The border between intimate memory and historical revelation is explored in this wide-ranging collection, which features original contributions from leading figures in the life writing field from Australia, Canada, Europe, UK, and the USA.

The transmission and preservation of personal knowledge and stories from generation to generation frequently requires crossing into the private, contested spaces of memory. The most secret accounts or guarded remnants of information can sometimes lead to the most profound insights. In this context, there is a delicate balance between life...