Abstract
Much has been published by scholars on the writing of biographies and at least one journal, Biography, is dedicated to the subject. I hesitate to add to the growing literature, but, finding myself on the verge of writing a second biography, I will address briefly, from the perspective of a nurse historian, five concerns arising in this genre: the need for women’s stories, the synthesis of biography with history, the necessary basic elements, the interpretation of data, and credibility. In so doing, this effort may contribute, in the words of Sara Alpern and her colleagues, “to the ongoing discussion of the nature and practice” of biography and “assist others in their own projects.” My experience and knowledge in combining history with biography has been focused on women, including a recent doctoral dissertation on the work and networks of Jean Gunn, Superintendent of Nurses, Toronto General Hospital, 1913–41.
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