration, brought out the greatness of the story. I got chills when I listened to Churchill’s 1941 Christmas Eve speech (included in the audiobook), and to know what was behind it.

Nazi Scientist Diaspora

Operation Paperclip

By Annie Jacobsen

Narrated by Annie Jacobsen

Annie Jacobsen follows more than a dozen German scientists through their postwar lives and into one of the most complex, nefarious, and jealously guarded government secrets of the 20th century....

Annie Jacobsen draws upon declassified American and German documents to sketch out Operation Paperclip, the government program to repatriate (formerly?) Nazi scientists from the defunct Third Reich to America after World War II.

Alan Turing

Alan Turing: The Enigma

By Andrew Hodges

Narrated by Gordon Griffin

It’s only a slight exaggeration to say that the British mathematician Alan Turing (1912-1954) saved the Allies from the Nazis....

The genius of Alan Turing is as much about what he overcame as about what he accomplished. Bonus: This is the book upon which the film was based!

Henrietta Lacks

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

By Rebecca Skloot

Narrated by Cassandra Campbell, Bahni Turpin

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks captures the beauty and drama of scientific discovery, as well as its human consequences....

Henrietta Lacks wasn’t a household name when I was growing up, but she is now, thanks to this riveting bio. It traces the all-too-brief life of a poor Black mother with cancer, whose cells were used without her consent to pave the way for breakthroughs from the polio vaccine to cancer treatments.

Ethel Rosenberg

By Anne Sebba

Narrated by Orlagh Cassidy

New York Times best-selling author Anne Sebba's moving biography of Ethel Rosenberg, the wife and mother whose execution for espionage-related crimes defined the Cold War and horrified the world....

Executed after her conviction for conspiracy to commit espionage (not even actual espionage!), Ethel Rosenberg was more than a possible spy. Through her prison correspondence and other primary sources, she comes to life as a wife, a mother, an idealist, and a tragic personal story.

Sylvia Plath

By Heather Clark

Narrated by Laura Jennings

The highly anticipated new biography of Sylvia Plath that focuses on her remarkable literary and intellectual achievements, while restoring the woman behind the long-held myths about her life and art....

Red Comet was a revelation to me, the first biography of Sylvia Plath that centered the story on her artistic development, not her mental illness. It was a joy to get to know the poet as the beloved daughter of an immigrant family, an earnest aspiring artist, and—to paraphrase Virginia Woolf—“a mind that consumed all impediments” in her art.

James Baldwin

Begin Again

By Eddie S. Glaude Jr.

Narrated by Eddie S. Glaude

James Baldwin grew disillusioned by the failure of the civil rights movement to force America to confront its lies about race....

Eddie S. Glaude Jr. wrote so much more than a mere biography of James Baldwin. His appreciation for Baldwin’s crucible in the “after-times” of post-civil rights America taught me a lot about Baldwin’s life, and even more about how Baldwin’s lived experience can inform my own path as an ordinary citizen striving for a just society.

Charles Manson

By Tom O'Neill, Dan Piepenbring

Narrated by Kevin Stillwell

Over two grim nights in Los Angeles, the young followers of Charles Manson murdered seven people. Twenty years ago, when journalist Tom O'Neill was reporting a magazine piece about the murders, he worried there was nothing new to say. Then he unearthed shocking evidence of a cover-up....

Helter Skelter was a great story, but it’s not the end of the story, or even the whole story! Chaos puts Manson in context against the backdrop of a drug-soaked youth culture, the Hollywood power structure, and CIA investigations. 20 years in the making and worth the wait!

Jimmy Carter

His Very Best

By Jonathan Alter

Narrated by Michael Boatman

Jonathan Alter tells the epic story of an enigmatic man of faith and his improbable journey from barefoot boy to global icon. Alter paints an intimate and surprising portrait of the only president since Thomas Jefferson who can fairly be called a Renaissance Man, a complex figure....

Jonathan Alter collected thousands of hours of interviews with the Carter family and colleagues to assemble a rich, evenhanded, groundbreaking look at the life of a complex president. Amazingly, there’s no other comprehensive bio that covers Carter’s early life, his Navy career, his presidency, and his post-presidential humanitarian contributions. This one sounds like a novel.

And the Band Played On

By Randy Shilts

Narrated by Victor Bevine

And the Band Played On is both a tribute to these heroic people and a stinging indictment of the institutions that failed the nation so badly....

Victor Bevine’s narration brings to life the widespread grief and hard-won triumphs of the era when AIDS burst upon the world scene. Randy Shilts tells the heroic stories of individuals in science, politics, public health, and the gay community who struggled to alert the nation to the enormity of the danger it faced.

By Walter Isaacson

Narrated by Dylan Baker

From the author of the best-selling biographies of Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein, this is the exclusive biography of Steve Jobs....

Based on more than 40 interviews with Jobs conducted over two years—as well as interviews with more than a hundred family members, friends, adversaries, competitors, and colleagues—Walter Isaacson explores the roller-coaster life and searingly intense personality of a creative entrepreneur whose passion for perfection and ferocious drive revolutionized six industries: personal computers, animated movies, music, phones, tablet computing, and digital publishing.

Summitting Mount Everest

Into Thin Air

By Jon Krakauer

Narrated by Philip Franklin

Into Thin Air is the definitive account of the deadliest season in the history of Everest by the acclaimed journalist and author who was there (and luckily safe), Jon Krakauer. It’s the comprehensive “biography” of a tragedy, start to finish.

By Dave Cullen

Narrated by Don Leslie

"The tragedies keep coming. As we reel from the latest horror..."  So begins a new epilogue, illustrating how Columbine became the template for nearly two decades of "spectacle murders". It is a false script, seized upon by a generation of new killers....

What really happened on April 20, 1999? The horror left an indelible stamp on the American psyche, but most of what we "know" is wrong. It wasn't about jocks, Goths, or the Trench Coat Mafia. Dave Cullen was one of the first reporters on the scene and spent 10 years on this book, which is widely recognized as the definitive account of the Columbine High School massacre. 

The Best Biography Audiobooks to Educate, Fascinate, and Inspire

We’ve rounded up the most impressive subjects, the best authors, and some expert narrators to bring you the best biography audiobooks available on the market.

100 Years Later, Uncovering the Truth About the Tulsa Race Massacre

The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921 was one of the most despicable moments in US history, and it remained obscured for decades. In a growing selection of new books and podcasts, the story of what truly happened is coming to light.

25 Best Biographies of All Time: Discover History’s Most Intriguing Characters

by Yen Cabag | 2 comments

Biographies are stories of a person’s life written by someone who has thoroughly researched that individual.

This genre offers a great opportunity to learn about important figures, study the time period they lived in, and even understand more about the human condition.

When you’re choosing a biography to read, consider the people you admire, as well as the individuals you’d like to better understand.

What Are the Best Biographies to Read?

We’ve compiled a list of the best biographies to add to your reading list, featuring the life stories of people from all walks of life.

A Beautiful Mind  by Sylvia Nasar

The award-winning film A Beautiful Mind took its inspiration and content from this biography of John Nash, a well-renowned mathematician.

Nasar expertly follows Nash’s career, starting from MIT to his work at RAND Corporation. She also explores his battle against schizophrenia, a disorder that deeply challenged his life.

Carry a Big Stick: The Uncommon Heroism of Theodore Roosevelt by George Grant

This biography of former US president Theodore Roosevelt is divided into three parts: the first follows major events in his life in chronological order; the second focuses on the values he held most important; and the third includes famous quotes from the great leader.

Because Grant highlights Roosevelt’s commitment to family and children, Carry a Big Stick will challenge you to prioritize the important things in life.

Catherine the Great: Portrait of a Woman by Robert K. Massie

Robert K. Massie, the Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Romanovs , Nicholas and Alexandra , and Peter the Great , showcases his writing prowess with this biography of Catherine the Great.

Massie follows the journey of this obscure German princess from a minor noble family role to empress of Russia.

She led the government, cultural development, and foreign policy of Russia for 34 years, facing foreign wars, domestic rebellion, and unmatched levels of violence and political change.

The author vividly brings many of Catherine’s family members and friends, enemies, and lovers to life in this fascinating narrative.

Albert Einstein and the Theory of Relativity by Robert Cwiklik

Robert Cwiklik writes about the life of Albert Einstein with a flair that will enchant both adults and children. He explores Einstein’s childhood and school experiences, luring readers into the emotional struggles that the young boy experienced.

Tracing his journey through college and adulthood, the book gives a good insight into the thought processes of this genius known for his unruly hair and ragged outfits.

Never Give In: The Extraordinary Character of Winston Churchill by Stephen Mansfield

Stephen Mansfield expertly portrays the life and works of respected historian Winston Churchill. With Churchill being among the few who called out the potential darkness in Adolf Hitler’s plans, Mansfield masterfully crafts the narrative behind the man’s thought processes.

The author traces Churchill’s difficult childhood of being unwanted by his father and needing to self-teach in order to advance in life.

Readers will learn how Churchill managed to beat the odds and rise to a position of influence that he wielded with unmatched skill and tenacity.

John Adams by David McCullough

Master historian David McCullough was probably the best person to write this riveting biography of America’s founding father. John Adams, who also became the second president of the United States, is a great inspiration to many young Americans.

McCullough reveals the man of brilliance through his powerful writing in this epic biography. Adams is known for not holding back when it came to his desire for the American Revolution, but he also kept his country from an unnecessary war.

This biography includes insights into politics, social issues, and war, as well as love, faith, friendship, and even betrayal.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow offers readers a look into the life of another primary figure in American history, Alexander Hamilton. This book is the first full-length biography on the man who helped shape America in its youngest years.

With Hamilton being one of the most controversial and misunderstood figures in American history, Chernow sets out to clear the facts about this man.

He presents the direct results of Hamilton’s unrelenting efforts to push his ideas, many of which were disputed greatly during his time.

The book starts with Hamilton’s childhood years as an illegitimate orphan who had much to learn on his own. Hailing from the Caribbean, he grew up to become George Washington’s aide-de-camp in the army.

Chernow shows Hamilton’s passion for patriotism, as well as his steady desire to build foundations for America’s growth and prosperity.

Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

Former Time editor Walter Isaacson wrote this extraordinary biography of the legendary Steve Jobs through a series of more than 40 interviews that took place over two years.

Isaacson also took the time to interview more than 100 of Jobs’s family and friends, enemies and competitors, and colleagues.

The book traces the roller coaster journey of this amazing entrepreneur, highlighting his intense personality and unrivaled desire for perfection.

Leonardo da Vinci by Walter Isaacson

Isaacson once again proves his writing prowess with this biography of one of history’s greatest artists, Leonardo da Vinci.

This book covers not only da Vinci’s great masterpieces, but also delves into the heart of a genius. He portrays the great artist as a self-confident, self-taught entrepreneur: da Vinci never stopped promoting his abilities to wealthy benefactors.

Mozart: A Life by Peter Gay

Historian and National Book Award winner Peter Gay delivers this amazing biography of the world’s greatest composer.

This story of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart opens with an engaging narrative that delves into the personality of this musical genius. It also unveils many of the economic and political events that impacted his life.

Gay’s biography boldly tackles some of the myths around Mozart’s life. For example, rumors circulate that he was buried in a pauper’s grave and that he was poisoned by a musical rival.

Stalin: The Court of the Red Tsar by Simon Sebag Montefiore

Montefiore 2003 biography of Stalin explores what happens when leaders misuse and abuse their power. The writer boldly shows how Stalin came by his power through many violent, and even murderous, ways.

He includes several examples of how Stalin would initially reach out to others, such as fellow politicians or party members, but end up abandoning—or even eliminating them—as he pursued his own goals.

Will in the World by Stephen Greenblatt

Stephen Greenblatt candidly explores the humble beginnings of this young man from a small provincial town who would take London by storm—and in a surprisingly short period of time, William rises to become the greatest playwright for generations.

The author gives readers insight to the boy’s highly sensitive nature, allowing us to experience the things he experienced in the richness of life in the Elizabethan era.

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Henrietta Lacks, known among scientists as HeLa, did not know her cells would be so pivotal in the study of medicine, but in 1951, scientists took her cells and used them to develop a vaccine for polio and for intensive gene research.

Rebecca Skloot effectively explores the issues of race, ethics, and medicine by studying the life of this virtually unknown black tobacco farmer.

Her family remains in poverty, but scientists have bought and sold her cells by the billions. This biography also challenges readers with real questions from someone directly affected by genetic research.

Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln  by Doris Kearns Goodwin

Many biographers have undertaken a study of Abraham Lincoln’s life, but Doris Kearns Goodwin’s original take on Lincoln’s prowess in politics gives this biography a distinctive feel.

Goodwin traces Lincoln’s journey from congressman and prairie lawyer to his surprising rise over three great rivals in the national arena, as he became president of the United States. She delves into Lincoln’s character, which the author believes is key to his success.

Goodwin also honors Lincoln’s ability to empathize with others and feel compassion for their needs and desires, an important element in his ability to bring dissatisfied opponents to unity.

Norman Mailer: A Double Life by J. Michael Lennon

Celebrated public figure Norman Mailer was a journalist, novelist, filmmaker and biographer, and in this biography,  J. Michael Lennon effectively captures the ambition that drove this man.

Mailer dreamed not only of being one of the greatest writers in his generation, but to reach fame enough to rival Tolstoy or Dostoevsky.

Lennon describes Mailer, who prided himself as a novelist, as a gifted journalist who used his writing talent to dig into the American psyche. His 35 years of acquaintance with Mailer gave him an unusual look into the life of this driven man.

American Lion: Andrew Jackson in the White House  by Jon Meacham

Jon Meacham wrote a remarkable biography of Andrew Jackson, the man often credited with creating the “modern” presidency.

The orphaned Jackson rose from nothing, fighting his way to the heights of power and inspiring the nation to embrace democracy.

In 1828, Jackson’s election paved the way for a new era wherein the people, instead of the elite group, guided American politics.

Meacham uses newly discovered family letters and documents to detail the drama that affected the family and Jackson’s inner circle of advisers.

Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser

Laura Ingalls Wilder is best known for her Little House on the Prairie series of children’s historical novels. In Prairie Fires, Caroline Fraser takes a deeper look into the true story of Wilder’s life.

Using a collection of letters, unpublished manuscripts, diaries, and legal documents, Fraser crafts a masterpiece biography. She explores the details of Wilder’s real life struggle with poverty, hinted at in the Little House books.

Fraser also deals with the difficult relationship between Wilder and her journalist daughter Rose Wilder Lane, and addresses questions of ghostwriting that have surrounded her books.

The Professor and the Madman by Simon Winchester

Generations ago, Professor James Murray led a team in the daunting task of collecting definitions to create the Oxford English Dictionary.

A man named Dr. W.C. Minor surprised the team by submitting more than 10,000 entries, but further astounded them when they learned that Minor was housed in an asylum for the criminally insane.

Simon Winchester shares the excellently researched life of two men driven by their obsessions, which led to the greatest contribution to American literary history.

The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel

Michael Finkel traces the journey of Christopher Knight, a shy 20-year-old who left his Massachusetts home back in 1986. After driving into Maine, Knight disappeared into the forest and did not meet another human being for the next thirty years.

The author conducted countless interviews with Knight in order to craft this detailed biography, exploring his motives and experiences.

His first foray back into civilization involved stealing food for survival, so Finkel also delves into these issues as he studied the life of the hermit.

Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand

Seabiscuit author Laura Hillenbrand introduces us to Louis Zamperini, a stubborn delinquent boy who grew into an Olympic runner.

But World War II changes the trajectory of his life, with Zamperini becoming an airman and crashing into the Pacific Ocean one fateful day in May, 1943.

From a struggle in the open ocean, battling starvation and leaping sharks, Zamperini would show resourcefulness and resilience in the midst of hopelessness. Unbroken will inspire you to keep going despite the challenges of life.

The Lost City of Z by David Grann

British explorer Percy Fawcett became a legend when he went into the Amazon jungles in 1925 to search for a fabled civilization and never came back.

Expert journalist David Crann shares this narrative of Fawcett’s desire to find “The Lost City of Z,” where countless others likewise perished in their search for Fawcett and his party.

Through this book, he also unveils one of the greatest mysteries in 20th century exploration.

King of the World by David Remnick

When boxing legend Muhammad Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay, stepped into the boxing ring in 1964, face to face with Sonny Liston, nobody knew he would emerge as the new world champion for heavyweight boxing.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author David Remnick, who also wrote Lenin’s Tomb, expertly captures the life of Ali, including all the drama that surrounds the life of this black man who ended up transforming America’s politics around race and culture.

He follows Ali’s matches throughout his career, giving us a glimpse into the courage, grace, speed, and humor of one of the world’s greatest athletes.

Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang and Jon Halliday

The Chinese Cultural Revolution sent ripple effects across the world, but few know the life story of this enigmatic Chinese leader.

Jung Chang and Jon Halliday spent a decade researching and interviewing Mao Zedong’s circle of friends and family in China—a group that has remained largely mum over the years.

This provides this authoritative biography with telltale details, such as what really drove Mao, insight into his relationship with Stalin, and how he resorted to tricks and blackmail to achieve his goals.

Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

Remarkably attractive Rosemary, daughter of Joe and Rose Kennedy, enjoyed attending exclusive schools and was even presented to the Queen of England as a debutante. But the family guarded an important secret: the girl was intellectually disabled.

Kate Clifford Larson compassionately unveils this much adored girl, piecing information together from Rose Kennedy’s correspondence and letters, doctors’ and school letters, plus interviews with the family.

The author shares the sensitive care Rosemary’s parents gave to her, but also deals with the complexity the family had to face with their rising fame and Rosemary’s limitations.

25. Of Courage Undaunted: Across the Continent with Lewis and Clark by James Daugherty

This unique rendering of the adventures of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark comes to life with James Daugherty’s prowess as both a Newbery and Caldecott Medal winner. The book excellently traces the expedition extending from St. Louis to the West. 

Drawing from original records of the expedition, the biography shows us a clear look at the challenges Lewis and Clark faced in the wilderness, including the possibility of attack from Native Americans, sudden natural disasters, and other hardships. 

What Is the Importance of Biography?

Reading a biography can transport you to the life and times of a certain person. You get to see their thought processes, experiences, how they responded to their environment, and what shaped them as an individual.

This is an excellent and often entertaining way to study history and learn from the successes and failures of others. But biographies aren’t your only option—you can also get firsthand accounts of fascinating lives in the best memoirs .

Do you have a favorite biography? Tell us about it in the comments below!

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

• 20 Best Presidential Biographies to Read This President’s Day
• The 16 Best Memoirs to Read Right Now
• How to Write a Memoir: A Step by Step Guide
• 11 Best Books about History: Fascinating Reads for History Buffs

Yen Cabag is the Blog Writer of TCK Publishing. She is also a homeschooling mom, family coach, and speaker for the Charlotte Mason method, an educational philosophy that places great emphasis on classic literature and the masterpieces in art and music. She has also written several books, both fiction and nonfiction. Her passion is to see the next generation of children become lovers of reading and learning in the midst of short attention spans.

You really believe James Boswell’s “The Life of Samuel Johnson” doesn’t deserve a place here?

This is such an interesting mixture of biographies sure to provide great education. Thank you for creating it.

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A Guide to the Best History YouTube Channels

A Brief History

This article provides a table that serves as a guide to our favorite YouTube channels for learning about history.

Digging Deeper

Question for students (and subscribers):  What is your favorite history-themed YouTube channel?  Please let us know in the comments section below this article.

If you liked this article and would like to receive notification of new articles, please feel welcome to subscribe to History and Headlines by liking us on Facebook and becoming one of our patrons !

Your readership is much appreciated!

Historical Evidence

For more information, please see…

Andrews, John and Matt Baker.  Timeline of World History .  Thunder Bay Press, 2020.

Beat, Matt.  Mr. Beat presents…The Ultimate American Presidential Election Book: Every Presidential Election in American History (1788-2016) .  Independently published, 2020.

Zarzeczny, Matthew D.  Banned from the Internet?!: “Controversial” Top 10 Lists .  CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2013.

The featured image in this article was designed by History’s Who Yesterday’s Nation .

Dr. Zar graduated with a B.A. in French and history, a Master’s in History, and a Ph.D. in History. He currently teaches history in Ohio.

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30 Of The Best YouTube Documentaries You Can Watch Now!

last updated on July 1, 2022

What do you do when you have come close to smashing through the entire library of documentaries on Netflix? Head over to YouTube of course!

Just like Netflix, YouTube is great at providing content that sends you down that content rabbit hole. So here are 30 of the best YouTube documentaries that you can watch for free in 2022!

30 Of The Best FREE YouTube Documentaries You Can Watch Now!

1. the king of kong: a fistful of quarters.

This story follows Steve Wiebe in his journey to take the high score record for the 1981 arcade game  Donkey Kong . It is a fascinating story of competitive arcade games and humanity.

It was directed by Seth Gordon, and premiered at Sundance Music Festival

2. Inside North Korea

This story takes us into one of the most talked about nations in the news today. The hermit nation with a violent capability remains dark to the outside. It is dangerous to film anything unauthorized in North Korea, so this documentary definitely belongs on my list of the top 30 best YouTube documentaries.

3. Free To Play

Free To Play is an American documentary produced by video game company Valve. It was created in 2014 and is based on the video game Dota 2. The film was initially intended for a gaming audience, but it soon grabbed the attention of those outside the virtual world. The plot follows  three players as they go to Germany to compete in a tournament.

The plot is especially unique because it focuses on how the game has affected their real lives. The documentary has a runtime of around 75 minutes and stars Benedict Lim, Danil Ishutin, and Clinton Loomis.

This is definitely one of the best YouTube documentaries out there because of it’s modern appeal.

  4. Food Fight: How Corporations Ruined Food

This documentary examines subsidies and profit motives and their effect on our food choices.

Food Fight reveals how our food has changed for the worst, particularly in the 20th century, at the hands of big corporations. The documentary also describes the counter-movement that soon emerged  in California during the 60s and 70s to protest these issues and the corporate monopoly.

5. Morgan Freeman: Inside the Whitehouse

Who wouldn’t love hearing Morgan Freeman talking about anything?

Morgan Freeman: Inside the Whitehouse was produced by National Geographic in 1996 in collaboration with the White House. Its goal was to show the White House, a place with a notoriously negative reputation, in a different light. The documentary even features stories and photographs that have never been mentioned before. From patriots to history buffs, the film has it all! If you’re interested in historic documentaries, you should definitely head over to YouTube to watch this documentary now!

6. Filming Wildlife: Behind the Scenes

Meet the photographers and people involved in capturing those stunning wildlife views. A 10 year study of Polar Bears, diving into caves to find bats, or a trek across wildest Africa, these behind the scenes insights are both thrilling and informative.

7. The Great Jungle War

This is about a World War I battle in Colonial Africa which few people know about.

8. This Is Paris: The Real Story of Paris Hilton

This documentary was released in mid September 2020 and quickly was a favorite from her loyal supporters and new fans. Whether you like her or don’t like her, her story is so much more disturbing and interesting than you think. If you haven’t seen it yet, I’d highly recommend! Definitely one of the best YouTube documentaries of 2020.

9. Life In A Day

This documentary is a true masterpiece. It basically recounts one day in time but tells it from a new media perspective. It includes hundreds of different types of stories and people.

The documentary instantly became famous at its first screening in 2011. People from all around the world sent in videos of all different events, all of which was combined to create a ninety-minute work of art. The purpose of the documentary was to serve as a time capsule and help future generations understand what life was like before them. Life In A Day is worth watching simply for its candidness!

10. Wisconsin Death Trip 1999

This doc tells a strange and sad story about mental illness, abuse, and extreme violence. Based on the book about these events, you’ll come away with a new appreciation for the anguished among us. Or you’ll be totally creeped out.

Wisconsin Death Trip 1999 is an American black and white documentary directed by James Marsh. The incredible drama, lasting one hour and sixteen minutes, is based on the book written by Michael Lesy in 1973. Its first screening took place in Denmark in March 2000. The documentary is narrated by Ian Holm and combines photos taken by Charles Van Schaick of incidents from Wisconsin in the 19th century. If you want to expand your horizons and learn something new, this documentary will surely enlighten you.

11. The Curious Life And Death Of Lizzie Borden

This is a truly disturbing story. Lizzie took an axe  gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, gave her father forty one. What really happened? Can we ever know the complete story? This documentary answers some questions and raises others.

12. Shale Cowboys: Fracking Under Trump

A good look into fracking and what it does to the environment and economy.

Although this documentary only lasts for forty-seven minutes, it conveys a truly important message. Due to recent controversies surrounding a fairly new process known as fracking, disapproval spiked even more under the Trump administration. Watch this documentary if you want to learn about something truly significant and worth your time!

13. Mediums: We See Dead People

This doc takes you on a journey through the eyes of mediums and how the perceive death.

14. Haunted House: An Original Documentary

This haunting paranormal documentary follows three people investigating an abandoned house overnight.

15. The Bible’s Buried Secrets

Walk in the same land as the Prophets and Kings did, gaze upon sites of momentous battles and powerful civilizations. One extremely important aspect is the origins of monotheism, a basic tenet of three of the world’s major religions practiced by nearly 3/4s of the population of the modern world.

16. The Raid: Area 51 

This is a story about the September 2019 events that lead to mass skepticism about Area 51. Millions of people signed up to see what’s really going on.

What exactly is the mystery behind this location? Are there aliens? Are their UFO’s or even more sinister things that the government is keeping from us? You’ll have to find out…

17. Sex In the Civil War

This is part of the History Channel series History Undercover and uncovers many facts about things we ordinary people would never waste a passing thought on.

18. The Boy Whose Skin Fell Off

This documentary brings us an interesting story that is bit odd and scary, medically speaking, but very moving.

19. Australia, The Great White Shark

This documentary follows a series of dives by explorers searching for the awesome predator shark as it hunts for its favorite food, sea lions. Along the way, we are dazzled by a stunning variety of underwater scenes.

20.   The Essex Boys: The Whole Truth

If you are into crime and mystery documentaries, this deeply disturbing story will be perfect for you. This doc takes you through 3 puzzling murders.

21. The Golden Age of Pirates

Many pirates were ruthless criminals that preyed on ships in port and even sometimes on the ports themselves. That’s why so many islands had cannon armed forts with the guns pointing out to sea. This documentary is a great walk through history and tells you about the fascinating origins of pirates.

22. Inner City Sailing

This is a story of a teacher training 10 inner city youths all about sailing and entered them in a competition.

23. The History of Toys and Games

This documentary identifies the need for toys for people of various ages from various ages of human history. Marbles, models, dolls, darts… Some toys from thousands of years ago would entertain kids today.

24. My Mother the Monster

This is truly a disturbing story that takes you through many mysterious hoops. Be careful, it’s a super intense film!

25. Ansel Adams: A Documentary Film

This is the story of Ansel Adams. We travel to Hernandez, Yosemite, the Sierra Nevadas, and in studio to examine a perfectionist in action. Adams perfected the Zone System, a method of previsualizing and controlling the entire photographic process which is still followed in this digital age by artist photographers today.

This documentary explains a little bit of his complicated and fascinating life of Prince. Eccentric, talented, and troubled, the musical genius often is often revered as a musical pioneer.

27. U.S. Navy Seal vs Somali Pirates

The state of affairs on the seas surrounding certain areas is troubling. Extreme violence and brutality is the norm for these ocean going criminals and they are met with the full force of modern military. A sobering look at a serious modern day problem.

28. Putin’s Revenge Part 1

PBS Frontline brings us a 2017 documentary series about Vladimir Putin that details inside information about this enigmatic ruler of one of the most powerful nations on Earth.

Putin’s Revenge Part 2 continues the series.

29. The Real Jigsaw Murderer

Jigsaw is one of the most recognizable and scary figures in modern horror media. This twisted tale takes you through real life accounts of this Saw-esque murderer.

30. Shark Attacks of 1916

Whenever I think of the Jersey Shore, my mind’s thoughts automatically gravitate towards concerns of SHARK ATTACKS! In 1916 in the area of Matawan and Beach Haven, New Jersey a series of events occurred which inspired Steven Spielberg’s 1975 blockbuster movie, Jaws.

Two weeks, four deaths, and the beginning of America’s fear of sharks.

YouTube has provided us with what seems like BILLIONS of hours of content. And the best part is that it is (mostly) free. You can learn so much on the platform, but there are also stories that give you pure entertainment. You can always choose to go with Netflix or Hulu   but YouTube is super easy and fast.

If you are mainly into crime/murder/mystery documentaries, (which I think we all are), I recommend checking out the YouTube channel Real Crime .

Hopefully this list has provided with a couple good options so you can enjoy one of the best YouTube documentaries! If there are any other documentaries that you think belong in this list, leave a comment below!

If you are thinking about creating your own YouTube videos, you can check out some of our helpful resources below.

• Best Ring Lights For Your Videos
• How to Monetize Your YouTube Videos 
• How To Get More Subscribers
• Best Video Editing Software For YouTubers
• Best Photo Editing Software 

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June 29, 2018 at 3:15 am

Thank you for using the reuploads that I put in my playlist.

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38 Best Documentaries to Watch on YouTube [2024 Update]

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In this age, information has become so accessible. It’s a challenge to sift what’s real from what’s false. Thus, it’s more crucial than ever that we get our information from reliable sources. And in this regard, documentaries are the perfect tool.

Well-made documentaries captivate us and promote discussion of the topics that they feature. They are a great resource for educating ourselves on topics and issues that matter.

Watching documentaries benefits you in the following ways:

• You are introduced to a new topic and provided a deeper understanding of it.
• It gives you a glimpse into new cultures and lifestyles.
• It inspires you to action or change in beliefs.
• They provide great conversation starters.

Simon Kilmurry, Executive Director of the International Documentary Association, sums up the social importance of documentary films:

“ Documentary film is a form that allows us to walk in another’s shoes, to build a sense of shared humanity, that gives voice to the marginalized and scorned, that strives to hold those in power to account. In these challenging times… it is all the more important to support the ever-risky endeavor that documentary filmmaking is becoming. ”

And YouTube provides one of the best venues for watching documentaries for free. So we’ve chosen 38 of the best documentaries on YouTube and collected them for today’s post.

These films are selected for their ability to promote a new way of thinking. All these let you learn something new about social issues, notable personalities, and the world we live in.

Table of Contents

Best Crime Documentaries on YouTube

WARNING: Some films featured in this post are extremely disturbing.

1. The Crime of Josef Fritzl

Discover how a family has been torn apart because of the evil actions of the father.

In 2008, the world was horrified to learn that a woman has been kept prisoner in a basement for 24 years. But what truly shocked the world was the identity of the perpetrator. Elizabeth Fritzl’s own father, Josef, kept her locked in a basement, raped her, and fathered 7 children by her.

How this man concealed his abominable actions and how it affected the members of the family, their community, and the world is the subject of this 53-minute documentary that features interviews from family members, psychology experts, lawyers, and journalists who followed the case of Josef Fritzl.

2. The Iceman Tapes: Conversations With a Killer

Do you want to know what goes on in the mind of a killer?

This documentary allows you a glimpse into the mind of hitman Richard Kulinski. He is known for the calm, detached way he dealt with his victims, thus earning him the nickname “The Iceman.”

The most unbelievable aspect of the documentary is that despite the hundreds of murders Kulinski committed, his family did not have an inkling of his double life and he appeared to be a loving, devoted family man.

3. The Hacker Wars

This film features the US government’s targeting of hacktivists and several journalists who are critical of the country’s administrative body. The story revolves around 3 hacktivists who battled against the government over the control of information in the age of the Internet.

4. Meet the Scammers Breaking Hearts and Stealing Billions Online

In this documentary, you’ll meet teenagers who establish online romantic relationships with people and scam them out of thousands of dollars.

Reporter Sean Rubinsztein-Dunlop uncovers that what the teenagers are doing is merely small-timer crime compared to the drug trafficking and money laundering he uncovers while doing this film.

Best YouTube History Documentaries

5. finding atlantis.

Over the years, a lot of scientists have gone on a quest in an effort to find the ancient city of Atlantis. This documentary follows a group of scientists as they search for Atlantis using state-of-the-art equipment.

Their search brings them to Spain, where some scientists and scholars believed that Atlantis was located.

6. Why the Romans Were so Effective in Battle

The ancient Roman army was known to be highly effective system in battle. It was this ability that allowed Rome to become a superpower in historic times.

This documentary showcases the genius of the Roman army in battle. It shows how its strategies and equipment were used to great effect in defeating enemies and conquering new and larger territories.

7. The Extraordinary Genius of Albert Einstein

Do you want to know how geniuses arrive at a breakthrough that deepens our understanding of our world and of life?

Produced by History.com, this 1 ½-hour documentary centers on Einstein’s Theory of Special Relativity, not for viewers to comprehend the theory itself, but to serve as a case study for demonstrating how humans think.

The film attempts to show how the real thought processes of human beings happen beyond opinions and perceptions.

8. Picasso’s Last Stand

Do you love art? This documentary features one of the greatest artists of all time.

The film reveals the life of Picasso a decade before his death. At that time, he was faced with criticism for his output and for his lifestyle. However, in the midst of this turmoil, he found impetus to bring forth his wittiest, most profound work.

9. The First Human

In this evolution documentary, we travel through time to uncover a new theory about the approximate time, the reason, and the way human beings began walking upright.

This film presents the story of scientists’ new discovery of a fossil much older than “Lucy” who was initially thought to be humans’ ancestors. This discovery challenges a lot of set ideas about how human beings have evolved.

10. Hidden Killers of the Victorian Home

What is the price of increased wealth and consumerism? For many Victorians, they paid for the luxury of their homes with their lives. In this film, Suzannah Lipscomb takes viewers on a tour of Victorian houses and reveals killers hiding in plain sight in the place where we are supposed to feel safe.

11. Human Zoos

This documentary tells the heartbreaking story of how indigenous people were put on display in 20 th century America. The human zoos had the backing of prominent scientist. The film reveals how some people still channel Social Darwinism for them to oppress others.

This film also features eugenics and the tragedy it caused as some people attempted to breed humans using Darwinian principles.

12. The Real Jesus Christ

After Jesus’ death, there was a power struggle among his followers. This resulted into a split between Paul’s group and those of Jesus’ family and closest disciples. This latter group left no written references that could point to their version of the Christ’s message.

This documentary explores what could have happened if Jesus’ story was told by those who actually knew him: his family and closest followers.

Interesting Things to Watch on YouTube

13. laos wonderland.

This documentary is about the glorious natural wonders of Laos, a country in Southeast Asia. It shows many of the unexplored spots in the country, as well as the wildlife that flourish there.

The film also features some festivals and traditions observed in Laos, which are strongly tied to the surroundings where they are celebrated. This film is treat for those who are interested in world cultures.

14. All Is Self

This documentary shows us that we are one with the whole creation. It proposes that the state of our thoughts and emotions is reflected in the state of our society. The film shows the concept of unity of all creation through different belief systems all over the world.

15. The Human Brain

If you’re interested to learn about the human brain, this documentary can supply you with the information you need. The creators of this film show viewers the physical features and structure of our brain. It explores the different areas of our own gray matter, and identifies the function of each.

16. The Truth About Sugar

Thinking about quitting sugar ?

Many nations have an obesity crisis among its citizens. In this documentary, BBC pinpoints sugar as a major culprit. The film also reveals the amount of sugar in our meals and drinks. It also reports on the reasons for our sugar addiction .

17. Food Choices

This film by Michal Siewierski is an exposé on the impact of our food choices on our health, our planet, and the lives of other species.

The documentary was three years in the making, and features interviews with 28 of the world’s leading experts in various fields. Misconceptions about diets and food are discussed in the film, too.

18. Mat Fraser: Making a Champion

Ever wondered how top athletes go about their day?

In this documentary, Mat Fraser – winner of the CrossFit Games in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019 – shares a day in the life of a CrossFit champ. He also shares his personal backstory. This serves as an inspiration for those who aspire for greatness in the realm of sports.

19. SEALFIT 20X SLTC

SEALFIT 20X is a documentary about the challenges that members of the Southeast Lineman Training Center encountered when they volunteered for the 20X program of SEALFIT. The goal of the program is to train apprentice lineworkers to become better qualified, physically, for the job.

The film shows the grit and determination of these lineworkers as they struggled to overcome the challenges of the grueling training to become the best at what they do.

20. The Cola Wars

This film showcases the intense marketing campaigns of the two leading soft drink companies, PepsiCo and The Coca-Cola Company. The competition between these two companies reached a peak in intensity during the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, and this period was dubbed as the “cola wars”.

In recent times, the rivalry between the two companies is still strong, with no sign of letting up as consumers are still almost equally divided in their soft drink preference.

21. Where Dreams Go to Die

People are saying that this is a magnificent running documentary.

This inspirational documentary is about Canadian ultrarunner Gary Robbins and his attempts to complete the Barkley Marathons. The Barkley Marathons has a full course of a hundred miles and is considered one of the toughest ultramarathon races in the world.

Learn about the sacrifices Robbins made to participate in this grueling test of strength, stamina, and spirit.

22. Self-Medicated: A Film About Art

While we’re on the topic of art, here is another documentary featuring art and artists.

In 2000, several artists who got fed up from getting excluded from the fine art scene formed a movement in defiance to this exclusivity. They called themselves The Antagonists, and they preferred to express their art through physical media – walls and the outdoors. The movement has spread throughout the globe.

This documentary tracks several Antagonists. We get to know them through their stories often of loneliness and depression and how art helps them cope.

23. The Next Black – A Film About the Future of Clothing

Do you want to know what clothes will look like in the future?

In this film, sustainability advocates, clothing companies, and a bio firm all give their opinions and forecasts about the clothes we’ll be wearing in the future. One interesting thing to see in this documentary is the way living organisms are being made to grow wearables.

24. The Reality of Truth

This film was created by spiritual guru Deepak Chopra and entrepreneur Mike Zappolin. It introduces viewers to the ways by which people throughout history have transcended into an alternate reality, such as through meditation, music, and the use of psychotropics.

The content it features makes this film controversial. Top scientists, spiritual gurus, and thought leaders discuss the common understanding of reality, as well as the methods for transcending that and reaching an alternate reality.

25. Organic Food – Hype or Hope?

These days, we are made to believe that eating organic food is healthier, so people are willing to pay a higher amount to get these products on their tables.

In this DW documentary, viewers are taken behind the scenes of the organic food industry. The lack of consistent testing, quality control, and monitoring of organic food products makes the consumers vulnerable to labeling fraud.

26. Four Horsemen

This documentary, produced by Renegade Inc. and directed by Ross Ashcroft, explains how the world works and what could be done to create a better society.

The title refers to what the film creators identify as American-led ills: financial misconducts, violence, appalling poverty, and the environmental crisis. The film hopes to inspire the audience to take action for change.

27. The Power of Meditation

If you’re not new to this blog, you’ve probably come across several articles about meditation and mindfulness . We believe that these practices have a positive effect on health and well-being.

The Power of Meditation features various practices of meditation for achieving relaxation, healing, and happiness, as well as developing positive emotions. The film is a good starting point for those who want to gain a deeper understanding about meditation

28. Enlightenment

This film, produced by Anthony Chene, attempts to find answers to the question, “Who are we really?”

If you are looking for ways to develop self-awareness , this movie is a good jump-off point to find answers. The film contains insightful interviews that create modern-day interpretations of our true purpose here on earth.

29. A Simpler Way: Crisis as Opportunity

More and more people are waking up to find solutions to global crises. Some of these individuals formed an off-the-grid community in Australia, living a simpler lifestyle to help save the planet.

This documentary was made by several members while they stayed in the community for a year. During that period, they built tiny houses, planted vegetable gardens, and experienced what it’s like to live in a sustainable community.

30. Without Bound – Perspectives on Mobile Living

This film features people who made a choice to trade the comforts of living in a house for the freedom of living on the road. In this documentary, you’ll get to know a group of people who live in trailers, RVs, and other vehicles of their choice to experience freedom through mobile and minimalistic living .

Without Bound attempts to answer the question: “How much do we need?” The documentary focuses on people who live in mobile homes by choice, and not on people rendered homeless by various social and economic circumstances.

The subjects have significantly scaled down their possessions, living day to day with the most basic essentials.

31. Real Value

These days, the demand for business enterprises that give back to society is rising. This inspiring documentary explores the concept of social enterprise.

Various notable personalities are interviewed in this film, to give the viewers a better understanding of what happens when businesses truly consider the welfare of the people and the planet.

32. Poor Kids of America

Poverty is on the rise in the United States. Many families are affected, the children more so.

This award-winning documentary shows the negative effects of a flagging economy, widespread unemployment, and poverty through the perspective of the most vulnerable members of society: the children.

33. New Money

In this documentary, former stock broker and hedge fund manager Dr. Steve Sjuggerud reveals a great money-making opportunity in a very unlikely place in the world: China.

The documentary reveals how people’s perception of China and what is actually happening there right now are completely different. In the film, Dr. Sjuggerud shows a China that is far more sophisticated than most business districts in the US.

34. Modern Day Miracles

This documentary follows 3 children with correctable disabilities who were treated by CURE International medical team in the countries of Niger, Philippines, and the Dominican Republic.

The documentary features the work of non-profit and Christian organization CURE. It is inspirational in the sense that we get to see people investing their time and effort to reach out and help others who are in need of healing and hope.

35. The Science of Acupuncture

Produced by BBC, this documentary features the traditional Chinese treatment of acupuncture.

There are many who are skeptical about this alternative treatment. The documentary explores how acupuncture is used to cure a host of ailments. Moreover, in the film, acupuncture is used on a patient in lieu of general anesthetic during open-heart surgery.

Scariest & Disturbing YouTube Documentaries

WARNING : Again, some of the films featured in this section can be extremely disturbing.

36. Child of Rage

In this CBS documentary, we see the far-reaching and destructive impact of sexual abuse. The film is based on the life of Beth Thomas who, as a young child suffered from sexual abuse. She was diagnosed with Reactive Attachment Disorder as a result of what she had experienced.

One bone-chilling scene shows her calmly telling the interviewer that she’d like to kill her new adoptive family.

37. The Great Plague (Black Death Documentary)

This documentary paints a grim and disturbing portrait about the Great Plague as it happened in London in 1665.

Through reenactments and a riveting narration, this film brings to live the terror lived by the residents of Cock and Alley parish as they fought for survival against a pandemic that eventually claimed more than 100,000 lives in their parish.

38. Beware the Slenderman

This documentary is about the 2014 attempted murder of a 12-year-old girl by two of her best friends. When the two suspects were apprehended and interrogated, they insisted that the death of best friend had to happen in order to appease the Slenderman.

The Slenderman was a character developed for an online Photoshop contest in 2009. Its gained popularity as a character in online horror stories, creepy art features, in forums, and social media.

The film shows just how unclear the line is between reality and fiction for children. And this is often exacerbated by other factors (e.g., neurological, social, etc.).

Final Thoughts on the Best Documentaries on YouTube

Are you ready to binge-watch these films soon?

Self-education can be enhanced by watching quality documentaries. As your knowledge about topics that interest you increases, so does your potential for personal success.

Can’t get enough of learning new things? Here are some articles you might want to check out:

• 21 Best Tools To Learn Something New Every Day
• CuriosityStream Review: Is it Worth the Price?
• 7 Best TED Talks on Procrastination: Tim Urban and Others

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Best biographies and memoirs of 2021

Brian Cox is punchy, David Harewood candid and Miriam Margolyes raucously indiscreet

In a bonanza year for memoirs, Ruth Coker Burks got us off to a strong start with All the Young Men (Trapeze), a clear-eyed and poignant account of her years spent looking after Aids patients in Little Rock, Arkansas, in the 1980s. While visiting a friend in hospital, Burks witnessed a group of nurses drawing straws over who should enter a room labelled “Biohazard”, the ward for men with “that gay disease”. And so she took it upon herself to sit with the dying and bury them when their families wouldn’t. Later, as the scale of fear and prejudice became apparent, she helped patients with food, transport, social security and housing, often at enormous personal cost. Her book, written with Kevin Carr O’Leary, finds light in the darkness as it reveals the love and camaraderie of a hidden community fighting for its life.

Sadness and joy also go hand-in-hand in What It Feels Like for a Girl (Penguin), an exuberant account of Paris Lees’s tearaway teenage years in Hucknall, Nottinghamshire, where “the streets are paved wi’ dog shit”. Her gender nonconformity is just one aspect of an adolescence that also features bullying, violence, prostitution, robbery and a spell in a young offenders’ institute. Yet despite the many traumas, Lees finds joy and kinship in the underground club scene and a group of drag queens who cocoon her in love and laughter.

Miriam Margolyes’s This Much Is True (John Murray) traces her path from cherished child of an Oxford GP to Bafta-winning actor to chat-show sofa staple, in a raucously indiscreet memoir replete with fruity tales of sexual experimentation, tricky co-stars and Olympic-level farting. And Bob Mortimer’s winningly heartfelt And Away… (Gallery) reveals the brilliant highs and terrible lows of his childhood as the “irritating runt” of four brothers, his initial career as a solicitor and subsequent reinvention as a celebrated comic alongside his partner in crime, Vic Reeves.

Themes of identity and belonging underpin Beautiful Country (Viking), Qian Julie Wang’s elegantly affecting account of her move from China to New York where she lived undocumented and under threat of deportation, and Nadia Owusu’s powerful Aftershocks (Sceptre), in which the author recalls a peripatetic childhood as the daughter of a volatile Armenian-American mother and a Ghanaian father, a United Nations official who died when she was 13. Both books tell remarkable stories of displacement, heartache and resilience.

1000 Years of Joys and Sorrows (Bodley Head) is another tale of extraordinary resilience, as the artist Ai Weiwei vividly reflects on his own life and that of his father, who was a poet. Both men fell foul of the Chinese authorities: Ai’s father, Ai Qing, was exiled to a place nicknamed “Little Siberia”, where he lived with his young son in a dug-out pit with a roof made from mud and branches, while Ai himself was imprisoned in 2011 for 11 weeks on spurious tax charges. Lea Ypi’s Free: Coming of Age at the End of History (Penguin) is a beautifully written account of life under a crumbling Stalinist system in Albania and the shock and chaos of what came next. In telling her story and examining the political systems in which she was raised, the author and LSE professor asks tough questions about the nature of freedom.

In Maybe I Don’t Belong Here (Bluebird), the actor David Harewood lays bare his struggles with racial injustice and mental illness, and shows how these things are connected. Harewood’s childhood was punctuated by racist abuse; later, as he tried to get his career off the ground, he was bullied by colleagues and critics. At 23, he had a psychotic breakdown during which it took six police officers to restrain him, and was dispatched to a psychiatric ward where, he learns from his hospital records, he was described as a “large black man” and administered drugs at four times the recommended dose. His recollections of his unravelling, treatment and recovery are acutely drawn.

Huma Abedin’s electrifying memoir Both/And: A Life in Many Worlds (Simon & Schuster) grapples with her multiple identities as a woman with Indian parents, who was born in Michigan and raised in Saudi Arabia. It is also a brave and unflinching account of her job as aide to Hillary Clinton and her years as the wife of Anthony Weiner , the congressman at the centre of a sexting scandal that landed him in prison, prompted an investigation by child services and ultimately derailed Clinton’s presidential campaign. Of the night Abedin learned her work emails had been discovered on her husband’s laptop, which would lead to the FBI reopening its investigation into Clinton’s handling of classified information, she recalls: “I wrote one line in my notebook. ‘I do not know how I am going to survive this. Help me God.’”

The actor Brian Cox lost his father to pancreatic cancer when he was eight years old, his mother battled with mental illness and his childhood was one of almost Dickensian poverty. But you won’t find self-pity in his meandering but amusingly irreverent memoir, Putting the Rabbit in the Hat (Quercus). Instead, we get a whistlestop tour of his working life, during which he takes entertaining pot-shots at Johnny Depp (“overrated”), Steven Seagal (“ludicrous”) and Edward Norton (“a pain in the arse”).

Finally, two terrific biographies. Frances Wilson’s smart and scholarly Burning Man: The Ascent of DH Lawrence (Bloomsbury) paints a vivid picture of a brilliant writer who was “censored and worshipped” in his lifetime, and remained furious at the world and at those not sufficiently cognisant of his genius.

And Paula Byrne’s The Adventures of Miss Barbara Pym (William Collins), about the British postwar novelist whom Philip Larkin compared to Jane Austen, is a touching and revealing portrait of a flawed romantic and a free spirit.

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Blog – Posted on Monday, Jan 21

The 30 best biographies of all time.

Biographer Richard Holmes once wrote that his work was “a kind of pursuit… writing about the pursuit of that fleeting figure, in such a way as to bring them alive in the present.”

At the risk of sounding cliché, the best biographies do exactly this: bring their subjects to life. A great biography isn’t just a laundry list of events that happened to someone. Rather, it should weave a narrative and tell a story in almost the same way a novel does. In this way, biography differs from the rest of nonfiction .

All the biographies on this list are just as captivating as excellent novels , if not more so. With that, please enjoy the 30 best biographies of all time — some historical, some recent, but all remarkable, life-giving tributes to their subjects.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the number of great biographies out there, you can also take our 30-second quiz below to narrow it down quickly and get a personalized biography recommendation  😉

Which biography should you read next?

Discover the perfect biography for you. Takes 30 seconds!

1. A Beautiful Mind by Sylvia Nasar

This biography of esteemed mathematician John Nash was both a finalist for the 1998 Pulitzer Prize and the basis for the award-winning film of the same name. Nasar thoroughly explores Nash’s prestigious career, from his beginnings at MIT to his work at the RAND Corporation — as well the internal battle he waged against schizophrenia, a disorder that nearly derailed his life.

2. Alan Turing: The Enigma: The Book That Inspired the Film The Imitation Game - Updated Edition by Andrew Hodges

Hodges’ 1983 biography of Alan Turing sheds light on the inner workings of this brilliant mathematician, cryptologist, and computer pioneer. Indeed, despite the title ( a nod to his work during WWII ), a great deal of the “enigmatic” Turing is laid out in this book. It covers his heroic code-breaking efforts during the war, his computer designs and contributions to mathematical biology in the years following, and of course, the vicious persecution that befell him in the 1950s — when homosexual acts were still a crime punishable by English law.

3. Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow

Ron Chernow’s Alexander Hamilton is not only the inspiration for a hit Broadway musical, but also a work of creative genius itself. This massive undertaking of over 800 pages details every knowable moment of the youngest Founding Father’s life: from his role in the Revolutionary War and early American government to his sordid (and ultimately career-destroying) affair with Maria Reynolds. He may never have been president, but he was a fascinating and unique figure in American history — plus it’s fun to get the truth behind the songs.

Prefer to read about fascinating First Ladies rather than almost-presidents? Check out this awesome list of books about First Ladies over on The Archive.

4. Barracoon: The Story of the Last "Black Cargo" by Zora Neale Hurston

A prolific essayist, short story writer, and novelist, Hurston turned her hand to biographical writing in 1927 with this incredible work, kept under lock and key until it was published 2018. It’s based on Hurston’s interviews with the last remaining survivor of the Middle Passage slave trade, a man named Cudjo Lewis. Rendered in searing detail and Lewis’ highly affecting African-American vernacular, this biography of the “last black cargo” will transport you back in time to an era that, chillingly, is not nearly as far away from us as it feels.

5. Churchill: A Life by Martin Gilbert

Though many a biography of him has been attempted, Gilbert’s is the final authority on Winston Churchill — considered by many to be Britain’s greatest prime minister ever. A dexterous balance of in-depth research and intimately drawn details makes this biography a perfect tribute to the mercurial man who led Britain through World War II.

Just what those circumstances are occupies much of Bodanis's book, which pays homage to Einstein and, just as important, to predecessors such as Maxwell, Faraday, and Lavoisier, who are not as well known as Einstein today. Balancing writerly energy and scholarly weight, Bodanis offers a primer in modern physics and cosmology, explaining that the universe today is an expression of mass that will, in some vastly distant future, one day slide back to the energy side of the equation, replacing the \'dominion of matter\' with \'a great stillness\'--a vision that is at once lovely and profoundly frightening.

Without sliding into easy psychobiography, Bodanis explores other circumstances as well; namely, Einstein's background and character, which combined with a sterling intelligence to afford him an idiosyncratic view of the way things work--a view that would change the world. --Gregory McNamee

6. E=mc²: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation by David Bodanis

This “biography of the world’s most famous equation” is a one-of-a-kind take on the genre: rather than being the story of Einstein, it really does follow the history of the equation itself. From the origins and development of its individual elements (energy, mass, and light) to their ramifications in the twentieth century, Bodanis turns what could be an extremely dry subject into engaging fare for readers of all stripes.

7. Enrique's Journey by Sonia Nazario

When Enrique was only five years old, his mother left Honduras for the United States, promising a quick return. Eleven years later, Enrique finally decided to take matters into his own hands in order to see her again: he would traverse Central and South America via railway, risking his life atop the “train of death” and at the hands of the immigration authorities, to reunite with his mother. This tale of Enrique’s perilous journey is not for the faint of heart, but it is an account of incredible devotion and sharp commentary on the pain of separation among immigrant families.

8. Frida: A Biography of Frida Kahlo by Hayden Herrera

Herrera’s 1983 biography of renowned painter Frida Kahlo, one of the most recognizable names in modern art, has since become the definitive account on her life. And while Kahlo no doubt endured a great deal of suffering (a horrific accident when she was eighteen, a husband who had constant affairs), the focal point of the book is not her pain. Instead, it’s her artistic brilliance and immense resolve to leave her mark on the world — a mark that will not soon be forgotten, in part thanks to Herrera’s dedicated work.

9. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

Perhaps the most impressive biographical feat of the twenty-first century, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks is about a woman whose cells completely changed the trajectory of modern medicine. Rebecca Skloot skillfully commemorates the previously unknown life of a poor black woman whose cancer cells were taken, without her knowledge, for medical testing — and without whom we wouldn’t have many of the critical cures we depend upon today.

10. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer

Christopher McCandless, aka Alexander Supertramp, hitchhiked to Alaska and disappeared into the Denali wilderness in April 1992. Five months later, McCandless was found emaciated and deceased in his shelter — but of what cause? Krakauer’s biography of McCandless retraces his steps back to the beginning of the trek, attempting to suss out what the young man was looking for on his journey, and whether he fully understood what dangers lay before him.

11. Let Us Now Praise Famous Men: Three Tenant Families by James Agee

"Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers that begat us.” From this line derives the central issue of Agee and Evans’ work: who truly deserves our praise and recognition? According to this 1941 biography, it’s the barely-surviving sharecropper families who were severely impacted by the American “Dust Bowl” — hundreds of people entrenched in poverty, whose humanity Evans and Agee desperately implore their audience to see in their book.

12. The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon by David Grann

Another mysterious explorer takes center stage in this gripping 2009 biography. Grann tells the story of Percy Fawcett, the archaeologist who vanished in the Amazon along with his son in 1925, supposedly in search of an ancient lost city. Parallel to this narrative, Grann describes his own travels in the Amazon 80 years later: discovering firsthand what threats Fawcett may have encountered, and coming to realize what the “Lost City of Z” really was.

13. Mao: The Unknown Story by Jung Chang

Though many of us will be familiar with the name Mao Zedong, this prodigious biography sheds unprecedented light upon the power-hungry “Red Emperor.” Chang and Halliday begin with the shocking statistic that Mao was responsible for 70 million deaths during peacetime — more than any other twentieth-century world leader. From there, they unravel Mao’s complex ideologies, motivations, and missions, breaking down his long-propagated “hero” persona and thrusting forth a new, grislier image of one of China’s biggest revolutionaries.

14. Mad Girl's Love Song: Sylvia Plath and Life Before Ted by Andrew Wilson by Andrew Wilson

Titled after one of her most evocative poems, this shimmering bio of Sylvia Plath takes an unusual approach. Instead of focusing on her years of depression and tempestuous marriage to poet Ted Hughes, it chronicles her life before she ever came to Cambridge. Wilson closely examines her early family and relationships, feelings and experiences, with information taken from her meticulous diaries — setting a strong precedent for other Plath biographers to follow.

15. The Minds of Billy Milligan by Daniel Keyes

What if you had twenty-four different people living inside you, and you never knew which one was going to come out? Such was the life of Billy Milligan, the subject of this haunting biography by the author of Flowers for Algernon . Keyes recounts, in a refreshingly straightforward style, the events of Billy’s life and how his psyche came to be “split”... as well as how, with Keyes’ help, he attempted to put the fragments of himself back together.

16. Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder

This gorgeously constructed biography follows Paul Farmer, a doctor who’s worked for decades to eradicate infectious diseases around the globe, particularly in underprivileged areas. Though Farmer’s humanitarian accomplishments are extraordinary in and of themselves, the true charm of this book comes from Kidder’s personal relationship with him — and the sense of fulfillment the reader sustains from reading about someone genuinely heroic, written by someone else who truly understands and admires what they do.

17. Napoleon: A Life by Andrew Roberts

Here’s another bio that will reshape your views of a famed historical tyrant, though this time in a surprisingly favorable light. Decorated scholar Andrew Roberts delves into the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, from his near-flawless military instincts to his complex and confusing relationship with his wife. But Roberts’ attitude toward his subject is what really makes this work shine: rather than ridiculing him ( as it would undoubtedly be easy to do ), he approaches the “petty tyrant” with a healthy amount of deference.

18. The Passage of Power: The Years of Lyndon Johnson IV by Robert A. Caro

Lyndon Johnson might not seem as intriguing or scandalous as figures like Kennedy, Nixon, or W. Bush. But in this expertly woven biography, Robert Caro lays out the long, winding road of his political career, and it’s full of twists you wouldn’t expect. Johnson himself was a surprisingly cunning figure, gradually maneuvering his way closer and closer to power. Finally, in 1963, he got his greatest wish — but at what cost? Fans of Adam McKay’s Vice , this is the book for you.

19. Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser

Anyone who grew up reading Little House on the Prairie will surely be fascinated by this tell-all biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder. Caroline Fraser draws upon never-before-published historical resources to create a lush study of the author’s life — not in the gently narrated manner of the Little House series, but in raw and startling truths about her upbringing, marriage, and volatile relationship with her daughter (and alleged ghostwriter) Rose Wilder Lane.

20. Prince: A Private View by Afshin Shahidi

Compiled just after the superstar’s untimely death in 2016, this intimate snapshot of Prince’s life is actually a largely visual work — Shahidi served as his private photographer from the early 2000s until his passing. And whatever they say about pictures being worth a thousand words, Shahidi’s are worth more still: Prince’s incredible vibrance, contagious excitement, and altogether singular personality come through in every shot.

21. Radioactive: Marie & Pierre Curie: A Tale of Love and Fallout by Lauren Redniss

Could there be a more fitting title for a book about the husband-wife team who discovered radioactivity? What you may not know is that these nuclear pioneers also had a fascinating personal history. Marie Sklodowska met Pierre Curie when she came to work in his lab in 1891, and just a few years later they were married. Their passion for each other bled into their passion for their work, and vice-versa — and in almost no time at all, they were on their way to their first of their Nobel Prizes.

22. Rosemary: The Hidden Kennedy Daughter by Kate Clifford Larson

She may not have been assassinated or killed in a mysterious plane crash, but Rosemary Kennedy’s fate is in many ways the worst of “the Kennedy Curse.” As if a botched lobotomy that left her almost completely incapacitated weren’t enough, her parents then hid her away from society, almost never to be seen again. Yet in this new biography, penned by devoted Kennedy scholar Kate Larson, the full truth of Rosemary’s post-lobotomy life is at last revealed.

23. Savage Beauty: The Life of Edna St. Vincent Millay by Nancy Milford

This appropriately lyrical biography of brilliant Jazz Age poet and renowned feminist, Edna St. Vincent Millay, is indeed a perfect balance of savage and beautiful. While Millay’s poetic work was delicate and subtle, the woman herself was feisty and unpredictable, harboring unusual and occasionally destructive habits that Milford fervently explores.

24. Shelley: The Pursuit by Richard Holmes

Holmes’ famous philosophy of “biography as pursuit” is thoroughly proven here in his first full-length biographical work. Shelley: The Pursuit details an almost feverish tracking of Percy Shelley as a dark and cutting figure in the Romantic period — reforming many previous historical conceptions about him through Holmes’ compelling and resolute writing.

25. Shirley Jackson: A Rather Haunted Life by Ruth Franklin

Another Gothic figure has been made newly known through this work, detailing the life of prolific horror and mystery writer Shirley Jackson. Author Ruth Franklin digs deep into the existence of the reclusive and mysterious Jackson, drawing penetrating comparisons between the true events of her life and the dark nature of her fiction.

26. The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel

Fans of Into the Wild and The Lost City of Z will find their next adventure fix in this 2017 book about Christopher Knight, a man who lived by himself in the Maine woods for almost thirty years. The tale of this so-called “last true hermit” will captivate readers who have always fantasized about escaping society, with vivid descriptions of Knight’s rural setup, his carefully calculated moves and how he managed to survive the deadly cold of the Maine winters.

27. Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson

The man, the myth, the legend: Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO of Apple, is properly immortalized in Isaacson’s masterful biography. It divulges the details of Jobs’ little-known childhood and tracks his fateful path from garage engineer to leader of one of the largest tech companies in the world — not to mention his formative role in other legendary companies like Pixar, and indeed within the Silicon Valley ecosystem as a whole.

28. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand

Olympic runner Louis Zamperini was just twenty-six when his US Army bomber crashed and burned in the Pacific, leaving him and two other men afloat on a raft for forty-seven days — only to be captured by the Japanese Navy and tortured as a POW for the next two and a half years. In this gripping biography, Laura Hillenbrand tracks Zamperini’s story from beginning to end… including how he embraced Christian evangelism as a means of recovery, and even came to forgive his tormentors in his later years.

29. Vera (Mrs. Vladimir Nabokov) by Stacy Schiff

Everyone knows of Vladimir Nabokov — but what about his wife, Vera, whom he called “the best-humored woman I have ever known”? According to Schiff, she was a genius in her own right, supporting Vladimir not only as his partner, but also as his all-around editor and translator. And she kept up that trademark humor throughout it all, inspiring her husband’s work and injecting some of her own creative flair into it along the way.

30. Will in the World: How Shakespeare Became Shakespeare by Stephen Greenblatt

William Shakespeare is a notoriously slippery historical figure — no one really knows when he was born, what he looked like, or how many plays he wrote. But that didn’t stop Stephen Greenblatt, who in 2004 turned out this magnificently detailed biography of the Bard: a series of imaginative reenactments of his writing process, and insights on how the social and political ideals of the time would have influenced him. Indeed, no one exists in a vacuum, not even Shakespeare — hence the conscious depiction of him in this book as a “will in the world,” rather than an isolated writer shut up in his own musty study.

If you're looking for more inspiring nonfiction, check out this list of 30 engaging self-help books , or this list of the last century's best memoirs !

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YouTube Biographies

In this collection, students watch short YouTube videos about the lives of various historical figures. Students then write a short biography based on the information included in the video they watched. Each assignment allows students to demonstrate comprehension, gather information from a source, and practice writing about important historical figures.

Write a Short Biography of Benjamin Franklin

In this assignment, students watch a six-minute video about Benjamin Franklin's life and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about how Benjamin Franklin helped shape the United States.

Duration: 30–45 minutes

Skills in this Assignment

• Begin a Narrative
• Elaborate (Narr)
• Choose Words Carefully
• Summarize Text/Topic
• Develop Beginning/Middle/End
• Introduce Background & Topic

Standards in this Assignment

Write a short biography of amelia earhart.

In this assignment, students watch a five-minute video about Amelia Earhart and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Amelia Earhart was and what she accomplished.

• Introduce the Story

Write a Short Biography of George Washington

In this assignment, students watch a five-minute video about George Washington's life and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who George Washington was and how he helped shape the United States.

Write a Short Biography of Clara Barton

In this assignment, students watch a three-minute video about Clara Barton and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Clara Barton was and how her work helped people.

Write a Short Biography of Sitting Bull

In this assignment, students watch a four-minute video about Sitting Bull and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Sitting Bull was and how he helped lead the Lakota tribe through years of resistance.

Write a Short Biography of Madame C. J. Walker

In this assignment, students watch a four-minute video about Madame C. J. Walker's life and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about how Madame C. J. Walker became the first female self-made millionaire in America.

Write a Short Biography of Andrew Carnegie

In this assignment, students watch a two-minute video about Andrew Carnegie's life and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about how Andrew Carnegie became a successful businessman.

Write a Short Biography of Ruby Bridges

In this assignment, students watch a nine-minute video about Ruby Bridges and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Ruby Bridges is and how she helped to desegregate schools.

Write a Short Biography of Thomas Edison

In this assignment, students watch a three-minute video about Thomas Edison and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Thomas Edison was and his contributions to society.

Write a Short Biography of Harriet Tubman

In this assignment, students watch a five-minute video about Harriet Tubman and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Harriet Tubman was and how she helped shape the nation.

Write a Short Biography of Celia Cruz

In this assignment, students watch a two-minute video about Celia Cruz's life and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about how Celia Cruz became a successful entertainer.

• End with an Idea
• Connect Ending
• Support with Reasons & Evidence

Write a Short Biography of Laura Ingalls Wilder

In this assignment, students watch a five-minute video about Laura Ingalls Wilder and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about Laura Ingalls Wilder and her contributions to American literature.

Write a Short Biography of Abigail Adams

In this assignment, students watch a four-minute video about Abigail Adams and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Abigail Adams was and how she fought for women's rights in the United States.

Write a Short Biography of Abraham Lincoln

In this assignment, students watch a four-minute video about Abraham Lincoln and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Abraham Lincoln was and how he led the country through the Civil War.

Write a Short Biography of Anne Hutchinson

In this assignment, students watch a four-minute video about Anne Hutchinson's life and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about how Anne Hutchinson came to the Americas as a colonist in search of religious freedom.

Write a Short Biography of César Chávez

In this assignment, students watch a three-minute video about César Chávez and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about how Cesar Chavez brought national attention to the plight of farmworkers.

Write a Short Biography of Sacajawea

In this assignment, students watch a four-minute video about Sacajawea and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Sacajawea was and how she helped explore the American frontier.

Note: This video contains a brief mention of Sacajawea being married to a man at the age of 11.

Write a Short Biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In this assignment, students watch a six-minute video about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was and how he led the Civil Rights Movement.

Write a Short Biography of George Washington Carver

In this assignment, students watch a five-minute video about George Washington Carver and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who George Washington Carver was and his contributions to science.

Write a Short Biography of Rosa Parks

In this assignment, students watch a three-minute video about Rosa Parks and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who Rosa Parks was and how she contributed to the Civil Rights Movement.

Write a Short Biography of the Wright Brothers

In this assignment, students watch a three-minute video about Wilbur and Orville Wright and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about who the Wright brothers were and their invention of the airplane.

Write a Short Biography of Sonia Sotomayor

In this assignment, students watch a two-minute video about Justice Sonia Sotomayor and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing and learn more about how Sonia Sotomayor became a Supreme Court Justice.

• Add Meaning (Info)

Write a Short Biography of Ada Lovelace

In this assignment, students watch a short documentary about Ada Lovelace's life and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing.

Duration: 45–60 minutes

• Use Reliable Sources
• Check Spelling & Punctuation
• Follow the Prompt
• Stay on Topic
• Use Voice/Style/Tone
• Elaborate (Info)
• Organize for Flow and Logic

Write a Short Biography of Garrett Morgan

In this assignment, students watch a two minute documentary about Garrett Morgan's life and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing.

Write a Short Biography of Claudette Colvin

In this assignment, students watch a two and a half minute documentary about Claudette Colvin's life and then write a Short Biography. Students use details from the video to support their writing.

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A Historian Makes Peace With Her Own History

It took Doris Kearns Goodwin a while to adjust to leaving the Concord, Mass., farmhouse she shared with her husband. But Boston has its compensations.

At Home With Doris Kearns Goodwin

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By Joanne Kaufman

After Doris Kearns Goodwin’s husband died nearly six years ago, the couple’s home, a 19th-century farmhouse in Concord, Mass., no longer felt right.

“We were there for 20 years,” said Ms. Kearns Goodwin, 81, the Pulitzer Prize-winning historian whose new book, “An Unfinished Love Story: A Personal History of the 1960s,” will be published April 16.

“It was a house we had loved, and a house that in many ways we had built together,” she continued, referring to assorted refinements, including the three-car garage that became a library and the addition of a tower inspired by her husband’s fascination with Galileo.

There was a gently gurgling fountain in the backyard, a curved wooden bench, abundant flowering plants and a pond populated with koi. Inside were books — some 10,000 of them — arranged by category and subject matter, and dispersed to shelves in almost every room. “All that we loved was there,” Ms. Kearns Goodwin said.

Suddenly, though, the house felt too big. And everywhere she turned she saw her husband of 42 years, Richard N. Goodwin , the brilliant, rumpled Zelig-like figure who, in his 20s, was a special assistant to President John F. Kennedy and forged an enduring friendship with Jackie Kennedy and, in his 30s, was a speechwriter and adviser for President Lyndon B. Johnson and Robert F. Kennedy. “Mr. Goodwin called himself a voice of the 1960s, and with justification,” noted his obituary in The New York Times.

“One of my sons lives in Concord, and knowing how hard it was for me, came to stay, and brought my two granddaughters,” Ms. Kearns Goodwin said. “But I just missed Dick too much, so I decided to put the house on the market.”

Doris Kearns Goodwin, 81

Occupation: Historian, biographer

Speaking volumes: “I made so many mistakes when I was choosing what books to give away. I kept a lot of biographies, but there are so many I missed. Now I keep saying, ‘Where’s that book?’”

Moving to nearby Boston was an easy call. “I had actually wanted to move to the city when Dick and I got married,” she said. “I grew up on Long Island and loved New York. Concord was our great compromise.”

The youngest of her three sons, Joe, had settled with his family in a high-rise condominium, “so I knew the building and loved it,” said Ms. Kearns Goodwin, who bought a three-bedroom apartment with panoramic views of Beantown two floors below her son in 2019. There she wrote “An Unfinished Love Story,” a braiding of memoir, biography and history.

Ms. Kearns Goodwin’s primary sources were the 300 (and counting) boxes of letters, postcards, documents, diaries, newspaper clippings, photos and other ephemera that Dick Goodwin amassed during the middle years of the 20th century, unceremoniously shoved into storage units, basements and a barn, and then, more than 50 years later, retrieved cache by cache and shared with his very eager wife.

“I was really excited to see them, just as a historian. They had all the elements of what you want in an archive,” Ms. Kearns Goodwin said. “And they were from the ’60s, the decade I really wanted to know more about.”

A cancer diagnosis and the subsequent debilitating — futile — treatment got in the way of Mr. Goodwin’s plans to chronicle those turbulent times. After his death, Ms. Kearns Goodwin took up the project.

She had the source material, but she also needed the setting: a recreation of her Concord study in her new condo. The mise en scène included a nicely worn blue leather sofa, a low chestnut table with plenty of room for books, a side table and the rug that Ms. Kearns Goodwin brought back from Morocco when she attended the 40th anniversary of the Casablanca Conference, a 1943 meeting between President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

“It was the only way I could work,” Ms. Kearns Goodwin said. “It was like my talisman, in a certain sense. To have my little nook, I could feel I was still in Concord, though I was in a different room in a different building.”

Her fans will likely be familiar with the bookcase behind the sofa; it’s visible when she is interviewed from home. She consistently scores a 10 on Room Rater , at least in part because she decorously refrains from displaying her own publications.

Other pieces from the Concord house are scattered around the apartment — among them, several Persian rugs and an octagonal Indian coffee table. The bookcase that was in her old foyer sits in the condo’s entryway. Now, as then, it contains first editions and a miniature reproduction of the Revolutionary War Battle of Lexington and Concord, on the North Bridge. Sometimes her 5-year-old grandson plays with the toy soldiers, Ms. Kearns Goodwin said, as she adjusted the orientation of the tiny bridge.

The table from Mr. Goodwin’s study, now a display space for family photos, sits near the large windows in the living room. Nearby, a specially made plinth holds a replica of Augustus Saint-Gaudens’s life-size bust of Abraham Lincoln, a sculpture she received when she won the 2006 Gilder Lehrman Lincoln Prize for her book “Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln.”

Framed photos of Ms. Kearns Goodwin with President Johnson and President Obama, and of Mr. Goodwin with Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, Robert F. Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy, hang on a wall in the entryway. Visitors should allow themselves extra time to gape and to stutter out frequently asked questions. Extra credit to those who can act convincingly blasé when Ms. Kearns Goodwin hands them the engraved Cartier cuff links that Jackie gave Mr. Goodwin as a gift, or when she points out the baseball autographed by Don Larsen , who pitched the only perfect game in postseason history, in the fall of 1956.

Books are everywhere: on tables, on sculptural vertical stands and in bookcases custom-made to look like the shelves in Concord.

When Ms. Kearns Goodwin began the process of moving out of her house, culling the collection — 5,000 volumes had to go — became a sad obsession. Fortunately, many found a new home at the Concord Free Public Library in a designated room: the Goodwin Forum. “That meant that the books, my buddies, would still be around,” she said.

For two years after she moved to Boston, she compulsively — one might say masochistically — replayed the video that was commissioned (complete with meditative piano accompaniment) to sell her house. “I don’t know what I was doing to myself,” she said ruefully. “I’d watch and start sobbing. And each time I went back to Concord I felt sad.”

Since then, she has befriended several residents of the building, to say nothing of the valet, the doormen and the concierge. “They’re all my buddies,” said Ms. Kearns Goodwin, who, you feel pretty certain, makes a new buddy or three on an elevator ride from her apartment to the lobby.

When she lived in Concord, it was, frankly, a schlep to come into Boston to go to the symphony or the theater. “Now I can just decide at the last minute to go,” she said. “It’s definitely a different phase of my life.”

It’s been a while since she has watched the video. And she no longer feels undone when she visits Concord. That unhappiness, as Ms. Kearns Goodwin herself might say, is history.

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A photo caption with an earlier version of this article misidentified an item in Doris Kearns Goodwin’s home. It is a Tiffany paperweight commemorating the Pulitzer Prize she won in 1995 for her book, “No Ordinary Time,” not the prize itself.

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