Mary Shelley (30 August 1797 – 1 February 1851) was a novelist best known as the author of Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus (1818), a foundational text of science fiction, the immeasurable impact of which has been felt through the centuries. Raised as a radical and anarchist, she wrote across an enormous number of genres on a wide variety of topics and is now recognized for her contributions to feminist thought and social reform, in addition to her literary pursuits.