Putting a spotlight on female authors
Matilde Martinez, Staff Writer
Women have had an equal impact in the world of literature and writing to men since the profession started. The first-ever recorded author was Enheduanna, a Sumerian priestess who wrote hymns over 4000 years ago. “The Tale of Genji,” what is considered the world’s first novel, was written by Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th century. Many women pioneered book genres that are favorites today. In honor of Women’s History Month, here are four more female authors that have left their mark on the world.
Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou, a writer, poet, producer, director, actress and activist, is known most for her series of seven autobiographies. Angelou recounts her upbringing and adulthood throughout the novels, parts of which she admitted to being fictitious, while celebrating African-American culture. In them, she addresses hardships she faced while growing up, such as being sexually abused at eight years old and the erratic jobs she took on before becoming a writer. Many scholars have found her writing style and prose to be reminiscent of African oral storytelling. Angelou was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Former President Barack Obama in 2011, and her poetry book “Just Give Me a Cool Drink of Water ‘fore I Diiie” was nominated for the Pulitzer Prize.
“Educated” by Tara Westover
“The Glass Castle” by Jeannette Walls
Amanda Gorman
Amanda Gorman, an African-American poet and activist, became the youngest poet to perform at a presidential inaugural ceremony in 2021, when she was just 22 years old. She read her poem “The Hill We Climb,” adapting it to reflect the recent Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, which became the title for a poetry collection she released later in the year. She has published three other works, including a children’s picture book, which prominently display themes having to do with feminism, race and oppression. Gorman was named the first National Youth Poet Laureate in 2017, and she graduated Harvard cum laude in 2020 with a bachelor’s degree in sociology. She has frequently expressed her intent to run for president in 2036 so that she could make her words become “realities and actions.”
“Tesoro” by Yesika Salgada
“The Poet X” by Elizabeth Acevedo
Margaret Atwood
Margaret Atwood is a Canadian author and activist known primarily for “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a book and series which depicts a society where women are treated like slaves and forced to undergo childbirth. When asked by ABC news why “The Handmaid’s Tale” appeals to feminist movements, specifically the pro-choice one, Atwood said, “...It’s started moving back towards the ‘Handmaid’s Tale…’ We are seeing in various countries around the world the return of pretty repressive policies towards women including some states in the United States.” She has written over 50 more pieces of writing, including essays and poems. Atwood was awarded the Booker Prize in 2000 for “The Blind Assassin” and again in 2019 for “The Testament,” as well as the Dayton Literary Peace Prize and the Franz Kafka International Literary Prize. She is the co-founder of the Writers’ Trust of Canada, a nonprofit organization that financially supports Canadian writers.
“The Left Hand of Darkness” by Ursula K. Le Guin
“The Power” by Naomi Alderman
“The Last Cuentista” by Donna Barba Higuera
Isabel Allende
Isabel Allende, a Chilean-American author, is known for the magical realism in her novels. She is a must-read author for fans of Gabriel García Márquez. “The House of Spirits,” her most famous work, has sold 65 million copies worldwide. Most of her books are written for young adults and grownups, but her second most successful book, “City of the Beasts,” is suitable for younger audiences. Allende was honored with Chile’s National Literature Prize in 2010, and was granted the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Former President Barack Obama in 2014. She is a prominent feminist, and created the Isabel Allende Foundation after the untimely death of her daughter to support the fight for womens’ rights.
“Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel
“Mexican Gothic” by Sylvia Moreno-Garcia
“Circe” by Madeline Miller
Make sure to check these authors out at our local library!
Montana Branch:
Monday - Closed
Tuesday - 10AM-5PM
Wednesday - Closed
Thursday - 2-8PM
Friday - Closed
Saturday - Closed
Sunday - Closed
Main Branch:
Monday - 10AM-5PM
Tuesday - 10AM-5PM
Wednesday - 10AM-5PM
Thursday - 2-8PM
Friday - Closed
Saturday - First Saturday of the month 10AM-5PM
Sunday - Closed