This book analyzes a collection of literary memoirs to demonstrate how this genre is an avenue for participation in public life. Writers are repurposing the memoir, a genre known for its personal and expressive function, to engage in debate and serve political goals. The chapters provide case studies for memoir as social action that effects change by looking at the writing of Joan Didion, John Edgar Wideman, James McBride, M. Elaine Mar, Janisse Ray, Lucy Grealy, and Ann Patchett. Drawing on theories of genre and agency, Danielewicz asserts how these writers are acting pragmatically. Memoirs contribute to democratic society by offering solutions, creating new knowledge, revealing social trends, bringing issues to light, creating empathy and connection, and changing public opinion.

Out of the libertine literary tradition of eighteenth-century France emerged over a dozen memoir novels of female libertines who eagerly take up sex work as a means of escape from the patriarchal control of fathers and husbands to pursue pleasure, wealth, and personal independence outside the private, domestic sphere. In these anonymously published novels, the heroines proudly declare themselves prostitutes, or putains, and use the desire they arouse, the professional skills they develop, and the network of female friends they create to exploit, humiliate, and financially ruin wealthy and powerful men. In pursuing their desires, the putains challenge contemporary notions of womanhood and expose the injustices of ancien-régime France. Until the French Revolution spelled the end of the genre, these novels proposed not only an appealing libertine utopia in which libertine women enjoy the same benefits as their male counterparts but also entirely new ways of looking at systems of power, gender, and sexuality.

A collection in eight volumes of the novels and memoirs of William Godwin, one of the foremost philosophers and radical thinkers of his age. There is a general introduction covering Godwin's life and literary works and each volume is prefaced by a scholarly introduction.

A collection in eight volumes of the novels and memoirs of William Godwin, one of the foremost philosophers and radical thinkers of his age. There is a general introduction covering Godwin's life and literary works and each volume is prefaced by a scholarly introduction.

Memoirs of Mei River chronicles the life of Chu Huainan, a protagonist whose youth was shaped by revolutionary ideals fueled by dissatisfaction with the Kuomintang's corruption. Believing in a utopian vision of socialist public ownership, Chu Huainan endures decades of political upheavals, witnessing the rise and fall of state-owned enterprises and the unexpected success of private businesses in Mei River. The narrative weaves through historical movements such as land reform, the Anti-Rightist Movement, the Cultural Revolution, and the reform era, reflecting the complexities of societal changes in 20th-century China. The story explores the paradoxes of Chu Huainan's personal life, from family tragedies to ideological conflicts, all set against the backdrop of China's rapid economic development. As Mei River prospers, Chu Huainan confronts the widening wealth gap and questions the efficacy of his lifelong commitment to ideals like public ownership and revolution. The novel delves into the struggles of belief systems, posing profound inquiries about equity, revolution, and the inherent injustices of those in power. Chu Huainan's tumultuous journey, mirroring China's 20th-century challenges, raises broader philosophical questions about humanity's search for meaning and values. The novel prompts readers to reflect on the futility of rigid belief systems in solving the multifaceted problems of human existence, leaving Chu Huainan in a state of confusion and existential questioning. Through his personal and political tribulations, the novel explores themes of benevolence, righteousness, and tolerance as enduring values necessary for navigating the complexities of life.

The first major study of the profound impact of international communist politics and culture on Spanish letters