Kate Chopin (February 8, 1850 – August 22, 1904) was an American author who made her mark writing fiction that was regional in character, yet universal in nature.

Chopin’s best known work is The Awakening, an 1899 novella that was controversial from the time it was published in 1899.  The  reception of The Awakening, which was negative overall, along with the shockwaves it produced discouraged Chopin. Her output slowed considerably in its aftermath, and its erasure was hastened by her premature death just five years after its  publication.

Chopin earned her due only decades after her death when her body of work was resurrected and reconsidered. The Awakening now considered an American classic and a staple in feminist literature. Her other works of fiction, which skewed to short stories, are held in similar high esteem. Read More→