sorta OT: great books by women, or with great female charact

[Nic C]

Recent discovery: Anita Desai. Her Fasting, Feasting is a beautifully written set of parallel stories about women's lives in India and America.

Another major female author I haven't seen mentioned yet is Dorothy Dunnett, who sadly died late last year. She wrote massively complex historical fantasy - the Lymond Chronicles and the House of Niccolo series. Settings are early modern and Renaissance respectively.

Oh, and if you're interested in medieval Japan, you can do much worse than check out The Tale of Genji by Lady Murasaki. It deals with the various adventures of the original 'Shining Prince', and it's generally agreed to be one of the classics of Japanese literature. (Best translation is Royall Tyler's new one).

Nic

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No sun, no moons, no stars over Al-Rassan.

[aladdin]

Try Christa Wolf: Kassandra

It changed my POV forever and is an incredibly strong piece of prose with powerful, still simple language. I think that an English translation might be available. It's set in the Trojan/Greek war and a) showed me that history is written from a male POV, the book therefore established a female perspective, namely through the eyes of the seer Kassandra and her friends.

b) it's about war and piece and asks the question, when exactly war begins. A valuable question to ask these days.

c) it makes you think. It's not only about the old legend but also explores women's role in society and father/daughter relationships.
I wouldn't call it a feminist book. A masterpiece.

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On ne voit bien qu'avec le coeur. L'essentiel est invisible pour les yeux.

[with catlike tread]

also try 'Ash' by Mary Gentle - female mercenary in 1400s, tough as they come. There are several gay characters (one of the main characters is a lesbian) and there is a bit (actually a lot) of sci fi/alternate universe thrown in. Gets a bit weird at the end and its very long, but worth it.

I also just finished a book called 'They Eyre Affairs' by Jasper Fforde. Sci fi/mystery with sort of terry pratchett tendancies, but full of literature jokes (someone has stolen Jane Eyre from the book). oh, yeah, main (female) character is 'Thursday Next' ("I was named Thursday because that was the day I was born. My mother was called Wednesday, although she was born on a Saturday"). Light holiday/weekend reading but lots of fun (and funny).

[tyche]

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Try Christa Wolf: Kassandra

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Oh, I love Christa Wolf! Her work is quite brilliant, and I would also recommend her take on 'Medea'. I've also just got 'No place on earth' out of the library, so I'll have to get round to reading it soon.

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MAYHEM CAUSED. Monsters certainly not involved, officials say. - Headline on Xander's newspaper in 'OMWF'
TARA: Oh mah god, cuss it all t' tarnation. ah's cured! Fry mah hide! ah's hankerin' th' fellas! - Tara in 'speaks redneck' revelation.

[This message has been edited by tyche (edited March 04, 2002).]quote:

[mollyig]

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Originally posted by WiccansIllusion:
Laurell K Hamilton's Anita Blake Vampire Hunter, everyone here who loves Buffy should check them out, basiclly their an NC 17 version.

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I've just discovered the Anita Blake books - am about to start the third one. I love how dark the humour is!

Also the fact that Anita collects stuffed penguins is cool, as I have a penguin obsession!

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"It took a long time to become the thing i am to you,
and you won't tear it apart without a fight, without a heart"
Become You - Indigo Girlsquote: