Understanding Marge Piercy

"I applaud Bickford's solid, responsible effort to alert both general and scholarly readers to the work of this major and (I agree) undervalued literary and feminist voice. If people read more Marge Piercy, they would say fewer silly things about the so-called 'second wave.' This book should help."—Meryl Altman, DePauw University

"Forged in a crucible of activism and struggle of the 1960s and 1970s, Marge Piercy's fiery fiction and poetry spring to life under Donna Bickford's astute critical lens. Essential reading for women's studies scholars and Piercy fans who appreciate this under-read author's aesthetics of the political. Writing about reproductive rights, homelessness, war, and social justice, Marge Piercy is more pertinent today than ever. Bickford's thoughtful and well-researched cultural and critical analysis shows us why."—Minrose Gwin, author of Promise: A Novel

"In Understanding Marge Piercy, Donna M. Bickford adeptly traverses Piercy's career grounding Piercy's writings in the context of United States feminist movement and history. In doing so, Bickford reveals how Piercy's work rejects simple classifications as her writings delve into contemporary American experience and the complexities of power, identity, and privilege in all its forms, while also advocating for social change."—Jeannette E. Riley, University of Rhode Island