Happy International Women's Day!
In order to celebrate International Women's Day, I wanted to recommend a variety of female authors who I greatly admire. Some are internationally famous, some you may never have heard of. A few of them lived more than a hundred years ago, others have only just debuted in the world of writing. Some write devastatingly beautiful poetry, some historical fiction, others write murder mysteries, and a couple write of apocalyptic futures. I'm hoping there's something for everyone here, and if you have any female authors you'd recommend, let me know in the comments or head on over to my Instagram - let's get talking about how amazing women can be!
Madeline Miller So everyone knows that asking a bibliophile their favourite book is an impossible question. Except I definitely have an answer: The Song of Achilles. Every. Single. Time. Miller's writing, also evidenced in her latest release Circe, is so stunningly beautiful that I can cry just thinking about it. But don't let that put you off! The characters are so well-created, the story so well-told, that you can't help but be invested. The awe-inspiring writing makes every heart-wrenching moment worth it.
Margaret Atwood Come on, do I really need to explain this one? Handmaid's Tale has been with me since I first did a college essay on it at 17. It is an incredible piece of literature which draws fascinating parallels with our own political climate. This may be the most overtly feminist book on my list, but if you're not here for the feminist agenda (and my question would be, why aren't you?), Atwood has a massive oeuvre which covers a lot of other themes.
Philippa Gregory Whilst lately I've spent a lot of time moaning about Gregory's YA series, I can't miss her off this list. Her historical fiction is on another level. Not only is her work well-researched and largely accurate to history, but it's so interesting. I've never seen anything like her writing style to make you feel so wrapped up in the events that it doesn't matter where fact and fiction overlap - this may as well be exactly how it went down in history, as far as you're concerned. Gregory's writing is also entirely focused on the role of women at a time where they had little to no voice, and I her series on Henry VIII's wives brings forth a fascinating point of view. (And honestly, the fact I can still recommend her after the trash that was her YA series says a heck of a lot for her writing).
Karen McManus I don't know how many times I can rave about McManus, but I'm going to keep going. I recently finished her latest book, One of Us is Next, and it's just as good as the first two. McManus has a way of writing young people that feels authentic and relatable. Granted, I'm older than most her characters, but they still feel like genuine young people, not just book characters made to look like young people. They're not an adult trying to write like a teenager, they're just...teenagers
Rossetti So Rossetti may be one of the most depressing poets I've ever read the works of buuuuut she's also just kinda great. Her imagery is incomparable, and the passion in her words is practically tangible. I'm not going to pretend she's easy to read, or that her topics are easy to digest, but I will defend their absolute beauty. A prime example of all these things is the incredible 'Remember'. It will forever be one of my favourite poems for its haunting yet hopeful tone.
Mary Robinson I have a whole post about the life of Mary Robinson because she is just one of the most fascinating figures I have ever come across. An actress, a writer, lover to the king, and all round cool person, I promote her memoirs to anyone who is interested in underrated, lesser-known female writers. Be warned, she was alive in the 1700s. Her writing isn't necessarily easy. But it is super interesting.
Jeanette Winterson Pre-warning, Winterson is a bit of a divisive one. Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit is actually the only work of Winterson's that I've read, but I find discussions of it so interesting. A semi-autobiographical story about growing up religious and queer, this book was a turning point for me in college. It was probably the most 'out there' book I had ever read. In school I was very interested in YA, fantasy, or post-apocalyptic fiction. Oranges showed me that fiction can explore things that were much closer to home, and things that would become so much more relevant in my life as I became aware of politics in the world.
Jane Austen Yes, she's a cliche. No, I don't care. Read Jane Austen. And when I say read it, really read it. Don't look at it as a classic piece of literature that is inaccessible to modern audiences. Look for what you can relate to and it will quickly become apparent that Austen's writing is absolutely timeless. If you need proof of this, just go watch Clueless or Bridget Jones' Diary. Austen's writing is funny and insightful and I believe she is the only classical author I would truly recommend for everyone.
Naomi Alderman I've got to be honest with you, not all of Alderman's work is outstanding. I'm not afraid to say that. But it is consistently daring and experimental and oh my god you have to read The Power. In fact, if you read nothing else I suggest (on this list or ever) you need to read that book. It's a stunning look at gendered society, the recording of history, and the careful balance of hope and fear that lies at the heart of change.
Gail Honeyman If you're even vaguely aware of things in the book world, you'll know the explosion that was Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine. Whilst I didn't love it as much as the rest of the world clearly did, I really believe that Honeyman is an author to watch. Eleanor Oliphant was unlike anything else I've read, telling a surprisingly touching story in an incredibly soft, sad way.
So there are some of my top 10 female writers, but who would you recommend everybody read? And what is it about that woman's voice that makes you love their writing so much? Share in the comments below or get in touch on @anotherenglishstudent on Instagram - I always love hearing your thoughts!
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