During the period of transition in the Soviet Union (1985-1991) there emerged a body of writing known as 'alternative' literature, characterized by thematic, structural, and linguistic transgression of both Soviet-era values and the enduring Russian tradition of civic engagement and moral edification through literature. The work of the most significant women writers of the period, particularly Valeriia Narbikova, Liudmila Petrushevskaia and Nina Sadur, raises issues of gender and creative authority. [First published 2005 by Modern Humanities Research Association and Routledge.]