Harriet Spofford

Harriet Spofford (1835-1921) was often known as Hally. She was a poet, writer, and literary critic who penned The Little Book of Friends (1916), with two chapters on Jewett and Fields. Like many women authors of her time, Spofford began writing out of financial need, to support her parents and siblings. Spofford was prolific, writing across genres—she published stories, Gothic romance novels, poetry, essays, even detective fiction. Her work stands out for its realistic depiction of women against stereotype.