The 2021 Reading Resolutions Challenge kicks off with the theme “Famous and Infamous,” which invites you to read a biography, autobiography or memoir.

What’s the difference? According to Oxford Languages/Google, a biography is an account of someone’s life written by someone else. An autobiography is an account of someone’s life written by that person. A memoir is similar to an autobiography, in that it’s also an account written by the person who lived it, but a memoir tends to focus on a theme or experience, and how it shaped the person’s life going forward.

Regardless of which you choose, these books can satisfy your craving for larger-than-life characters who celebrate amazing triumphs, or suffer spectacular downfalls. They can deliver page-turning reads that are both entertaining and educational, and like the Challenge title suggests, you can read about heroic, admirable people, the talented but deeply flawed, or the notoriously corrupt and criminal. Famous or Infamous? The choice is up to you.

Whether your interests run toward Classic Hollywood, Amazing Athletes, Rock Stars, Memoirs, Supreme Court, Royalty, or Presidents, you’re sure to discover a great story.  Click here to explore our online collection of biographies, autobiographies and memoirs, and place your item on hold. Or give the Adult Services department a call, and we’ll be happy to pull available materials and place them at the Main Library drive-up.

Want to see a few of our newest biographies, autobiographies and memoirs? Click here to watch our Adult Services New Release Round-Up.

Once you’ve read your selection, go to the 2021 Reading Resolutions Challenge in Beanstack, select the January Activity Badge (shown above), answer the question. When your badge changes from gray to color, you’re entered in our monthly drawing.

Can’t finish your book by the end of January? No problem. Once a badge is active, it remains active all year. So while you’ll miss January’s drawing, you’ll still earn the Famous and Infamous badge, which counts toward the Grand Prize drawing at the end of the year.