In the following essay, Uffen explores the mythical aspects of Ferber's novels, focusing on her use of "larger-than-life" characters, the differences between her heroes and heroines, and the ways in which she uses American geography to reflect the essence of her protagonists.

In the following excerpt from a book originally published in 1936, Lawrence focuses on the role of women in Ferber's writings, discussing the historical context in which Ferber's work first appeared and noting how she reflected and promoted women's new status in society.

In the following essay, which is a chapter from her book originally published in 1920, Williams discusses Ferber's short stories.

Farrar, an American journalist, editor, and critic, founded the publishing companies Farrar and Rinehart and Farrar, Straus and Company, now known as Farrar, Straus and Giroux. In the following anecdotal essay, he discusses Ferber's evolution from journalist to short story writer and novelist.

In the following essay, based on a 1945 interview, Gelder examines Ferber's views on the writing process.

In the following review of A Peculiar Treasure, Woods favorably assesses Ferber's first autobiography.

In the following mixed review of The Girls, Hackett applauds the realistic details of the plot and characters, but faults Ferber's "underlying sentimentalism and snappy technique."

Canby was an American editor, educator, biographer, and literary critic. In the following review, he contends that while. American Beauty is well-constructed and realistic in its surface details, it lacks the subtlety and depth of a great novel.

In the following favorable review of The Girls, Field praises Ferber's sense of realism.

Quennell was an American essayist, novelist, and critic. In the following review of A Peculiar Treasure, he praises Ferber as a keen observer and an honest and enthusiastic writer, rather than as a particularly accomplished novelist or insightful autobiographer.

Women—their potential, their success and failures; and America—its successes and failures, were … Edna Ferber's two great themes. [In her novels] women were not "feminine first and human second," but women with a strong "dash of the masculine." From Dawn O'Hara in 1911 to Christine Storm in 1958, Ferber's heroines possessed not only "feminine" traits …; but also "masculine" traits—love of freedom,...

Gruening, who served as governor of Alaska from 1939 to 1953 and senator from 1958 to 1969, was also a critic and author of several books about Alaska. In the following favorable review, he examines the plot, characters, and themes of Ice Palace.

Becker was an American journalist, critic, and author of books for children. In the following review, she favorably assesses They Brought Their Women.

In the following review, Gray examines A Peculiar Treasure, contending that it is a forthright autobiography and reveals the particulars of Ferber's literary success.

In the following mixed review of Mother Knows Best, Kronenberger contends that all of the short stories are enjoyable, but some lack originality and realism.

In the following mixed review of Gigolo, the critic contends that while the plots and characters of the stories are realistic, Ferber at times undercuts this quality with excessive melodrama or lack of narrative pacing.

In the following mixed review of Great Son, Feld applauds the plotline as "a lavish and prodigious feast," but contends that the characters are not well-defined.

In the following favorable review of Giant, Barkham argues that the novel presents a scathing view of Texas, one that Texans will probably resent.

In the following favorable review of Roast Beef, Medium, Hawthorne praises Ferber's depiction of the modern American woman.

In the following favorable review of Giant, Bullock examines Ferber's themes, characterizations, and portrayal of contemporary Texas life.

In the following mixed review of Fanny Herself, the critic applauds the realism of the characters and story in the first half of the novel, but faults the concluding chapters for losing the narrative's momentum.

In the following favorable review of Cheerful—By Request, the critic discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the individual stories.

In the following review, Ross favorably assesses American Beauty.

Rogers was an American journalist and critic. In the following review of A Kind of Magic, he suggests that while "Miss Ferber bares no soul" in this autobiography, she provides insights into her career and the times in which she lived and worked.

In the following mixed review, Wallace applauds the vivid characters in American Beauty, but faults Ferber for emphasizing pageantry over plot.

In the following review of They Brought Their Women, Walton argues that while she has the talent to write realistic and exciting short stories, "depth, subtlety, intensity are beyond Miss Ferber."

Van Doren was an esteemed American novelist, critic, and autobiographer; her husband was poet Mark Van Doren. In the following largely negative review of American Beauty, she laments Ferber's reliance on melodrama, a "curse," she argues, that detracts from the potential of the novel.

In the following favorable review of Emma McChesney & Company, the critic praises Ferber's realistic characterization of her protagonist.

In the following favorable review of Half Portions, the critic notes that Ferber's characters are similar to those of O'Henry.

Janeway, whose husband was the noted economist Eliot Janeway, is an American novelist, educator, nonfiction writer, and critic. In the following mixed review of Ice Palace, she applauds the nonfictional, historical aspects of the novel, arguing that the plot is "absent-minded to the point of being ramshackle."

In the following review of Great Son, Rothman praises Ferber's skill as a novelist but laments the fact that she did not fully develop her story in this novel.

In the following slightly favorable review of Dawn O'Hara, Cooper praises Ferber's ability to convey her tragic story with "light-heartedness" and a "warm-hearted understanding of the things which go to make the essential joy of living."

In the following mixed review, Weeks applauds the geographical and historical scope of Ice Palace, but contends that the believability of the characters and plot are compromised by Ferber's "theatricality."

Adams is an American writer and critic. In the following review of Giant, she favorably assesses its plot, themes, and characterizations.

In the following review, Currier favorably assesses the characterizations and plotlines of "Nobody's In Town" and "Trees Die at the Top," the two novellas in Nobody's In Town.

In the following review of One Basket, MacBride praises the collection as representing Ferber "at her best."

Du Bois was an American educator, novelist, poet, playwright, and critic. In the following review of Great Son, he argues that Ferber has failed to provide her potentially interesting characters with a suitably compelling plot.

In The Emma McChesney Stories, Edna Ferber staked out her claim as a delineator of American character; and in Show Boat she gave us one of the most appealing romances of the stage. Thereafter, in novels like Cimarron and Giant, she has written of the big operator, the limitless and often unscrupulous development of our natural resources, and the corrupting effect of power and wealth upon the individual. In Ice Palace … she has moved her setting to Alaska, our last frontier, and again she is writing a...

Miss Ferber's talent, this reviewer is irrevocably convinced, does not lie in the way of the novel…. She writes a novel as a modern athletic girl might wear a crinoline and a bustle. She manages the trick, but she is self-conscious and filled with secret amusement over the masquerade. Why so many words? Why such a portentous enclosure for a mere story? So I imagine Miss Ferber secretly regarding the novel form. Her forte, I humbly submit, is the short story. She has the gift, and it is my beli...

It was inevitable that Edna Ferber should write a novel about Alaska. The magnetic northern land has all the qualities that draw her to a scene—robustness, magnitude, epic tradition, the clash of strong-willed men and their stubborn duel with Nature. In her novel "Ice Palace" she has put more of Alaska between covers than any other writer in its short and crowded history…. The Ice Palace is a steel-and-glass apartment hotel in the bustling town of Baranof, halfway up the long Ala...

Edna Ferber is a reportorial novelist with a powerful, encompassing love for America and the people in it. Miss Ferber's skill at reportage and enormous, healthy curiosity about the peoples, places and customs of America have produced a series of popular romantic novels which have been saved from tedium and slick-paper mediocrity by a rich gift of phrase and a warm, fearless social-consciousness. (p. 45) There is, she tells us [in Giant], much to admire about Texas and Texans…. But over all th...

There is something good about Miss Ferber's fighting character that comes through [her autobiography, A Kind of Magic,] and warms the reader's heart—especially if he is not very energetic himself or as good as he thinks he should be. She is very energetic, brave, affectionate and kind. Her talent as a writer—mostly of novels about different parts of America at different times—is not in the highest rank but she can communicate her enthusiasms, they are many, and is a sharp ...

Miss Ferber's [Giant] is certain to be on the required reading list of the Texas Folklore Society, for it deals with the habits of those mythological creatures, the freespenders from Texas, the Land of the Big Rich…. Despite the disclaimer in the front of the book, the characters in "Giant" will strike many Texans as bearing a remarkable resemblance to actual persons…. It is about as difficult to identify the characters and places in "Giant" as it would be to...