I’ve always been a reader. Throughout my life, books, characters and stories have defined me and given me goals and purpose. The best part about books, though, is that they give voice to those who are voiceless, tell stories so often overlooked and educate thousands of readers about diverse topics.
I recently finished “The Women” by Kristin Hannah and it made me think: in what other historical events are women underrepresented? I had no idea just how involved women were during the Vietnam War. Women served as nurses, journalists, administrative roles, air traffic control and military intelligence. Women were overlooked following the war and told that because they didn’t see combat, they weren’t traumatized. It’s important to read these stories so that history doesn’t repeat itself, especially at a time when women’s rights are so contested and sometimes feel they are in limbo.
With this, I’ve decided to compile a list of books I’ve read and books I’ll be adding to my TBR for Women’s History Month focusing on those that center on women.
Read
Kristin Hannah
Kristin Hannah is a great author who focuses on women’s history. I’ve read six of her novels: “The Women,” “The Four Winds,” “The Great Alone,” “The Nightingale,” “Firefly Lane” and “Distant Shores.” She writes across ages, places and decades. While her writing style isn’t incredibly complex, she weaves beautiful stories about how women are strong – from the Vietnam War to the Dust Bowl, Hannah tackles complex historical events by highlighting women’s stories.
Here’s a synopsis of my favorite books she’s written and how they focus on women’s strengths and achievements.
- The Women: I covered this, but it’s a truly women-centered book with men only playing supporting roles. Highly, highly recommend.
- The Four Winds: This book focuses on the beauty and marriage standards women used to endure (and still do to an extent) during the complexity of the Dust Bowl. It emphasizes the inherent strength women have through a woman who first appears as meek.
- The Great Alone: Gosh, I love this book. It focuses on abusive power dynamics in families and how the legal system can fail women. Highlighting these important issues in literature is so important as it can help women find resources, understand that they aren’t alone, and ultimately bring more awareness to women’s safety and domestic violence.
Everything I Know About Love by Dolly Alderton
Reading this book made my frontal lobe develop. It is one of the most thoughtful books I’ve ever read and made me realize how lucky I am to have such incredible friendships. This book is an amazing read during Women’s History Month because it doesn’t focus on dating, rather it showcases how beautiful the little moments you have with your friends can be. I related deeply to this book, thinking about how my friends picked me up and held me together after my first breakup, the moments after a night out laying on each other’s beds, and the unconditional love my girlfriends have shown me time and time again.
Carrie Soto Is Back by Taylor Jenkins Reed
This book is a wonderful representation of women in sports, and the main character Carrie Soto is a strong woman who is shown overcoming a multitude of hardships. I love the way Taylor Jenkins Reed writes, and how she puts female characters at the center of historical moments. This novel, though, stands above the rest of them. Carrie Soto explores sexism in professional sports while creating dynamic, complex female characters. I think it is some of the best work she has ever done and it should be added to your To Be Read list.
Bright Young Women by Jessica Knoll
This one is for all of my true crime lovers. It tells a fictionalized version of the victims of the serial killer Ted Bundy. By focusing on the women and their lives, painting them not just as victims but as complex, beautiful people each with journeys of their own, it reclaims the story of their deaths. The media has so often romanticized Ted Bundy because he wasn’t what a “typical” serial killer was thought to look like. Especially by hiring Zac Efron to play him in the movie, he became a character that wasn’t thought of as a terrible monster but an attractive man. This book fights back against this pop culture phenomenon and focuses on women, making it a wonderful read for Women’s History Month.
Emily Henry
There’s a stack of Emily Henry novels on my bedside table. One time, when my dad was visiting, he told me it made my room look ‘staged.’ However, it’s because I LOVE EMILY HENRY. “People We Meet on Vacation” (I’m going to abbreviate this one to PWMOV, because it’s awkward to type) was my first read by Henryand from then on, I was hooked. One thing I like about Henry is how different her stories are while staying true to her writing style and her fun, feminist characters. She writes romance from the female gaze (if you don’t believe me go read page 255 of PWMOV). She was one of the authors that helped me get into reading in the first place and I recommend all of her books. I would read them in the order they’re written, which I’ll list for you to make it easier.
- Beach Read (3)
- People We Meet on Vacation (1)
- Book Lovers (5)
- Happy Place (2)
- Funny Story (4)
In case you’re wondering, I also put my personal ranking beside each book. I’m an Alex Nilsen (PWMOV) fangirl for life so that’s obviously my favorite. Go read Emily Henry!
To be read
Ghosts by Dolly Alderton
As previously established, I’m a big fan of Dolly Alderton. I think girlfriend is a genius and the perfect writer to follow from your teens into your twenties. She’s put a lot of the conflicting emotions of being a young woman into words, which hasn’t only normalized my feelings but is also quite empowering. With this being said, I haven’t gotten around to reading “Ghosts” yet. I think it will be the perfect book for March as it weaves a story about how being an adult is not always as liberating and uncomplicated as it is advertised in your youth. To be totally vulnerable, twenty has been a difficult year for me so far and the way Alderton writes is comforting.
Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay
This book is such a crucial read, and one I think would benefit my work towards being a better feminist tremendously. Femininity is such an interesting and sometimes hard-to-grasp concept, especially as the world evolves. Gay writes about her experience as a woman of color, bringing a different view on being a feminist than I have as a white woman, making this an important read. The focus on intersectionality, the state of feminism today in a rocky political climate and commentary on how to be a better feminist gives this book a 3.92-star rating on Goodreads, and I’m looking forward to reading it.
“When feminism falls short of our expectations, we decide the problem is with feminism rather than with the flawed people who act in the the name of the movement.”
Roxanne Gay – Bad Feminist
The School For Good Mothers by Jessamine Chan
This dystopian novel seems very interesting. Focusing on motherhood, judgment lapses, and the scrutiny mothers face daily, it is a very important read for Women’s History Month. Mothers are put under a microscope in our society, and every decision they make is judged. This book highlights that and the discrepancy of judgment between mothers and fathers.
Circe by Madeline Miller
I actually started this book in high school but never got into it fully. However, I’d like to revisit it having read and enjoyed “The Song of Achilles.” It’s super interesting to see a woman’s perspective of Greek Mythology, and one I think I would appreciate much more in my college years.
Follow me on Goodreads to see my full TBR and how I feel about these books as I make my way through this list.