Becca Anderson - Book of Awesome Women Writers: Medieval Mystics, Pioneering Poets, Fierce Feminists and First Ladies of Literature

I read a little from this book each day as there is so much information packed in here. I had no idea that the first recorded writer in human history was a woman! I am learning so much from this and it is written in a delightfully entertaining way. I am inspired!

Varla Ventura, author of Sheroes

Enter into this fascinating world of women who are desperately in love with books. They are a diverse group of personalities who were at times ignored, banned and reviled by the public for their use of the written word. Becca Anderson offers some intriguing and entertaining profiles of women in the literary scene. They are listed in cool categories which include prolific pens, those whose books were banned, women who wrote from a different spiritual point of view and other interesting facts about women in the field of literature.Did you know that women were responsible for writing the Bible under the guidance of Jerome? Are you aware of the prolific amount of prose penned by Barbara Cartland, Margaret Mead and Edith Wharton? These are just a few tidbits of information that will encourage you to read more and, hopefully, be inspired to pick up the pen yourself!

Autumn Stephens, author of Wild Words from Wild Women

This book is a testament to the relationship and contributions of women writers, lest we forget their impact and inspiration. Becca paints portraits of women writers with her energetic and enigmatic words in an accessible and engaging manner. Please join me on this amazing journey through womens historyI know you will be as inspired by it as I h ave been.

Ntozake Shange, author of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide / When the Rainb ow Is Enuf

So go on, do some guilt-free indulging in the pages of Becca Andersons basket of literary bonbons. She has gathered a wealth of delectable stories in which to immerse ourselves, a bite at a time. Lets hear it for bibliophiles and book ladiesour richest yet most non-fatten ing vice.

Vicki Len, author of the Uppity Wo men serie s

The Book of Awesome Women Writers

Medieval Mystics, Pioneering Poets, Fierce Feminists and First Ladies of Literature

from Aphra Behn to Zora Neale Hurston

Becca Anderson

Mango Publishing

Coral Gables

Copyright 2020 by Becca Anderson.
Published by Mango Publishing Group, a division of Mango Media Inc.

Cover Design: Elina Diaz
Cover Photo/illustration: shutterstock.com
Layout & Design: Elina Diaz

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The Book of Awesome Women Writers: Medieval Mystics, Pioneering Poets, Fierce Feminists and First Ladies of Literature

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication number: 2019944233
ISBN: (print) 978-1-64250-122-3, (ebook) 978-1-64250-123-0
BISAC category code BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Women

Printed in the United States of America

This is for Mrs. Eve lyn Gammon

my late and great teacher who taught me to read in the first grade and made me believe in myself. Ill never forget the support and encouragement she gave me to pursue my dreams. I also dedicate this to every teacher, librarian, and volunteer who instills a love of books in their students.

and in memory of Richard J. Chin, my eternal i nspiration

Table of Contents

Chapter Seven: Salonists and Culture Makers Hermeneutic Ci rcles and
Huma n History

by Ntozake Shange, poet, playwright, and author

Women have shaped and inspired me my whole life, especially women writers, in whom I have found inspiration, hope, and camaraderie. One can never underestimate the power of womenthey have motivated, stimulated, and encouraged since the first book was written. In fact, a woman may have written the first book! The Book of Awesome Women Writers explores in a compelling manner the fascinating history and work of the worlds most beloved and influential women writers, without whom I never would have been a success.

As a curious and impressionable young girl, I was blessed with a mother who educated me about Black women writers. My mother shared her race records with me (similar to race books), which documented the traditions, achievements, and work of Black writers. I was especially inspired by Phillis Wheatley and Lucy Terry Prince, pioneering African American women and some of the first women writers in Americaif not the first.

My mother also took me to see Lorraine Hansberrys A Raisin in the Sun a pivotal and moving moment in my life which encouraged and nurtured my creativity. The work and courage of this successful woman of color, who shared her message with audiences all over the country (and later, all over the world), became the foundation upon which my creativity was developed.

I was moved in a similar manner while studying at Barnard, where I was introduced to Anna Akhamatovas Russian poetry and Virginia Woolfs To the Lighthouse . I was so taken with To the Lighthouse that it was the subject of my freshman composition; I argued that Woolf was writing about the choices a woman has to make. My professor wrote on my paper that it was about the choices a person has to make, but, to me, it was specifically about the ensuing weight and consequences of those decisions. In The Book of Awesome Women Writers , Becca Anderson explores the complex life and work of both these mavens, along with the history and achievements of many other wome n writers.

In my senior year of college, Caroline Rodgers published a little paperback poetry book that changed my life and influenced my own writingher stanzas were sculpted in such a way that they flowed like riversand that continues to be important to me today. I owe a great deal in terms of lyricism and syntax to Zora Neale Hurston, who along with Sonja Sanchez and June Jordan influenced my personal writ ing style.

I respected June Jordan, whom I met during college, because upon reading her work I was filled with delightshe tackled public issues through a female voice. That was and still is extremely import ant to me.

My first experience with writing came about because there were no Black women writing about themselves, the world, and politicsso we had to write it for ourselves. In 1967, my friend Tawani Davis and I approached Barnard for a grant because we noticed there was no published literature by women of color. With the five hundred dollar grant, we designed a magazine called Fat Mama that published drawings, pieces of music, and poetry by women of color. We had our first taste of self-publishing and loved itwe had the opening party at the African American Museum in Harlem.

While in graduate school, I was enchanted by Diana Lakoskey, Anne Petrie, Margaret Randall, and the narratives of Maya Angelou. Around this time, I discovered two works that changed my life, Susan Griffins Women and Nature and Mary Dalys Gyn/Ecology , both of which I still rely on when I teach feminist literature and a esthetics.