Three Classics You Might Not Know Were Written By Women

Despite historically negative social attitudes towards female writers, and the practical limitations of literary education being targeted only at men, some of the greatest writers ever to have lived are women - but you might not know it.

Check out these famous books that you’ve almost certainly heard of, but that you might not know were penned by women.

Middlemarch by George Eliot

This 1871-72 classic has long been part of the established literary canon, telling the story of an imagined 19th century society, with various male and female characters whose lives overlap and interlink in interesting ways. George Eliot was lauded for ‘his’ ability to understand the emotional workings of the female mind; unbeknownst to the public and his critics, ‘he’ was actually a she. George Eliot was the pen name of Mary Anne Evans, who concealed her identity for years.

Mary Poppins by P.L. Travers

These iconic stories about the world’s best nanny was written by Pamela Lyndon Travers, who used her initials only - presumably in order to make her work appealing to readers who might prefer a male author. First published in London in 1934, the book series inspired the incredibly successful musical Disney film from 1964, although it’s reported the author herself wasn’t a huge fan!

Indiana by George Sand

This 1831 classic is a socially aware novel about the difficulties of marital obligation. The story is about a woman who is unhappily married and decides to leave her husband, and the book acts a defense against all women who choose to challenge the social norm in pursuit of their own happiness and fulfillment. George Sand was actually the pen name of Amantine-Lucile-Aurore Dudevant, who thought that her political views would likely be taken more seriously if she were thought to be a man.

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Banned! Classic Books That Were Removed From Circulation

There are some books which clearly present more challenging themes and unsurprisingly get excluded from schools and libraries or even removed from circulation entirely. However, there are some books which seem fairly innocuous but still manage to rile up certain groups. Take a look at these three classics which were considered so awful they were completely banned.

Ulysses by James Joyce

The 1922 work of fiction by James Joyce is considered one of the true classics so it’s unthinkable to consider that it wouldn’t be widely available. Yet when it was published it was deemed to be obscene due to both the sexual content within and the language used. The book was kept away from the US and any copies which tried to creep in were unceremoniously burned. The ban was overturned in 1933 when the publisher challenged the ruling in court and won.

Animal Farm by George Orwell

A piece of political commentary dressed up a novella, there’s no question that Animal Farm could have been controversial. However, the anti-Stalin sentiment was felt to be so unacceptable that the book was banned in 1946 within Yugoslavia, banned in 1991 in Kenya and banned yet again in UAE in 2002. Even in the more lenient UK, the subject was considered borderline with the release heavily delayed.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll

Written in 1865, Alice’s adventures have captivated generation after generation but not all readers around the world have had the privilege of having access to the text. In the Hunan district, the book was summarily banned in 1931 because the idea of having talking animals was deemed to be disrespectful to humans by putting them on the “same level”.

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Classic Novels set in Dublin

Ireland has long been a cradle of great literary talents, from Joyce to Wilde to Beckett, and no more is that true than its capital city Dublin. These classic novels are all set in the famous city itself. With a varied and thriving social culture, a poetic and literary tradition stretching back decades, and a plethora of architectural marvels, it’s easy to see why Dublin has so often captivated writers. And these literary classics truly make the most of the spectacular setting.

Ulysses by James Joyce

The definitive modernist masterpiece, Joyce’s highly experimental classic often proves divisive. But none can doubt the talent and genius on display, with its stream of consciousness prose, linguistic inventiveness, and a combination of high art and low humor, it also remains one of the most enduring and striking cultural depictions of Dublin.

At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O'Brien

Flann O’Brien is a great example of a writer who was overlooked in their time and then gained long overdue posthumous recognition. A fine purveyor of the kind of experimental fiction and wry humor that made Joyce so famous, this fantastic novel is full of Dublin landmarks, as well as laugh out loud moments and a modernist narrative that cleverly weaves realism, fantasy, and mythology.

The Cock And Anchor by Sheridan Le Fanu

One of the pioneer’s of gothic horror, and someone whose influence can be found as much in modernism as horror, Le Fanu is more famous for his gothic vampire novel which inspired Bram Stoker’s Dracula. But this fantastically atmospheric work makes the most of Dublin’s castles and cathedrals, with rich prose and an unsettling narrative.

If you’re looking for a one-stop shop for all your favorite classic novels, head over to www.lassmedia.com, where you’ll find a wide range of classic eBooks and audiobooks.