Description:
This book considers the key literary, historical, cultural, and intellectual contexts of American women authors from the 17th century to the present, providing students with an analysis of the most up-to-date literary trends and debates in women's literature.
Review Quotes:
"The Routledge Introduction to American Women Writers is a clear, comprehensive, and compact guide to American women's writing from the colonial period to the present. Martin and Williams skillfully locate the literature of American women in the multiple contexts of American history, transnational literary movements, and American cultural movements. They give deft summaries of the controversies and trends in American literary studies, and take note of the current important developments in digital technology, epublishing, social media, graphic fiction, popular genres, and young adult writing. This is an indispensable overview for students and scholars of the American women's literary tradition."--Elaine Showalter, Princeton University
"This book does all it promises and more, presenting a dazzling range and variety of American women's literary expression--and along the way giving a crash course in close to four centuries of American history and culture. Its broad coverage and brisk lucid prose belie literary readings that are consistently subtle and complete. That rare creature, a study of both breadth and depth, The Routledge Introduction to American Women Writers is an invaluable resource and scholarly model for students and teachers alike." Cathryn Halverson, University of Copenhagen, Denmark.