I'm a fairly avid reader. I enjoy mostly contemporary literature, but I like some of the classics, mostly literature by women, and Poe. I like Poe. But I have to say it... I am so tired of literature about men. I am not a man. I know there is a lot of good literature out there by and about men. I've read a lot of them. Everything is Illuminated is one of my favorite books. But so many books that are said to be the must-reads are by and/or about men, as if men are the universal representatives of humanity. I need good novels that show the deep and unashamed humanity of women.
Here are some good books I have read that have met my burning needs:
Wicked by Gregory Maguire (interesting, considering a man wrote it...)
Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
Dust Tracks on a Road by Zora Neale Hurston
Emma by Jane Austen
Beloved by Alice Walker
Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson
I won't deny my feminist tendencies. I won't even try. I know how obsessed I am with feminism and gender equality and gender inclusive language and feminist issues. I love women - I do. I love the female culture, the female mind, the female body - I love it. I just do. So why am I finding so little good representation of us in literature? Where can I get the next good book??
The Goddess and the Alphabet (but its not fiction).
Special Topics in Calamity Physics
Name All the Animals
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Oooh! And read Iris Murdoch. The Bell is especially good. I wrote my senior paper on it. She has a TON of books, though.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Thanks! :) I guess I need to go book shopping... rats. ;)
"Orlando" by Virginia Woolf is also pretty fantastic... looking at the other book topics you mentioned, I bet you'd like that one...
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/kariskoett
"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else."
-Buddha
I love that one! I'll keep thinking about this. I love books! If you like poetry, check out Adrienne Rich.
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
Cool. :)
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/kariskoett
"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else."
-Buddha
But I see you have read Emma, perhaps I am biased, but I think that Jane Austen is probably one of the best female writers of all time. I suggest you read more of her books. Sense and Sensibility is particularly good, Mansfield Park is also amazing, but it takes a while to actually get into the story.
I've read Pride and Prejudice (who hasn't?) - I kind of felt like most of her story lines were the same (except for Emma), so I haven't read a whole lot more. But I heard Northanger Abbey was pretty good. Maybe I should try more... I'm thinking Virginia Woolf next... "To the Lighthouse" maybe?
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/kariskoett
"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else."
-Buddha
Fingersmith by Sarah Waters is my favorite, you might like it. Also, have you read The Awakening by Kate Chopin? A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf is pretty good in my opinion. It's not actually a novel, it's a few essays but I read it and loved it so you never know. And Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen is amazing. Zami: A New Spelling of My Name is a book I haven't read, but my mother has, she loves it. It's an autobiography of Audre Lorde.
Also, Beloved was written by Toni Morrison.
“I hope the departure is joyful and I hope never to return.” - Frida Kahlo
I'm gonna betch slap the dumb outta you
Zami's awesome! I have that one. And Sarah Waters has a bunch of good ones, like Tipping the Velvet. Good suggestions!
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/ediblewoman
My mistake. I think I was thinking of The Color Purple... but both are fantastic books.
A Room of One's Own is one of my favorites. I'll look into your other suggestions. I've heard really good things about Kate Chopin. :)
Thanks!
http://www.progressiveu.org/blog/kariskoett
"All things appear and disappear because of the concurrence of causes and conditions. Nothing ever exists entirely alone; everything is in relation to everything else."
-Buddha
From Beast to The Blonde
Only when the last tree is cut; only when the last river is polluted; only when the last fish is caught: Only then will they realize that you cannot eat money."
-- Cree Indian Prophecy
Thanks for the list! I was looking for a good book a few days ago and had no where to start. So I did eeny-meeny-miney-mo on amazon.com, and that was a huge mistake. I found out that when a book says its supposed to be the best thriller or mystery story, its a lie. But now I have somewhere to start!
do you like poetry? mary oliver's work is remarkable.
i have the same feminist leanings (well, more than leanings) as you. i have also been sick with authors thinking men are the only worthy characters (ugh, james joyce). lately, however, i have read a lot of writing by men about masculinity. i feel this is an overlooked subject, one that is important to study if were are to achieve gender equality.
this collection of essays is a good place to start: http://www.beyondmasculinity.com/. there are even some free mp3s of the authors reading their work. speak my name: black men on masculinity and the american dream is an excellent anthology as well.
hope this helps!