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The most important magazine for Joyce, for Ulysses and possibly for modernism, was a homespun Chicago monthly called The Little Review, which drew small circles of devoted readers who sustained themselves on discussions of Nietzsche, Bergson and H. G. Wells.
Founded in 1914, The Little Review was more than just a publication; it was a beacon for avant-garde writers, artists, and thinkers. Anderson, with her unwavering commitment to artistic expression, created a platform that defied convention.
Headlines like "Feminism and New Music" appeared alongside coverage of Chicago's first citywide election in which women had the right to vote (male turnout soared). The Little Review published an astounding field of contributors over the years: Hemingway, Yeats, T. S. Eliot, Djuna Barnes, Sherwood Anderson, Marianne Moore, William Carlos Williams and Wallace Stevens, to name just a few. It reproduced artwork from Brancusi, Cocteau and Picabia.
In the March 1915 issue, Margaret Anderson became possibly the first woman to advocate gay rights in print when she protested the fact that people were "tortured and crucified every day for their love because it is not expressed according to conventional morality."
Born on November 24, 1886, Margaret Anderson was a force to be reckoned with.
She introduced works by renowned American, English, and Irish writers, emphasizing appreciation as a form of criticism. During the Ulysses obscenity trial, Anderson and her co-editor, Jane Heap, faced legal challenges but remained steadfast in their commitment to artistic freedom. Anderson’s partnership with Heap extended beyond the editorial realm—they fell in love and became life partners. Together they navigated the literary currents, using pseudonyms to maintain a low profile. Heap’s influence extended beyond the magazine; she was also a co-founder of the Chicago Little Theatre.
The Little Review operated until May 1929 and was headquartered in Chicago’s historic Fine Arts Building. It attracted transatlantic modernists, providing a space for experimental writing and art.