There’s no better time than World Book Day to venture out and start adding new books to your reading list. These books are particularly special because they explore the varying, heartfelt experiences of women.
- Black Milk by Elif Shafak
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A memoir of this author’s experience with postpartum depression and other mental health issues, Elif Shafak explores a specifically feminine pain and struggle in this beautifully touching novel. As she explores the various stages of her life through the harem of women within her, Shafak provides a touchingly honest account of motherhood.
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
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A beautiful account of the former first lady’s triumphs and defeats, this memoir portrays the essence of the strong, persevering woman we all strive to be. Filled with wisdom and sympathy for every woman who finds herself between the lines of her memoir, Michelle Obama writes a stunning reflection on the journey to becoming the role model she is today.
- Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Namjoo
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Cho’s ‘Kim Jiyoung’ is the everywoman. This simple, yet incredibly complex and hard-hitting novel provides an account of a woman’s life as she is faced with the challenges of a feminine existence in today’s world. As Jiyoung narrates her life story, it is impossible for a woman of the 21st-century to not find herself among the pages.
- Trainwreck by Sady Doyle
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In this succinct and disturbingly truthful non-fiction, Doyle explores the idea of the “trainwreck” woman, and what her role is in today’s society. Bringing forth new ideas and placing a somewhat shocking emphasis on the excessive judgement a woman’s self-expression is met with, Doyle provides a fiercely intelligent insight into this unwanted staple of today’s culture.
- Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
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Through twelve extremely different characters and their beautifully intertwined stories, Evaristo creates an awe-inducing tribute to black womanhood. Through stories of painful love, family tension and lifelong friendships, this novel creates a stream of dazzling consciousness and is impossible to put down until the very last page.
Everyone, not just women, can learn from these wonderful books. They serve as reminders that literature can produce empathy and encourage unity among people from all backgrounds. You should get down to your local library and start reading the works by these amazing writers.
Words by Sara Fabek Zovko.
Edited by Kirti Shah.