Books For Women, Written by Women

It's March, which means that it is Women's History Month! To celebrate, I have made a list of 10 books written by women for women. Hopefully, you'll find something interesting.

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Of course, the first book on this list is Little Women, my all-time favorite. I will always recommend this book for every situation. Little Women is a novel that follows four sisters (Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy) through their childhood and womanhood during the American Civil War. This story explores themes of childhood, womanhood, family, true love, and personal faults. The novel reflects the author, Alcott,'s own experiences and values.

I Who Have Never Known Men by Jacqueline Harpman

This is a post-apocalyptic novel about 40 women who are imprisoned in an underground bunker. They escape to find the world empty and abandoned by humanity. The women form a new society and address what it means to be human without context and history. This story explores themes of female relationships, the nature of humanity, and memory.

My Brilliant Friend by Elena Ferrante

This is the first novel in Ferrante's Neapolitan series. The novel follows the lifelong friendship between two intelligent women (Elena and Lila) through their childhood in a poor Naples neighborhood in the 1950's to adolescence. It traces the girls' paths as Elena pursues education while Lila is forced into marriage. This story explores the themes of Female friendship, social mobility, class struggle, gender roles, and the power of education.

The Woman Destroyed by Simone de Beauvoir

This is a collection of three novellas: The Age of Discretion, The Monologue, and The Woman Destroyed. The women in these stories confront the wreck of their established lives through a husband's affair, a son's rejection, or profound isolation. The collection explores the themes of aging, loneliness, and the indifference of loved ones.

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë

This is a classic novel that follows the life of an orphaned girl who goes through her abusive childhood, to harsh schooling, and her time as a governess, where she falls in love. Through all of this, Jane grows into a strong, independent woman who is able to navigate hardship and societal expectations. This novel explores the themes of social class, religion, sexuality, and protofeminism.

Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata

This story is about a 36-year-old woman who feels pressured to conform to societal expectations. She has found her purpose working at a Tokyo convenience store for 18 years. This novel explores themes of conformity and societal pressure.

Wives and Daughters by Elizabeth Gaskell

The novel centers on Molly's coming-of-age, as her widowed father remarries a widow, introducing the glamorous stepsister, Cynthia. Molly becomes involved in Cynthia's love affair, risking her own reputation. This novel explores the themes of love, loyalty, social class, reputation, and the changing roles of women.

Breasts and Eggs by Mieko Kawakami

This novel is about three women: Natsuko, her sister Makiko, and Makiko's daughter Midoriko. It follows Makiko's pursuit of breast augmentation, Midoriko's adolescence and changing body, and Natsuko's struggles as a writer and motherhood. This novel explores the themes of bodily autonomy, reproductive ethics, and societal pressures.

Women Who Run with the Wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

This book uses myths, fairy tales, and stories from different cultures to help women reconnect with their wild woman archetype, which is their instinctual, creative, and powerful inner self. This book explores the themes of intuition, healings, and reclaiming one's natural fierce attributes.

Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay

This collection of essays explores modern feminism, pop culture, and politics through Roxane Gay's contradictory experiences. She calls herself a bad feminist to make the point that someone can embrace feminist ideals while also not being the perfect and idealized feminist.

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To end this blog, here is my favorite Little Women quote.