The Banshees: A Literary History of Irish American Women Writers

Irish Studies, Syracuse University Press

by Sally Barr Ebest

The Banshees traces the feminist contributions of a wide range of Irish American women writers, from Mother Jones, Kate Chopin, and Margaret Mitchell to contemporary authors such as Gillian Flynn, Jennifer Egan, and Doris Kearns Goodwin.

289 pages, Hardcover

First published October 15, 2013

Reviews

[Dawn Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Banshees by Sally Barr Ebest

9780815633303


288 Pages
Publisher: Syracuse University Press
Release Date: October 22, 2013

Nonfiction, Irish American Women Writers

This book covers the lives of women writers through the decades. I love the reasoning behind using the banshee as the symbol for the women’s group.

Chapter 1: 1900-1960s: Ahead of Their Time
Chapter 2: The 1960s: The Rise of Feminism
Chapter 3: The 1970s: A State of Upheaval
Chapter 4: The 1980s: The War on Women
Chapter 5: The 1990s: Fin de Siècle
Chapter 6: The New Millennium

The book was very interesting, and I learned more about Irish women writers. There is information on Maria Edgeworth, Mary Mean, Alice Nolan, Mary Ann Madden, Katherine E. Conway, Louise Imogen Guiney, Nellie Bly, Alice McDermott, Mary McCarthy, Joyce Carol Oates, Tess Gallagher, Eileen Myles, Maureen Howard, Elizabeth Cullinan, Kathleen Hill, Lisa Carey, Jacqueline Carey, Barbara Friedan, Maeve Brennan, Mary Gordon, Elizabeth Savage, Blanche McCrary Boyd, Susan Faludi, Barbara Finlay.

The book wasn’t what I thought it would be. It was a difficult read for me. I thought I would learn more about the women themselves but instead, I learned more about their writings. The author does a very thorough job researching the women and their work. The information is presented in a textbook style. I would recommend this book if you enjoy Irish women writers.

[GONZA · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting excursus on American writers of Irish descent from the beginning of 1900 up to the present day, with particular attention to the period of feminism and the immediately after Reagan administration, obscurantist like McCarthy period.
I did not know many of these authors and surely now I had the wish to deepen the knowledge of some of them such as Mary McCarthy, Flannery O'Connor and of course read something more of Joyce Carol Oates.

Interessante excursus sulle scrittrici statunitensi di origini irlandesi dall'inizio del 1900 fino ai giorni d'oggi con particolare attenzione al periodo del femminismo e quello immediatamente successivo dell'amministrazione Reagan, oscurantista come poche.
Non conoscevo molte di queste autrici e sicuramente ora mi é venuta voglia di approfondire la conoscenza di alcune di esse come per esempio Mary McCharty e Flannery O'Connor e naturalmente leggere qualcosa di piú di Joyce Carol Oates.

THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY PRESS FOR THE PREVIEW!

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting and enjoyable read would recommend to every one.

[Poppinka · Rating 3 out of 5]

#poppyreads2017