The Female American - Second Edition: Or, the Adventures of Unca Eliza Winkfield

by Unca Eliza Winkfield

Book Overview

When it first appeared in 1767, this novel was called a "sort of second Robinson Crusoe; full of wonders." Indeed, The Female American is an adventure novel about an English protagonist shipwrecked on a deserted isle, where survival requires both individual ingenuity and careful negotiations with visiting local Indians. But what most distinguishes Winkfield's novel is her protagonist, a woman who is of mixed race. Though the era's popular novels...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1554810965
• ISBN13: 9781554810963
• Release Date: September 2014
• Publisher: Broadview Press Inc
• Length: 264 Pages
• Weight: 0.68 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.4" x 8.4"

Customer Reviews

Essential

This is a 4 to 4-1/2 star book but I'm giving it 5 to level out the previous review, which was based on the reviewer's (likely distorted judging by his/her's other reviews) thoughts on what is "enteratining." I have no qualms about this leveling-out either because the book could easily be seen as a 5-starer by anyone, and I would be glad to discuss the ethics of such on line possibilites, elsewhere of course. Now, Burnham's edition of this recovered novel is a trenchant exploration that would make a critical addition to any udergrad intro to theory class reading list (What if Robinson Crusoe [and all he represents] was a woman? And the infinite, important questions sparked by this and others). The novel itself is a critical addition to any 18th century reading list. My favorite provoked thoughts: (1) wondering who wrote it while simultaneously not wanting to know and (2) understanding the fragility of "authorship" to begin with.