Guest Editor’s Introduction: Writing Life’s History

willbea“how to” about the ins and outs of writing life histories, I am afraid they willbe disappointed. The seven articles that follow neither prescribe ways torecord and analyze life histories nor delineate a set format for presenting lifehistories. The times are too unsettled for such directions. And yet, those of uswhoattempttoundertakelifestoriesareravenousforsomerulesoftheroad.W. Somerset Maugham is reported to have said that there are three criticalguidelines to follow for good writing, “Unfortunately, no one knows whatthey are.” Indeed.The times are unsettled because what social scientists thought they knew,they no longer know. What one assumed was the correct way to present datais no longer accepted without question; even the idea of