Literary Biography: An Introduction illustrates and accounts for the literary genre that merges historical facts with the conventions of narrative while revealing how the biographical context can enrich the study of canonical authors. * Provides up-to-date and comprehensive coverage of issues and controversies in life writing, a rapidly growing field of study * Offers a valuable biographical and historical context for the study of major classic and contemporary authors * Features an interview with Wilfred Owen's biographer, Dominic Hibberd; a gallery of literary portraits with commentaries; close readings that illustrate the differences between fiction and biography; speculation about likely future developments; and detailed suggestions for further reading