The Vintage Book of American Women Writers is the first of its kind: a dazzling, monumental showcase of 350 years of poetry and fiction by American women.Inspired and informed by her groundbreaking history A Jury of Her Peers, Elaine Showalter's landmark anthology features the best work of writers ranging from Puritan poet Anne Bradstreet to contemporary stars like Annie Proulx and Jhumpa Lahiri.For centuries women have been marginalized and overlooked in American literary history and Showalter's collection corrects this injustice, allowing us to see our famous women writers in their full literary context and to encounter scores of lesser-known and forgotten writers who fully deserve to be rediscovered and enjoyed by new generations of readers. Sure to fuel debate for years to come, The Vintage Book of American Women Writers offers an epic overview of the canon in one readable, entertaining, and provocative volume.From the Trade Paperback edition.