special-purpose biography
Quick Summary
"Special-purpose" biography refers to lifewriting where the biographical narrative serves other interests beyond simply recounting a person's life. These works can include propaganda, scandalous exposés, or publicity pieces for celebrities. They also encompass "campaign biographies" designed to promote political candidates, commemorative volumes often filled with eulogy, and "hagiography," which are lives of saints written for edification. In these instances, the art of biography is subordinate to a different agenda.1
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