Contemporary American women poets : an A-to-Z guide

Feminist efforts have recovered the works of early women poets, and much of this rediscovered work now appears in anthologies. As a result, women poets writing today must not only struggle against a largely male tradition, but must also confront existing feminist expectations. In mapping the achievements of contemporary American women poets, this reference helps liberate them from restrictive conventional views and illustrates the tremendous diversity of their works. Included are alphabetically arranged entries on nearly 70 American women poets who published significant works after 1945. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and presents a short biography, a discussion of major works and themes, a survey of the poet's critical reception, and primary and secondary bibliographies. Included poets come from a variety of racial and ethnic backgrounds, geographical regions, and social classes. Some, such as Maya Angelou and Adrienne Rich, have received significant critical attention, while others are only beginning to attract interest and acclaim.

alphabetically Arranged Entries Present Nearly 70 American Women Poets Who Published Significant Works After 1945.

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this Alphabetically Arranged Reference Profiles Some 70 American Women Poets Who Have Had Significant Literary Influence In The Second Half Of The 20th Century, Among Them Maya Angelou, Adrienne Rich, Ana Castillo, Maxine Chernoff, And Many More. Written By Over 40 Contributors-including Academics, Poets, Writers, And Graduate Students Specializing In Literature Or American Studies-the Entries Each Run About Five Pages And Include A Brief Biography, Information On The Poet's Major Works And Themes, A Summary Of Critical Commentary On The Poet, And A Bibliography Of Works By And About The Poet. Even With So Many Contributors, The Prescribed Format, As Edited By Cucinella (california State Univ.-san Marcos), Gives The Guide A Uniform Feel. Although There Are Other References On Contemporary American Women Poets, None Covers Exactly The Same Ground. American And Canadian Women Poets, 1930-present, Edited By Harold Bloom, Is Perhaps The Most Similar To This Work, But It Does Not Offer A Biobibliographic Approach. Not An Essential Purchase, This Is Nevertheless A Useful Reference Best Suited To Large High School And Academic Libraries. Public Libraries With Patrons Who Have A Strong Interest In Poetry May Also Consider Purchase.-denise Johnson, Bradley Univ. Lib., Peoria, Il Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information.

This reference contains alphabetically arranged entries on nearly 70 American women poets who published significant works after WWII. Each entry consists of four sections: Biography, Major Works and Themes, Critical Reception, and Bibliography (both primary and secondary). Those profiled include well-known poets such as Maya Angelou and Sylvia Plath as well as those who are only beginning to attract the interest of critics. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR