Book SynopsisA unique anthology of short stories and poetry by feminist contemporaries of Virginia Woolf, who were writing about work, discrimination, war, relationships and love in the early part of the 20th Century. Includes works by English and American writers Zelda Fitzgerald, Charlotte Perkins Gillman, Radclyffe Hall, Katherine Mansfield, Alice Dunbar Nelson, Edith Wharton, and Virginia Woolf, alongside their recently rediscovered 'sisters' from around the world. This book offers a diverse and international array of over 20 literary gems from women writers living in Bulgaria, Chile, China, Egypt, France, Italy, Palestine, Romania, Russia, Spain and Ukraine.Trade Review"This important anthology reclaims the voices of female writers from around the world, illustrating the existence of a powerful female literary tradition outside the male literary patrimony." - Professor Stiliana Milkova, author of Elena Ferrante as World Literature; "This book is a collection of short stories and poems written by female writers in the early 1900’s. Some are translated to English from the native language. It’s a nice book because you can read one short story and come back later to a different story. I’ve not read many of these authors before so it was interesting to hear their stories. I also loved the drawings and quotes from famous women throughout history. It reminds me how far women have come in the last 100+ years and how much more can change in the next 100 years. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in early 1900’s stories about women and the struggles they faced." -Sheri Steuben, reviewer Netgalley; "Virginia's Sisters is a fantastic anthology which brings to light female voices from the early 1900s who have not been celebrated as much in the literary canon, either because they were overshadowed by male contemporaries or because their work was not translated into English at the time of publishing. While well known names like Virginia Woolf, Edith Wharton and Katherine Mansfield figure in this collection of poetry and short stories, their work is illuminated and complemented by voices from Eastern Europe and Asia. All of these stories sing with talent but also shed light upon the female experience in the early 20th century. Every woman in these stories is tackling how they are defined by their relationships to men, motherhood and marriage. But these writers also weave in the intricacies of human existence too - these are not two-dimensional narratives focusing just on the 'plight' of womanhood. Within these tales we learn about the loves, hungers and secrets these women keep. Independence, success, transgressing boundaries and queer relationships are all celebrated in these stories. Thus, rather than being an anthology dictated by a white male professor in a stuffy office, this anthology breathes with refreshing perspectives as it exists to ensure quieter voices from literature of the past are finally being heard." -Kristiana Reed, reviewer NetgalleyTable of ContentsIntroduction by Gabi Reigh List of authors and works included: A Woman by Fani Popova-Mutafova (translated by Petya Pavlova) Thoughts by Myra Viola Wilds The Little Governess by Katherine Mansfield Villa Myosotis by Sorana Gurian (translated by Gabi Reigh) The Mark on the Wall by Virginia Woolf Miss Ogilvy Finds Herself [extract] by Radclyffe Hall I sit and sew by Alice Dunbar Nelson First Steps [extract] by Dorka Talmon (translated by Mira Glover) Coming Home by Maria Messina (translated by Juliette Neil) Vegetal Reverie by Magda Isanos (translated by Gabi Reigh) The Iceberg by Zelda Fitzgerald The Russian Princess by Carmen de Burgos (translated by Slava Faybysh) Bring to Me All... by Marina Tsvetaeva (translated by Nina Kossman) Autres Temps by Edith Wharton Unheard by Yente Serdatsky (translated by Dalia Wolfson) Fog by Gabriela Mistral (translated by Stuart Cooke) Natalia [extract] by Fausta Cialente (translated by Laura Shanahan) What makes this century worse? by Anna Akhmatova (translated by Olga Livshin) Broken by Nataliya Kobrynska (translated by Hanna Leliv & Slava Faybysh) Sunset by Antonia Pozzi (translated by Sonia di Placido) Once Upon A Time by Ling Shuhua (translated by Leilei Chen) Their Religions and our Marriages: Herland [extract] by Charlotte Perkins Gilman Goodbye Lebanon by May Ziadeh (translated by Rose DeMaris)
Read more less
