Its publication was prevented for many years by Manilal's family and friends because it contains explicit details of his extramarital relations and controversial views on morality.

At the age of 28, Manilal decided to write his autobiography and to maintain a diary of important events until the end of his life.

Explaining this decision, he wrote: "At this time, if not enemies, I had many opponents among those who held different views and they subjected me to countless unfounded criticisms and were spreading misinformation.

"[2] Thus, the idea of writing an autobiography emerged in his mind from a sense of victimhood and from a desire to give a true picture of his life.

[3][1] The publication of Atmavrittanta was prevented for many years by Manilal's family and friends because it contains explicit details of his extramarital relations and controversial views on morality.

During 1929–1931, some young writers, including Ambalal Purani and Vijayray Vaidya, raised a public controversy about the need to publish it and pressed Dhruv to release it.

On the opening page of the ledger, a piece of paper from an envelope of Banaras Hindu University is stick with a title Manilal Nabhubhaino Atmavrutant in Gujarati written by Anandshankar Dhruv.

The first gives an account of Manilal's life from his birth to his career as a professor, including detailed information on his schooling, on his surroundings and on his companions.

[7] The autobiography gives an account of Manilal's failed marriage, powerful sexual drives and the degenerate street world in his environments.

[7] The autobiography reveals Manilal's constant and obsessive extramarital sexual relations including his disciples' wife, and his complete disregard for his own contradictions.

Manilal writes about his achievements very briefly but describes in detail his weaknesses and shortcomings including his numerous moral lapses.

[10] Dhirubhai Thaker wrote that the book reminds the reader of the Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau and My Life by Havelock Ellis.

The act of intercourse is described by a whole range of colloquial terms — vapari (used her) lidhi (took her) ghasi (rubbed her), maza kari (enjoyed).