Beacon Book of Essays by Contemporary American Women [Hardcover]

Wendy Martin (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 1996

Two generations ago, most essayists were men, but in recent decades, women writers have claimed the personal essay, using its freedom to explore contemporary life in all its diversity. Wendy Martin has gathered a wide range of writing, from classics by Maya Angelou and Joan Didion to new voices of younger writers, many appearing here for the first time in book form.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This excellent compilation features essays by women writers of varying ethnic backgrounds, age, class, sexual orientation and religion. With the exception of Mary McCarthy's 1951 piece about the significance of names, the contributions were written over the last 30 years and provide an overview of the cultural impact of the women's liberation movement. Poet Adrienne Rich examines her separate identities as a Jew, a woman and a lesbian, and author Alice Walker credits feminist ideology with freeing her to understand the sexist behavior of her father and brothers. Several essays deal with reproductive issues, including fertility (Carolyn Coma), abortion (Mary Gordon) and the struggle to conceive (anthropologist Margaret Meade). Insight and humor characterize Susan Faludi's article on her fear of public speaking, and pioneer feminist Betty Friedan shares her thoughts on becoming a grandmother. An engrossing and lively collection.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In this diverse collection, editor Martin (English, Claremont Graduate Sch.) includes the work of well-known authors such as Toni Morrison, Adrienne Rich, Alice Walker, Amy Tan, and Gwendolyn Brooks, along with several new voices, many appearing in book form for the first time. Writing as mothers, daughters, wives, sisters, lovers, and friends, these women represent a cross-section of religions, ethnicities, sexual orientations, and socioeconomic classes. In their essays they discuss nearly every conceivable issue permeating contemporary American female life?family and relationship dynamics, birth and death, infertility, sickness, the violation of rape, the complexities of ethnic identity, discrimination and stereotyping, and "finding oneself" in today's world. Especially notable are Betty Friedan's "Thoughts on Becoming a Grandmother," Jane Slaughter's "A Beaut of a Shiner," and Maya Angelou's "The Deterioration of My Marriage." Highly recommended for all literature and women's studies collections.?Marcie Zwaik, "Library Journal"
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 310 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press; First Printing edition (February 28, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807063460
• ISBN-13: 978-0807063460
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,412,434 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)