Issue 26(2)
Liberating
Scholarly Writing: The Power of Personal Narrative.
(2004) Robert J. Nash. New York: Teachers College Press, 192 pp.
Price $21.95. ISBN
# 0-8077-4525-1.
Review
by: Claire
Lopatto
Assistant
to the Dean of General Studies
Richard Stockton
College
of New
Jersey
Robert J. Nash's book is an introduction
to and examination of the use of personal narrative as a legitimate
genre of scholarly writing. Nash's interest in what he calls scholarly
personal narrative (referred to throughout the book as SPN) evolved
over his 30 years of college teaching and scholarship. The book
is well structured: it builds upon the foundation of initially
explaining what personal narrative is and why it matters, then
moves onto the concrete: suggested guidelines and examples of
SPN from his own students. Although this subject may initially
appear to target faculty, I believe it can be a resource to the
advising profession where so much interaction with students involves
learning and respecting their personal stories.
Expect to find a lot of the author
in this book. His casual tone belies a passionate argument. He
uses much of his own SPN to illustrate and explain some theoretical
points. With this method Nash walks a fine line of potentially
overpowering his message with his life stories but he generally
succeeds in using his own narratives as successful segues into
larger issues.
The guidelines Nash sets for SPN
are useful and provide a tangible framework for the genre. This
offering of boundaries gives weight to Nash's thesis that SPN
is a valid academic discipline. While Nash argues for the value
of SPN and provides examples from academia he doesn't adequately
tackle the limits of its use. While the genre of personal narrative
may be useful in fields that routinely utilize records of personal
and social histories (i.e. anthropology and other social studies)
it is problematic or at best limited in other academic disciplines.
As academic advisors we constantly deal with boundaries: they
may impede but also protect. They are a reality of students' lives
life both in and out of academia and need to be addressed.
Examples
of former students' attempts at SPN are the most engaging and
dynamic part of the book. Nash gives an interesting mix of examples
from eight students in diverse situations. There is an energy
and poignant quality in hearing the students speak in their own
voice. This section strongly conveys the process and positive
use of SPN.
This is definitely
not a book that every academic advisor will find useful. However
many of us who have spent years in our profession listening to
students and helping them integrate and balance ambitions and
talents with the reality of their own personal narratives will
agree with Nash that "Good teaching, good helping, and good leadership
are, in one sense, all about storytelling and story-evoking."
(p. 2).
