Contemporary Feminism and Women's Short Stories

New reading of contemporary feminisms and the short story

The short story has received renewed attention and notable popular acclaim in the twenty-first century. This book offers a wide-ranging survey of contemporary women's short stories and introduces a new way of theorising feminism in the genre through the concept of 'the moment'. By considering the prominent themes of motherhood, marriage, domesticity, sexuality, masculinity and femininity, this work engages with a spectrum of issues that are central to feminism today and, in the process, offers insightful new readings of the contemporary short story. Readers will find new perspectives on both canonical as well as lesser-discussed contemporary writers, including Kate Atkinson, Nicola Barker, A.S. Byatt, Aminatta Forna, Victoria Hislop, Jackie Kay, Andrea Levy, Hilary Mantel, Kate Mosse, Michle Roberts, Ali Smith, Zadie Smith and Rose Tremain. While serving as a comprehensive introduction to the central themes of feminist politics, the study shows what makes the short story a desirable literary vehicle for creatively and critically contributing to feminist debates.

• Offers a new way of approaching and theorising feminism and the short story through the concept of 'the moment'
• Establishes an important field of literary study which will further extant criticism on both the short story and contemporary women's writing
• Provides new perspectives on both canonical and lesser-discussed contemporary writers including Kate Atkinson, Nicola Barker, Aminatta Forna, Sarah Hall, Jackie Kay, Kate Mosse, Michle Roberts, Helen Simpson, Ali Smith, Zadie Smith and Rose Tremain
• Provides a comprehensive introduction to some of the central themes of feminist politics