Early Feminist Novels

The Coquette Is Published: A New P-Wave Classics Edition

The Coquette is published today in a new P-Wave Classics edition. Explore its themes, history and continuing relevance through our four-part essay series. Read More…

The Many Meanings of Eliza Wharton: Judgement and Reputation

How Eliza Wharton’s story in The Coquette has been judged and reinterpreted for over two centuries. A reflection on reputation, morality and the ongoing scrutiny of women’s lives. Read More…

Letters, Privacy and the Public Eye in The Coquette

How private letters shaped public reputation in The Coquette. A reflection on communication, judgement and the fragility of privacy then and now. Read More…

From Scandal to Story: How Elizabeth Whitman Became Eliza Wharton

The real-life tragedy behind The Coquette. How Elizabeth Whitman’s story became one of early America’s most enduring novels. Read More…

Reading The Coquette in 2026: reputation, restraint, and the limits of female freedom

Why does The Coquette still matter in 2026? A reflection on reputation, restraint and the limits of female freedom, then and now, as pre-orders open for a new P-Wave Classics edition. Read More…

“She is still being talked about”: Why The Coquette still matters

A fresh edition of Hannah Webster Foster’s landmark novel The Coquette, exploring freedom, judgement and reputation in early America. Featuring rare historical responses and new editorial insight. Read More…

The Joy of Discovery in the Classics

The current wave of enthusiasm for classics reflects the joy of discovery. At P-Wave Press, we find that same spirit in the radical literature of the late 18th and early 19th century, where writers challenged society across class and gender. Read More…

Tuesday Book Club: The Awakening by Kate Chopin – A Voice That Changed Everything

This week’s #TuesdayBookClub pick is The Awakening by Kate Chopin; a quietly revolutionary novel that introduced me, as a young man, to the power of a female voice that echoed the women who raised me. A story about freedom, identity and the importance of being heard. Read More…