NPR

'How To Suppress Women's Writing:' 3 Decades Old And Still Sadly Relevant

This collection of essays by novelist and scholar Joanna Russ was first published in 1983 — but it reads as if it might've come out last week. "Get angry; then get a reading list," says our critic.
"How To Suppress Women's Writing" by Joanna Russ

In January, Ursula K. Le Guin died. Her Washington Post obituary is glowing; it notes that The Left Hand of Darkness "was cited by literary critic Harold Bloom in The Western Canon, his overview of classic literature, and paved the way for Ms. Le Guin's broader acceptance." It also, reverentially, identifies her as the "grande dame" of science fiction.

Joanna Russ would probably have something to say about that phrase.

published in 1983, just reprinted — is startlingly slim for the amount of work it does, nimbly drawing ; and sheit?)

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR2 min readCrime & Violence
After Two Boeing 737 Max Crashes, Families Are Still Seeking Answers From DOJ
More than five years after two 737 MAX crashes killed 346 people, families of the victims are still pushing the Justice Department to hold Boeing accountable. They're frustrated by the response.
NPR5 min read
Netflix's 'Baby Reindeer': A Dark, Haunting Story Bungles Its Depiction Of Queerness
The new series, based on creator and star Richard Gadd's one-man show, depicts queer sexuality as something that happens to people.
NPR1 min readInternational Relations
Haiti's Prime Minister Ariel Henry Has Resigned As A Transitional Council Takes Over
Haiti's de facto prime minister, Ariel Henry, has formally stepped down and a new transitional council has been sworn in. Finance chief Michel Patrick Boisvert is the new interim prime minister.

Related