This document provides an overview of the history and development of autobiographies. It begins by defining an autobiography as a type of biography where the author tells the story of their own life. It then discusses early examples of autobiographical writing in classical and medieval literature. The genre became more popular after the 16th century during the Renaissance as interest grew in exploring individual character and personality. Famous early autobiographies mentioned include St. Augustine's Confessions and John Bunyan's Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners. The document traces the evolution of autobiographical writing through different historical periods and notes challenges in accurately recounting one's past and involving other people.