This is the first biography of Gertrude Atherton (1857-1948), one of the most famous, outspoken, and successful novelists of her time. It emphasizes her place in the emergent debate on the place of women in society and her friendships with such figures as Ambrose Bierce and Gertrude Stein. In this colorful, first-ever biography of Atherton, Leider skillfully captures the flair, bravado, and driving ambition of the early twentieth century’s most popular female novelist.