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  • Writer's pictureAllison C.

Famous Female Authors Throughout History


Happy Women's History Month!


Now that we're in the month of March, I wanted to take some time to give everyone a brief history lesson on a few of my favorite (and most successful) female authors of all time. Supporting female authors is super important, and Jan-Carol Publishing often publishes local women telling local stories for this very reason. To browse our selection of female authors, you can visit our website here and look under "Book Store" at the top right of the homepage.


Without further ado, let's dive into the first woman on our list of historically famous authors, Jane Austen.


JANE AUSTEN (1775-1817)

Jane Austen remains one of the most popular authors of all time, even though her novels were published in the 1800s.


Austen only completed six works during her lifetime, and only four of them were published while she was alive. (Both "Northanger Abbey" and "Persuasion" were published posthumously.)


Austen's stories manage to touch people to this day because of her seamless ability to create strong, memorable characters and romantic storylines that feel somehow relevant, even in this modern age.


Austen's novels have been turned into countless movies, television shows, and other works. My personal favorite adaptation of an Austen novel would have to be "Pride and Prejudice" (the 2005 version), starring Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen as the iconic characters Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, pictured below.




MARY SHELLEY (1797-1851)

Mary Shelley is widely considered one of the greatest horror novelists of all time, and this is amazing considering she published "Frankenstein" (her most famous work) in 1818 at a time when women weren't commonly associated with the horror or science fiction genres.


Undoubtably, Shelley was a pioneer for female horror and science fiction novelists everywhere, and "Frankenstein" still stands up today as a wonderfully gothic and romantic text.


I personally love Shelley's style of writing and find "Frankenstein" much more powerful than other gothic works of the time period. Something about the story deeply resonates with me, and I think everyone should read it at least once in their lives.



TONI MORRISON (1931-2019)

Toni Morrison, who is a slightly more modern author than other women on this list, was an incredibly influential writer who famously examined the Black experience in her novels, and particularly the Black female experience.


In an unjust world, her characters struggle to find themselves and their cultural identity, told through lyrical poetic style and utilization of the mythic to create depth and power.


Morrison is, without a doubt, one of the greatest authors of all time, and her recent passing in 2019 is heartbreaking. As the first Black woman to win the Nobel Prize in Literature, she will undoubtably continue to inspire young women of color for generations to come.


THE BRONTË SISTERS (Charlotte 1816-1855; Emily 1818-1848; Anne 1820-1849)

The Brontës - Charlotte Brontë, Emily Brontë, and Anne Brontë - are perhaps not as widely taught in schools as Jane Austen or Harper Lee (who wrote "To Kill a Mockingbird"), but they should be.


While Emily's "Wuthering Heights" and Charlotte's "Jane Eyre" may be the most well-known novels to come from the Brontë sisters, Anne also published several underrated gems, such as "Agnes Grey" and "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall," which is considered to be one of the first feminist novels.


All three sisters initially went by male pen names, as many Victorian female authors did at the time in order to be published. There were also rumors going around that the three sisters were actually the same person.


Another fun fact I came across while researching is that "Wuthering Heights," Emily's masterpiece, was not very well received during her lifetime. Readers found it to be too dark and dramatic. In hindsight, I can totally understand why. When I first read "Wuthering Heights" in college, I was shocked at how dark the book's romance actually is. I assumed before reading it that it was another typical Victorian romance novel full of likeable protagonists and swoon-worthy love stories. Man, was I wrong. I could actually talk about why "Wuthering Heights" is one of the greatest gothic romance novels of all time for hours, but in the interest of keeping things short and sweet, I will simply recommend everyone read the novel ASAP! (Then, after that, pick up a copy of "Jane Eyre," because it is absolutely fantastic as well if you're looking for more gothic romance.)



AGATHA CHRISTIE (1890-1976)

Agatha Christie is a huge icon in the world of literature.


She is best known for her 66 detective novels and 14 short story collections, as well as the world’s longest-running play – "The Mousetrap." Her books have sold over a billion copies in the English language and a billion in translation.


I remember reading "And Then There Were None" in high school, and it has stuck with me since then as one of the most exciting books I've read. I couldn't wait to discover who the killer was, and the suspense and intrigue was tangible. Christie had a gift for mystery, and as someone who loves to read a good thriller, I can't stress enough how fantastic her novels are.

 

Allison Chudina

Editorial & Retail Assistant

Jan-Carol Publishing, Inc.

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