The first book-length study of Australian Jewish autobiography, This Crazy Thing A Life makes a substantial contribution to multicultural and migrant writing. From humble, self-published memoirs by amateur chroniclers to celebrated releases by high-profile authors such as Judah Waten, Andrew Reimer, Jacob Rosenberg and Doris and Lily Brett, Richard Freadman’s richly reflective work interweaves past and present, events and attitudes, literary theory and narrative forms to address important and often profoundly moving topics such as Holocaust memory, migrant autobiography, diaspora studies and multiculturalism from a variety of viewpoints.