geraldine donaher
These heroines withstand the test of time. Send me your recommendations! Click on my contact page
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Gerri's picks:
I found The Summer House by Alice Thomas Ellis when an agent suggested I research novels in my genre. Her writing is so beautiful and honest, I often put the book down just to try and memorize some of her prose. Three woman narrate their own perspective about a horrid wedding. What I found amazing is how the stories all intersect perfectly - I was laughing or crying depending on the point of view! Please order this book through PAUL DRY BOOKS - a Philadelphia based publisher.
Z- A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Anne Fowler is one of my new favorites. Like many other women, I've wanted to know more about F. Scott Fitzgerald's wife. Therese Anne Fowler wrote a beautiful fictional biography. I recommend this book if you have any lingering questions about Zelda's mental health and what led her to the sanitarium.
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Northern England, early decades of 19th Century
When I first read Jane Eyre as a teenager, I was horrified by the troubles she endured as a young girl and amazed how she kept her dignity as hardships continued through her adulthood. I learned the meaning of resilience with the stroke of Charlotte Bronte's pen.
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Eyam, Derbyshire England, 1665
This story's miracle is how Anna Frith's gentle character stays intact in the midst of suffering and death. Geraldine Brooks gives credence to the strength of the human spirit when nothing else is left.
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"A 20th century response to a 19th century novel."
Sena Jeter Naslund
American women will identify with Una's strength of character from the very first sentence:
"Captain Ahab was neither my first husband nor my last"
Beautifully written adventure tale that respects Herman Melville's novel while breathing life into a woman's perspective.
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Nothing is more satisfying to me than reading a modern story about an elderly character seeing goodness in a vulnerable, broken teenager. Wrap that around the historical account of a welfare program in the United States from 1853 to 1929 and you'll be googling your search engine in disbelief.
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Your Picks:
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Penn State asks incoming freshman (2015) to read this book. One of the students told me I should read it "to see a young girl's impact on the world." I've heard about Malala in the news and wasn't too sure I wanted to read in detail all the oppression, bloodshed, and fear. Once started, I couldn't put it down. This book clears up many misconceptions while spreading Malala's dream of educating women/girls worldwide. . . you go, girl!
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Dana recommends Big Little Lies:
"uses sharp wit and the everyday tangles and tiffs of average school mums to paint a vivid and shocking picture of an easily overlooked societal ill - domestic abuse."
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Beth wrote in about Left to Tell:
"A truly incredible story and one which I should reread."
She then generously dropped it in my mailbox so I could read it right away...and I couldn't put it down! This is one of those books that will change the way you look at everything! Connect to Immaculee's website to learn more and attend one of her conferences the next time she is in town.
Jill loved The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls:
"It was an empowering story about a woman who overcame her environment to seek a better life for herself. I'm in awe of women who make things happen by building great lives for themselves."
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You've seen the movies, but have you read the books?
Atarah recommends The Hunger Games:
"You have to be impressed with a girl's ability to topple a regime."
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Kathy was inspired by Alan Brennert's Moloka'i:
"Rachel is sent to a leprosy encampment on the Hawaiian island of Moloka'i. She creates lasting relationships with her new family and is resilient, optomistic, and nurturing. I am a huge fan of historical fiction and love strong female characters. Rachel is now one of my favorites. Enjoy the story and my new role model!"
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Sue liked A Sister to Honor's detailed look into the Pakistani family culture:
"I wanted to read a novel that would help me understand the Muslim culture. Lucy Ferriss wrote an intense story of a woman broken by her family's shame."
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Tara Endicott was inspired by
The Red Tent:
"It shows the importance of women supporting each other."
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Alice Munro is Laura's favorite short story writer: "She writes wonderful raw stories about the darker side of human nature...beautifully written."
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Michelle recommends Carla Buckley's
The Things That Keep Us Here:
"It's one of those books that you think about years after reading it - haunting and thought provoking."
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Nicole recommends
Cheryl Strayed's Wild.
"Loved it - very different and inspirational!!"
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Leave a comment: Have you read any of these books and would you recommend them? Thank you for your input!
Thanks for your suggestion, Sue. I just finished reading this book and liked the detail into the Muslim culture. I'd like to also have someone close to the Muslim culture give her opinion of this book. Please reach out to anyone you know. Thanks! gerri