When I was asked to compile a reading list for Women’s History Month, I heard in my ears the voices of those of women who persisted when told to be silent. Their determination to speak up then offers much needed inspiration now in these days when the rights of women – frankly of all of us, but most especially LGBTQ+ folx and people of color – are being rolled back, and as the world teeters ever more precariously on the edge of global war. So I offer this list of books and authors as a lifebuoy to all – with honor and respect to the voices that bolster my courage, persistence, and even, optimism.
This is, of course, an incomplete list – there are many more books that could or should have been included. I reached out to colleagues of mine from the Gender Studies Program at New College of Florida for their suggestions – some of which are listed below, others now on my ever-growing “to read” list. I opted initially to focus on essays and non-fiction, although a few works of poetry insisted on claiming their place. Some are books I first read as an undergraduate, others books I taught, and others still, relatively new additions to my book shelves.
The poet Stéphane Mallarmé famously wrote in Brise-Marine (Sea-Wind) “The flesh is sad, alas!, and all the books are read…” (1866) – a line I love because it is so clearly wrong. Thankfully, there are always more books. Read on!
