Notable American Women Writers Reviews

Monday, August 10, 2020 11:03:32 PM
“With entries on authors of all types—ranging from authors of children’s picture books to authors of fiction, poetry, and screenplays, to authors of nonfiction and scholarly writing— this set comprises critical essays on 415 women authors from throughout the Western hemisphere (Canada, Mexico, and a number of South American countries, as well as the US), along with 250 photographs. Canonical writers are included (e.g., Laura Ingalls Wilder, Gloria Steinem) alongside many women who will be less familiar. As with many such works there are notable omissions: e.g., missing are American poet H. D., Rosario Castellanos of Mexico, and Nobel winner Gabriela Mistral of Chile. The essays run from three to five pages long, and include biographical insights, analyses of the writers' work, and achievements. Each entry offers a list of selected works and a brief annotated bibliography to aid with research; selected works lists go to January 2020. The essays are specifically intended to serve high school and undergraduate classroom curricula. This set is one of the few recent publications focusing on women writers of the Americas and covering such a wide variety of writing. Summing Up: Recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; general readers.”
- CHOICE

"Coverage begins with Anne Bradstreet, a poet from colonial times to Marie Lu, a YA author born in 1984. "America" also includes Canada and some Central and South American writers. The typical focus on literary authors is expanded to include those who write children’s and YA works, graphic novels, political and social commentary, screenwriters, and more... Each of the signed biographical essays is 3–5 pages, with a focus on the aspects of the author’s life that led to their becoming a writer. A selected list of their works is given as well as an extensive bibliography for further research. Additional material includes a chronology by birthdate, groupings by region, theme, and awards. This is a good resource for high school, academic, and public libraries, especially those needing to update their literary reference collections."
- Booklist