Women and Autobiography

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Description

Autobiography, as evidenced by best-seller lists, is one of the most popular literary genres. However, because critics have long dismissed it as subpar literature, little attention has been paid to autobiography, particularly accounts by women. Women and Autobiography, edited by Martine Watson Brownley and Allison B. Kimmich, offers an insightful perspective on this often overlooked field. This text gives a compact, comprehensive overview of women's autobiography, providing historical back-ground and contemporary criticism along with selections from a range of autobiographies by women. Developed primarily for undergraduates, Women and Autobiography combines theory and practice by pairing autobiographical selections and criticism. This book is a useful tool for courses in autobiography, literature by women, and women's studies.

Reviews

This volume provides an invaluable introduction to the history of criticism on autobiography and gender, and an overview of the major critical debates in the field today. The editors have selected some of the most important articles on the autobiographical tradition, the theory of women's autobiography, the question of genre and sample texts from early and modern autobiography. Thsi volume will help to orient scholars who are either newly considering the field of lifewriting, or those teaching graduate and undergraduate courses on women's autobiography. -- Martin Danahay, University of Texas-Arlington
Women and Autobiography is a superb classroom resource. The critical essays and excerpts from autobiographies are wide-ranging and authoritative, and yet accessible to the student. The editors' introductory comments are clear and pointed. This book is definitely on my course adoption list. -- Nancy A. Walker, Vanderbilt University

Author Bio

Martine Watson Brownley is Goodrich C. White Professor of English at Emory University. Allison B. Kimmich is assistant director of the Women Involved in Living and Learning (WILL) program at the University of Richmond.