Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century (Paperback)

by Justine Larbalestier (Editor) "That the third prize winner should prove to he a woman was one of the surprises of the contest, for, as a rule, women do..." (more)
Key Phrases: woman writing science fiction, midcenturv women, galactic suburbia, New York, Sarah Boyle, Octavia Butler (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"...(R)eally good stories, some of which have been out of print for decades. While the essays offer content and history, you'll look to this volume for the storytelling, first and foremost: If you're going to read about big ideas, you might as well enjoy it."--Sara Sklaroff, The Washington Post

Review
"Eleven excellent stories--some barely known, others already classics--with accompanying essays that will inspire you to read more. A wonderful introduction to the richness of feminist science fiction." (Sarah LeFanu, author of In the Chinks of the World Machine )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 424 pages
• Publisher: Wesleyan (May 22, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0819566764
• ISBN-13: 978-0819566768
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #378,814 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gift to the readers of the twenty-first century, October 4, 2006

By	Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century (Hardcover)

Expertly compiled and deftly edited by science fiction expert and author Justine Larbalesier, "Daughters of Earth: Feminist Science Fiction in the Twentieth Century" is both a collection of eleven short stories by famous feminist science fiction authors and eleven analytical essays which accompany and explain the short stories displayed. Both the authors of the short stories and the authors of the critical essays are feminist science fiction experts. Some of the authors of the short stories include Octavia Butler, Gwyneth Jones, Leslie Stone, Kate Wilhelm, Pamela Zoline, Lisa Tuttle, Pat Murphy, and James Tiptree Jr. Critical essayists include, not in order, Lisa Yaszek, Josh Lukin, Wendy Pearson, Joan Haran, Veronica Hollinger, Andrea Hairston, and L. Timmel Duchamp. These are the famed jewels of feminist science fiction, and it is indeed a rare treat to have the entire volume and its companion essays to peruse. If you have ever read Octavia Butler "The Evening and the Morning and the Night," you will relish the companion essay, 'Praise Song to a Prophetic Artist,' by Andrea Hairston. Paving the way for future feminist writers and thinkers, these authors represent a rich composite vein to be mined at will. An amazing amount of detective work and scholarship went into this edition. "Daughters of Earth" is a gift to the readers of the twenty-first century, in hopes that they remember upon whose literary shoulders they are standing in the fields of science fiction, speculative fiction, and fantasy.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Stories, So-So Analysis, October 3, 2008

By	TammyJo Eckhart "TammyJo Eckhart" (Bloomington, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 500 REVIEWER)

I enjoyed all but one of the 11 stories in this book from 1927 to 2002. Even though I didn't enjoy Pamela Zoline's "The Heat Death of the Universe" I can see why it is an important story to include in this collection of some of the science fiction that can be seen as feminist. "seen as feminist" here is the key I think especially when you look at the essays paired with each story. A few of the essays were spot on -- looked at the author and the story in their historical context. Others rambled between sharing previous scholarship and trying to find multiple readings of the material one of which was a feminist interpretation. The 11 stories are intense and moving, challenging the reader while entertaining. I loved that they were organized chronologically because I could see a flow and development of the feminist voice. I wish a concluding essay had tied them all together to bring this out more.

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sci Fi the way it oughta be!, June 12, 2007

By	Linda W. Purdy "Kamuela Teacher Linda" (Kamuela, Hawaii) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The best work in Sci Fi during the 50's, 60's and 70's was by women, and a lot of the best stories are right here. Fantastic!