Writing as Poaching

Know about the book -

Writing as Poaching is written by Robert A. Folger and published by BRILL. It's available with International Standard Book Number or ISBN identification 900421142X (ISBN 10) and 9789004211421 (ISBN 13).

Colonial Spanish bureaucracy produced masses of “autobiographical” texts ('relaciones de méritos and servicios') which forced/invited individuals to present themselves as perfect subjects of the King in order to be rewarded. Bureaucracy produced the officials of the colonial regime, and, at the same time, it provided individuals with the possibility of exploring the literary potential of writing one’s curriculum vitae. This book helps contextualize a body of often-used yet understudied historic sources; it indicates that the fabric of early modern society was held together by a pervasive economy of 'mercedes' (rewards); and it shows that the tension between state-induced production of autobiographical documents and the individual’s endeavor to outsmart this system is at the origin of modern forms of literature.