My Women’s Day Reading List

I often come across book lists that feature women writers. This women’s day, instead of giving you yet another list of books by women, I wanted to share books for women and about women. No, this is not a list of “chick-lit”. And no, not a feminism 101 reading list either. I will post one in the future when I’m well-read on the topic.

In this post, I will be sharing books that have meant a lot to me, that are on my must-read list and that are constantly being recommended to me. This list will be across genres but will feature books that centre around women. Note that this is not solely a book recommendations list. These are books that I want to start reading around women’s day. Feel free to suggest books for me in the comments section below.

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Fiction:

• The Lunar Chronicles – Marissa Meyer

Take a few fairy tales, set them in an alternate universe, make the heroines awesome, remove gendered cliches and voila you have the lunar chronicles. This series will serve as my perfect reread material for women’s day.

• Girl with the Dragon Tattoo –  Stieg Larsson

I still haven’t read this one, but I keep hearing that the lead character is a kickass woman. What better way to spend women’s day than with this splendid book that oozes strength?

• Gone Girl – Gillian Flynn

Call me crazy, but I felt a connection with the protagonist, Amy Dunne. No, not the one in the film; she really was crazy. The one in the book, however, was sane and savvy. If you watched the film and thought it was a good thriller, read the book and you will realize the psychology behind Amy Dunne’s actions.

• The Purple Line – Priyamvada Purushotham

This book is written by a gynaecologist and reveals the story of six women whose lives are intertwined. This has a high recommendation from a friend, so I will mostly pick this one up first in lieu of women’s day.

• The Bluest Eye – Toni Morrison

This is yet another classic on my shelf that I haven’t read because I’m waiting for an uninterrupted weekend. In my defence, I did read the preface, ugly cried (I can get very emotional) and felt that I needed to take this one slow.

• Equal Rites – Sir Terry Pratchett

This is one funny book that portrays sexism through fantasy’s lens. It can be a bit slow, but definitely a rewarding read. I highly recommend Sir Terry Pratchett’s books if you are looking for a book that has an amazing imagination and world-building.

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Non-fiction:

• Rad Women Worldwide – Kate Schatz, Miriam Stahl

How many female scientists, researchers, rulers, activists can you think of? I was surprised to read this book because I didn’t even know half of the women mentioned here. Is this reread material? Most certainly, yes!

• We should all be Feminists – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

This book is an awesome introduction to Feminism. A must-read for everyone. I highly recommend this one. Full review here.

• Delusions of Gender – Cordelia Fine

This book states that the common beliefs related to gender are incorrect. I need to buy this ASAP so that I can read it at the earliest. This is definitely very high on my TBR list.

• Lean In – Sheryl Sandberg

A must-read for any woman who wants to have a successful career. There are some controversies surrounding this book and you don’t need to blindly accept everything. Having said that, I would still urge all working women to read this book once. It does have its merits.

• The Optimized Woman – Miranda Gray

I recommend this book to every woman who is sensitive to her menstrual cycle. I found it very helpful and informative and am currently using it as a reference guide.

• Everyday Sexism – Laura Bates

In case you haven’t come across the twitter account and the tag #everydaysexism, do check it out. This book shows that sexism does exist today and urges the reader to inculcate equality.

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Comics:

• Persepolis – Marjane Satrapi

A memoir of an Iranian woman in comic form, portraying a spirited young girl growing up in times of chaos. This one was educational, intriguing, heartwarming, and disheartening.

• Another Castle: Grimoire –  Andrew Wheeler, Paulina Ganucheau

The princess saves herself in this one. Enough said! Except, not… The spectacular plot is conveyed in beautiful art and disses many stereotypes. Highly recommended!

• Priya’s Shakthi & Priya’s Mirror – Ram Devineni

These books deal with rape and acid attacks. The idea is commendable and I applaud the intent. However, the stories had too much masala for my taste. I would still recommend them.

• The Trouble With Women – Jacky Fleming

I loved this book. It is a tongue in cheek approach to sexism and gender norms in comics form. A must-read!

• Tomboy – Liz Prince

This book apparently addresses what it means to be feminine and how society affects girls who are tomboys. I didn’t grow up as a “tomboy”, but I wasn’t “girly” either. I want to read this book out of curiosity.

• Adulthood is a Myth & Big Mushy Happy Lump – Sarah Anderson

Anyone who has read my blog knows that I’m a huge fan of Sarah Anderson’s sketches. I recommend these highly relatable books as well as her website. My favourite aspect of her sketches is the cute and villainous uterus.

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What did you think of my list? Any recommendations for me? Do you have your own list? Comment below!

Oh, and Happy International Women’s Day!