Women's Writes

The names are enough to make a bibliophile salivate: May Sarton. Tess Gerritsen. Barbara Cooney. Constance Hunting. And the list goes on and on.

When it comes to female authors, Maine has a wealth of riches. And this literary tradition, which continues today, should be celebrated. As we were poking around Twitter the other day (thank you, @Libmacbis), the Mavens were reminded of the Maine Women Writers Collection at the University of New England. And we couldn't be happier.

This tremendous resource features a physical collection complemented by an online presence. And while it's perfect for academic purposes, the rest of us can learn quite a bit, as well. For instance, Edna St. Vincent Millay was arrested for protesting the Sacco-Venzetti trial. Carolyn Chute had a newspaper gig in Portland back in the day. And Harriet Beecher Stowe was a member of the Semi-Colon Club (sic). Who knew?

Well, the folks at MWWC did. And they're more than happy to share in their knowledge. The collection lives at Abplanalp Library on the Westbrook College campus of UNE, and it includes published and nonpublished resources. Since this is the MWWC'S 50th anniversary, now is a prime time to visit. But the materials will be held in perpetuity, so if you don't get to it right away, there's no reason to fret.

Do check the collection out online, though. It's a lovely reminder that Maine women have — and have always had — the write stuff.

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