Resident Alien: Feminist Cultural Criticism

In this fascinating book of critical writings, Janet Wolff examines issues of exile, memoir, and movement from the perspective of the female stranger. Wolff, born in Great Britain but now living and working in the United States, discusses the positive consequences of women's travel; the use of dance (another form of mobility) as an image of liberation; whether exile or distance provides a better vantage point for crucial criticism than centrality and stability; the place of personal memoir in academic writing; and much more.Illuminating a wide range of cultural phenomena - from opera, rock 'n' roll, and a Schubert quartet to feminist literary criticism, Gwen John's interiors, and Victorian lady travelers - Wolff's view is intelligent, eye-opening, and always engaging.