This is a work of unprecedented scope that traces the origins of Jewish autobiographical writing from the early modern period to the early twentieth century. Drawing on a multitude of Hebrew and Yiddish texts, very few of which have been translated into English, and on contemporary autobiographical theory, this book provides a literary/historical explanatory paradigm for the emergence of the Jewish autobiographical voice. Using numerous quotes and citations, this book also provides the English reader with an introduction to the works of central figures in the history of Hebrew and Yiddish literature relatively unknown to those who do not read these languages. With the contemporary fascination with autobiography in general and Jewish autobiography in particular, the appearance of this wide-ranging and synthetic study is timely. The work includes discussion of material that has never been submitted to literary critical analysis in English.