Women have contributed to the literature of German-speaking countries since the Middle Ages, and they continue to write important works at the close of the 20th-century. While research on texts by women writers in German-speaking countries has increased substantially, most of these authors remain virtually unknown to English-speaking scholars and students. This reference book contains alphabetically arranged entries for 54 Austrian, German and Swiss women writers - such as Louise Aston, Hrotsvit von Gandersheim, Elfriede Jelinek and Erica Pedretti - from the 10th-century to the present day. Each entry includes a biography, a discussion of major themes, a survey of criticism, and a bibliography of primary and secondary sources. An introductory essay overviews the history of literature by women in German-speaking countries, and an extensive bibliography concludes the volume.