The Norton Anthology of Literature by Women: The Traditions in English, Volume 1

The Norton Anthology of Literature by Women #1

by Professor Sandra M Gilbert (Editor), Susan Gubar (Editor)

Long the standard teaching anthology, the landmark Norton Anthology of Literature by Women has introduced generations of readers to the rich variety of women's writing in English. Now, the much-anticipated Third Edition responds to the wealth of writing by women across the globe with the inclusion of 61 new authors (219 in all) whose diverse works span six centuries. A more flexible two-volume format and a versatile new companion reader make the Third Edition an even better teaching tool.

"As diversity itself has shaped the evolution of feminist criticism, from its early preoccupation with women's shared experiences to its more recent absorption in the complex issues and assumptions informing English-language texts by women writers of diverse geographical, cultural, racial, sexual, religious, and class origins and influences, so diversity has shaped the revisions of this anthology."

Genres: Classics, Feminism, Fiction, Anthologies, Womens, Literature, Poetry

1470 pages, Paperback

First published February 2, 2007

Reviews

[rayyan · Rating 4 out of 5]

i feel so smart logging this yayyyy

[K. 🦉 · Rating 4 out of 5]

It seems many people read this book for a class they were taking, but it's also a good read for casual readers. There is a great selection of stories and poetry that might lead the reader to discover a writer they may not have previously encountered.

[bia · Rating 3 out of 5]

read in bits and pieces for school not nearly enough woc

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved the quick biography's about the authors and then their works. That is the best part about this book. The history sections (which are admittedly important for context on what each author had to deal with in their respective centuries) are a bit hard to get through. Overall, this book is a great way to better understand how women have fought for what they have now and to greater understand history as a whole.

[ayesha · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is extensive and the best part about it is that there are selected extracts from the writers' important works. Apart from the biography, the detailed background of the literary works is extensive.

[Rachel Bernstein]

Read for COLT374.

[Jane Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women's Lit. This is the book that woke me in the mid 1970s.

[Leslie Wexler · Rating 2 out of 5]

Inscription August 2009:

Sid Smith Room 1088 - ENG307H (2009 Summer)

"I like your style, I wish I knew you."
- leaning on your chair against the wall sandaled foot on desk
- one pant leg rolled up, hole in knee
- black bandana, ratty little blonde pony tail
- always smiling
- studying International Law, but sitting in a 17th c. women's lit course
- seeing Phillis Wheatley's benighted soul asw "knightly"
- writing in a moleskin (dirty along the page's edge) with "skin food" cream nearby
- you look like you should be outdoors, by a tree, but not hugging it
- maybe you're Jim Morrison in your soul and in your chaotic bedroom where a simple futon matress is thrown on the floor and a pashima hangs over the window, bike leaning against the wall
- Morrison because of the black linen shirt you like to sport undone 5 buttons down
- so vital and alive and virile!

[Ed and Elaine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Of the required reading so far, I am not impressed, but we have just begun.

Some good stories. Jane Erie and The Appreciative Negro.
The Appreciative Negro is a 10 page story about 2 slaves, a man a woman.
The man is to be sold for debts owed by the owner.

They are saved,both bought by a nice white neighbor man.
And the story continues... with rebellion and friendships.

There is also a story about Jane Erie , a bit longer but good.

Tells of her life as a child living as an adopted child with a aunt who does not care for her.
Gets sent away to school, finds a job, caring for a young lady who speaks some french.
Has class and gender clashes...
Pretty good. These are probably the best I have read so far in this book.

[Devon]

I had to read bits and pieces of this for an online class I took this summer... So I didn't have high hopes. It didn't go above my expectations, but I didn't want to die while reading it so I guess that is a plus.

I can say this is one of the best textbooks I've ever had to get- I borrowed it from my school library and renewed it three times over the course so I did not have to buy it. Major plus. I did not want to buy a 100 set of books I was never going to touch again.

[Josephine (biblioseph) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This and the second volume complete a very exhaustive look at women's writing. Showing that 'the traditions in English' are nothing to sneeze at. A comprehensive set of textbooks for a women's lit class, thin pages, very heavy. I wish I could have read all of these.

My course focused on the American authors, I enjoyed the British authors I read in between homework assignments.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Obviously did not read all of this, but got my first taste of Aphra Behn and a good smattering of Sojourner Truth, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Anne Finch, Phillis Wheatley, and a few others.

[Dianne · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this for a class at CCBC. It's better than I thought it would be.

[Kevin Connery · Rating 5 out of 5]

Buy it. Read it. It is full of so much awesome.

[Marc Kohlman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very informative and fascinating book on women's literature and how each work from Julian of Norwich to Charlotte Bronte, changed the course of History. I initially read this book as part of a college course I took my senior year. Already many of the authors and works the course focused on, I was familiar with and loved. Those writers who were new to me and their works amazed me nonetheless. Excellent resource for anyone studying women's literature ranging from many topics- from politics to social morality.

[N.S.Parmar]

Identify the diverse shades of women experiences concerns as reflected in the works of women poets