Ruth Hall and Other Writings by Fanny Fern (American Women Writers)

I needed this for a class. It was a bit dull.

having never heard of fanny fern, i was mildly curious when assigned this book to read for my 'literature of the american renaissance class' a few semesters ago.it's nice to see something of a renewed interested in fanny fern's work. in this same class we read 'little women' and i found both books highly enjoyable. however, ruth hall manages to stick its canines a little deeper into traditional chick-lit skins. make no mistake, this book has some teeth, and rightfully so.ruth hall is essentially fanny fern's semi-autobiographical (but what i know, it's pretty much taken directly from her own life and experiences. a quick look at the plot: ruth ahll loses her husband and is forced to deal with less than kind in-laws. she's a very talented writer and supports herself and her two children by writing newspaper columnists. The novel recounts one woman's attempt to rise above social/gender discrimination and supposed gender roles to become one of the most successful writers (female or male) of her time. one can't help read ruth hall as a jab at fanny fern's detractors and naysayers. it's sort of an 'i-told-you-so-so-take-that!' and more power to her.i enjoyed this novel quite a bit (and yes, i'm a guy), despite the occassional lapse into melodrama and and over-wrought sentimentality. fanny fern was indeed a skilled writer and should be looked at more carefully, both by academics and students. an often overlooked, nevertheless, important author.

Very well written, I couldn’t put it down! I went through so many emotions: anger, grief, hope, success (in spite of familial rejection).

One may not expect to find such a delightfully funny and touching book from such a long time ago, but this book has some true elements of comedy in it, all while preserving a core mission of understanding the delights and tragedies in one woman's life.This book can be read as a piece of history with slight fictional arrangements, and that makes it valuable for students and teachers. Ruth Hall reads bit like Jane Eyre in that the main character, as a woman, has many moments of pure hopelessness, followed by triumphs of character. Ruth Hall can be considered a Mary Sue for Fanny Fern, with a few slight differences.I'd recommend this book to anyone who is looking to understand the history of women's lives in America.