In His Own Words: Pope Francis

Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis was the first pope from the Society of Jesus. He was also the first Latin American pope, the first from the Americas, the first from the Southern Hemisphere, and the first born or raised outside of Europe since the eighth century.

Elected as the successor to Pope Benedict XVI in 2013, he chose Francis as his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi. He served until his death on April 21 at age 88.

Below is his autobiography in English and Spanish.

English Titles

HOPE: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY by Pope Francis (DB 127574 IN PROCESS)
LIFE: MY STORY THROUGH HISTORY by Pope Francis (DB 121667, LB 0000142)

Spanish Titles

VIDA: MI HISTORIA A TRAVÉS DE LA HISTORIA por Papa Francisco con Fabio Marchese Ragona; traducción de Ana Romeral Moreno (DB 121748)

In Their Own Words: George Foreman

George Edward Foreman was an American professional boxer, businessman, minister, and author who passed away on March 21. Born in Marshall, Texas, and raised in Houston’s Fifth Ward community, Foreman went on to become a two-time world heavyweight champion and an Olympic gold medalist. Below are books that he’s written in the TBP collection.

BY GEORGE: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF GEORGE FOREMAN (DB 40645)
GEORGE FOREMAN’S GUIDE TO LIFE: HOW TO GET UP OFF THE CANVAS WHEN LIFE KNOCKS YOU DOWN (DB 57421)
GEORGE FOREMAN’S KNOCK-OUT-THE-FAT BARBECUE AND GRILLING COOKBOOK (BRE 00001)

In His Own Words: Quincy Jones

Quincy Delight Jones Jr. was an American record producer, songwriter, composer, arranger, and producer. His career spanned 70 years, with 28 Grammy Awards won out of 80 nominations, and a Grammy Legend Award in 1992. Below we have his autobiography as well as a collection of his musings on creativity and life. We hope these give you a chance to learn about his experiences in his own words.

Q: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF QUINCY JONES (DB 53304)
12 NOTES: ON LIFE AND CREATIVITY (DB 115128)

In His Own Words: James Earl Jones

American actor known for his iconic voice acting roles and for his work in theater, James Earl Jones, died at his home on September 9, 2024, at the age of 93. He overcame a severe stutter to become one of the greatest actors of his era. Over his career, he received three Tony Awards, two Emmy Awards, and a Grammy Award. Below we have his autobiography. We hope this gives you a chance to learn about his experiences in his own words.

JAMES EARL JONES: VOICES AND SILENCES by James Earl Jones (DB 38707)

In His Own Words: Phil Donahue

Popular television talk-show host Phil Donahue died last Sunday, August 18, 2024, at the age of 88. Known for being the first host to interact with a studio audience, he rose to fame in the late 1960s. The Talking Book Program has his autobiography in our collection. We hope this gives you a chance to learn about his experiences in his own words.

Contact us if you’d like to borrow his book. 1-800-252-9605.

DONAHUE: MY OWN STORY (DB 14910, BR 04366, LB 02800)