A jury of her peers : American women writers from Anne Bradstreet to Annie Proulx / by Elaine Showalter

Includes bibliographical references and index.

A new literature springs up in the new world -- Revolution: women's rights and women's writing -- Their native land -- Finding a form -- Masterpieces and mass markets -- Slavery, race, and women's writing -- The Civil War -- The coming woman -- American sibyls -- New women -- The golden morrow -- Against women's writing: Wharton and Cather -- You might as well live -- The Great Depression -- The 1940s: World War II and after -- The 1950s: the three faces of Eve -- The 1960s: live or die -- The 1970s: the will to change -- The 1980s: on the jury -- The 1990s: anything she wants.

In a narrative of immense scope and fascination--spanning nearly 400 years and brimming with Showalter's characteristic wit and incisive opinions--readers are introduced to more than 250 female writers, both famous and little known.