This unique reference work is the first book to concentrate on early twentieth-century women's writing. It includes detailed entries on 185 authors, ranging from the canonical (Dorothy Richardson, Rebecca West, Viriginia Woolf) through the popular (Agatha Christie, Nancy Mitford, Beatrix Potter) to the largely forgotten (Olive Moore, Barbara Comyns, Winifred Watson). The book draws together information and references relating to a group of fascinating authors in need of rediscovery, opening up exciting new avenues of research for students, teachers and researchers. The encyclopedia also provides contextualising material, with 76 concise introductions to related topics, including organisations, movements, genres and publications, as well as literary and historical events. Topics covered include Bloomsbury, Children's Literature, Libraries, Fashion and Youth Culture, Sexology, Mass Observation, Education and the Welfare State. An integral timeline provides a framework for the entries, and an exceptionally detailed bibliography of 100 books (including criticism, history, reference, and anthologies) is an invaluable point of reference