Life writing, as an academic discipline and as a genre of interrogation and revelation, studies texts such as memoirs, diaries, and oral histories, in print, in film and video, and online. Fuchs (English, University of Hawaii-Manoa) and Howes (director, Center for Biographical Research) gather 40 contributors from a broad range of educational institutions, describing life writing courses for every level of postsecondary instruction. Some writers draw heavily on literary and cultural theory, while others share their assignments and weekly syllabi. Many essays grapple with texts that represent disability, abuse, discrimination, and human rights violations. The classes described are taught in humanities, cultural studies, social science, and language departments in the US, Europe, Canada, Australia, and South Africa. Annotation ©2008 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)