The well-educated daughter of a minister, Elizabeth Stuart Phelps (1844-1911) was introduced to writing at a young age, as both her mother and father were published writers. This book seeks to restore Phelps' reputation by bringing together a diverse collection from the entire body of her lifetime of work.

Elizabeth Duquette is an associate professor of English at Gettysburg College. She is the author of Loyal Subjects: Bonds of Nation, Race, and Allegiance in Nineteenth-Century America. Cheryl Tevlin graduated summa cum laude from Gettysburg College in 2010.