This is a nice overview of the lives and motivations of a selection of women writers from the 18th to early 20th centuries... and not just the ones you'd expect, either. Most readers will probably encounter at least a couple of names they haven't heard before. The reader grasps how incredibly easy it has been throughout history for women's creative works to be ignored, dismissed, or minimized. It's thought-provoking to consider that the catalog presented here is really only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to women who write.

The book is part text and part graphic story, with each graphic depicting an author at a potential turning point in her life. I felt that the graphic stories would have benefited by some annotations (like those Sydney Padua made use of in The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage). There were multiple places where I could tell something interesting was being referenced in the artwork, but felt blind to its significance because I couldn't stitch together what it meant.

Although I wanted that little bit of extra explanation, I did enjoy the book for the lively way it presented these women, and the emphasis on their reasons for writing. It made them feel very human and real, as opposed to distant, legendary, buttoned up figures.

Thanks to NetGalley and Chronicle Books for this advance review copy. ( )

This is a great book. I have so many of these biography anthology comic books about women now. Each one is great in their own way. I think I liked this one better because it's more about writers and books and my subject matter. This one seemed more organized too. It focuses only on women writers during the 19th century (she mentions why in the introduction). I feel like they could do more of these comics, but at the same time I'm happy. I really enjoyed the fact this was well researched, with a bibliography, and the art is really good too. ( )

Excellent overview of 18 classic female authors. Each one is given a synopsis of their life then it goes to a graphic novel of what the turning point of their lives were then returns to prose with a follow up of what happened after their turning point along with a list of their writings.

I learned a lot about these women. Some, such as Frances E. W. Harper, Alice Dunbar Nelson, and Anne Lister, I have never heard of but I will certainly be looking for their works. The others, such as the Brontes, Louisa May Alcott, and Elizabeth Gaskell, I will read more of their works.

I have to also speak of the cover. It is one of the most beautiful books I have seen. The cover catches the eye and made me want to open it and discover what was in its pages. Those pages did not disappoint. I look forward to more from these authors. ( )

3.5

Why She Wrote lifts up the stories of women writers of the 19th c., highlighting the contributions they made and the challenges they faced. In these pages, the women become super-heroes of their time, breaking down barriers.

Presented in groups of three writers under a specific theme, the authors share a brief biography followed by an illustrated episode from their life. A full reading list is offered that includes each author's works and books about them for further reading.

It is a combination of a traditional biographical sketch with the graphic novel form, which I expect would appeal to younger readers.

I wholeheartedly approve of any venture that brings classic writers--especially women writers--to the attention of readers.

I was given a free egalley by the publisher through NetGalley. My review is fair and unbiased. ( )