Portal:Biography

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Biography (from the Greek words bios (βιος), meaning 'life', and graphein, meaning 'to write') is a genre of literature or film which presents a relatively full account of the most interesting and important events of a notable person's life. While a biography may focus on a fictional person, the term usually refers to non-fiction works. As opposed to summaries of people's lives, such as profiles or curriculum vitae, a biography is a continuous narrative which interprets and explains the person's character, personality, and social context.

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Matthew Brettingham (1699 – 19 August 1769), sometimes called Matthew Brettingham the Elder, was an 18th century Englishman who rose from humble origins to supervise the construction of Holkham Hall, and eventually became one of the country's better known architects of his generation. Much of his principal work has since been demolished, particularly his work in London, where he revolutionised the design of the grand townhouse. As a result he is often overlooked today, remembered only for his Palladian remodelling of numerous country houses, many of them situated in the East Anglian area of Britain. As Brettingham neared the pinnacle of his career, Palladianism began to fall out of fashion and neoclassicism was introduced, championed by a young Robert Adam. (Read more...)

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The only known photograph of Frédéric François Chopin (IPA: [fʁedeʁik fʁɑ̃swa ʃɔpɛ̃]), (March 1, 1810¹ – October 17, 1849). Chopin was a Polish piano composer of the Romantic period, widely regarded as one of the most famous, influential and prolific composers for piano, and Poland's most significant composer. (read more...)

Photograph believed to have been taken by Louis-Auguste Bisson in 1849.

¹Some sources give February 22, for an explanation see here.

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• ...that former child actor Richard Eyer, who played the boy who runs "afowl" of the goose in William Wyler's 1956 film Friendly Persuasion, is now an elementary school teacher in Bishop, California?
• ...that 1985 NCAA hurdling champion Thomas Wilcher won the Michigan High School Athletic Association team track & field championship three consecutive times, both as an athlete and a coach?
• ...that after winning three medals at the 1992 Summer Olympics as a 16-year-old, Anita Nall retired from competitive swimming in 2000 due to chronic fatigue syndrome?

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See also: Biographies of living persons

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Lists of People

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Births

• 1567 - Samuel de Champlain, (pictured) French explorer (d. 1635)
• 1883 - Franz Kafka, Czech writer (d. 1924)
• 1940 - Lamar Alexander junior United States Senator from Tennessee
• 1946 - Leszek Miller, Prime Minister of Poland
• 1957 - Laura Branigan, American singer (d. 2004)
• 1959 - Julie Burchill, British journalist and author
• 1960 - Vince Clarke, British songwriter (of the bands Depeche Mode, Yazoo and Erasure)
• 1962 - Tom Cruise, American actor
• 1970 - Teemu Selänne, Finnish hockey player

Deaths

• 1914 - Joseph Chamberlain, British politician (b. 1836)
• 1971 - Jim Morrison, American singer (The Doors) (b. 1943)
• 1994 - Lew Hoad, Australian tennis player (b. 1934)
• 1995 - Pancho Gonzales, American tennis player (b. 1928)
• 2001 - Mordecai Richler, Canadian author (b. 1931)

Recent days: July 2 – July 1 – June 30

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