A to Z of American Women Writers

Kort, Carol

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Facts On File

Just the Series: A to Z Of Women

Annotation: Written in engaging and accessible prose and sprinkled with quotes, a series of compelling resources introduces readers to some of the most significant women in history, bringing their achievements to light and helping them gain the recognition they deserve.

Genre: [Biographies] [Reference]

Reviews: 4

Catalog Number: #3824534

Format: Publisher's Hardcover

Publisher: Facts On File

Edition Date: 2007 Release Date: 10/01/07

Pages: xvii, 398 pages

ISBN: 0-8160-6693-0

ISBN 13: 978-0-8160-6693-3

Dewey: 920

LCCN: 2007020534

Dimensions: 25 cm.

Subject Heading:
American literature. Women authors. Dictionaries.

Language: English

Reviews:

ALA Booklist (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)

Kort has updated her 2000 biographical dictionary of 150 American women writers with 36 new entries. She includes writers from colonial times to the present, from a variety of geographical regions, in the genres of fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, journalism, children's literature, and personal narrative. Among the authors who have been added are Erma Bombeck, Patricia Cornwell, Katharine Graham, Jhumpa Lahiri, Annie Proulx, and Sonia Sanchez. The entries are arranged alphabetically by last name and include the author's dates, the genres of the author's works, a biographical sketch ranging from one to three pages, a list of resources for further reading, and often a black-and-white photograph of the writer. The entries are followed by a bibliography of recommended sources (a subset of the sources listed after the entries) and three lists sorting the entries into literary genre, region/subject matter/background/style, and year of birth. A general index references authors, titles of works, and topics. Many of the writers are included in other reference works, such as the larger American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial Times to the Present (Ungar, 1979 1994) and volumes in Gale's Dictionary of Literary Biography. The entries in the current work are engaging, however, and the lists for further reading are well chosen. Smaller public libraries and high schools will find this a useful title.

School Library Journal

YA-Kort provides concise biographical and critical summaries of more than 150 writers and their work. Entries include a range of authors, both historical and contemporary, from Anne Bradstreet to Maxine Hong Kingston. Popular writers such as Sue Grafton, Ursula Le Guin, and Sara Paretsky, and women who were born in other countries but have made their home in the United States are also included. Fiction, nonfiction, poetry, plays, and essays, as well as editorial work are all represented. The author has included a few quotes to show styles or comments of critics. The alphabetic arrangement, readable style, and three subject indexes (genre, subject and region, and birthdate) make this volume accessible to students. Although it is not as scholarly as Cynthia Davis and Kathryn West's Women Writers in the United States (Oxford, 1996), it does offer plenty of good background information.-Claudia Moore, W. T. Woodson High School, Fairfax, VA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.

Reviewing Agencies: - Find Other Reviewed Titles
ALA Booklist (Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2008)
Library Journal
School Library Journal
Wilson's High School Catalog

Bibliography Index/Note: Includes bibliographical references (page 367-371) and index.

Reading Level: 7.0

Interest Level: 9-12

Praise for the previous edition:
The entries are informative and written in a lively, engaging style, making this reference book a pleasure to read...[an] invaluable resource.—VOYA
Recommended...—Choice
...a solid compendium of biographical profiles...recommended...—Library Journal
...readable...accessible...offers plenty of good background information.—School Library Journal
Through poetry, essays, biographies, and editing, American women have had a long and significant impact on the art of writing. Millions of American women have told their own stories or the stories of others, or they've used writing as a way to create another world. A to Z of American Women Writers, Revised Edition profiles 186 such women, among them poets, essayists, journalists, editors, novelists, memoirists, and numerous other types of writers. This engaging resource examines the stories of women from a wide array of cultures and generations who share a love of writing. These women are also united by the unique challenges facing women writers—some having to opt for masculine pen names in order to be published.
This thoroughly revised book updates the story of each individual to the present day and contains 36 new profiles. The book is enhanced with 63 photographs that depict the women profiled. An updated bibliography provides listings of books and Web sites about women writers in general as well as specific resources about subcultures of female writers. Subject indexes allow the reader to search by such literary genres as biographer and nature writer. Additional subject indexes organize individuals by subject matter and style as well as the era during which they were born.
Profiles include:
Erma Bombeck, humorist whose column At Wit's End explored domestic life
Amy Clampitt, poet and MacArthur Fellowship recipient
Patricia Cornwell, mystery writer who draws on her experience as a medical examiner for inspiration
Barbara Ehrenreich, whose work explores social and economic issues in the United States
Katherine Graham, former publisher of the Washington Post
Jhumpa Lahiri, whose debut book of short stories won the Pulitzer Prize
Nella Larson, novelist and winner of a Guggenheim fellowship
Annie Proulx, who describes isolated locales in such places as Canada, New England, and Wyoming
Sonia Sanchez, poet and playwright whose work promotes social and racial justice
Esmeralda Santiago, memoirist who writes of her childhood in Puerto Rico and New York City.

Excerpted from A to Z of American Women Writers by Carol Kort
All rights reserved by the original copyright owners. Excerpts are provided for display purposes only and may not be reproduced, reprinted or distributed without the written permission of the publisher.

Through poetry, essays, biographies, and editing, American women have had a long and significant impact on the art of writing. This text examines the stories of 186 women, among them poets, essayists, journalists, editors, novelists, memoirists, and numerous other types of writers.

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