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Why Your Life Story Is a Lie: The Shocking Truth About Autobiography

In this video, we dive into the groundbreaking academic collection *“Granito e arcobaleno”: Forme e modi della scrittura auto/biografica* (edited by A. Antonielli and D. Pallotti, 2019). Forget boring textbook definitions—this book shatters everything you thought you knew about writing your own life. Using Virginia Woolf’s metaphor of 'granite' (hard facts) and 'rainbow' (elusive personality), we explore why every autobiography is a mix of truth and fiction, and how your identity is built through storytelling. From microhistory’s focus on forgotten individuals to the trauma of concentration camp diaries, this video reveals the hidden rules of self-writing. You’ll learn why 'I am' is already an autobiography, how writing can heal, and why your life story is more performance than fact. Perfect for writers, psychology buffs, or anyone curious about the lies we tell ourselves.