The Wounded Self

Focusing on autobiographical writing about illness and disability in the German-speaking world since 2007, the book critically examines how authors navigate the balance between cliché and exceptionality in their narratives. Nina Schmidt highlights the limitations of current literary approaches and advocates for a literary disability studies perspective. Through close readings of works by Charlotte Roche, Kathrin Schmidt, Verena Stefan, Christoph Schlingensief, and Wolfgang Herrndorf, she reveals how these authors creatively engage with their precarious public positions, blending genres to share personal stories with political significance.