Standing Her Ground: Classic Short Stories by Trailblazing Women

by Harriet Sanders (Editor), Various

All the stories in Standing Her Ground have been chosen to celebrate the skill, the passion and achievements of women writers spanning one hundred years of innovation.

Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning, clothbound, pocket-sized classics with gold foiled edges and ribbon markers. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is edited by Harriet Sanders.

Edith Wharton was the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize for literature. Writer and activist Alice Dunbar Nelson was an early adopter of the Harlem Renaissance movement. Kate Chopin and Elizabeth Gaskell dared to explore themes outside the strict social codes of their times. And Virginia Woolf was hugely influential in both the feminist and modernist movements.

From ‘The Manchester Marriage’, in which a husband, supposedly drowned at sea, returns to find his daughter, to the two sisters who are comically adrift after the death of their domineering father in ‘The Daughters of the Late Colonel’, and a young girl who enlists the help of a sorceress to win back her boyfriend in ‘The Goodness of Saint Rocque’, Standing Her Ground showcases nine groundbreaking women writers.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction, Classics, Book Club

209 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 15, 2022

Reviews

[Katie Lumsden · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really enjoyable read, even if it did have a chunk missing of the Gaskell story! The Edith Wharton story was especially great.

[Michelle Reetz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wonderful little collection by amazing women. Not five stars just because I was expecting stories more fully focused on women and women's issues.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are going to delve into this collection I recommend you give yourself time to adjust your awareness of language to fit into the time frame in which the stories were written. My mind fought against this antiquated style for the first few stories and I must say I wasn’t enjoying the read until I realised the problem was from me as reader rather than from the story. Once I relaxed into the language of the period the gems of some truly beautiful prose came through, as well as some very feisty, biting stories from women as they evaluated the society they lived in.
Each one has merit and worth for any modern day feminist or ally
Do I have a favourite? Not really, each one is full of the most delightful irony and sometimes caustic wit but I think the Virginia Woolf story was so cuttingly ironic I marvelled and laughed equally.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell for this little gift book at an independent bookstore while traveling. Before buying, I glanced at the list of the nine authors and their stories, only one of which I’d read before, Kate Chopin’s “A Pair of Silk Stockings.” Like Mrs. Sommers’ silk stockings, the book also seemed a soothing and pleasant purchase.

Willa Cather’s “Paul’s Case,” (which is having a moment among my Goodreads friends) is excellent and probably my favorite of the bunch. Alice Dunbar-Nelson’s “Sister Josepha” makes me happy I have an unread volume of hers on hand. Virginia Woolf’s “A Society” was a revelation, a story I can only describe as saucy, not a word I usually associate with her. I was impressed with the characterization in Katherine Mansfield’s “The Daughters of the Late Colonel.”

There’s one flaw to this little volume, at least in my copy. While reading Elizabeth Gaskell’s “The Manchester Marriage,” I became confused at a sudden jump to another character and a different plot point. I quickly figured out a chunk of text was missing, which I was able to find and read online. It was worth the so-called trouble.

[Beata Zwarycz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't usually read short stories and many of these came off as rather old-fashioned. The language of 19th century writers doesn't always appeal to me. However, a few of the stories stood out for me. Virginia Woolf's especially, was very well written and Kate Chopin's story about a woman out shopping hit the spot. The story about a father dying and leaving his two unmarried daughters was also enjoyable.

[Jessica Perteet · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my book club for November. Some of these stories I enjoyed more than others but I liked getting to know more about these mostly new to me female authors. I knew Gaskell, Shelley, and Willa Cather but the others were new to me. Want to read more by them next year.

[chelsea! · Rating 2 out of 5]

i regret to say the women were far more interesting than the stories selected here, though i did enjoy virginia woolfe’s weird little tale. two stars only because of my love of trailblazing women.

[Betsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My favorites: “A pair of silk stockings” by Kate Chopin, “the other two” by Edith Wharton.

[Nikki in Niagara · Rating 4 out of 5]

A collection of nine important classic female writers' short stories. I'd heard of and read seven of the writers and enjoyed all but one story. The dates of the stories are not given which is a pet peeve of mine but after looking at the author's bios at the end of the book it can be surmised that the stories are presented in chronological order. Each story gives an overview of its era through mannerisms, values, and a myriad of other ways. Definitely a worthwhile collection in this handsome collectors edition.

[Yazzy Galvao · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars, (6/10). A decent short story collection, to put it simply.