Best Selling Books by Mary Wollstonecraft

One of the earliest works of protofeminist thought, this startling prescient 1792 book is the first published argument advocating for the societal elevation of women as the intellectual and emotional equals of men. Written against the background of the French Revolution--the debate over which caused an uproar in both England and France--and the 1791 statement by French diplomat Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord to the French National Assembly that women should be educated only in domestic matters, this is a furious reprimand of the prevailing attitudes of late-18th-century Europe that women should be docile, virtuous, and untroubled by any matters beyond the home. Well received in its day and still an important resource for anyone wishing to understand the history of feminism, this extended essay demolishes the sexual double standard of the day, offers a rational defense for the education of girls, and demands merely that women be treated as people. British writer and educator MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT (1759-1797), the mother of Frankenstein author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, espoused her then-radical feminist and liberal philosophies in other such works as Thoughts on the Education of Daughters (1787) and History and Moral View of the Origins and Progress of the French Revolution (1793).

A powerful argument for gender equality from the world''s first feminist. A Vindication of the Rights of Woman is one of the most important works of the modern era. In this book, Mary Wollstonecraft demonstrated that it was necessary for women to be educated in the same manner as men for the benefit of all society. She emphasised the capability of women for rational thought and their ability to pursue any field they might choose. Rather than relying on beauty, women should obtain control over their own lives through education and honesty.

You will smile at an observation that has just occurred to me:--I consider those minds as the most strong and original, whose imagination acts as the stimulus to their senses, Mary Wollstonecraft wrote in a letter contemplating the role of the imagination in human relationships. Enlightenment feminist and famed author of The Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Wollstonecraft was also one of the most distinctive letter writers of the eighteenth century. This volume contains all of her known correspondence. Wollstonecraft talked and thought on paper; her letters were a large part of the drama of her life. In them she grows from an awkward child of fourteen to the woman of thirty-eight facing death in childbirth. Where the letters of "bluestocking" writers such as Elizabeth Carter and Catherine Talbot have a public quality, Wollstonecraft''s letters--whether written in haste or carefully composed, opinionated, or vulnerable--stand out among those of other contemporary writers for their candor and lack of sentimentality. They create a palpable world, a sense of inner vitality, revealing a woman of consistent character who nonetheless struggled to reconcile disparate aspects of her life: integrity and sexual longing; the needs and duties of a woman; motherhood and intellectual life; fame and domesticity; reason and passion. Written in cramped lodgings and swaying boats, in the wilds of Scandinavia and the chill of Paris in winter, these letters record not a finished, ordered life viewed retrospectively but the dynamic process of living. Collectively, they form a remarkable work of autobiography that reveals the many dimensions of Wollstonecraft''s genius.

In "Mary Wollstonecraft''s Original Stories," the esteemed feminist philosopher and early advocate for women''s rights delves into a collection of enchanting tales that blend moral instruction with imaginative storytelling. This work emerges in a period when children''s literature was blossoming, yet still largely conformed to didactic expectations. Wollstonecraft employs a distinctive literary style that challenges the prevailing norms by integrating vivid characterization and moral dilemmas, thereby inviting young readers to engage with philosophical ideas through the lens of personal experience and emotional development. Her stories embody the Enlightenment ideals of reason while concurrently critiquing contemporary societal values. Mary Wollstonecraft, renowned for her groundbreaking treatise "A Vindication of the Rights of Woman," uses her expertise as a pioneering thinker and educator to infuse her narratives with a profound ethical framework. Inspired by her own tumultuous experiences and a desire to cultivate the intellectual and moral capabilities of women and children, Wollstonecraft crafted these stories not simply as entertainment but as vehicles for social change. Her aspiration to elevate the status of women resonates throughout her writings, making them both relevant and revolutionary. "Mary Wollstonecraft''s Original Stories" is a compelling read for anyone interested in the intersections of literature, philosophy, and social reform. Readers will appreciate how Wollstonecraft''s narratives transcend mere children''s literature, exploring enduring themes of autonomy, ethical responsibility, and human connection. This collection provides a rich context for understanding the evolution of feminist thought and remains a vital contribution to both literary and social discourse.

Frankenstein was published in 1818, the work of a 21-year-old genius named Mary Shelley. Hundreds of movies, adaptations, and monster masks later, its reputation remains so lively that the title has become its own word in the English language. Victor Frankenstein, a scientist, discovers the secret of reanimating the dead. After he rejects his hideous creation, not even the farthest poles of the earth will keep his bitter monster from seeking an inhuman revenge. Inspired by a uniquely Romantic view of science’s possibilities, Shelley’s masterpiece ultimately wrestles with the hidden shadows of the human mind.

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, Mary Wollstonecraft''s passionate work supporting women''s rights, is considered to be among the very first examples of feminist philosophy. When it appeared in 1792, Wollstonecraft''s treatise sets out a range of what were at the time radical beliefs; she thought all women should have a formal education, so that they may raise their children to be keener in mind as well as prove able conversationalists with their husbands. Wollestonecraft by no means unreservedly supports marriage: she states that women should not be thought of merely as items to be bandied about and wed, but as human beings capable of great intellect. Wollstonecraft also lambastes the prevailing social picture of women; that they have a number of fixed, narrow and often domestic duties. She also singles out how women are expected to behave, criticizing in particular the notion that the highest aspiration of a woman is to be a sentimental heroine in a popular romance novel.

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The Last Man ends in 2100, "the last year of the world." A devastating plague has wiped out humanity, except for one man. This novel of horror, originally published in 1826, was rejected in its time and out of print from 1833 to 1963, when the first Bison Books edition appeared. Some critics now rate The Last Man more highly than Frankenstein, by the same author. This Bison Books edition offers aønew introduction by Anne K. Mellor, who writes, "In our era of AIDS and biological warfare, Shelley''s apocalyptic vision of an incurable plague that gradually destroys the entire human species resonates with mythic power."

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman written by the 18th-century British proto-feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, is one of the earliest works of feminist philosophy. In it, Wollstonecraft responds to those educational and political theorists of the 18th century who did not believe women should have an education. She argues that women ought to have an education commensurate with their position in society, claiming that women are essential to the nation because they educate its children and because they could be "companions" to their husbands, rather than mere wives. Instead of viewing women as ornaments to society or property to be traded in marriage, Wollstonecraft maintains that they are human beings deserving of the same fundamental rights as men. Wollstonecraft was prompted to write the Rights of Woman after reading Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Périgord''s 1791 report to the French National Assembly, which stated that women should only receive a domestic education; she used her commentary on this specific event to launch a broad attack against sexual double standards and to indict men for encouraging women to indulge in excessive emotion. Wollstonecraft wrote the Rights of Woman hurriedly to respond directly to ongoing events; she intended to write a more thoughtful second volume but died before completing it. While Wollstonecraft does call for equality between the sexes in particular areas of life, such as morality, she does not explicitly state that men and women are equal. Her ambiguous statements regarding the equality of the sexes have since made it difficult to classify Wollstonecraft as a modern feminist, particularly since the word and the concept were unavailable to her. Although it is commonly assumed now that the Rights of Woman was unfavourably received, this is a modern misconception based on the belief that Wollstonecraft was as reviled during her lifetime as she became after the publication of William Godwin''s Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1798). The Rights of Woman was actually well received when it was first published in 1792. One biographer has called it "perhaps the most original book of [Wollstonecraft''s] century".

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: with Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects (1792), written by the 18th-century British proto-feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, is one of the earliest works of feminist philosophy. In it, Wollstonecraft responds to those educational and political theorists of the 18th century who did not believe women should receive a rational education.

This publication is a political pamphlet, written by the 18th-century British liberal feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, which attacks aristocracy and advocates republicanism. Wollstonecraft''s was the first response in a pamphlet war sparked by the publication of Edmund Burke''s Reflections on the Revolution in France (1790), a defense of constitutional monarchy, aristocracy, and the Church of England.

A Vindication of the Rights of Woman: with Strictures on Political and Moral Subjects, written by the 18th-century British proto-feminist Mary Wollstonecraft, is one of the earliest works of feminist philosophy.This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

Frankenstein is a Gothic novel written by Mary Shelley. It tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who creates a grotesque creature through an unconventional scientific experiment. As Frankenstein s creation grapples with his own identity and existence, he seeks revenge on his creator for abandoning him. The novel explores themes of ambition, responsibility, and the consequences of playing god. Shelley s timeless tale challenges the boundaries of humanity and the ethical implications of scientific discovery, making it a cornerstone of both Gothic literature and science fiction.

Written in 1796, Mary Wollstonecraft''s Letters on Sweden, Norway, and Denmark is a travel consisting of 25 letters she wrote home during her trip to exotic Scandinavia. The work contains her thorough observation of these regions, their people, and society. She praises the domestic life of Scandinavia as well as the great industrial revolution taking place around her and also reflects on her deteriorating personal relationship with Gilbert Imlay, for whom she was conducting business during the trip.

"Travellers who require that every nation should resemble their native country, had better stay at home," Mary Wollstonecraft wrote to her lover, Gilbert Imlay, in one of a series of letters addressed to him from her travels through Scandinavia in the summer of 1795. With a keen, withering eye, Wollstonecraft, one of the founding mothers of modern feminism, of course offers her insightful observations on the condition of womanhood in these northerly nations. But she also delights the reader with poetic portraits of the landscapes, observations on the rural and urban societies she encounters, and the particular difficulties encountered by a woman travelling alone, with only her infant daughter and a nursemaid for company... especially a woman who asks "men''s questions" of those she meets along the way.First collected in book form in 1796, these letters display a strikingly modern attitude from a woman who was far ahead of her time.British writer and educator MARY WOLLSTONECRAFT (1759-1797), the mother of Frankenstein author Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley, espoused her then-radical feminist and liberal philosophies in such works as Thoughts on the Education of Daughters (1787), A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1792), and History and Moral View of the Origins and Progress of the French Revolution (1793).

Shelley''s suspenseful and intellectually rich gothic tale confronts some of the most important and enduring themes in all of literature―the power of human imagination, the potential hubris of science, the gulf between appearance and essence, the effects of human cruelty, the desire for revenge and the need for forgiveness, and much more. ABOUT THE SERIES: For over 100 years Oxford World''s Classics has made available the widest range of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford''s commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, helpful notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. Simon & Schuster Classics are bringing Frankenstein back to life with a stunning but terrifying new cover. Through letters sent by Robert Walton to his wife, a wandering figure emerges named Victor Frankenstein. Frail and nearing his death, Victor recounts a fantastical story of how he assembled old body parts to create a human-like being, a creature so utterly monstrous and hideous that he regretted being its creator. Frankenstein''s rejection of his creation turns the ''creature'' into a true monster, resulting in murder and havoc and a treacherous voyage to find and kill it once and for all. Frankenstein is a true classic of modern literature and is often considered to be a pioneering work of science fiction. Through Mary Shelley''s extraordinary tale, we see the true reflection of the human condition, which demands wonder, fear and empathy.

Writing in an age when the call for the rights of man had brought revolution to America and France, Mary Wollstonecraft produced her own declaration of female independence in 1792. Passionate and forthright, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman attacked the prevailing view of docile, decorative femininity, and instead laid out the principles of emancipation: an equal education for girls and boys, an end to prejudice, and for women to become defined by their profession, not their partner. Mary Wollstonecraft''s work was received with a mixture of admiration and outrage - Walpole called her ''a hyena in petticoats'' - yet it established her as the mother of modern feminism.

First published in 1792, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman was an instant success, turning its thirty-three-year-old author into a minor celebrity. A pioneering work of early feminism that extends to women the Enlightenment principle of "the rights of man," its argument remains as relevant today as it was for Woll-stonecraft''s contemporaries. "Mary Wollstonecraft was not the first writer to call for women to receive a real, challenging education," writes Katha Pollitt in the new Introduction. "But she was the first to connect the education of women to the transformation of women''s social position, of relations between the sexes, and even of society itself. She was the first to argue that women''s intellectual equality would and should have actual consequences. The winds of change sweep through her pages."This classic work of early feminism remains as relevant and passionate today as it was for Wollstonecraft''s contemporaries. This edition includes new explanatory notes.