In this article, the educative value of scientific biographies will be explored, especially for non-science major college students. During the "Scientist's life and thought" course, 66 college students read nine scientific biographies including five biologists, covering the canonical scientific achievements in Western scientific history. Students' essays were initially analysed in terms of four dimensions of scientific achievement: personal traits and talent, socio-cultural environment, scientific inquiry and debate, and historical significance. Further analysis focused on noticeable aspects in the nature of science (NOS). Based on the analyses, the idea of a story grid was devised in order to identify major storylines that show students various ways of making sense of scientific biographies. The analysis shows the aspects in which biographies are instrumental for students to identify and engage critically with issues related to the NOS. The article concludes with some implications for designing history of science courses for non-science major college students.