born April 22, 1873, Richmond, Va., U.S.
died Nov. 21, 1945, Richmond
U.S. novelist.
She was irregularly schooled and lived the life of a Southern belle. With Virginia (1913), she completed a five-novel series (begun 1900) depicting the state's social history. She was past age 50 when she gained critical notice for Barren Ground (1925). The Sheltered Life (1932) is part of a trilogy of ironic novels of manners. Her realistic depiction of Virginia life helped direct Southern literature away from sentimentality and nostalgia.
Ellen Glasgow, miniature by an unknown artist; in the collection of the Virginia Historical Society.
By courtesy of the Virginia Historical Society