Researching Life Stories critically and pragmatically reflects upon the use of life stories in social and educational research. Using four life stories as examples, the authors apply four different, practical approaches to demonstrate effective research and analysis. As well as examining in detail the four life stories around which the book is written, areas covered include: Method and methodology in life story research Analysis Reflections on analyses Craft and ethics in researching life Policy, practice and theory in life story research. Throughout the book the authors demystify the issues surrounding life story research and demonstrate the significance of this approach to understanding individual and social worlds. This unique approach to life story research will be a valuable resource for all social science and education researchers at undergraduate and postgraduate level.