What Are Autobiographies and How to Homeschool With Them

Autobiographies are works that people write about their own lives. Reading autobiographies is a smart way for your students to connect with people of the past or present. Most history books retell stories about things that happened long ago. A key benefit of autobiographies for kids is that they give first-hand accounts from people who were there as events unfolded. For that reason, autobiographies are considered primary sources — original records from people who personally experienced a particular situation.

Autobiographical Books

Often, a writer sits down with the intent of producing a book about his or her life. That might be the type of literature that immediately springs to your mind when you think about autobiographies. In a book like that, writers can highlight the events and stories that they found most meaningful about their own lives. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin is an example, albeit unfinished, of this type of work. Reading autobiographies will help your homeschool students learn history from a new perspective.

Memoirs and Diaries

Other times, people’s private writings later become published works. For example, someone may keep a diary about life events. If the person becomes famous or goes through a defining experience, others may be interested in reading the journal entries. Since diaries and memoirs are written by the person in the story, they, too, are considered autobiographies. Many diaries aren’t released until after the author’s death, but that’s not always the case. Helen Keller, author of The Story of My Life, chose to publish her own memoirs when she was 22 years old about growing up blind while she was still alive.

Letters

A person’s correspondence can be another example of autobiographical writing. Whether penning a note to a friend or composing an open dispatch, people may share their thoughts, feelings and experiences in their letters. By reading old letters, your students can learn for themselves what was going through historical figures’ heads. One such autobiography to consider is An Open Letter on Translating by Martin Luther.

When you’re looking for autobiographies to read in your homeschool, check out LightSail’s vast collection of books. Through classic books, your students can learn about history from the people who lived it. By reading modern autobiographies, they may become global citizens who are tuned into others’ experiences.