Major Issues
Author Links
Essay Questions

Major Issues

Grace Paley’s writing is sometimes described as ideological fiction. Paley’s feminist, pacifist, environmentalist, and political opinions are shared and voiced by many of her characters. Paley’s preference for structural innovation has been noted by critics, who point to her fragmented, non-linear, often plotless stories. Her portrayal of women’s lives and relationships has attracted the attention of feminist critics. Reviewers and critics have noted that many of Paley’s works demonstrate the conflict between passionate love and seemingly safe conventionality. Paley is also considered a regional writer, who captures the speech and cultural milieu of contemporary urban Jewish families and communities, especially New York.

Author Links

Grace Paley
This page presents a short biography, followed by list of primary works and selected critical bibliography.

Writing with Both Ears
A 1999 "Salon" interview in which Paley comments on cultural roots, voice, and contemporary American literature.

Featured Author: Grace Paley
Reviews of Paley’s works, articles by and about Paley from The New York Times archives, and an audio link.

All my habits are bad
In this 1998 interview Paley talks about writers’ moral obligations, feminism, aging, and the difference between writing fiction and nonfiction.

From Diapers to Demonstrations
This profile examines Paley’s impressive accomplishments in her private, public, and literary lives.