''A Woman's Liberation: A Choice of Futures By and About Women'' is a collection of

science fiction Science fiction (sometimes shortened to Sci-Fi or SF) is a genre of speculative fiction which typically deals with imaginative and futuristic concepts such as advanced science and technology, space exploration, time travel, parallel unive ...

stories edited by the author

Connie Willis Constance Elaine Trimmer Willis (born December 31, 1945), commonly known as Connie Willis, is an American science fiction and fantasy writer. She has won eleven Hugo Awards and seven Nebula Awards for particular works—more major SF awards than ...

and

Sheila Williams Sheila Williams (born 1956 in Springfield, Massachusetts) is the editor of ''Asimov's Science Fiction'' magazine. Biography Sheila grew up in a family of five in western Massachusetts. Her mother had a master's degree in microbiology. Ms. Willia ...

. Each story was originally published in Asimov's Science Fiction and/or

Analog Science Fiction and Fact ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' is an American science fiction magazine published under various titles since 1930. Originally titled ''Astounding Stories of Super-Science'', the first issue was dated January 1930, published by William C ...

magazines.

Stories

Nancy Kress Nancy Anne Kress (born January 20, 1948) is an American science fiction writer. She began writing in 1976 but has achieved her greatest notice since the publication of her Hugo- and Nebula-winning 1991 novella ''Beggars in Spain'', which became a ...

, ''Inertia'' *

, ''Even the Queen'' -
Won the Nebula Award in 1993
*

Sarah Zettel Sarah Zettel (born December 14, 1966) is an American author, primarily of science fiction. Her first short story was published in ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' in 1991. Zettel's novels have won multiple awards, including the Philip K. Dic ...

, ''Fool's Errand'' * Pat Murphy, ''

Rachel in Love "Rachel in Love" is a 1987 science fiction short story by American writer Pat Murphy. It was first published in ''Asimov's Science Fiction''. Synopsis When a neurologist's teenage daughter Rachel is killed, he secretly copies a recording of her ...

'' -
Won the Nebula Award in 1988
*

Vonda N. McIntyre Vonda Neel McIntyre () was an American science fiction writer and biologist. Early life and education Vonda N. McIntyre was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the daughter of H. Neel and Vonda B. Keith McIntyre, who were born in Poland, Ohio. She s ...

, ''

Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand "Of Mist, and Grass, and Sand" is a science fiction short story by American writer Vonda N. McIntyre. First published in ''Analog Science Fiction and Fact'' in October 1973, it was anthologized multiple times, and also formed the first chapter o ...

'' -
Won the Nebula Award in 1974
* S. N. Dyer, ''The July Ward'' *

Katherine MacLean Katherine Anne MacLean (January 22, 1925 – September 1, 2019) was an American science fiction author best known for her short fiction of the 1950s which examined the impact of technological advances on individuals and society. Profile Damon Kn ...

, ''The Kidnapping of Baroness 5'' *

Octavia E. Butler Octavia Estelle Butler (June 22, 1947 – February 24, 2006) was an American science fiction author and a multiple recipient of the Hugo and Nebula awards. In 1995, Butler became the first science-fiction writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. ...

, ''Speech Sounds'' -
Won the Hugo in 1984
* Anne McCaffrey, ''The Ship Who Mourned'' *

Ursula K. Le Guin Ursula Kroeber Le Guin (; October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was an American author best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe, and the '' Earthsea'' fantasy series. She was ...

, '' A Woman's Liberation''

Reception

Critical reception has been positive. Strange Horizons gave the anthology a positive review, writing "Generally, when I review anthologies, I find a few outstanding stories, a large number of good stories, and one or two clinkers. This anthology delivered ten outstanding stories -- not a clinker in the bunch." ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...

'' gave a more mixed but ultimately positive review, commenting that it "brings little new to the table, but it does assemble excellent work by sci-fi luminaries" and that it could be that the "familiarity of the stories in this anthology signals women's entrenchment in the genre." ''The Women's Review of Books'' was also mixed, and stated that they felt that the pieces chosen were fairly random "as though any old works by women would do if they happened to be set on other planets. Stories that really tackle "liberation" are few and far between. Not many of the pieces go beyond the superficial." They also felt that it was rather tame in comparison to Maureen McHugh's ''Nekropolis'', which had released around the same time.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Womans Liberation, A Speculative fiction short story collections Science fiction anthologies Feminist science fiction 2001 anthologies Warner Books books Literature by women