This year, our High Plains Chautauqua performers have curated a selection of books that bring to life the stories and backgrounds of the historical figures they’ll portray at our 2025 event series.
We hope you enjoy exploring this list of recommended reads — some even include personal notes and insights from the performers themselves
We hope you enjoy exploring this list of recommended reads — some even include personal notes and insights from the performers themselves
Charlie Chaplin
My Autobiography by Charles Chaplin (1964) Twelve years after his exile from the United States, Chaplin’s memoir was published and was a bestseller.
Chaplin, Charles. My Autobiography Charles Chaplin. Simon & Schuster, 1964.
Available in print Available as audiobook
Chaplin: His Life and Art by David Robinson (1985) This is the definitive Chaplin biography. It is an expansive book which chronicles Chaplin’s upbringing in South London, his tours with Eight Lancashire Lads, his work in vaudeville and, of course, his entire filmography.
Robinson, David. Chaplin: His Life and Art. McGraw-Hill, 1985.
Available in print
Charlie Chaplin: A Brief Life by Peter Ackroyd (2014) If you’re looking for a thoughtful retrospective with lighter heft than Robinson’s book, this is a good introduction to Chaplin.
Ackroyd, Peter. Charlie Chaplin: A Brief Life. Doubleday, 2014.
Available in print Available as audiobook
Charlie Chaplin and His Times by Kenneth S. Lynn (2002) This book evaluates Chaplin within the historical framework of early cinema as well as the politics and world events which influenced his perspective.
Charlie Chaplin and His Times. Cooper Square Publishers, 2002.
Available in print Available as audiobook
Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided by Scott Eyman (2024)
A new biography offering a fascinating look at the political controversy and public scandal which prompted Chaplin’s ban from the United States followed by a self-imposed exile of two decades.
Eyman, Scott. Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided. Simon & Schuster, 2024.
Available in print Available as audiobook
For Young Readers:
Smile: How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry) by Gary Golio (2019) This is a short and accessible picture book about Chaplin’s childhood and then entry to world fame.
Golio, Gary. Smile: How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry). Candlewick, 2019.
Available in print Available as audiobook
Chaplin, Charles. My Autobiography Charles Chaplin. Simon & Schuster, 1964.
Available in print Available as audiobook
Chaplin: His Life and Art by David Robinson (1985) This is the definitive Chaplin biography. It is an expansive book which chronicles Chaplin’s upbringing in South London, his tours with Eight Lancashire Lads, his work in vaudeville and, of course, his entire filmography.
Robinson, David. Chaplin: His Life and Art. McGraw-Hill, 1985.
Available in print
Charlie Chaplin: A Brief Life by Peter Ackroyd (2014) If you’re looking for a thoughtful retrospective with lighter heft than Robinson’s book, this is a good introduction to Chaplin.
Ackroyd, Peter. Charlie Chaplin: A Brief Life. Doubleday, 2014.
Available in print Available as audiobook
Charlie Chaplin and His Times by Kenneth S. Lynn (2002) This book evaluates Chaplin within the historical framework of early cinema as well as the politics and world events which influenced his perspective.
Charlie Chaplin and His Times. Cooper Square Publishers, 2002.
Available in print Available as audiobook
Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided by Scott Eyman (2024)
A new biography offering a fascinating look at the political controversy and public scandal which prompted Chaplin’s ban from the United States followed by a self-imposed exile of two decades.
Eyman, Scott. Charlie Chaplin vs. America: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided: When Art, Sex, and Politics Collided. Simon & Schuster, 2024.
Available in print Available as audiobook
For Young Readers:
Smile: How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry) by Gary Golio (2019) This is a short and accessible picture book about Chaplin’s childhood and then entry to world fame.
Golio, Gary. Smile: How Young Charlie Chaplin Taught the World to Laugh (and Cry). Candlewick, 2019.
Available in print Available as audiobook
John F. Kennedy
JFK’s Last Hundred Days: The Transformation of a Man and the Emergence of a Great President by Thurston Clarke (2013) Clarke details the Kennedy story in the later months of 1963—from the death of newborn Patrick in August to John and Jackie’s fateful trip to Dallas in November. In these months, President Kennedy navigates uncertain pathways—hope for a Nuclear Test Ban Treaty with Russia, ambitions to launch an American to the moon and peril to the Diem regime in Vietnam.
Clarke, Thurston. My Autobiography Charles Chaplin. Penguin Press, 2013.
Available in print | Available as audiobook
An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963 by Robert Dallek (2004) This book details the efforts Joe Kennedy Sr. committed toward having a son in the White House. There is also strong narrative regarding the ways in which young Jack differed from his father’s perspectives on world politics. Dallek, Robert. An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963. Back Day Books, 2004.
Available in print | Available as audiobook
Camelot’s Court: Inside the Kennedy White House by Robert Dallek (2013) When it came to complex matters, Kennedy desired dissenting viewpoints. Among Robert McNamara, Dean Rusk, McGeorge Bundy and Ted Sorensen, there grew rivalries and division. Another strong analysis by Dallek, this biography shines light upon the advisors in Kennedy’s administration. Dallek, Robert. Camelot’s Court: Inside the Kennedy White House. Harper, 2013. Available in print | Available as audiobook
Sons and Brothers: The Last Days of Jack and Bobby Kennedy by Richard D. Mahoney (1999) Mahoney’s biography tells the story of two brothers who grew up essentially detached from each other through childhood but found a confluence of purpose as adults. The first portion of the book addresses the determination and momentum of JFK toward the presidency—matched by the loyalty and persistence of Bobby. After the events of November 1963, the book commences upon part two. Robert Kennedy grieves with the pain of his brother’s death and a legacy uncompleted. Then he begins to push toward momentum on his own. Mahoney, Richard D. Sons and Brothers: The Last Days of Jack and Bobby Kennedy. Arcade Publishing, 1999. Available in print | Available as audiobook
Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis by Robert F. Kennedy (reprinted, 1999) Originally published posthumously, a year after Robert Kennedy’s assassination, this was for decades the definitive accounting of the Cuban Missile Crisis. RFK details the conversations and strategies that emerged from the White House and the ExComm meetings as the country braced for nuclear war. Kennedy, Robert F. Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis. W.W. Norton & Company, 1999. Available in print | Available as audiobook
The Nine of Us: Growing Up Kennedy by Jean Kennedy Smith (2016) The eighth of nine children born to Joe and Rose Kennedy, Jean Kennedy Smith recalls the lessons and experiences she and her siblings had growing up in one of America’s most notable families of the 20th Century. This is an accessible and interesting book with a focus on the family dynamics. Smith, Jean Kennedy. The Nine of Us: Growing Up Kennedy. Harper, 2016. Available in print | Available as audiobook
Clarke, Thurston. My Autobiography Charles Chaplin. Penguin Press, 2013.
Available in print | Available as audiobook
An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963 by Robert Dallek (2004) This book details the efforts Joe Kennedy Sr. committed toward having a son in the White House. There is also strong narrative regarding the ways in which young Jack differed from his father’s perspectives on world politics. Dallek, Robert. An Unfinished Life: John F. Kennedy, 1917-1963. Back Day Books, 2004.
Available in print | Available as audiobook
Camelot’s Court: Inside the Kennedy White House by Robert Dallek (2013) When it came to complex matters, Kennedy desired dissenting viewpoints. Among Robert McNamara, Dean Rusk, McGeorge Bundy and Ted Sorensen, there grew rivalries and division. Another strong analysis by Dallek, this biography shines light upon the advisors in Kennedy’s administration. Dallek, Robert. Camelot’s Court: Inside the Kennedy White House. Harper, 2013. Available in print | Available as audiobook
Sons and Brothers: The Last Days of Jack and Bobby Kennedy by Richard D. Mahoney (1999) Mahoney’s biography tells the story of two brothers who grew up essentially detached from each other through childhood but found a confluence of purpose as adults. The first portion of the book addresses the determination and momentum of JFK toward the presidency—matched by the loyalty and persistence of Bobby. After the events of November 1963, the book commences upon part two. Robert Kennedy grieves with the pain of his brother’s death and a legacy uncompleted. Then he begins to push toward momentum on his own. Mahoney, Richard D. Sons and Brothers: The Last Days of Jack and Bobby Kennedy. Arcade Publishing, 1999. Available in print | Available as audiobook
Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis by Robert F. Kennedy (reprinted, 1999) Originally published posthumously, a year after Robert Kennedy’s assassination, this was for decades the definitive accounting of the Cuban Missile Crisis. RFK details the conversations and strategies that emerged from the White House and the ExComm meetings as the country braced for nuclear war. Kennedy, Robert F. Thirteen Days: A Memoir of the Cuban Missile Crisis. W.W. Norton & Company, 1999. Available in print | Available as audiobook
The Nine of Us: Growing Up Kennedy by Jean Kennedy Smith (2016) The eighth of nine children born to Joe and Rose Kennedy, Jean Kennedy Smith recalls the lessons and experiences she and her siblings had growing up in one of America’s most notable families of the 20th Century. This is an accessible and interesting book with a focus on the family dynamics. Smith, Jean Kennedy. The Nine of Us: Growing Up Kennedy. Harper, 2016. Available in print | Available as audiobook
Walt Disney
The Animated Man - A Life of Walt Disney. Barrier, Michael. University of California Press, 2007.
"An authoritative history of Disney - one of the best."
Disney.com | "The official website of the Disney Studios and all things Disney."
Walt Disney - A Biography. Ford, Barbara. Walker and Co., 1989.
"This young person's narrative of Disney's life makes for an enjoyable read."
Walt Disney - The Triumph of American Imagination. Gabler, Neal. Vintage, 2006.
"This is the current standard Disney reference though some corrections are needed."
The Book of Mouse: A Celebration of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse. Korkis, Jim. Theme Park Press, 2024.
"Anecdotal fun."
WaltDisney.org | The website of the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. It details Disney's life and presents a variety of changing programs associated with Disney's career and contributions.
"An authoritative history of Disney - one of the best."
Disney.com | "The official website of the Disney Studios and all things Disney."
Walt Disney - A Biography. Ford, Barbara. Walker and Co., 1989.
"This young person's narrative of Disney's life makes for an enjoyable read."
Walt Disney - The Triumph of American Imagination. Gabler, Neal. Vintage, 2006.
"This is the current standard Disney reference though some corrections are needed."
The Book of Mouse: A Celebration of Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse. Korkis, Jim. Theme Park Press, 2024.
"Anecdotal fun."
WaltDisney.org | The website of the Disney Family Museum in San Francisco. It details Disney's life and presents a variety of changing programs associated with Disney's career and contributions.
Henry Ford
Lacey, Robert. Ford: The Men and the Machine. Little Brown and Company, 1986.
"The old classic text"
Lewis, David. The Public Image of Henry Ford. Wayne State University Press, 1976.
Rae, John, editor. Henry Ford. Prentice-Hall Inc.,1969.
Snow, Richard. I Invented the Modern Age: The Rise of Henry Ford. Scribners, 2013.
"Just great on Henry’s origins and the early years of Ford Motors."
Watts, Steven. The People's Tycoon: Henry Ford and the American Century. Vintage Books, 2006.
"This is by far the best single work."
"The old classic text"
Lewis, David. The Public Image of Henry Ford. Wayne State University Press, 1976.
Rae, John, editor. Henry Ford. Prentice-Hall Inc.,1969.
Snow, Richard. I Invented the Modern Age: The Rise of Henry Ford. Scribners, 2013.
"Just great on Henry’s origins and the early years of Ford Motors."
Watts, Steven. The People's Tycoon: Henry Ford and the American Century. Vintage Books, 2006.
"This is by far the best single work."
Maya Angelou
Agins, Donna Brown. Maya Angelou: A Biography of an Award-Winning Poet and Civil Rights Activist. Enslow Publishers, 2006.
"Written for youth. Accurate. Appropriate. Has a good timeline, list of books, and index."
Angelou, Maya. Maya Angelou: The Complete Poetry. Random House, 2015.
Angelou, Maya. The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou. Random House, 2004.
Gillespie, Marcia Ann, et al. Maya Angelou: A Glorious Celebration. Doubleday, 2008.
"Clearly written by people who loved Angelou, but it has fabulous photographs from different periods of her life."
Wagner-Martin, Linda. Maya Angelou: Adventurous Spirit. Bloomsbury, 2016.
"Strong narrative. A chapter is dedicated to each of the biographies. Gives good insights and perspective on her life and successes."
"Written for youth. Accurate. Appropriate. Has a good timeline, list of books, and index."
Angelou, Maya. Maya Angelou: The Complete Poetry. Random House, 2015.
Angelou, Maya. The Collected Autobiographies of Maya Angelou. Random House, 2004.
Gillespie, Marcia Ann, et al. Maya Angelou: A Glorious Celebration. Doubleday, 2008.
"Clearly written by people who loved Angelou, but it has fabulous photographs from different periods of her life."
Wagner-Martin, Linda. Maya Angelou: Adventurous Spirit. Bloomsbury, 2016.
"Strong narrative. A chapter is dedicated to each of the biographies. Gives good insights and perspective on her life and successes."
Lucy Stone
Blackwell, Alice Stone. Lucy Stone: Pioneer of Women’s Rights. University Press of Virginia, 1930.
Kerr, Andrea Moore. Lucy Stone: Speaking Out for Equality. Rutgers University Press, 1992.
Lasser, Carol, and Marlene Deahl Merrill, editors. Friends and Sisters: Letters Between Lucy Stone and Antoinette Brown Blackwell, 1846-93. University of Illinois Press, 1987.
McMillen, Sally. G. Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life. Oxford University Press, 2015.
Million, Joelle. Woman’s Voice, Woman’s Place: Lucy Stone and the Birth of the Womans’ Rights Movement. Praeger, 2003.
Solomon, Martha. A Voice of Their Own: The Woman Suffrage Press, 1840-1910. University of Alabama Press, 1991.
Kerr, Andrea Moore. Lucy Stone: Speaking Out for Equality. Rutgers University Press, 1992.
Lasser, Carol, and Marlene Deahl Merrill, editors. Friends and Sisters: Letters Between Lucy Stone and Antoinette Brown Blackwell, 1846-93. University of Illinois Press, 1987.
McMillen, Sally. G. Lucy Stone: An Unapologetic Life. Oxford University Press, 2015.
Million, Joelle. Woman’s Voice, Woman’s Place: Lucy Stone and the Birth of the Womans’ Rights Movement. Praeger, 2003.
Solomon, Martha. A Voice of Their Own: The Woman Suffrage Press, 1840-1910. University of Alabama Press, 1991.
Women During WWII
Coleman, Penny. Rosie the Riveter: Women Working on the Homefront in WWII. Yearling, 1998.
Dumenil, Lynn. American Working Women in World War II: A Brief History With Documents. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2019.
Hagen, Claudia. American Women During World War II: We Did It. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015.
Dumenil, Lynn. American Working Women in World War II: A Brief History With Documents. Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2019.
Hagen, Claudia. American Women During World War II: We Did It. CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 2015.
Thurgood Marshall
Gibson, Larry S., and Thurgood Marshall. Young Thurgood: The Making of an American Justice. Prometheus Press, 2012.
Kanefield, Teri. Thurgood Marshall: The Making of America. Abram Books, 2020.
Starks, Glenn L., and F. Erik Brooks. Thurgood Marshall: A Biography. Greenwood, 2012.
Williams, Juan. Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary. Crown, 2000.
Kanefield, Teri. Thurgood Marshall: The Making of America. Abram Books, 2020.
Starks, Glenn L., and F. Erik Brooks. Thurgood Marshall: A Biography. Greenwood, 2012.
Williams, Juan. Thurgood Marshall: American Revolutionary. Crown, 2000.
Proudly powered by Weebly