Victory Over Japan

Ellen Gilchrist is an American novelist, short story writer, philosopher, and poet. Her novel, Victory over Japan was the 1984 winner of the Nation Book Awards. This collection of 14 short stories encompasses an unforgettable group of enchanting Southern women, and follows their travails through marriages, divorces, childhood, and even earthquakes as they attempt to find some measure of satisfaction within their lives. The title story is a first-person narrative that details the adventures of a young girl named Rhoda Manning during the final days of World War II. This is the first of three stories in the "Rhoda" section of the book; the other two stories deal with Rhoda as a headstrong adolescent determined to lose her virginity and as a thirty-four year-old divorcee adjusting to slipping fortunes. Gilchrist challenges gender stereotypes and leads the reader on a fascinating, audacious journey through these women’s lives.