How to Write a Book Report on an Autobiography

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An autobiography is the story of a person's life as written by the person in question. Unlike a biography, where a third party documents the subject's life, an autobiography is told from a first-person point of view. Thus, book reports written on autobiographies can be a little tricky, but generally follow a straightforward rubric. The goal of a book report on an autobiography is to summarize the major achievements and events in the biographer's life.

  • Pen and paper, or
  • Typewriter, or
  • Computer

1 Describe the subject

In the first part of the book report, describe the subject of the autobiography, including why this person is famous or notable. Be sure to include major facts such as date of birth, place of birth and date of death (if applicable). You may also want to explain why you chose to write a book report on this person.

2 Focus

In the second part of the book report, focus on describing the subject's early life including where she grew up, the type of education she received and information on her family members.

3 List

List at least five major events that occurred in this person's life, excluding the dates of birth and death. Focus on important, life-changing events and notable accomplishments such as artistic achievement, the winning of awards, any important discoveries and any other notable contributions to the world. Basically, the third part of the book report should chronicle in much more detail why this person is notable.

4 Give your personal opinion

Give your personal opinion of the autobiographer. Describe your thoughts on this person's accomplishments and contributions. Explain how you think this person impacted the world with his existence.

5 Finally

Finally, in the last part of the book report, describe whether or not you enjoyed reading the book. Give some concrete reasons as to why you liked or disliked the book, and tell if you would recommend this book to be read by others.

  • Don't put in too much superfluous information such as unimportant dates or lists of names of the person's acquaintances. These details will only clutter the book report without adding any real meaning.
  • Choose the autobiography of a person you are truly interested in. This will make the book report much more interesting and fun.

Maggie Hira has been writing professionally since 2006. She has written for numerous websites and print publications, including "LA.Direct Magazine" and The Budget Fashionista. Hira holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of California, Los Angeles.

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