Derived from a workshop and two conference sessions, the 11 essays of this volume offer a remarkably rich account of the life of letters of women in early modern Europe as one that was driven
by keen awareness of and correspondence with their colleagues in other countries. Treated as a phenomenon of cultural geography, the essays detail the intricate literary communication practiced
by women who saw their works commercially printed, knew classical languages, and were actively involved, variously, in humanist, family, and religious pursuits. Esther Inglis, Catherine des
Roches, Giulia Gonzaga, and Anne Vaughan Lock are among the women whose literary lives are described. The volume concludes with a lengthy bibliography of primary and secondary sources. The
contributors teach English, Italian, French, and history in the US, Europe, and Australia. Annotation 穢2010 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)
