Summary
Three book recommendations for Women's History Month
March is Women’s History Month. A time for celebrating women and their achievements, raising awareness about the discrimination they face in all aspects of life, and empowering future generations.
Literature is a powerful tool for portraying the strengths and struggles of women. The representation of women in media has improved significantly in the past few decades; with more complex female leads, narratives centred around women’s issues and female authors writing for and about women.
To celebrate Women’s History Month, here are three book recommendations which shine a light on women’s place in society and focuses on inspiring tales of growth in the face of great adversity.
Image: Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, book cover, Minumsa
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 by Cho Nam-Joo
Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982 is a thought-provoking and compelling narrative that sparked real-world change in South Korea, bringing discussions of gender disparities and misogyny to the forefront. It retells Kim Jiyoung’s life and experiences with sexism from a young age, throughout all aspects of her life. Kim Jiyoung is a vessel for all women who have suffered through these experiences which have unfortunately been normalised in our society.
Image: Careering, book cover, Little, Brown Book Group
Careering by Daisy Buchanan
Careering is an extremely relatable and raw account of women’s experience in the work-force and touches on the difficulties of being a women in a society which has twisted and warped the true meaning of female empowerment. Dual main characters, Imogen and Harri are both trapped in a vicious cycle of expectations and sacrifices in order to reach an unrealistic sense of fulfilment. It is a humorous and engaging story of the, at times, depressing reality of the workplace, but which spotlights the complicated expectations of women.
Image: Circe, book cover, Bloomsbury Publishing
Circe by Madeline Miller
Circe is a mythological retelling of the well-known tale, The Odyssey, centring it around the complex character of the witch Circe. This depiction of Circe gives her character so much more depth which is explored as she comes into her power and begins to embrace her affinity for witchcraft. For lovers of feminist retellings, Circe is the best of them. Madeline Miller portrays Circe as a strong, confident and unique character for readers to become really invested in.
These are just a few recommendations for some books to read during this years International Women’s Month. Happy reading.
Featured Image Credit: Pexels
