Shattered Subjects: Trauma and Testimony in Women's Life-Writing (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780312230982)

Judith Herman has noted that 'the most common post-traumatic disorders are those not of men in war but of women in civilian life.' How have women survived, both individually and collectively, in the face of unimaginable trauma? In this important new book, Suzette A. Henke finds evidence that women often use writing in order to heal the wounds of psychological trauma. The literary testimonies of Colette, Hilda Doolittle, AnaIs Nin, Janet Frame, Audre Lorde, and Sylvia Fraser provide startling evidence of post-traumatic stress disorder precipitated by rape, incest, childhood sexual abuse, grief, unwanted pregnancy, pregnancy-loss, or severe illness. Their writings are used as a means for survival and healing. Henke analyzes traumatic narrative as the focal point of a large body of autobiographical practice representing the genre of narrative recovery. Shattered Subjects suggests that the powerful medium of written autobiographical testimony may allow the resolution or reconfiguration of the most emotionally distressing experiences.

Author: S. Henke
ISBN-10: 0312230982
ISBN-13: 9780312230982
Publisher: Palgrave MacMillan
Language: English
Published: 06/01/2000
Pages: 216
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.68lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.55d

Review Citation(s):
Reference and Research Bk News 08/01/2000 pg. 197