Nineteenth-Century American Women Writers: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook

(Hardback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

The 19th century gave birth to some of the richest works in American literature. For decades, 19th-century authors such as Hawthorne, Melville, Poe, Emerson, Thoreau and Whitman have been considered the dominant figures of the period, and other writers have received much less attention. But the scope and focus of American literary studies has shifted dramatically in recent years, and mainstream anthologies have been revised to reflect changes in the canon. One of the most exciting changes has been the reassessment of the contributions of American women writers of the 19th century. Some of these women, such as Louisa May Alcott and Harriet Beecher Stowe, are fairly well known. Others, such as Charlotte Perkins Gilman, have been the subject of much recent critical attention. But despite the resurgence of interest in American women writers of the 19th century, resources for readers have remained widely scattered. This reference book is one of the first works of its kind to offer comprehensive entries on more than 170 American women writers who published during the 19th century. Featuring authors who have long been assimilated into the literary canon as well as once-popular writers who have largely been forgotten, this volume invites a critical reassessment of the contributions of these writers to American literary history. Entries are written by expert contributors and are arranged alphabetically to facilitate access. Each entry includes a biographical sketch, a discussion of the writer's major works and themes, an overview of the critical response to the writer, and a bibliography of works by and about the author. To encourage additional research, the volume closes with a bibliography of significant studies of 19th-century American women writers.

Reviews

"Each well organized entry includes a biography of the author, a discussion of her major works or themes, a survey of critical studies, and a bibliography of works by and studies of the author....[A]n excellent resource book that brings into context writers who were previously excluded from the canon of literary studies."-EDIS Bulletin
"This sourcebook will be invaluable to teachers of American literature who wish to revise their syllabi and to encourage their students to research women writers independently.... [T]his book...should be considered a must for every school and public library."-The Leaflet
Each well organized entry includes a biography of the author, a discussion of her major works or themes, a survey of critical studies, and a bibliography of works by and studies of the author....[A]n excellent resource book that brings into context writers who were previously excluded from the canon of literary studies.-EDIS Bulletin
High-school, public, and college libraries will find Nineteenth-Century Women Writers a valuable resource. Though material abounds on some of the included writers, information, especially literary criticism, on many of the less well known women can be difficult to find, -Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
This sourcebook will be invaluable to teachers of American literature who wish to revise their syllabi and to encourage their students to research women writers independently.... [T]his book...should be considered a must for every school and public library.-The Leaflet
Until recently, the Western literary canon was dominated by male authors, with only a few representative females. However, the canon has recently undergone considerable discussion and revision, with an eye to including non-European cultures and female voices. The present book brings together representative US women writers whose best-known works were written or published during the 19th century. A variety of authors make up the 77 entries--children's authors, novelists, poets, abolitionists, former slaves--and they provide an understanding of women's issues of that day.... Highly recommended for all public and academic libraries.-Choice
"High-school, public, and college libraries will find Nineteenth-Century Women Writers a valuable resource. Though material abounds on some of the included writers, information, especially literary criticism, on many of the less well known women can be difficult to find,"-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin
"Until recently, the Western literary canon was dominated by male authors, with only a few representative females. However, the canon has recently undergone considerable discussion and revision, with an eye to including non-European cultures and female voices. The present book brings together representative US women writers whose best-known works were written or published during the 19th century. A variety of authors make up the 77 entries--children's authors, novelists, poets, abolitionists, former slaves--and they provide an understanding of women's issues of that day.... Highly recommended for all public and academic libraries."-Choice

Author Bio

DENISE D. KNIGHT is Professor of English and Director of Graduate Studies in English at the State University of New York, Cortland. She is the author of several books, including Writers of the American Renaissance: An A-to-Z Guide (Greenwood, 2003), Charlotte Perkins Gilman: A Study of the Short Fiction (1997), and Nineteenth-Century American Women Writers: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook (Greenwood, 1997), and coauthor of Contemporary Lesbian Writers of the United States: A Bio-Bibliographical Critical Sourcebook (Greenwood, 1993).