Marge Piercy
(b. 1936)

Marge Piercy once stated, "Writing is what I have to do;" such a drive to create has resulted in a remarkable body of work covering a wide range of topics and genres. Piercy began writing at 15 and struggled to make a career of writing by the time she was 30. Her determination paid off in 1968 with the publication of Breaking Camp, a collection of poems.

Although she continues to write and publish poetry, Piercy is most widely recognized for her lengthy list of novels. Across the genres, her writing reflects a powerful stance against social injustices like sexism, racism, and poverty, as well as an interest in science fiction, politics, and the Jewish Reconstructionist movement. Written from a feminist perspective, many of Piercy's novels have given voice to those she calls "buried lives." These novels have earned Piercy literary notice as a writer of memorable heroines.

Throughout her career, Piercy has worked as a professor and guest lecturer at various colleges including Indiana University, Purdue University, and the University of California. Additionally, Piercy has held positions on numerous advisory boards for civic organizations. Her novels include Vida (1980), Gone to Soldiers (1987), and Three Women (1999). Among her literary awards are the Arthur C. Clark Award (1993) for her novel Body of Glass, and the Paterson Poetry Prize (2000) for her poetry collection The Art of Blessing the Day.

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