People tell a story about their lives: a thesis like this is popular in philosophy, cognitive psychology, and cultural studies. However, there has been no detailed argument for this thesis nor even an adaquate theory of narrative language. The present book offers to correct this. It is additionally an independent contribution to the theory of personal autonomy and an analysis of the concept of personality. Biographical stories articulate special practical reasons, and persons are autonomous beings in that they are receptive to these reasons.