The Body in Autobiography and Autobiographical Novels: The Importance of Being Normal

This volume explores a web of complex relationships between body and mind, discussing the efforts of individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds to define, to achieve, or to reject the "e;normal"e;; and, in some cases, to put something else in its place.

After considering the problems arising from other people's perceptions of non-standard bodies, the book turns to gender: is it written "e;upon the body"e;, established at birth, determined only by physical traits and distinguished by material things such as clothes; or is it written "e;within the body"e;, defined through the subject's own feelings?

It considers what happens when "e;males"e; consider themselves "e;female"e;, and "e;females"e; consider themselves "e;male"e;.

It concludes with the analysis of four books, by different authors with different sexual orientations.

Two of these volumes might be considered "e;genuine autobiographies"e;, while the other two are novels which include numerous autobiographical features that reflect the authors' own thoughts.