"Flora Annie Steel was a contemporary of Rudyard Kipling and she rivaled his popularity as a writer of her times, but gender-biased politics made her gradually fade in readers' minds. This collection is the first to focus entirely on this "unconventional memsahib" and her contribution to turn-of-the-century Anglo-Indian literature. The eight essays draw attention to Steel's multifaceted work--ranging from fiction and journalism to letter writing, from housekeeping manuals to philanthropic activities. These essays, by recognized experts on Steel's life and work, will appeal to interdisciplinary scholars and readers in the fields of Women's Studies, British India, Colonial and Postcolonial Studies, Cultural Studies, and Victorian writing."--