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Why We Love (Or Love To Hate) Memoirs

Author Ben Yagoda teaches English, journalism and writing at the University of Delaware.
Author Ben Yagoda teaches English, journalism and writing at the University of Delaware.

From St. Augustine's Confessions, to Frederick Douglass' journey from slave to abolitionist, to Sarah Palin's account of "going rogue," the experiences, triumphs and travails of others have enthralled readers for centuries. Now, with the explosion of blogging and reality television, it appears that everyone has a story to tell.

Journalist and author Ben Yagoda discusses his new book, Memoir: A History, which investigates our fascination with autobiography.

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