Jewish American Women Writers - by Ann R Shapiro (Hardcover)

About the Book

Even among scholars of Jewish literature, Jewish American women writers have been largely neglected. Nevertheless, these women have made an enormous contribution to literature and culture. This reference explores the extraordinary achievement of Jewish American women novelists, poets, and playwrights who have written in English. Every effort was made to provide a representative selection of writers, and the final list was determined after consultation with specialists and scholars.

The volume is composed mainly of entries arranged alphabetically by writer. Many of these women have an indisputable place in the literary canon, while others are relative newcomers to the field. Still others are being rediscovered after years of neglect. The profiles provide a biography, bibliography, and survey of criticism for each author. Each also provides an analysis of the writer's work by a scholar in Jewish American literature, women's studies, or a related field. An introductory essay defines the scope of Jewish American women's literature, while a special chapter is devoted to writers of autobiographies who document the experience of Jewish women in America.

Book Synopsis

Even among scholars of Jewish literature, Jewish American women writers have been largely neglected. Nevertheless, these women have made an enormous contribution to literature and culture. This reference explores the extraordinary achievement of Jewish American women novelists, poets, and playwrights who have written in English. Every effort was made to provide a representative selection of writers, and the final list was determined after consultation with specialists and scholars.

The volume is composed mainly of entries arranged alphabetically by writer. Many of these women have an indisputable place in the literary canon, while others are relative newcomers to the field. Still others are being rediscovered after years of neglect. The profiles provide a biography, bibliography, and survey of criticism for each author. Each also provides an analysis of the writer's work by a scholar in Jewish American literature, women's studies, or a related field. An introductory essay defines the scope of Jewish American women's literature, while a special chapter is devoted to writers of autobiographies who document the experience of Jewish women in America.

Review Quotes

.,."will be a great assistance to comparative literature and Jewish women's studies instructors as well as readers interested in finding out something about the lives of these authors, other books they've written, and analysis by reviewers and other critics."- Feminist Collections

?...will be a great assistance to comparative literature and Jewish women's studies instructors as well as readers interested in finding out something about the lives of these authors, other books they've written, and analysis by reviewers and other critics.?- Feminist Collections

?This is devoted to making known the achievements of Jewish American women novelists, poets, and playwrights who have written in English...A solid guide to the subject. Recommended for American literature reference collections.?-Reference Book Review

?This reference work presents 57 authors, each of whom receives an alphabetically arranged entry that includes a one-page biography, an essay on the author's major themes, survey of criticism, and bibliographies of works by and about the author. The 56 contributors represent an impressive array of institutions. This is a useful first step for anyone looking for a single place to find basic information. Highly recommended for all academic libraries.?-Choice

?This volume focuses on three aspects of each author: her life, her work, and critical analysis of some of those works. This title would be most appropriate for large public libraries or academic libraries with ethnic or women's studies collections.?-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

?Thumbs up! This book promises to be one of the most outstanding reference sources published in 1994.?-Menorah Review

..."will be a great assistance to comparative literature and Jewish women's studies instructors as well as readers interested in finding out something about the lives of these authors, other books they've written, and analysis by reviewers and other critics."- Feminist Collections

"This is devoted to making known the achievements of Jewish American women novelists, poets, and playwrights who have written in English...A solid guide to the subject. Recommended for American literature reference collections."-Reference Book Review

"This volume focuses on three aspects of each author: her life, her work, and critical analysis of some of those works. This title would be most appropriate for large public libraries or academic libraries with ethnic or women's studies collections."-Booklist/Reference Books Bulletin

"Thumbs up! This book promises to be one of the most outstanding reference sources published in 1994."-Menorah Review

"This reference work presents 57 authors, each of whom receives an alphabetically arranged entry that includes a one-page biography, an essay on the author's major themes, survey of criticism, and bibliographies of works by and about the author. The 56 contributors represent an impressive array of institutions. This is a useful first step for anyone looking for a single place to find basic information. Highly recommended for all academic libraries."-Choice

About the Author

ANN R. SHAPIRO is Professor of English at the State University of New York, College of Technology at Farmingdale. She is the author of Unlikely Heroines (Greenwood Press, 1987), and various articles and reviews on Jewish American women writers and nineteenth-century American women writers.