Pamela Sargent published her first anthology of "science fiction stories by women about women" in 1975, presenting 12 stories, first published from 1948 to 1973, in chronological order. A second anthology focused on novelettes, and a third on more recent stories, with nothing before 1967; these two books included lists of recommended reading.

Twenty years after that first book Sargent published two updated and revised volumes, reusing 13 stories among the 21 in the "Classic Years" volumes, assembling 21 newer stories in the "Contemporary Years" volume originally published after the first three books. These two volumes both have updated and expanded reading lists.

Meanwhile Sargent published two other anthologies on themes of biological metamorphosis and life after death. The second of these, co-edited with Ian Watson, was two-thirds original stories. Only the seven reprints are included in the index below.

Most reprinted authors in this group: Ursula K. Le Guin (5), Sonya Dorman and Joanna Russ (4 each), Carol Emshwiller, Vonda N. McIntyre, Kit Reed, Josephine Saxton, Chelsea Quinn Yarbro, and Kate Wilhelm (3 each).