Product Description

The Encyclopedia of Life Writing is the first substantial reference work in English to study the various auto/biographical forms that constitute "life writing." As this interdisciplinary and broadly inclusive term suggests, the Encyclopedia explores not only autobiography and biography proper, but also letters, diaries, memoirs, family histories, case histories, and other ways in which individual lives have been recorded and structured. It includes entries on genres and sub-genres, national and regional traditions from around the world, and important autobiographical writers, as well as articles on related areas such as oral history, anthropology, testimonies, and the representation of life stories in non-verbal art forms. The Encyclopedia of Life Writing provides a practical and comprehensive survey of this rapidly expanding field of interest. Winner "Outstanding Reference Source" award - American Library Association

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #1140675 in Books
• Published on: 2001-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 2
• Binding: Hardcover
• 1150 pages

Review
'A unique perspective on a person's contribution to life writing, to the exclusion of his or her other accomplishments.' Reference Books Bulletin 'a vast compendium of the genre from the classical world to the present day.' The Times Literary Supplement

From the Back Cover
This is the first substantial reference work in English on the various forms that constitute "life writing." As this term suggests, the Encyclopedia explores not only autobiography and biography proper, but also letters, diaries, memoirs, family histories, case histories, and other ways in which individual lives have been recorded and structured. It includes entries on genres and subgenres, national and regional traditions from around the world, and important auto-biographical writers, as well as articles on related areas such as oral history, anthropology, testimonies, and the representation of life stories in non-verbal art forms.

Customer Reviews

Encyclopedia of Life Writing: Autobiographical and Biographical Forms
This volume is an excellent reference book, covering an impressive range of ideas and themes for anyone interested in studying life writing. I used it regularly for part of an English Masters degree. It provides an impressive choice of starting points for specific autobiographical issues - literary, theoretical, cultural and historical, for example - and valuable bibliographical lists for each entry, providing further reading. Each short entry is written by an academic, author or other expert and the whole volume is edited comprehensively by Dr Jolly.