author
Jeannette L. (Jeannette Leonard) Gilder
1849–1916
A sharp-eyed journalist and editor, she helped shape American literary culture in the late 1800s through lively criticism and magazine work. Best known for cofounding The Critic, she also wrote fiction, essays, and books about writers and artists.
1 Audiobook
Trilbyana: The Rise and Progress of a Popular Novel
by Joseph Benson Gilder, Jeannette L. (Jeannette Leonard) Gilder
About the author
Born in Flushing, New York, in 1849, Jeannette Leonard Gilder built an unusually wide-ranging career in journalism at a time when few women held that kind of influence. She worked as a correspondent and critic for several newspapers and magazines, and she became known for her confident, conversational style.
In 1881, she and her brother Joseph Benson Gilder founded The Critic, a magazine devoted to books, the arts, and cultural commentary. The journal became an important part of American literary life, and she contributed to it for years, including a regular column called The Lounger. She was also connected with other publishing ventures and wrote novels, essays, and collaborative books.
Gilder died in New York in 1916, but her work still offers a vivid picture of the literary world of her time. She stands out as a writer-editor who helped bring criticism and cultural journalism to a broad readership without losing wit or personality.