Forms of Life Writing

Genres of Non-Fiction: Life Writing

In this course Dr Amber Regis (University of Sheffield) explores genres of non-fiction, with special reference to life writing. In the first lecture, we look at the nature of life writing. In the second lecture, we delve deeper into the complexities of autobiography as a genre. In the third lecture we examine biography, before turning to diary writing in the fourth lecture. In the fifth and final lecture, we investigate the intersections of travel and nature writing.

Forms of Life Writing

In this lecture, we explore the nature of life writing as a genre, focusing in particular on: (i) how life writing encompasses various nonfiction genres that narrate personal experiences, feelings, and sensations; (ii) popular forms of life writing, including autobiography, biography, diaries, and travel writing; (iii) the hesitation students feel when critically engaging with life writing, and the importance of critical engagement (iv) how criticism should be seen as respectful evaluation rather than negative judgment; (v) how life writing constructs narratives that are partial and representational; (vi) the exploration of truth in autobiography, referencing Philippe Lejeune's definition as a contractual genre; (vii) how the breaking of the autobiographical pact, exemplified by James Frey's A Million Little Pieces, highlights complexities of truth in life writing; and (viii) how the course will analyse various life writing texts to reveal their crafted nature and the relationship between art and truth.