On My Own Biographies introduces beginning readers to some of history"s most interesting and important people. These books focus on the pivotal episodes that show what kind of person the subject is (or was) and how he or she came to be famous. Each book is written in a story format but is not a fictionalized account. A chronology of major events follows the story, along with a brief summary of the subject"s life. Growing up in a wealthy family that believed nursing wasn"t a respectable job, Florence Nightingale was determined to help others. After more than sixty years of service as a nurse, she had helped to make nursing an honorable profession, left behind safer, cleaner hospitals, and saved countless lives.