Five incredible books by female authors
One student celebrates women writers for Women’s History Month
Do you know what March is?
No, it’s not the month of Spring Break, nor is it the month when Easter candy is already being sold in stores.
March is actually Women’s History Month! There are a lot of ways you can participate in celebrating the history of women’s rights and movements; you can visit the Women’s Center right here on campus, you could watch films featuring strong, intellectual female protagonists (A League of Their Own, The Hunger Games, etc.), or you could bury your nose in a great book written by a female author.
In case you need some help with that last suggestion, here are five books written by women that have withstood the test of time!
1. “Bad Feminist” by Roxanne Gay
You’ve probably heard of this book, or you may have even seen it at the on-campus bookstore, but have you ever actually picked this book up? If you haven’t, start lifting! The book explores Gay’s belief about herself that she is a “bad feminist” because she feels she doesn’t fit the traditional “feminist” model, which consisted of burning bras and protesting wage gaps. Definitely worth a read if you have ever felt like you are confused about what it means to be a feminist.
2. “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” by Rebecca Skloot
Take it from me: I read this book my freshman year in Composition 101. While I was worried I wouldn’t be interested by its non-fictional story, I ended up loving this book! The book recounts Skloot’s journey of finding out just how important Henrietta Lacks was to the world of medicine, and searching for the reason why her name is unrecognized by millions of people.
3. “The Secret History of Wonder Woman” by Jill LePore
How easy do you think it is to create a comic book character? It’s never as easy as you may think, and LePore’s book explores the intriguing origin story of how the most popular female superhero was created.
4. “To Kill A Mockingbird” by Harper Lee
Even with the recent passing of Lee, this book will continue to be on the reading list for millions of people. The semi-fictional (the story was based on Lee’s own childhood in the South) story follows Scout, a young girl who doesn’t want to act like a young girl. Throughout the story, Scout learns from her lawyer father, Atticus, what racial prejudice in the South looked like in the 1930s and why it’s important to walk a mile in another person’s shoes.
5. “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)” by Mindy Kaling
I will proudly say right now that I was a big fan of Mindy Kaling when she was on The Office, long before she starred in her own show, The Mindy Project. In her first memoir, Kaling discusses what her life was like as the first-generation child of immigrant parents from India. Kaling recounts the highs and lows of her life, from her childhood to when she was on The Office. If you need a light read filled with moments that will make you laugh, cringe, and feel better all at the same time, this is your book.
And if none if these books strike your fancy, don’t forget what famed author Virginia Woolf said: “For most of history, Anonymous was a woman.”