Unvarnished Truth - Personal Narratives in Nineteenth-Century America

A study of the "plain unvarnished tales" of unschooled beggars, criminals, prisoners, and ex-slaves in the 19th century. Fabian shows how these works illuminate debates over who had the cultural authority to tell and sell their own stories. She gives us the origins of that curious American genre of selling one's tale of woe to make a buck, ala Oprah, et al.

About the author

Ann Fabian is Associate Professor of American Studies at Rutgers University. She is the author of Card Sharps, Dream Books, and Bucket Shops: Gambling in Nineteenth Century America (1990).

Summary

A collection of tales that show cultural history of how ordinary Americans crafted and sold their stories of hardship and calamity during the nineteenth century. It examines the tales of beggars, convicts, ex-slaves, prisoners of the Confederacy, and others to explore cultural authority, truth-telling, and the nature of print media.

Product details

• Authors: Ann Fabian, Fabian Ann
• Publisher: University Of California Press
• Languages: English
• Product format: Paperback / Softback
• Released: 28.05.2002
• EAN: 9780520232013
• ISBN: 978-0-520-23201-3
• No. of pages: 268
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Linguistics and literary studies > English linguistics / literary studies; Non-fiction book > Politics, society, business > Politics; USA, Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, Cultural Studies, LITERARY CRITICISM / American / General, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural & Social, HISTORY / United States / 19th Century, LITERARY CRITICISM / Modern / 19th Century, c 1800 to c 1900, 19th century, c 1800 to c 1899, American English, 18th century, c 1700 to c 1799, Literary studies: c 1800 to c 1900, United States of America, USA, History of the Americas, Literary studies: fiction, novelists & prose writers, Literary studies: fiction, novelists and prose writers, LITERARY CRITICISM / Novel as Form