Category Archives: Fiction

Stone Butch Blues, Leslie Feinberg

Posted on March 24, 2012 by

Stone Butch Blues is a novel by activist and author Leslie Feinberg and tells the story of Jess Goldberg, a Jewish girl growing up in 1960s Buffalo, NY. From a young age, Jess is confronted with the question, “boy or … Continue reading →

Posted in 1990s, Leslie Feinberg, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Trash, Dorothy Allison

Posted on November 22, 2011 by

Dorothy Allison’s book of short stories, which are fictional accounts of her own life, focus either on growing up in poverty in South Carolina or on her sex life as a lesbian. Allison’s detailed descriptions of lesbian sex are very … Continue reading →

Posted in 1980s, Dorothy Allison | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Herland, Charlotte Perkins Gilman

Posted on September 27, 2011 by

This Utopian novella, originally published serially in Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s monthly magazine, The Forerunner, offers a tantalizing and humorous insight into the stifling restrictions of early 20th century American women. The most striking parts of Gilman’s novella lie in her … Continue reading →

Posted in 1910s, Charlotte Perkins Gilman | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Her Fearful Symmetry, Audrey Niffenegger

Posted on July 26, 2011 by

Although quite different from The Time Traveler’s Wife, which I found surprisingly moving, Her Fearful Symmetry is a strong novel on its own. The book is mystical (it deals with ghosts and physically symmetrical twins) but never ridiculous. As in The Time … Continue reading →

Posted in 2000s, Audrey Niffenegger, Fiction | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

A Short History of Women, Kate Walbert

Posted on July 16, 2011 by

Usually, when I read a novel I like, the first third of the book blows me away, the second third is a little tougher to get through, and by the final third I’m feeling disappointed. Either I don’t want the … Continue reading →

Posted in 2000s, Fiction, Kate Walbert | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton

Posted on June 16, 2011 by

This book was fantastic. The subtleties of human emotion and social interaction that Wharton captured were really breathtaking for me. I sympathized with Lily Bart from the beginning, despite her materialism and privilege, because she was so vibrant and talented. … Continue reading →

Posted in 1900s, Edith Wharton, Fiction | Tagged , , | Leave a comment