Nequa or The Problem of the Ages

Nequa or The Problem of the Ages stands as one of the pioneering feminist science fiction novels in the United States. First serialized in the newspaper Equity, it saw two editions published in Topeka, Kansas in 1900. The story takes readers on a thrilling voyage to the Arctic, where the ships captain is astonished to discover that when they reach a certain point‚Aîexpected to be near the North Pole‚Aîthe compass inexplicably indicates a southward journey. They have, in fact, sailed into the Earths interior, where they encounter the Altrurians, a society that has evolved into a more collaborative and harmonious way of life than that of the surface world. Through the narratives of individual Altrurians, we learn about the transformative journey of their society, echoing the Populist ideals of the era with a strong feminist undertone, thus shaping the essence of a political novel. Though published under the pseudonym Jack Adams, the work is copyrighted to Alcanoan A. Grigsby and Mary P.