Abstract: Epistolary autobiography is an emerging branch of the biography writing. However, the researches as well as the writing of the West and China on it are still insufficient. Hence, this paper selects this point by using The Selected Letters of Henry James and Henry James: A Life in Letters are selected as the examples to analyze the value of epistolary autobiography.

Key words: epistolary autobiography, biography, letter

摘要： 书信体自传是以被研究者的大量信件为研究基础，传记编者的必要注解、翻译和编排为辅的一种新兴的传记体。西方对其的研究尚处于起步阶段，而中国的研究和写作更为贫乏。以两部经典书信体自传《亨利·詹姆斯书信节选研究》和《亨利·詹姆斯：信中的一生》为例，分析书信体传记的写作特点，力求证明书信体传记是一种不可忽视的传记体，应该受到中西方文学界的足够重视。

关键词: 书信体自传, 传记研究, 书信