By Emma Ward | On September 23, 2017 | Updated May 2, 2023 | Comments (0)
Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811 – 1896) was the ultimate working mother, obliged to supplement her husband’s meager income to support their large family. Consciously using storytelling as social commentary, Stowe’s overarching theme is of writing passionately for a cause.
Though the literary merits of her work have long been debated, there’s little dispute that Uncle Tom’s Cabin caused a major shift in public perception of slavery. Read More→
By Emma Ward | On September 22, 2017 | Updated December 18, 2022 | Comments (0)
Harriet Beecher Stowe, (1811 –1896) author of the iconic anti-slavery novel Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852), supported herself, her children and her husband with her literary talent. Following is a selection of quotes from the novels of Harriet Beecher Stowe, a modest author who changed the world with her words.
Stowe came from the Beecher family, a progressive group of siblings who supported her efforts. She was also blessed with the privilege of education, a rarity for women of her time.
At age 39, still in the midst of tending to her large family, Stowe found a way to disseminate the story she had long wanted to tell. She hoped that though storytelling, public awareness of the horrors of slavery would grow and shift national consciousness. Read More→
By Emma Ward | On September 21, 2017 | Updated December 18, 2022 | Comments (2)
Elizabeth von Arnim (1866 – 1941) produced a wealth of quietly (and sometimes subversively) feminist novels and memoirs. She was best known for The Enchanted April (1922), which many decades later became the 1992 film Enchanted April).
During her lifetime, she usually published under simply “Elizabeth.” She had a wry, dry sense of humor, but also displayed a passion for beauty, especially the beauty of gardens. Here are some passionate and pensive quotes by Elizabeth von Arnim: Read More→
By Skyler Gomez | On September 16, 2017 | Updated November 18, 2022 | Comments (0)
Grace Paley‘s literary career encompassed writing about the experiences of women, Jewish life, and teaching at various universities. She was also a poet and received multiple honors for her artistic talent despite not having a college degree. presented here is a selection of quotes by Grace Paley on reading, writing, and living.
Grace Paley: The Collected Stories (2007) encapsulates her style, noting her “quirky, boisterous characters and rich use of language,” and goes on to say:
“Grace Paley’s stories are united by her signature interweaving of personal and political truths, by her extraordinary capacity for empathy, and by her pointed, funny depiction of the small and large events that make up city life.” Read More→
By Emma Ward | On September 12, 2017 | Updated September 18, 2025 | Comments (0)
Edith Wharton (1862 – 1937), the esteemed American author, grew up in a wealthy family that didn’t think it was proper for a young woman of their society to be writer. Here’s a collection of perceptive quotes by Edith Wharton, who was ever observant about human nature and honest about the challenges of the writing life.
Though she initially lacked confidence, her first published works were steps to self-acceptance. Wharton lived a full life, building herself a mansion in Lenox, Massachusetts, living in France, aiding war refugees, and winning a Pulitzer Prize for her novel, The Age of Innocence (1921). Read More→
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