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15 extraordinary books by women for women

All of these books have been written by much loved women authors. Most of these books on the list are award winning novels. They have either been adapted to movies/TV series already or are in the process of being made into one. I have loved them. I have laughed and cried with them. And they continue to be the most coveted reads of my book collection.

This classic dystopian novel set in an America governed by a handful of men, is written by a Canadian master story teller. A handmaid is a woman whose sole purpose of existence is to produce children for the high commanders in The Republic of Gilead. The narrative belongs to Offred; she is telling her story. The story is chilling and the circumstances described will make you thank god this is only fiction and make you pray this kind-of world never becomes a reality.

A revolutionary read about Black history. While many were fighting for equal rights, some colored people learned to live a life among the whites. A life that hid their past, and threatened their present. Discover a story of twin sisters, born just seven minutes apart and yet so different one another. One runs away from their insignificant village to breathe free, while the other does so to start living a white life. An emotional read, with a story like no other.

The Nightingales is the story of the Rossignol (nightingale in French) sisters during the Nazi war. It was a story of women who saved Jewish children and women who rescued downed pilots, of women who sacrificed themselves body and soul to save others. This novel is a deeply emotional back that will break your heart into a million pieces.

The Help by Kathryn Sockett

A young white journalist wants to write the stories of Black maids serving in white houses. This wonderfully written book will have you laughing and crying in a span of a few pages. It is an unusual story of an unexpected friendship between Skeeter, the journalist, and Aibileen and Minny, the black maids.

Apart from the obvious controversies surrounding the facts of this story, this novel is an unusual read in many ways. The story is told in two time periods: Young Kya, abandoned by her family, left alone in the marsh to fend for herself, starts the story in 1952; and police investigate a murder in the marshes surrounding North Carolina in 1969. Reading this story was like smelling the marshes and feeling them under my feet. It’s a heartbreaking story with an end so twisted you’d wonder about Kya for many days.

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

This novel is in the form of a series of memories of Jacob Jankowski. 23-year old orphan Jacob when jumps onto a train, learns that it belongs to a circus troupe. The train ride unexpectedly leads him to Marlena, his one true love, who also happens to be the wife of August, the equestrian director. An ambient, spirited, and riveting novel of star-crossed lovers, set in the circus world circa 1932.

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s feminism of letting the other be the way they want to and not fit into certain molds or check specific categories reflects throughout her essay. Adichie encourages us to dream of a world that is fair and has men and women who are happy because they are true and honest to and about themselves. And she insists that for this to happen, our attitude should shift from raising not just the daughters differently but to raising both the sons and daughters differently.

DI Kate Young is on leave. She’s is the best detective on the force, But she’s under pressure, on medication, and overcoming trauma. So after her bad judgment call leads to a narrowly averted public disaster, they’re sure all she needs is rest. But when Staffordshire Police summons her back to work on a murder case, it’s a harder, more suspicious Kate Young who returns.

I love classic whodunit stories. And this one had me hooked, it was immersive all the way. I loved the pace of the novel. It was fast, and it never dropped. And the author narrated the story so that you could follow the investigation very closely and deduce the killer in your way. The plot was unraveled wonderfully without confusing the reader. The author kept me hanging on to every word effortlessly.

Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier

A young woman in her 20s falls in love with a handsome and wealthy Englishman. You might expect a happily ever after story, but what you might not guess is the story that begins after she accompanies him back to his mansion in the countryside as his wife. It is then she discovers Rebecca, the Englishman’s first wife who died in a sailing accident, and with whom her husband is still madly in love. Rebecca haunts her from beyond the grave. If you’re a fan of thrillers, like I am – you must, must, must read this book.

My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Piccoult

How would you feel if one day you were to realize that the sole purpose your parents gave birth to you was to save your elder sister’s life? Anna was born to donate her umbilical cord to save Kate, her sister, from acute Leukemia. Already having undergone countless transfusions, surgeries and shots for her sister, Anna decides to take her life in her own hands when her parents announce that she will have to donate her kidney to save her sister. Anna, with help of a lawyer, files a petition against her parents. A thought-provoking novel, that portrays the family’s struggle to survive at all costs.

Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

Anyone’s who is remotely interested in reading, has heard about this novel at least once. A benchmark romance novel it has been adapted into movies all over the world numerous times. A mother with the sole purpose of getting her daughters’ married to a rich men, an opinionated daughter and a devilishly handsome, innocent and rich Mr. Darcy, the terrific combination makes for a humorous, witty and delightful read for every and all readers, any time of the year. Need I say more?

Atticus Finch is a lawyer fighting a black man in the 1960’s when the black revolution was as yet unknown. The story starts when Scot Finch and Jem Finch, siblings, are discussing Jem’s broken elbow and are really tracing back to how all the events that culminated in this accident, were the most important events of their growing-up life. Read this novel to understand the beauty of innocence in a child. The novel ticks all the boxes for a great read- Plot, storyline, characters, writing style, and the general theme of edge-of-the-couch thrill and controversy leading to emotional upheaval.

This is Michelle’s story from as young as 18 months to the day after her husband, Barack Obama left the Office of President of the United States to reinstate Donald Trump into his place. She recalls how she became what she became and ponders on the journey ahead. We cannot but realize after reading this book that Michelle Obama created a benchmark where there was none as yet, as to how to carry out the role of the First Lady successfully. You will appreciate how delicately she had to balance her life playing all the roles necessitated of her and yet create her own identity that is remarkable and an inspiration for generations to come. A heartfelt story honestly told!

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

This was my First World War II read way back when I was in college. In this diary Anne Frank records brilliant impressions of her experiences during this period. A Jewish girl is forced to hide in her attic for several years, fearing the Gestapo. The bitter-sweet ending is a reminder of the horrors of the war but it is also a reminder of the resilience of the human spirit.

Educated by Tara Westover

Tara Westover is an American author living in the UK. Born in Idaho to a father opposed to public education, she never attended school. She spent her days working in her father's junkyard or stewing herbs for her mother, a self-taught herbalist and midwife. She was seventeen the first time she set foot in a classroom, and after that first taste, she pursued learning for the next decade. Read this remarkable story of self-invention that deserves a salute.

Have you read any of the list? Let me know in the comments section.