For those of you who haven’t heard, this week is the mid-February holiday dedicated to ladies celebrating their lady friends. Their galentines, if you will.
I wanted to celebrate Galentine’s Day this year by honoring some of the lady writers who’ve given us so much amazing literature over the years. While I have my own favorites, I’m also aware that my list is limited by the sheer number of books I haven’t read, by authors I’ve never heard of. So I reached out to my own girlfriends–some of the smartest people I know–to help me put together this list of real, strong women authors from all sorts of times and places and genres. Thanks to everyone who contributed!
I present to you, our literary galentines:
Chimamanda Ngoze Adichie
“We all need this boss feminist in our lives.” – Anna
You know her from: Americanah, her award-winning 2013 novel about race, identity, and young love. Check out her TED talk on storytelling when you get a chance.
Margaret Atwood
You know her from: any of her 15 novels or her countless poems, short stories, and essays. Most famously, The Handmaids Tale or Oryx and Crake.
Judy Blume
“The ultimate galentine of my youth.” – Kelsey
You know her from: the 30+ books that led you through the trials and tribulations of growing up. Notably, Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret and Superfudge.
Libba Bray
You know her from: the Gemma Doyle Trilogy, Going Bovine, and The Diviners.
Charlotte Brontë
You know her from: high school English class. Special shoutout to Jane Eyre
Emma Donoghue
You know her from: Room, a bestselling about 5-year-old Jack, who has never left the room he shares with his mother.
Elena Ferrante
You know her from: her series of 4 Neapolitan Novels, beginning with My Brilliant Friend.
Roxane Gay
You know her from: her bestselling essay collection, Bad Feminist, along with short fiction and essays from all over the internet and her spectacular twitter account
Mary Beth Keane
You know her from: the National Book Foundation’s “5 under 35” list and her novel, Fever, about Typhoid Mary.
Barbara Kingsolver
You know her from: The Poisonwood Bible, The Bean Trees, and 10 other novels and poetry and essay collections.
Clarice Lispector
You know her from: actually, you might not. I didn’t, but now that I do, I can’t wait to read her. Lispector was a Brazilian author, considered the most important Jewish writer since Franz Kafka. She was also, according to The New Yorker, very glamourous.
Caitlin Moran
You know her from: her hilarious and true feminist manifestos, How to Build a Girland How to Be a Woman, and her recently released essay collection, Moranifesto. If you’re unfamiliar, check out this Fresh Air piece from summer 2012.
Jodi Picoult
You know her from: probably My Sister’s Keeper, or any of her 22 other novels, all praised for their true to life characters. Jodi Picoult is one of those authors with the power to write a book that is equal parts heartbreaking and feelgood. Also, little known fact, she’s written 5 issues of Wonder Woman for DC Comics.
Rainbow Rowell
You know her from: her quirky and excellent young adult novels, including Eleanor and Parkand Fangirl, which have nearly achieved John Green levels of fandom.
Cheryl Strayed
You know her from: her memoir, Wild, about hiking the Pacific Crest Trail (or, at least, the movie version Reese Witherspoon released last year). You may also be familiar with her Rumpus advice column, “Dear Sugar” and the WBUR podcast it spawned.
Thanks to all my galentines for helping me make this list. I’m seriously amazed at the depth and breadth of amazing lady authors you all came up with.
What about you? Who’s your literary galentine?
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