Overview

An 1880s theologian. A 1940s high school principal. A 1970s, first-ever-anywhere (she's pretty sure) female take on Bozo the Clown. In this collection, Cynthia Swanson explores the lives of nine women, including several ancillary figures from Swanson's beloved, bestselling novels. Covering more than a century of American history and landscapes, these stories examine recognizable struggles: gender presumptions, body image, gaslighting, and abuse, among others. The women's lives differ from one another, but they share a singular trait: their sex dictates the expectations stamped onto them. Each woman, in her time, must fight for who she is against the forces working to constrain her. This Isn't New asks: What can uniquely female history teach us about our own lives-and how can the power of story inform our choices going forward?

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Reviews

""In Cynthia Swanson's kaleidoscopic short story collection, This Isn't New, we meet nine female protagonists fighting patriarchy with every tool available to them, in venues public and private. Vivid and relatable, thoughtful and inspirational, these historical reimaginings give voice to women's choices, sacrifices, and triumphs across time."" - Erika Krouse, award-winning author of Save Me, Stranger ""Intimate, compassionate, and fearless, Swanson's latest collection is a celebration of American womanhood throughout the centuries. A feminist gem."" - Mathangi Subramanian, award-winning author of A People's History of Heaven ""Cynthia Swanson's This Isn't New collection is as infuriating as it is extraordinary, stories that bring to life more than a century of injustice toward strong women caught up in the social and gender mores of their era. The title says it all, but the stories themselves demand a cold reassessment of where we've been and where we're going at a time when toxic masculinity has reasserted its unfortunate presence in American culture."" - Martin J. Smith, award-winning author of Going to Trinidad: A Doctor, a Colorado Town, and Stories From an Unlikely Gender Crossroads ""This Isn't New: Women's Historical Stories is a short story collection about women's lives and experiences that are set in different times from the late 1800s to the early 2000s. Each woman in these nine stories tackles a different issue that reflects the struggles of women in those eras. Spiritual, cultural, and gender issues arise in each woman's life to influence its direction, introduce new concepts, and lead readers to think about the disparate roles women choose for their lives and in those around them. Libraries seeking literary women's short stories that hold much contrasting material for book club discussions about beliefs, gender, and our ability to affect our future will find This Isn't New: Women's Historical Stories a thought-provoking, engaging collection."" - Midwest Book Review

Author Information

Cynthia Swanson is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the psychological suspense novels The Bookseller, The Glass Forest, and Anyone But Her, as well as the short story collection This Isn't New: Women's Historical Stories. Cynthia was named 2025 Indie Author of the Year by the Indie Author Project, has received the Colorado Book Award (twice) and the WILLA Literary Award, won the Indie Author Project contest, and been a finalist for the High Plains Book Award, the WILLA Literary Award, and the CAL Award. She is also the editor of the award-winning anthology Denver Noir. She lives with her family in Denver.

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