My Autobiography [suggested by Clare Freeman]

Born into a theatrical family, Chaplin’s father died of drink while his mother, unable to bear the poverty, suffered from bouts of insanity, Chaplin embarked on a film-making career which won him immeasurable success, as well as intense controversy. His extraordinary autobiography was first published in 1964 and was written almost entirely without reference to documentation – simply as an astonishing feat of memory by a 75 year old man. It is an incomparably vivid reconstruction of a poor London childhood, the music hall and then his prodigious life in the movies. [Product description from Amazon]

Author’s Wikipedia page.
Author’s website.
(plus, as you would expect, an extensive biography on IMDb)

Shortlisted for this month

The book selector for the month can choose up to three books for nomination. This month Clare took “autobiographies” as her theme, and the other choices were:

Undisputed Truth

Love him or loathe him, ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson is an icon and one of the most fascinating sporting figures of our time. In this no-holds-barred autobiography, Tyson lays bare his demons and tells his story: from poverty to stardom to hell and back again.

In this, his first, autobiography, ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson pulls no punches and lays bare the story of his remarkable life and career. Co-written with Larry Sloman, author of Antony Keidis’s best-selling memoir ‘Scar Tissue’, this is a visceral, and unputdown-able story of a man born and raised to brutality, who reached the heights of stardom before falling to crime, substance abuse and infamy. Full of all the controversy and complexity that you would expect from a man who delighted as much as he shocked, this is a book that will surprise people and reveal a fascinating character beneath the exterior of violence.

If you think you know all about Mike Tyson, read this book and think again. [product description from Amazon]

Author’s Wikipedia page.
Author’s website.

Autobiography of a Recovering Skinhead

By age 16, Meeink was a notorious skinhead gang leader. At age 18, he was doing hard time. Teamed up with African-American players in a prison football league, Meeink learned to question his hatred. Here, he describes his descent into and ultimate triumph over drugs and hate. [Product description from Amazon]

Author’s Wikipedia page.
Author’s website.