Introduction: Kathleen Boardman and Gioia Woods Special Issue Editors

I n t r o d u c t i o n K a t h l e e n B o a r d m a n a n d G i o i a W o o d s SPE C I A L I SSU E ED I T ORS In t h e p a st th ir t y y e ar s, r ea d e r s o f a u t o b io gr a p h y h a v e c o m e t o r e c ­ o gn ize t h e c o m p le x it y o f t h is ge n r e. W r it in g a b o u t o n e se lf is n o t a sim ­ p le e n d e a v o r o f r e c a llin g t h e fa c t s a n d r e c o r d in g t h e m w ith t h e h a n d y t o o l o f la n gu a g e . T h e e le m e n t s o f a u t o b io g r a p h ic a l w r it in g— m em o r y , t r u t h , la n gu a g e , a n d r e p r e se n t a t io n — ar e t r ick y a n d slip p ery . M o st sig ­ n ifican tly , id e n t it y is n o t a se lf- c o n t a in e d u n it , lo c a t e d n e a t ly so m e ­ w h er e in t h e b r a in o r so u l o r b od y , t h a t c a n b e e ffic ie n t ly w r ap p e d in la n g i n st e a d , it is a c o n st r u c t io n p r o je c t t h a t c h a lle n g e s b o u n d ­ ar ie s; t h e p r o je c t o f id e n t it y is r e la t io n a l. In o t h e r w o r d s, a u t o b io g r a ­ p h e r s o r n o t , w e c o n st a n t ly sh a p e o u r se lv e s in r e la t io n t o o u r c o n t e x t . C o n t e x t . T h is b r in gs u s t o t h e issu e o f w e st er n id e n tity , o r a se n se o f se lf sh a p e d in , o r in r e a c t io n to , t h e A m e r ic a n W e st . A s sc h o la r s o f w e st e r n lit e r a t u r e a n d c u lt u r e , w e h a v e o ft e n h a d t o ask , “W h e r e is th e W e st ?” A s r e ad e r s a n d c r it ic s o f w e st e r n au t o b io gr ap h y , w e a lso ask , “W h a t is t h e W e st , a n d w...