TheFamousPeople

Discover the American female essayists who have made significant contribution to their field. This list is loosely sorted by popularity and includes many great American female essayists, such as Lisa Brennan-Jobs, Sandra Cisneros, Jhumpa Lahiri, Barbara Kingsolver and Adrienne Rich.

American Female Essayists

Anais NinAnais Nin
21 February 1903, American
Essayist
Jhumpa LahiriJhumpa Lahiri
11 July 1967, British, American
Writer

Adrienne RichAdrienne Rich
16 May 1929, American
American poet

Sandra CisnerosSandra Cisneros
20 December 1954, American
Writer

Barbara KingsolverBarbara Kingsolver
08 April 1955, American
Novelist, Poet, Essayist

Jamaica KincaidJamaica Kincaid
25 May 1949, American
Novelist
Katherine Anne PorterKatherine Anne Porter
15 May 1890, American
Journalist, Essayist, Writer, Novelist

Joan DidionJoan Didion
05 December 1934, American
Screenwriter, Novelist, Journalist, Writer,

Sylvia BrowneSylvia Browne
19 October 1936, American
Essayist, Psychic
Flannery O'ConnorFlannery O'Connor
25 March 1925, American
Novelist

Joy HarjoJoy Harjo
09 May 1951, American
Poet
Cheryl StrayedCheryl Strayed
17 September 1968, American
Writer

Sarah VowellSarah Vowell
27 December 1969, American
Historian

Marilynne RobinsonMarilynne Robinson
26 November 1943, American
Novelist

Rebecca SolnitRebecca Solnit
24 June 1961, American
Writer

Madeleine L'EngleMadeleine L'Engle
29 November 1918, American
Author
Linda Moulton HoweLinda Moulton Howe
20 January 1942, American
Journalist, Essayist

Mary KarrMary Karr
16 January 1955, American
Poet

Kathy AckerKathy Acker
18 April 1947, American
Author

Zhang AilingZhang Ailing
30 September 1920, Chinese, American
Writer
Meta Ann DoakAnnie Dillard
30 April 1945, American
Author

Marguerite YourcenarMarguerite Yourcenar
08 June 1903, Belgian, American
Novelist, Essayist
Eve Kosofsky SedgwickEve Kosofsky Sedgwick
02 May 1950, American
Academic Scholar

Lydia DavisLydia Davis
15 July 1947, American
Writer

Shirley HazzardShirley Hazzard
30 January 1931, American
Novelist
Leslie Marmon SilkoLeslie Marmon Silko
05 March 1948, American
American author

Bebe Moore CampbellBebe Moore Campbell
18 February 1950, American
Author
Laila LalamiLaila Lalami
1968 AD, Moroccan, American
Novelist

Cynthia OzickCynthia Ozick
17 April 1928, American
Short Story Writer

June JordanJune Jordan
09 July 1936, American
Poet
Emily GouldEmily Gould
13 October 1981, American
Writer, Essayist, Children's writer

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Ellen WillisEllen Willis
14 December 1941, American
Essayist
Laura RidingLaura Riding
16 January 1901, American
Poet

Diane JohnsonDiane Johnson
28 April 1934, American
Novelist

Bharati MukherjeeBharati Mukherjee
27 July 1940, Indian, American
Writer

Tess GallagherTess Gallagher
21 July 1943, American
Poet
Charlotte Forten GrimkéCharlotte Forten Grimké
17 August 1837, American
Poet
Sarah Helen Power WhitmanSarah Helen Power Whitman
19 January 1803, American
Poet

Jessie Redmon FausetJessie Redmon Fauset
27 April 1882, American
Editor

Cornelia Otis SkinnerCornelia Otis Skinner
30 May 1899, American
Author

Judith Sargent Stevens MurrayJudith Sargent Stevens Murray
01 May 1751, American
Advocate
Bobbie Ann MasonBobbie Ann Mason
01 May 1940, American
Novelist

Ana CastilloAna Castillo
15 June 1953, American
Novelist

Rebecca Harding DavisRebecca Harding Davis
24 June 1831, American
Author

Mary GordonMary Gordon
08 December 1949, American
Writer

Barbara GoldsmithBarbara Goldsmith
18 May 1931, American
Author
Anne RoipheAnne Roiphe
25 December 1935, American
Writer

Elizabeth Stuart Phelps WardElizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward
31 August 1844, American
Author
Frederica Sagor MaasFrederica Sagor Maas
06 July 1900, American
Screenwriter, Playwright, Journalist,

Carolina de RobertisCarolina de Robertis
1975 AD, American
Writer

Diane WakoskiDiane Wakoski
03 August 1937, American
Poet
Agnes RepplierAgnes Repplier
01 April 1855, American
Essayist, Biographer

Josephine JacobsenJosephine Jacobsen
19 August 1908, American
Poet
Louise Imogen GuineyLouise Imogen Guiney
07 January 1861, American
Poet

Mary Abigail DodgeMary Abigail Dodge
31 March 1833, American
Writer

Caroline Howard GilmanCaroline Howard Gilman
1794 AD, American
Writer

Katharine Elizabeth Fullerton GerouldKatharine Elizabeth Fullerton Gerould
06 February 1879, American
Writer

Mary Ellen SoltMary Ellen Solt
08 July 1920, American
Poet
Hildegarde FlannerHildegarde Flanner
03 June 1899, American
Poet