| Synopsis: |
Hurst was one of the premiere literary chroniclers of poor and working class urban life in early 20th century America. Her stories contain vivid portraits of Eastern European immigrants struggling to survive a new land. She was also a pioneer in writing about the lives of working women, from maids to secretaries to garment workers, from prostitute to artists. A committed activist and an instinctive feminist, her stories document such issues as anti-Semitism, urban poverty, sexual harassment, and denial of worker's rights. And she weaves these issues in captivating, deeply human stories that capture her characters; struggles, triumphs, conflicts and loves, the rhythm of their language, and what Susan Koppelman in her introduction calls "the heroism of their daily days". |