Women Authors History

Jane Austen

Dec 16, 1775

She was an English author who wrote romantic fiction. She added realism and irony which gave her historical known to critics. Her novels critiqued sensibility.

Emily Brontë

Jul 30, 1818

Emily BronteEmily was an English Novelist and poet. She was best known for her novel Wuthering Heights. This novel of violence and passion led the public to think it had been written by a man, but were later shocked to hear that Emily was the author in 1850, 3 years after being published.

Anna Sewell

Mar 30, 1820

Anna SewellAnna Sewell was the author of the novel, Black Beauty. She wrote the book to help people with treating horses with more kindness and sympathy. Now it is considered more of a children’s book.

Louisa May Alcott

Nov 29, 1832

Louisa is an american novelist most known for writing Little Women. She is also supported abolition and she was a feminist. Sometimes she would write under the pen name A.M. Barnard for some fiery or passionate novels.

Edith Wharton

Jan 24, 1862

Edith WhartonEdith Wharton was a novelist and short story writer. She was the first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for literature with her book The Age Of Innocence. Her birth name was Edith Jones. The Jones family was very admired and copied in their time, hense the term “Keeping up with the Joneses.”

Laura Ingalls Wilder

Feb 7, 1867

Laura was inspired to write her pioneer lifestyle books due to her daughter Rose. She has an award named after her because she was the first recipient of the award. The award is given to children book authors who give substantial and long contributions to children’s literature.

L.M. Montgomery

Nov 30, 1874

She was known for writing the book Anne of Green Gables. She had wrote many books and short stories and poems usually based in Prince Edward Island. Her book known among schools and people.

Helen Keller

Jun 27, 1880

A Helen Keller was an american author she was also a well known activist. One of her books she did do cryptomnesia not purposely of course. But she mostly wrote about how her life went because she was blind and deaf.

Virginia Woolf

Jan 25, 1882

Virginia Woolf was the most modernist authors of the twentieth century. She usually wrote differently about the religions of Judaism, Christianity, and fascism. Virginia also was significant figure London Literary Society.

Emily Dickenson

May 15, 1886

Emily DickensonEmily Dickinson was a poet whose writing was unlike anyone else's and very influential. She used a lot of techniques, such as slant rhymes, unusual capitalization, short lines, and strange punctuation. These elements were new for her time and got a lot of criticism in the 19th century. Now, she is praised for her originality.

Agatha Christie

Sep 15, 1890

Agatha ChristieAgatha Christie was a famous English novelist. She wrote detective novels, short stories, and plays. Her work paved the way for all crime writers but specifically women. Christie is the best selling female author of all time! She ranks third behind the Bible and Shakespeare.

Margaret Mitchell

Nov 8, 1900

Margaret MitchellMargaret Mitchell (1900-1959): Margaret Mitchell was a famous author who won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction. Her only novel published during her lifetime was Gone With The Wind, but a few of her girlhood writings and novellas have been published after her death. Gone With The Wind is an American Civil War-era novel that captured many hearts with its incredible use of symbolism.

Harper Lee

Apr 28, 1926

Harper Lee is an american novelist who writing has dealt with racism that she had saw in her time growing up. She has earned the presidential medal of freedoms only writing one book. Lee never thought the book to Kill a Mockingbird to be such a success.

Maya Angelou

Apr 4, 1928

Maya AngelouMaya AngelouDr. Maya Angelou is a famous African American author and poet. She wrote six autobiographies, her most popular being I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings which tells the story of her life up to the age of seventeen. She was one of the first African American women to publicly discuss her personal life.

Anne Frank

Jun 12, 1929

Anne FrankAnne Frank will forever be remembered for her bravery during the Holocaust. The diary she kept while she was hiding during the Holocaust was a significant inside look on what life was like for Jewish people during that time. It has become a staple in literature. Showing the hardships, and displaying the courage of one girl to survive.

Sylvia Plath

Oct 27, 1932

Sylvia PlathSylvia Plath was an acclaimed American poet, novelist, and short story writer. Some of her most famous pieces are Ariel, The Colossus and Other Poems, and The Collected Poems. Plath’s work was raw and influential to women of all backgrounds. She is the first and only person to win a posthumous Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.

Lois Lowry

Mar 20, 1937

Lois Lowry has written many books and has won awards. She is known for writing tough subjects for children books. A known book written by her is called The Giver which has a diversity among schools some have it for mandatory in schools and some prohibit it.

Alice Walker

Feb 9, 1944

Alice WalkerAlice Walker was the very first African American woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. She is most famous for her book The Color Purple which was later adapted into a movie directed by Steven Speilberg. The majority of her work focuses a lot on gender and racial inequality.

S.E. Hinton

Jul 22, 1948

S.E. HintonS.E. Hinton is an author who became famous for her young adult books. Her most popular novel, The Outsiders, was written when she was only fifteen years old and published when she was eighteen. The Outsiders was later adapted into a film in 1983. Her work changed the way people look at young adult literature.

Sue Monk Kidd

Aug 12, 1948

Sue Monk KiddSue Monk Kidd is the author of the book The Secret Life of Bees which was on the New York Times bestseller list for 2 ½ years. It was also adapted into a movie starring Queen Latifa, Dakota Fanning, Jennifer Hudson, and more. Though her work is fictional, it focuses a lot on the trials and tribulations of southern women.

Nora Roberts

Oct 10, 1950

Nora RobertsNora Roberts is famous for her intense, raunchy romance novels. Her first novel was called Irish Thoroughbred. This was drawn from her irish heritage. Now she wows the world with novels of love and passion.

Suzanne Collins

Aug 10, 1962

Suzanne Collins Suzanne Collins is mostly known for her Hunger Games Series. The Hunger Games struck the science fiction world with a bang. Her books went on to be made into major motion pictures, for the world to see.

J.K Rowling

Jul 31, 1965

Joanne Rowling is known for her series the Harry Potter Novels. Her series is the number one bestseller with over millions of copies sold. She was also called the most influential women in the world.

Meg Cabot

Feb 1, 1967

Meg is best known for her book The Princess Diaries. Later made into a Walt disney Series. Inspiring little girls all over the world.

Natasha Trethewey

Apr 26, 1996

Natasha TretheweyNatasha Trethewey is an American poet who won a Pulitzer Prize for poetry. She was also the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 2012. Her job was to raise awareness and enthusiasm regarding the reading and writing of poetry.

Kathryn Stockett

Feb 10, 2009

Kathryn Stockett’s book that made her famous was called the Help. After it was shot down 60 time by agents it was finally picked up and made a hit. The help was similar to her own growing up.

Harriet Beecher Stowe

Sep 10, 2013

Harriet Beecher Stowe Harriet Beecher Stowe is mainly known for her book Uncle Tom’s Cabin. A book that caused a ton of controversy over African American slavery. Her book helped spark the anti-slavery forces in the north.