Jean W. Ashton – författare

A celebration of the unique voices of women writers in American literature, this comprehensive catalogue comprises some 100 works by 72 authors, covering the varied genres pursued by women: poetry, and travel journals, romantic novels, and history books. Many of the volumes are rare, reflecting the fact that the seventeenth-century publications were often read to tatters. Some later works, such as those by the Grimke sisters and Emma Southworth, were banned. Others, such as Charlotte Gilman's short story "The Yellow Wall Paper" (1892) and Harriet Jacob's autobiography, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861), were only recently "discovered" by an appreciative feminist audience. Providing a window into the growth of spirit and stature that occurred as women gradually took their place as professional writers, this catalogue accompanied an exhibition that took place at the Grolier Club from March 11 through May 2, 1998.