Autobiographical Traditions in Egodocuments: Icelandic Literacy Practices

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Description

Using the Icelandic context, Sigurur Gylfi Magnsson examines egodocuments as distinct and fascinating manifestations of microhistory, reflecting on their nature, the circumstances in which they originated, and their strengths and weaknesses for scholarly research. Autobiographical Traditions in Egodocuments successfully makes the case for egodocuments being an intriguing part of the material culture of their time, with ample consideration given to the role of the book within individual households and the impact a source such as autobiography has had on peoples daily lives. Magnsson also provides an insightful historiographical account of how the egodocument has been used in historical works both in Iceland and elsewhere in the world since the 19th century.

Reviews

Icelands internationally known cultural historian Sigurur Gylfi Magnsson continues to break new interpretative ground with Autobiographical Traditions in Egodocuments: Icelandic Literacy Practice. Magnusson extends his significant primary source research and combination of interpretive breakthroughs and synthetic understanding in this new contribution. He adds to his flow of important books from Wasteland with Words, Minor Knowledge and Microhistory, Archive, to Slow Ideology and Ecodocuments as Microhistorical Autobiography. I strongly advise anyone across the humanities and social sciences to read his latest book. * Harvey J. Graff, Professor Emeritus of English and History, Ohio Eminent Scholar in Literacy Studies, and Academy Professor, Ohio State University, USA *

Author Bio

Sigurur Gylfi Magnsson is Professor of Cultural History and Chair of the Center for Microhistorical Research at University of Iceland, Iceland. He has written 28 published books, including Archive, Slow Ideology and Egodocuments as Microhistorical Autobiography: Potential History (2021) and Emotional Experience and Microhistory (2020). He is also co-editor, with Istvn M. Szijrt, of the Microhistories book series.