Speaking of the Self

"With sophisticated, crisply written, and well-documented essays, Speaking of the Self makes a distinctive and significant contribution to several fields, including comparative autobiography, women's studies, and South Asian history. A tour de force, the editors' introduction is a major statement on autobiographical writing, and the essays, like the introduction, are accessible to a wide audience. Speaking of the Self broadens the genres of what should be considered under the broad umbrella of autobiography with cogent analysis." - Barbara Ramusack, author of The Indian Princes and their States

"In analyzing material from South Asia, across contexts and time periods, Speaking of the Self is a novel contribution to the flourishing field of autobiography studies. The contributors present material little known to Anglophone audiences that will stimulate thinking by specialists who have heretofore been mostly focused on 'Western' texts and contexts."  - Marilyn Booth, author of Classes of Ladies of Cloistered Spaces

"The authors . . . present a significant corpus of scholarship relating to autobiography and gender which can apply broadly not only in South Asia but beyond. By carefully exploring important theoretical aspects and alternative examples of autobiography, the authors open new grounds and sources to critique autobiographical writing and methods." - Niroshini Somasundaram, IIAS Newsletter

"Speaking of the Self is a significant contribution to understanding the complexities of representing the self by women . . . in South Asian cultures across regions and ages. It sensitizes the reader to the importance of the social, cultural, political, regional, and historical milieu in which the autobiographical narratives are played out." - Monika Browarczyk, Biography

“These ten essays, along with a helpful introduction, come together to form an interesting and excellent collection. . . . All of these essays should be of interest to scholars and graduate students working on gender and women’s history in South Asia. Many would be useable within an undergraduate class on a wide range of related subjects." - Judith Walsh, Journal of Asian Studies