The first novel by newspaper columnist Fanny Fern (Sarah Payson Willis Parton) about a woman who overcomes misfortune, poverty, and sexism to make her own way in the world with her wit and her pen. After the death of her husband, Ruth Hall receives little support from her family and must provide for herself and her two daughters. Originally published in 1854, Ruth Hall is based on Fanny Fern's own experiences as a working woman breaking into the male-dominated field of newspaper writing.