The Story I Tell Myself: A Venture in Existentialist Autobiography

A very original autobiography and a demonstration of self-understanding and existential psychoanalysis at its best. A very useful read for all who look for new ways in self-understanding and psychoanalysis.

A brilliantly written autobiography by an academic, who leaves her conservative Christian upbringing to discover that one can bring meaning and "significance" to one's life without the security and structure of organized religion. Written with wit and charm, she takes us on her own journey past the nihilistic despair that often is associated with existentialism, to a wonderful place that is tender and life-affirming. Her last chapter, reflecting on aging and mortality, may be her best. It may not be an easy read, but Hazel Barnes tells her story without a hint of academic hubris. A must read for anyone wrestling with the angst, it is a privileged peek into the life and mind of an extraordinary human being.