The Dreaming Sex

Rare jewels of Victorian fiction highlight the fantasticcontributions made by women writers in the early development of science fiction

Aselection of early science fiction short stories by women are collected here, along with an introductionexploring the contributions women made in the early development of the fieldin particularthe different perspectives they cast on the wonders or fears that technological and scientific advances may bring. The contributionsof women to thehistory of science fiction and to the genre'sdevelopmenthas been sorely overlooked. "Frankenstein," generally reckoned as the first true work of science fiction, was by Mary Shelley, and one of the first utopian works written in America was also by a woman, Mary Griffith. A companion volume to his acclaimed "The Darker Sex," Mike Ashley's latest collection is more essential reading by suchfemale writersas Mary Shelley, Clare Winger Harris, Adeline Knapp, and many others."