This volume investigates the complex intersection between feminist theory and the practice of autobiographical writing. The authors, Celia Lury, Penny Summerfield, and Tess Cosslett, examine how women utilize personal narratives to construct identity and challenge patriarchal structures. By analyzing diverse historical and contemporary texts, the book argues that the act of writing one's life is inherently political and shaped by the specific cultural contexts of the author.

Scholars and students of gender studies frequently cite this work as a significant contribution to the study of life writing. Readers often note the academic density of the prose, which provides a rigorous foundation for understanding the mechanics of feminist autobiography.