{"id":21819,"date":"2025-12-30T17:13:20","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T01:13:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/?page_id=21819"},"modified":"2026-01-15T12:07:01","modified_gmt":"2026-01-15T20:07:01","slug":"joanna-russ-resources","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/hodgepodge\/nonfiction\/joanna-russ-resources\/","title":{"rendered":"Joanna Russ resources"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n

A collection of resources about Joanna Russ and her work.<\/p>\r\n

No section of this page is comprehensive; these are all partial selections. If you have suggestions for things to add, drop a note<\/a> to the maintainer of this page, Jed Hartman.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Starting points<\/h2>\r\n

Some suggestions for starting points for reading Russ<\/a>, by Jed Hartman.<\/p>\r\n\r\n

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Works about Russ and her work<\/h2>\r\n\r\n

Books<\/h3>\r\n
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Partial Visions: Feminism and Utopianism in the 1970s<\/cite>, by Angelika Bammer<\/dt>\r\n
Discusses multiple feminist utopias; includes discussion of The Female Man<\/cite>. (1991)<\/dd>\r\n
Considering The Female Man by Joanna Russ, or, As the Bear Swore<\/a><\/cite>, by Farah Mendlesohn<\/dt>\r\n
\u201cThis exploration of The Female Man<\/cite> offers a close reading of the text, focussing on how the book works, its structures, arguments, humour, and brilliant anger.\u201d (Forthcoming in 2026.)<\/dd>\r\n
On Joanna Russ<\/a><\/cite>, ed. Farah Mendlesohn<\/dt>\r\n
\u201cThe essays in this volume examine every aspect of Russ's body of work and provide a critical assessment that is long overdue. [\u2026] Contributors include: Andrew M. Butler, Brian Charles Clark, Samuel R. Delany, Edward James , Sandra Lindow, Keridwen Luis, Paul March-Russell, Helen Merrick, Dianne Newell, Graham Sleight, Jen\u00e9a Tallentire, Jason Vest, Sherryl Vint, Pat Wheeler, Tess Williams, Gary K. Wolfe, and Lisa Yaszek.\u201d (2009)<\/dd>\r\n
Joanna Russ<\/a><\/cite>, by Gwyneth Jones<\/dt>\r\n
\u201cAward-winning author and critic Gwyneth Jones offers a new appraisal of Russ's work and ideas.\u201d (2019)<\/dd>\r\n
Demand My Writing: Joanna Russ, Feminism, Science Fiction<\/a><\/cite>, by Jeanne Cortiel<\/dt>\r\n
\u201cIn this major study of the work of Joanna Russ, Jeanne Cortiel gives a clear introduction to the major feminist issues relevant to Russ\u2019s work and assesses its development.\u201d (1999)<\/dd>\r\n
We Wuz Pushed: On Joanna Russ and Radical Truth-Telling<\/a><\/cite>, by Lee Mandelo<\/dt>\r\n
\u201c\u2018To speak radical truths\u2014unapologetically, ferociously, rudely when necessary\u2014is the central purpose of Joanna Russ's influential body of work,\u2019 declares Lee Mandelo in [his] essay on Russ's radical, groundbreaking literary and critical work.\u201d (2012)<\/dd>\r\n
Demand the Impossible: Science Fiction and the Utopian Imagination<\/cite>, by Tom Moylan.<\/dt>\r\n
Discusses multiple utopias; includes discussion of The Female Man<\/cite>. (1986)<\/dd>\r\n<\/dl>\r\n\r\n
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Articles and blog posts about Russ and her work<\/h3>\r\n
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\u201cUnnatural Acts: American Feminism and Joanna Russ\u2019s The Female Man<\/cite>,\u201d by Amanda Boulter<\/dt>\r\n
Published in Women: A Cultural Review<\/cite> 10, pp. 151\u2013166. (1999)<\/dd>\r\n
\u201cJoanna Russ: Sword & Sorcery Pioneer?\u201d, by Catherine Lundoff<\/dt>\r\n
Published in New Edge Sword & Sorcery Issue #5<\/a>. (2025)<\/dd>\r\n
\u201c\u2018Textual Politics\u2019: The Uses of the Imagination in Joanna Russ\u2019 The Female Man,\u201d by Catherine McClenahan<\/dt>\r\n
Published in Transactions of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters<\/cite> 70, pp. 114\u2013125. (1982)<\/dd>\r\n
\u201cDeterminate Politics of Indeterminacy: Reading Joanna Russ's Recent Work In Light of Her Early Short Fiction<\/a>,\u201d by Jeanne Cortiel<\/dt>\r\n
Published in Future Females, the Next Generation: Feminist Science Fiction\u2019s New Voices and Velocities<\/cite>, ed. Marleen Barr, pp. 219\u2013236. (2000)<\/dd>\r\n
\u201cThe Poetry of Joanna Russ,\u201d Part I<\/a> and Part II<\/a>, by Lee Mandelo<\/dt>\r\n
Published in Stone Telling<\/cite>. (2011 and 2012)<\/dd>\r\n
\u201cReading Joanna Russ<\/a>,\u201d by Lee Mandelo<\/dt>\r\n
A series of fifteen essays about Russ books, published in Reactor\/Tor.com. (2011 and 2012)<\/dd>\r\n
\u201c\u2018It\u2019s Not Shrill, It\u2019s Ultrasonic\u2019: Queer SF Pioneer Joanna Russ\u2019s Feminist Awakening<\/a>,\u201d by Nicole Rudick<\/dt>\r\n
\u201cIn January 1969, thirty-two-year-old Joanna Russ attended a four-day conference on \u2018Women Today,\u2019 held at Cornell University\u2019s College of Human Ecology.\u201d (2023)<\/dd>\r\n
\u201cEverything You Need to Know About Groundbreaking Queer Feminist Science Fiction Writer Joanna Russ<\/a>\u201d<\/dt>\r\n
Jon Michaud interviews Nicole Rudick about Russ. (2023)<\/dd>\r\n
\u201cAlyx,\u201d by Samuel R. Delany<\/dt>\r\n
Originally published as the introduction to the first Alyx collection<\/a> (1976); later reprinted in Delany\u2019s essay collection The Jewel-Hinged Jaw: Notes on the Language of Science Fiction<\/cite> (1977).<\/dd>\r\n
\u201cThe Order of \u2018Chaos,\u2019\u201d by Samuel R. Delany<\/dt>\r\n
This is a review of Russ\u2019s novel And Chaos Died<\/cite>; it was published in Science Fiction Studies<\/cite> (1979) (First page preview<\/a>). It may or may not be the same as Delany\u2019s essay \u201cOrders of Chaos: The Science Fiction of Joanna Russ,\u201d which was published in Women Worldwalkers: New Dimensions of Science Fiction and Fantasy<\/cite>, ed. Jane B. Weedman (1985).<\/dd>\r\n
\u201cRuss,\u201d by Samuel R. Delany<\/dt>\r\n
Published in Delany\u2019s essay collection Starboard Wine<\/cite>. (1984)<\/dd>\r\n
\u201cOn (Not) Saving the World: Joanna Russ\u2019s Extra(Ordinary) People,\u201d by Steven Shaviro<\/dt>\r\n
Published in Jewish Women Science Fiction Writers Create Future Females<\/cite>, ed. Marleen Barr, pp. 39\u201363. (2025)<\/dd>\r\n<\/dl>\r\n\r\n
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Encyclopedia and wiki articles<\/h3>\r\n
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Russ, Joanna<\/a> in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction<\/cite><\/dt>\r\n
<\/dd>\r\n
Joanna Russ<\/a> in the Fanlore wiki<\/dt>\r\n
Includes info about her Star Trek<\/cite> fandom.<\/dd>\r\n
Joanna Russ<\/a> in Wikipedia<\/dt>\r\n
<\/dd>\r\n<\/dl>\r\n\r\n
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Interviews and interactions with Russ<\/h2>\r\n
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Khatru 3 and 4<\/a> (1975), ed. Jeff Smith<\/dt>\r\n
The \u201cWomen in Science Fiction\u201d symposium, featuring discussions and arguments from Susy McKee Charnas, Samuel R. Delany, Virginia Kidd, Ursula K. Le Guin, Vonda N. McIntyre, Raylyn Moore, Joanna Russ, James Tiptree, Jr, Luise White, Kate Wilhelm, and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro.<\/dd>\r\n
Aurora Speculative Feminism, vol. 10, no. 1<\/a>, Winter 1986-1987<\/dt>\r\n
Includes Jeanne Gomoll\u2019s \u201cAn Open Letter to Joanna Russ\u201d (p. 7) (primarily about the erasure of women sf writers), and Russ\u2019s response (p. 6, uncredited in the TOC). Also includes five reviews of Russ books.<\/dd>\r\n
The Legendary Joanna Russ, Interviewed by Samuel R. Delany<\/a><\/dt>\r\n
\u201cWhat follows is excerpted from a telephone interview with Ms. Russ at WisCon 30, in May 2006.\u201d This interview transcript was later reprinted in The WisCon Chronicles (Vol 1)<\/a>, ed. L. Timmel Duchamp.<\/dd>\r\n
(A different transcript of the interview appeared as Joanna Russ Interview with Samuel Delany<\/a> in the feministsf wiki.)<\/dd>\r\n
Notable especially for the audience question \u201cI was wondering if your opinions of transsexual women have changed since you wrote The Female Man<\/cite>\u201d and Russ\u2019s response: \u201cOh yes, oh yes, it's almost as if my life has arranged itself to disabuse me of one prejudice after another.\u201d<\/dd>\r\n<\/dl>\r\n\r\n
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Bibliographies of Russ\u2019s work<\/h2>\r\n
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Joanna Russ<\/a> at ISFDB<\/dt>\r\n
The most comprehensive bibliographic resource for Russ\u2019s published work.<\/dd>\r\n
Joanna Russ published short fiction<\/a><\/dt>\r\n
Most of the material in this sheet has been added to ISFDB, but not all of it. Other tabs in the spreadsheet list nonfiction as well as unpublished material.<\/dd>\r\n<\/dl>\r\n\r\n
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University archives holding Russ\u2019s papers<\/h2>\r\n

Including childhood writing and art, unpublished writing, drafts of some published works, correspondence, and more.<\/p>\r\n

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Joanna Russ Papers<\/a> at Bowling Green State University<\/dt>\r\n
In Bowling Green, Ohio.<\/dd>\r\n
Joanna Russ papers<\/a> at University of Oregon<\/dt>\r\n
In Eugene, Oregon.<\/dd>\r\n
Correspondence between Delany and Russ<\/a> at Yale\u2019s Beinecke Rare Book & Manuscript Library<\/dt>\r\n
In New Haven, Connecticut.<\/dd>\r\n<\/dl>\r\n\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"parent":5482,"menu_order":250,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-21819","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21819","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=21819"}],"version-history":[{"count":41,"href":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21819\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21875,"href":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/21819\/revisions\/21875"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/5482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.kith.org\/jed\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=21819"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}