An exhibition of books and manuscripts from the Boston Public Library’s special 
collections illustrates the public and private lives of reputed writers such as Emily Dickinson, Louisa May Alcott, and Julia Ward Howe, as well as those of lesser-known authors such as Hannah Adams, Hannah Webster Foster, and Annie Fields.
Since the 17th century, American women have been writing and publishing novels, poetry, essays, histories, biographies, and short stories. Their texts influenced the tastes and perceptions of generations of both female and male readers alike. While readers can get a sense of these women through their published work, it is the letters that they wrote to friends, publishers, and one another that provide real insight into their personal worlds.
The Rare Books Lobby
Central Library in Copley Square
Through Friday, May 30