While all of the writers shared being white and literate, their life experiences were extremely diverse, and themes of repression, both personal and political, permeate the collection. Scott's introduction emphasizes the networks of friendship and support among women writers that developed, especially in the nineteenth century. The new translations make many of these texts available to English-speaking readers for the first time. will be welcomed by students and scholars of Spanish literature and culture and Latin American Studies. "This well-researched and pioneering work will be of interest to scholars in the disciplines of Spanish and Spanish-American letters, History, Sociology, and Women's, American, and Ethnic Studies."—Jennifer L. Eich, Loyola Marymount University "This book usefully contributes to an expansion of the literary canon in Spanish-American writing, in a format that will be practicable for teaching as well as scholarly consultation."—Amanda Powell, University of Oregon