Biographies have a unique place in literature. They allow us intimate glimpses of lives that we have observed only from afar, lives that are inaccessible to us on account of time or circumstance. Biographies of great men and women are inspirational; we learn many valuable lessons of life from them, lessons that guide us in our own journey of life. Underscoring the fact that sometimes, truth is indeed stranger than fiction, biographies often record acts of heroism, feats of accomplishment and tales of endurance that surpass even those that imagination can conjure. Biographies are invaluable in understanding history and the events that underpin it. A good biography is not just a portrait of an individual but also a portrait of the times that created him or her. Fast Track Biographies series offers young readers an excellent introduction to the great figures who strode on the world's stage leaving behind their unique imprint on the realms of art, politics, science and other fields of human endeavour, in language that is simple and accessible.