ABSTRACT (en)
This article analyses the major works of Janet Malcolm, with a focus on how her migrant origins from Czechoslovakia shaped her narrative voice and approach to writing. Situating her within the contexts of both the New York literary scene and Czech anglophone literature, it explores recurring themes of identity, truth, ethics, and the limitations of non-fiction storytelling. It also reflects on the challenges of autobiography and the hybrid nature of Malcolm’s work, and considers her place within Czech anglophone literature.
KEYWORDS (en)
Janet Malcolm — Czech anglophone literature — life-writing — biography — autobiography — photography — long-form journalism — migration — memory
DOI
https://doi.org/10.14712/23366729.2026.1.6
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