It’s January once again and we all know what that means- New Year Resolutions.
As per usual, my resolution is to read more. This year, however, I resolve specifically to read more awesome female authors.
As a proud feminist, I was beyond disappointed in myself when I noticed that the majority of books I had read in the last year were penned by men. Where’s the love for my ladies at?
Now don’t get me wrong; I read some really, really incredible books this year and I would never take that back. However, going into this next year, I will, with awe and respect, focus my attention on the words and voices of the women in this world.
For those who wish to join me on this endeavor, here’s a list of some of the most influential female voices I have been lucky enough to encounter:
Poetry
Nayyirah Waheed, Salt.
I genuinely have no words that are capable of encapsulating my appreciation of Nayyirah Waheed. Her words and her soul have planted a seed in my chest that continues to grow each time I reread her poems; she is slowly cracking me open in the best way possible. She has singlehandedly pulled me out of my bed in my lowest of moments; I am indebted to her words in so many ways. This may sound intense, but read her for yourself and I’m sure you’ll agree.
Instructional
Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird
I was given this instructional book on writing in the fourth grade, and my poor old copy has the wrinkles, stains, and tears to prove it. Every time I am feeling uninspired- in life or in writing- I return to Anne Lamott’s witty words. She has yet to let me down this past decade, and something tells me she will continue to be my teacher for the decades to come.
Memoir
Jeannette Walls, The Glass Castle
Jeannette Walls quickly became one of my literary heroes after I experienced The Glass Castle- and experience is truly the only word to use. Walls’ vivid descriptions of her unusual childhood have a remarkable way of capturing the reader. She somehow manages to nonchalantly describe her childhood memories, stating them as facts without excessive drama or complaints, and yet get into your eyes, brain, and chest, unsettling you for life. Her intense control over language is absolutely a marvel.
Fiction
Toni Morrison, Paradise
Oh Toni Morrison, the things you do to my heart and to my mind. Morrison succeeds, yet again, in creating a thought-provoking novel that will genuinely change your life and expand your mind. If there is one female author you read at all this year, please let it be Toni Morrison. Seriously, pick up anything this admirable woman has written and you will not regret it. Beyond the topics of race and gender that she so powerfully approaches, Morrison is simply a magnificent storyteller, weaving tales together in a way that my listening brain can only begin to understand.
Classic
Anne Brontë, The Tenant of Wildfell Hall
What!? There’s another Brontë sister? Yes. It’s true. The world just got so much better. Little sister to the infamous Charlotte and Emily Brontë, Anne continues the tradition of word wise women in this stellar family. Anne Brontë’s work is, in my opinion, much more relevant than that of either Emily or Charlotte. The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, for example, defends a woman’s right to leave an unhealthy marriage, and is considered to be the first feminist novel. It was, in fact, so scandalous in 1848 that her family warned it would end her career. After her early death, her sister Charlotte prevented it from getting republished- ouch.
Essay
Cheryl Strayed, Tiny Beautiful Things
Cheryl Strayed is such a badass and I am in total awe. Best known for her novel Wild which was recently made into a movie starring Reese Witherspoon, Strayed is a multitalented author who, simply put, gives incredible advice. Before she got thrown into the mainstream with Wild, Strayed wrote under the persona of Sugar for several years in an advice column aptly named “Dear Sugar”. Tiny Beautiful Things is a compilation of some of her best writings as Sugar, where she addresses topics such as relationships, sexuality, family, work- you name it. No matter what your worries are, no matter what troubles you encounter in life, if you keep the wise words of Sugar in your back pocket, you will do just fine.
If you want to read along with me, I will soon be enjoying:
1. Kindred, Octavia Butler
2. The God of Small Things, Arundhati Roy
3. I am Malala, Malala Yousafzai
I hope these novels will lead to enlightenment, expansion, and good times in this year to come! Please comment with your favorite female authors, and happy reading!
