Tomorrow is International Women’s Day and March is Women’s History Month. As two women, we thought the best way to celebrate would be with books! Lots and lots of books! Below, we have recommendations for you to celebrate this Women’s History Month. Historically, women have had to put up a fight for equity, including when it came to wages. Equal Pay Day this year will be celebrated on March 24, in fact. In this vein, we find it important to show our solidarity with the Amazon employees going on strike this week. We will not be putting Amazon Affiliates links on this post nor will we have Goodreads links to each book, as Goodreads is owned by Amazon. Instead, we continue to have our Bookshop links and list, as well as links to The StoryGraph, an alternative to Goodreads that we hope you’ll consider.
Fiction
Circe by Madeline Miller
Circe, the daughter of Helios, is born into the powerful family of the God of Sun and the mightiest of the Titans. However, it seems that she does not possess the power that her family has. After being cast down to the human world, Circe discovers that she can perform witchcraft. You may remember the story of bitter, evil Circe from various Greek mythology stories but Miller transforms the tale into one of love, heartbreak and strength, reclaiming the tale.
Women Talking by Miriam Toews
One night, eight Mennonite women come together to discuss if they should live in their secluded community. They have discovered that they have been repeatedly attacked, raped and drugged by the men that they live with. The men had told them a lie that it was devils coming at night to harm them and they believed them due to their very limited knowledge of the outside world. This story is loosely based on real events and deals with deep conversation of what religion means to these women and a true fear of the unknown as they want to change their current life circumstances. Women Talking was one of Helen’s favorite books in 2019 and we highly recommend it to those that like deep, philosophical books about religion.
A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
A feature in our February Book Marks, A Girl is a Body of Water is a fantastic novel that examines what it means to be a woman. Kirabo, a young Ugandan girl, wants to find her mother. She visits the town witch to find out more. The book is filled with folklore, much of it having to do with women, and it’s a beautiful read for that reason. Kirabo’s journey to find her origins is a different kind of coming-of-age story that don’t generally become as popular as other stories, but it’s just as valuable.
The Witch’s Heart by Genevieve Gornichec
Fans of Circe will fall in love with Angrboda, a Nordic giant mentioned briefly in texts but without a real story of her own. She is known only in connection with Loki, the trickster God made famous by Marvel, as she bore three children with him. Gornichec tells the tale of this witch and the sacrifices she made for her children, as well as the ways in which the Gods tried to make her pay (unfortunately, if you like Odin, Freya and Thor… you might not after reading this).
The Female of the Species by Mindy McGinnis
Rape culture has never been more prominent in the media or our daily conversations as it is today. The Female of the Species examines rape culture, as it follows Alex Craft, a high schooler whose sister was murdered. Although everyone knew who killed her, he was let off by the court of law. Alex took matters into her own hands. She lives her life as normal as a loner but when an athlete named Jack and a preacher’s kid nicknamed Peekay become important to her, the darkness within her threatens to ruin everything.
Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson
You’ve most likely heard of the awful things that R. Kelly has done. Loosely drawing on the case, Tiffany D. Jackson writes about Enchanted Jones, a talented singer who is drawn into the world of the famous Korey Fields. He takes her under his wing, nurturing her dream. Now, he’s dead and she’s awake with blood on her hands but no memory of the previous night. Could she have killed him? This mystery/thriller is a tough read and depicts the grooming of a minor, but it touches on a vital issue.
The Lying Life of Adults by Elena Ferrante
Fans of the My Brilliant Friend series (like myself) were thrilled to see the pseudonymous Ferrante having a new standalone novel translated. When Giovanna hears her father privately tell her mother that their daughter is turning ugly like her Aunt Vittoria, she begins down a path of self-discovery. The coming-of-age that Ferrante is so well-known for is present in this book, as well. It also, of course, takes place in Naples, a city we have all come to love through the aforementioned series.
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See
Fans of historical fiction like myself will be fascinated by the Korean island of Jeju. The book follows two best friends, Mi-ja and Young-sook, who have started diving with their village’s all-women diving group. The book takes place over multiple decades, including the Japanese colonization of Korea and the Korean War. Although their bond grows, the disparities of their backgrounds also become more prominent. Their friendship continues to be challenged by these differences and the world around them. The Island of Sea Women looks at a somewhat matriarchal society where women bring home the money and men take care of the children. It also explores the history of Korea and the consequences of colonization.
Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
Another historical fiction set in Korea, Pachinko is about Sunja, a young girl who falls for a wealthy man. She becomes pregnant with his child but learns that he is married with another family. Determined to not be a single mother being funded by a rich and absent father, she instead marries a sickly minister who stays at her mother’s boarding house. Thus begins the story of Sunja and her children. Lee writes characters with such depth that it is hard not to feel sad when you finally finish the book.
Nonfiction
Bad Feminist: Essays by Roxane Gay
We of course recommended this as a book to read for Black History Month, but it doubles well as a Women’s History Month book. Bad Feminist is a book of essays by the hilarious Roxane Gay. Black women, of course, face a different brand of misogyny often referred to as misogynoir. The combination of race and gender has long placed Black women at the lowest rung of the American totem pole, and Bad Feminist unapologetically delves into the many ways we must do better.
Eloquent Rage: A Black Feminist Discovers Her Superpower by Brittney Cooper
We did, of course, mention this one in last month’s post as well, but it bears repeating: this is a must-read! Cooper dives right into misogynoir in the United States and articulates well the different brands of feminism that exist. Black womanhood plays a central role in the essays Cooper writes. Although Cooper is in academia and the book is well-researched, it is still accessible to those outside of the field.
Wow, No Thank You: Essays by Samantha Irby
One of our absolute favorites released in 2020, Wow, No Thank You is a sharp turn away from the Girl, Wash Your Face culture common today. Irby’s self-deprecating humor will both make you laugh out loud and nod your head vigorously, because she gets what it’s like to be an adult who has no idea what the f*** they’re doing. Both relatable and real, Wow, No Thank You says that it’s okay for women to not have it all together and, in fact, more common than you might think.
The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick by Mallory O’Meara
O’Meara’s favorite movie when she was a child was Creature From the Black Lagoon and she was thrilled to find out that the monster was created by a woman named Milicent Patrick. As she learned more, O’Meara discovered that Milicent’s design and work on the character was stolen by a male colleague. This tale of the author’s life in the horror movie industry and her work to discover the true story of who created the Creature make this book an excellent read and an even better audiobook. Mallory additionally co-hosts the podcast, Reading Glasses with Brea Grant, which I love to listen to for reading recommendations!
Paula by Isabel Allende
Isabel Allende has published a plethora of both fiction and nonfiction books. She is rightfully considered an accomplished writer. Her memoir The Soul of a Woman released earlier this month and mentions her daughter Paula who died suddenly in her 40’s. The grief was very difficult for Allende who dealt with it the best way she knows how: by writing. Paula is a memoir written by Allende to pass onto her daughter the stories of her life and ancestors. Both touching and intimate, Paula is a book of strength and resilience.
We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence by Becky Cooper
True crime fans, you absolutely must read this. We’ve told you it was a 2020 favorite, and now we’re telling you again: this book is fantastic. While at Harvard, Becky Cooper learns about the unsolved murder of Jane Britton in the 60’s and becomes obsessed with solving it. Along the way, she finds herself unable to differentiate between herself and Jane in some cases, as she is so immersed in the case. She interviews suspects and visits old friends of Jane. On this journey, Cooper peels back the layers of protection around academic institutions like Harvard and the misogyny that surrounded both Jane and today’s Harvard women. This book cannot be recommended enough.
Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion by Jia Tolentino
From the very first essay, Tolentino captures readers with her words. Each essay is so well-researched and articulate, covering topics from megachurches to reality television. This book is especially written for the Millennial Generation and will provide you with facts you need to hammer your points home. The whole book is cultural criticism paired with a dry wit. Tolentino’s writing is well-known, but this book of essays is another level.
Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West
Lindy West is actually a close friend of Samantha Irby’s and is mentioned in Wow, No Thank You so it was pretty imperative that we recommend to you Shrill. Many of the essays in this book deal with body positivity and self-love, topics that are discussed often today. Thought-provoking and clever, it’s no wonder that this book got its own television show in 2019.
Graphic Novels
The Mental Load by Emma
I stumbled across Emma’s work back on Tumblr in 2012 and I had always been curious about how to find more of it. Since she works primarily in France, I was happy to see that her collection of comics became a bound volume in the United States a few years ago. Emma’s feminist comics are commentary on the mental load that women take on in our society. As women juggle jobs, family, caretaking, chores, their own hobbies and the finances, it makes one wonder about the equity of the household labor. These extremely relatable and eye opening comics are a must read for all those that are entering partnerships and commitments to better discuss the equity of labor within the household.
I Was Their American Dream by Malaka Gharib
This endearing graphic memoir tells about how Malaka navigates how she grew up in her Filipino and Egyptian household with her two immigrant parents. She is split between upholding the values that her parents have around working for a better life and her desire to adapt to the new American beliefs around her.
