biographer

A biographer is distinguished from a memoirist or an autobiographer by the external nature of their perspective. While an autobiography is a self-authored account, a biographer conducts an objective investigation into another individual's existence, often relying on archival research, interviews, and primary documents to construct a narrative. In professional contexts, the term often implies a distinction between authorized and unauthorized works. An authorized biographer has the cooperation of the subject or their estate, whereas an unauthorized biographer operates independently, which may lead to a more critical or controversial portrayal of the subject's life.