Books are truly remarkable things- they are strongholds of communication and have the ability to represent many diverse and distinct voices. It is especially refreshing to see works featuring strong women and their unique stories. Here’s a list of six books featuring some real badass ladies while illustrating the trials and tribulations of daily life, love, money, and family!
1. Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
I must admit while reading this book, I acquired quite the obsession with the literary wonder that is Roxane Gay. I even traveled to the Brooklyn Book Festival to have my copy signed. She is amazing and I was star-struck completely. Her hurried scrawl read “Annie, embrace your bad feminist,” and from that day forward I was a changed woman. This book of essays delves into detail the urgency of women’s rights, and provides fresh, funny, and real examples of just what a “feminist” is. This book is not simply a monotonous and impersonal lecture, but rather a window into the author’s mind, inviting the reader to understand her perspective while allowing us to form our own thoughts on a more informed and thorough level.
2. Not That Kind of Girl by Lena DunhamOnce again, wow. I waited for four hours to hear the lovely Lena read a few excerpts from her memoir and sign my book. Was it worth the wait at Union Square squished amongst throngs of eager and overly ecstatic Dunham-ites? Absolutely. (She also hugged me, if that counts.) This book is essential for any young woman in college. It is remarkably honest and relatable, and Dunham provides a unique voice that expresses the woes and wonders of womanhood . She reveals the oftentimes not-so-glamorous endeavours of teenagedom into those crazy college years and beyond, in a way that truly validates the lives and stories of women. She speaks up for all of our embarrassing moments, our seemingly trivial wants and needs, our failures and successes in the most entertaining and endearing of ways. To conclude, I have never laughed so hard aloud. READ THIS BOOK, LADIES.
3. I Was Told There’d Be Cake. Essays by Sloane CrosleyI almost did not buy this book. Funds were low, very low. Alas, I can not resist a good memoir! Let me tell you how entirely happy I was that I did after finishing this little gem. Crosley is an exceptionally skilled storyteller with a fresh, unique literary voice. Her essays read like short stories and are riddled with hilariously real dialogue and funny nuanced encounters that we can all relate to. Once again, another badass woman as the lead character relating her tales in a smart, exciting way (plus the cover art is beautiful, coffee-table book material).
4. No One Belongs Here More Than You. Stories by Miranda July Ms. July is another woman who has been making quite the mark in recent years with her writing as well as her film work. (Me, You, and Everyone We Know is on Netflix!) This peculiar little book of essays is a quick and delightful read. The stories may be strange and cryptic but are rooted in familiarity and are revealing of several facets of the human condition. These ambiguities riddled throughout the stories are just what makes this book unique and entertaining and a fantastic read!!
5. The Marriage Plot by Jeffrey EugenidesThis novel is dense and grand; a modern dissection of love and marriage, and an absolutely amazing read. (Jeffrey Eugenides is fabulous once again in his third novel!) Although the book is large and filled with a great number of subplots and different characters, it is fantastic to see this story unfold in a way reminiscent of Victorian novels (think Jane Austen, or Bronte sisters!) Madeline, our main character, is the ultimate “collegiette,” an English major deciding where exactly her life is going, and also deciding with whom she wants to spend it with. The Marriage Plot is complex and layered, and written beautifully. Perfect book for the holidays!
6. The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance: A Memoir by Elna BakerI believe this was one of the first memoirs I ever read on my own free will (I was always a die-hard fiction gal; that has since changed). This book was a true game changer and opened my eyes to the world of feminist literature. Elna Baker (a proud NYU alumna!!) tells us her stories of being a Mormon thrust into life in New York City. Her voice is distinctly entertaining and quirky, and she really nails the ultimate fish out of water thing quite well. Her writing is interesting and approachable, and her stories, some awkward and embarrassing, will make you laugh with each turn of the page.