WOMEN'S AUTOBIOGRAPHY

The field of autobiography in independent Kenya has witnessed the publication of a high number of autobiographies by men and, in comparison, very few by women. While there has been an increased interest in autobiographical studies by literary scholars, the voice of the Kenyan female autobiographer has been largely unexplored yet this specialty is crucial to the understanding of autobiographical writing. In this work Jennifer Muchiri examines the body of female autobiographies as it exists in independent Kenya. She focuses on the nature and functions of autobiography as they exhibit themselves in autobiographies by Kenyan women. She discusses how the autobiographical voice analyses personal and social relationships. The female autobiographical voice highlights social concerns from a domestic and personalised perspective and functions as a tool for women s self-exploration and self-definition. This book analyses works by Charity Waciuma, Wanjiku Kabira, Esther Owuor, Rasna Warah, Wambui Otieno, Muthoni Likimani, and Wangari Maathai. The book is recommended for university professors and students who have an interest in the field of autobiography.

Autorentext

Jennifer Muchiri, PhD: Studied Literature at the University of Nairobi, Kenya. She is a specialist in African Literature, Caribbean Literature, and Autobiographical Studies. She has previously taught at Kenyatta University and Daystar University. She is currently a lecturer in the Department of Literature at the University of Nairobi.