Renowned Biographer Adam Sisman Explores the Art and Science of Life-Writing at USJ
Renowned Biographer Adam Sisman Explores the Art and Science of Life-Writing at USJ
27
Mar
27/03/2026
USJ Doctoral School hosted an insightful public lecture titled “Living with My Subject” featuring the acclaimed biographer and academic Adam Sisman, who shared his experiences and methodologies with the university community.
On 13 March, the Doctoral School of the University of Saint Joseph (USJ) hosted an insightful public lecture titled “Living with My Subject” featuring the acclaimed biographer and academic Adam Sisman, who shared his experiences and methodologies with the university community at the Don Bosco Auditorium.
The lecture by Sisman, part of the “Doctoral Talks on Campus” series, captivated the audience by addressing the complex question of whether a biographer must personally know their subject to produce an authoritative account. Drawing on his extensive body of work, which includes award-winning biographies of figures such as John le Carré, Hugh Trevor-Roper, and James Boswell, Sisman provided a rare, behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and rewards of chronicling a life. His talk emphasised the delicate balance of maintaining an “inquisitive and open” perspective while navigating the intimate details of his subjects’ lives.
Adam Sisman, a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and an Honorary Professor at the University of St Andrews, brought a wealth of literary prestige to the USJ Ilha Verde Campus.
