Great books by women, or with great female characters

[mollyig]

Was on the Margaret Atwood Site, and saw this:



European company Working Title Films has purchased the film rights to Margaret Atwood's novel Alias Grace, and Cate Blanchett is expected to star. Meanwhile, the BBC has announced it will produce a four-part mini-series based on The Blind Assassin. As well, Victor Solnicki and Irish Screen have optioned Robber Bride and a screenplay is under way.

I could paint you in the dark, 'cause I've studied you with hunger as a work of art - Collecting you (Indigo Girls)

[Thanatopsis]

Quote:

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i also just wanted to add...please, please read Kate Chopin's short fiction and don't base your opinions of her on The Awakening...her short fiction is more empowering (in certain cases)...there are some fluffy stories...but several fantastic ones (okay, so i wrote my senior thesis on her, and i'm biased...)

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I actually enjoyed The Awakening. It was got me started on Choplin. But I agree its not her best. I just finished reading The Furries by Janet Hobhouse. A great read, but out of print because she died right as she was finishing it.



Someone else mentioned The Doll's House by Ibsen. In terms of plays, For Our Country's Good by Timerlake Wertenbaker (great name), Night Mother by Marsa Norman, Top Girls by Caryl Churchill are a few that come to mind.

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You can't shave an unsedated skunk.

Dawn: I gave birth to a pterodactyl.
Anya: Oh my god. Did it sing?

[Hyo Shin]

It's scary and upsetting. But don't worry. It's much much much brighter than Affinity.



>Can anyone who's read Fingersmith tell me if it's all horrible and scary/upsetting? Lesbian novels have a tendency to be - has anyone noticed? I will probably still read it, but I'd rather be Prepared (like a boy scout) (or not) (same request goes for the other Waters books)

Edited by: Hyo Shin at: 4/5/02 8:59:50 am

[tommo]

I've actually been into biographies for a while now. I think I needed a break from fiction, seeing as I read so much of it on the net.



Lately I read the biography of Violet Trefusis and her mother, who was mistress to the then Prince of Wales. Odd, that she should turn out to be grandmother to the current mistress to the Prince of Wales. Heh.



Anyway, if you remember, Violet Trefusis had a much publicized affair with Vita Sackville-West. It makes for interesting reading.



I'm just starting on Sylvia Plath's biography. Yeah, I know, depressing...I can't really stand her poetry, but I'm interested to know the woman behind the words. I remember reading The Bell Jar when I was much younger and it really shocked me that somebody could be in so much pain, whether fictional or real. I suppose I've always looked back on that novel as a way not to live. Because it wasn't really living at all.

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Hey Grrrrlfriend! Yoo hoo! Over here! It's me...Flaming Joel!

[darvangi]

I like Margaret Atwood's 'Handmaid's Tale,' but I just read her 'Alias Grace' and was kind of disappointed by it - especially the ending, which was a bit dull.



I highly recommend 'Rubyfruit Jungle' by Rita Mae Brown. It really stands the test of time very well as a coming-out story of a young lesbian, though maybe that's because not enough things have changed in the last 30 years or so.



Another great book (though terribly disturbing) is 'Cruddy' by the most excellent Linda Barry. The author is most known for her work in comics, but this is a very serious novel with only small pieces of comic relief in the midst of the story of a young girl who has a bizarre and traumatic life. Very powerful if you're in the mood for it.

[fell]

I was just thinking the same thing, that Rubyfruit Jungle is still as current today as when I first read it. Another thing that hasn't changed is that Rita Mae Brown is still banned from a lot of libraries along with a number of my favorite authors: Maya Angelou, Kurt Vonnegut, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Judy Blume and, of course, Margaret Atwood.



A lot of the books named in posts in this topic make it onto lists of frequently banned books, along with "Heather Has Two Mommies" and the works of John Steinbeck and Mark Twain. The scariest thing for me is that the single most popular group of books to ban are ones having anything to do with Halloween.

[Taz]

I may have missed her in here but, I like mysteries and JM Redmann is good her private investigator is a lesbian and her book are good.

[alexis18]

hmm.... here's my list:



1. Any book written by Jeanette Winterson ( "Oranges are not the Only Fruit" and "Written on the Body" are my favorite.)



2. Annie on my Mind by Nancy Garden



3. Rubyfruit Jungle by Etta Mae Brown (i Haven't read this one but many people say it's good)



4. QED by Gertrude Stein



5. Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte



6. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee



there are so many books i'd like to share with you, but I'm having a total mental block right now. I'll just add to the list some other time...



Ciao.



6.

[catalyxt]

You'll have to narrow it down a bit by genre....*rueful grin* I don't need to go to the library, my apartment is a bloomin' book repository....and a list of all that will take forever. And are we talking poetry as well, or just prose-ish?



But a few nifty female authors, at least...leaning heavily on the science-fiction, fantasy side since that's the book set in front of me right now.



Jeanette Winterson, Kathy Lette (funny), Judith Tarr, Michelle West, Robin McKinley, Tanya Huff, Anne McCaffrey, Mabel Maney (funny), Marion Zimmer Bradley, Juliet Marillier, Laurell K. Hamilton, J.K. Rowling, Diana Wynne Jones, Anne Bishop, Jacqueline Carey (for people who don't mind sexy kink being a decisive factor in the main character's development/self), Sara Douglass, some of Mercedes Lackey, Holly Lisle, Drusilla Modjeska, Nicola Griffith, Virginia Woolf, Dorothy Allison, Jung Chang...this could go on for a while, so I'll leave it there.

[tommo]

Oh... Wuthering Heights...or indeed, anything written by the Brontes. Gah. I used to really love their stuff when I was younger and more able to give myself over to the romance of it all.



Now however, I'm afraid I'm rather more like the madwoman in the attic.



Speaking of which, Wide Sargasso Sea is the "prequel" of Bertha Rochester before she turned crazy and was locked up in the tower. Actually, she wasn't crazy, she was considered a nymphomaniac because of her permissive upbringing and the sensuality of her surroundings. That kind of thing doesn't go down well in Yorkshire.

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Hey Grrrrlfriend! Yoo hoo! Over here! It's me...Flaming Joel!

[Crys]

My favorite author is Mercedes Lackey. I love the Valdemar series. Theres some really very strong female characters in it. Oooh, and I think shes got another series I read called Oath errr Bound...or Blood, or something like that. I just woke up forgive me, my brain still isn't functioning correctly.

[KISMIC]

I just wanted to thank whoever/everyone that recommended 'Tipping The Velvet' by Sarah Waters. I chose a few of the books recommended and went out and borrowed them from a library, 'Tipping the velvet' happened to be one of those books. I finished reading it tonight and must say just how great a novel it was - and I mean novel, all 472 pages of it *phew*, it was like re-reading 'Gone With The Wind', really! So I'd recommend that novel to everyone else too!





*~Kristy~*

[fell]

I was in the midst of a 20 hour writing marathon (when I get started I can't stop) and I assigned a name, Altair Jones, to a character. I knew the name was just a 'placeholder' because it wasn't original, but it perfectly captured the spirit of the character for the time being. The thing is, I couldn't remember where I had gotten the name from when finally it hit me: Merovingen Nights by CJ Cherryh. This is actually a serially written series by different authors, but many of them are women and, though it was a while ago, I loved reading these books. Many of the stories center around this amazing character, Altair Jones, a canal rat who lives on the lowest level of this city, Merovingen. Anyway, a great series.



CJ Cherryh is one of my favorite authors. I once attended a workshop with her and got to talk shop for hours. She's an extraordinary woman and a good friend of MZBradley (Mists of Avalon).



A good place to get book recommendations is from other readers who post their '10 favorite' lists on Amazon. Find someone who likes some of the same books you do, and there you go. Lots of people recommend the same ones over and over but every once in a while you find something new and great.

[alexis18]

thanks, ladies for the suggestions.

though i'm really disappointed these days because i can't seem to find a good book to read... and most of the books listed here are hard to find in this country--philippines-- hmmm... maybe i should go back to america? heck...



as for another book, amy and isabelle (don't know the author) is a good one, too.



ciao.

[tyche]

I posted about this earlier in the thread, and now I've read 'Why Don't You Stop Talking?', her new collection of short stories, I can recommend it wholeheartedly - I liked it so much, I put a quote in my sig. Some of the stories deal with lesbian couples, some get happy endings, and some don't. But if you're spoiled for the end of S6, I'd recommend not reading the last story, b/c it's really heartbreaking and actually made me cry. And it's a rare book that can make me cry.

From the very first time, when they had first met, they had this thing between them, this spark. It could always change colour. - Jackie Kay

[mollyig]

Anyone ever read Kate Mosse?



I read her book "crucifix lane" last year and thought it was good. Its about this parallel universe where the Thames is in danger of flooding its banks, and I can't remember what else happens, only that I enjoyed the book.



Just finished Mosse's debut novel "eskimo kissing" over the weekend, and liked it.

I could paint you in the dark, 'cause I've studied you with hunger as a work of art - Collecting you (Indigo Girls)

[MarineWicca]

If you've never read the series, I'd reccommend the

"Island in the Sea of Time " trilogy by S.M. Stirling.

Great books if you if you enjoy Sci-Fi and time travel.

Best of all, it has two dynamite lesbian characters in the persona of Coast Guard Captain Marion Alston and her Bronze Age lover Swindapa. They're proud, gay and don't care who knows it.

That's my input, for what it's worth.

[wiltar4evr]

Ooh, my favorite subject!



I just got done reading The Monkey's Mask. Let's just say , it was Wow. Can't really put it into words. It's just that good.



This is the first book I've read that was in poem format. I was skeptical at first but then I started reading it and couldn't put it down. I loved it so much that I bought The Monkey's Mask DVD before I've seen it. I figured the book was so good so...movie- can't screw it up too much. The movie version of the book really follows the book. I was not disappointed. And of course the added bonus is that Kelly McGillis is in it. I've loved her since I saw The Accused--also starring (my fav. actress of all times) Jodie Foster.



Now I'm in the process of reading Death By The Riverside by J.M. Redmann. This book is also very addicting and a big plus is that the main character is a lesbian and several of the other characters are too. The thing that drew me to this book is that the main character was compared to Patricia Cornwell's --Kay Scarpetta book series--which I've read all of them--several times now



When I'm done with this book( which should be very soon) I'm going to order more of J.M. Redmann's books.

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WILLOW: This is exactly what you need. A 20th birthday party, with-with-with presents, and funny hats, and those candles that don't blow out...(to Tara) Those used to scare me.
TARA: Me too. Blood Ties S5 Ep13

[alexis18]

in addition to my earlier posts, here are some addition to my list of great female writers... at least in my opinion. these writers became known to me because of my constant lurking in the net, they haven't written any novels but their pieces are great...



1. amy t. goodloe - i recommend you visit her site. one of her short stories that i love the most is titled "dreaming debbie" -- amy is really easy to find in the web.



2. "janine" - she's a fanfic writer, i read her fanfics of jessie and katie and it totally moved me.



here's a fanfic by janine, "about a girl":

www.fanfiction.net/read.p...yid=660966



and its sequel:

www.fanfiction.net/read.p...yid=713955





ciao.

[Sweetjane]

Funnily enough , my English Literature assignment this year is on Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys , so i recommend it . i found it really deals with the nature of conscious self-suppression fighting libidal desires , in the character Jane Eyre - let loose in the 'madness' of Bertha Rochester .... Sexually rampant!



I'll just take my academic head off now. *places it carefully on floor*



I really enjoyed 'Prozac Nation' and 'Bitch:In praise of diffcult women' by Elizabeth Wurtzel , she writes with this really enjoyable OTT egotistical edge , but she also makes great social commentry from a feminist perspective in many ways .



i have loads more , but i just wanna mention some great music if someone feels in the mood to discover some musical quality of 'epiphany' quality (i mean it) ------

Jill Scott - Words and Sounds Volume one

Anything Joni Mitchell - particularly Blue , Court and Spark and Hejira

BELLE AND SEBASTIAN! they are the best band i have ever heard , definately the best band in the UK at the moment......they're so sweet and all their songs are about girls called Jane , Judy and Belle



Sweetjane

[alyamber4ever]

Right now I'm reading "Stone Butch Blues" by Leslie Feinberg. I honestly don't do much reading cuz I usually figure if it's that great they'll make it into a movie

But, this book is REALLY good....so far. The lead character, Jess, is so great. She's a strong female character and I love that.

[girlwiththebraids]

stone butch blues was fabulous...i second that suggestion...i read it for a class, and it was great!



but i will say, to the post just above...i had a hard time getting into "Bitch"...i still havent finished it...and not for lack of interest...maybe it's Wurtzel's writing style, i don't know





ooh...and let me throw in Manifesta...it's all third wave feminism, and fabulous!



braids

"Is she your sister?"

"She's my everything."



"Oh...Oh! It's not a...gay...thing...I mean...she is...gay...but we don't...gay...Not that there's anything..."

[mollyig]

Manifesta? Is that the one that was written by Amy Ray's g/f Jennifer Baumgardner?

I could paint you in the dark, 'cause I've studied you with hunger as a work of art - Collecting you (Indigo Girls)

[girlwiththebraids]

co-written, but yup! amy ray's g/f? really? i didn't know that. the two authors came to speak at my college last year and to a discussion tea at my house ( i lived in the feminist issues house on ccampus). they were awesome. and jennifer baumgardner is totally cute, just fyi.



braids

"Is she your sister?"

"She's my everything."



"Oh...Oh! It's not a...gay...thing...I mean...she is...gay...but we don't...gay...Not that there's anything..."

[alexis18]

ART AND LIES by jeanette winterson is another...



i'm such a winterson die-hard!

[Scoobiedoo]

wiltar4evr said :

Quote:

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I just got done reading The Monkey's Mask. Let's just say , it was Wow. Can't really put it into words. It's just that good.



This is the first book I've read that was in poem format. I was skeptical at first but then I started reading it and couldn't put it down. I loved it so much that I bought The Monkey's Mask DVD before I've seen it. I figured the book was so good so...movie- can't screw it up too much. The movie version of the book really follows the book. I was not disappointed. And of course the added bonus is that Kelly McGillis is in it.

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Oh lordy, i agree with you about the book. It is excellent and Dorothy Porter is a genius, (I had the honor of reading my poetry with her last year and continue to be impressed with everything she does) but the movie was atrocious. I was so incredibly disappointed. Expecially with Kelly McGillis... I have no idea why they cast an American actress, and let her keep her American accent. It was truly bizarre. Is an Australian accent so difficult to master? And the sex scenes...look, don't get me wrong, i love gratuitous sex scenes... but some of those were ridiculous. And what a waste of such a talented actress like Deb Mailman.



But any way, off my soapbox. I recommend any of Dorothy Porter's other books. Especially "What a piece of work" and "Akhenahtan", both prose poem novels.

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I am hypnotized

by this shoulder blade as it's

cutting out my heart

Edited by: Scoobiedoo at: 4/27/02 3:18:34 am

[Kitty K]

Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden is my security blanket book. I always keep a copy nearby. The female characters are absolutely enchanting, and it's apparently going to be made into a movie fairly soon.



I'm hoping they cast Lucy Liu as Hatsumomo - I always see her face when I imagine the character.



Kitty. xx

"Were there dolphins?"
"Yes. Many dolphins at the pound."

[mollyig]

I'm reading Joanne Harris' "Chocolat", at the moment. Not having seen the film, I wasn't sure what to expect when a friend loaned it to me, but find that I'm really enjoying it - even if it does make me crave the chocolatey-goodness even more!

Adding up the total of a love that's true, multiply life by the power of two
Indigo Girls

[lurker]

Well Kismic, you convinced me to get "Tipping the velvet" along with the earlier posts about it.



I have read the first 100 pages and must say it is very well written and I am sure I am going to enjoy the rest of it as much.



Sarah Waters certainly seems to be a very talented writter.

Edited by: lurker at: 4/26/02 12:19:58 pm

[EffieBlue]

some excellent books mentioned already, have to agree with Psyche , the Kathy Mallory series by Carol O'Connor, especially the Flight of The Stone Angel.



And Ruby Fruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown;



Cereus Blooms at Night by Shani Mootoo, the story of Mala Ramchandin.



A must read is "Not So Quiet" by Helen Zenna Smith, a riposte to all quiet on the western front, about women ambulance drivers in the first world war. hopefully the mods will allow me to post this little peice from the book...as it makes me think of how Willow must feel at the end...losing Tara (yet again) and not being able to end her own pain.



"Her soul died under a radiant silver moon in the spring of 1918 on the side of a blood-spattered trench. Around her lay the mangled dead and dying. Her body was untouched, her heart beat calmly, the blood coursed as ever through her veins. But looking deep into those emotionless eyes one wondered if they had suffered much before the soul had left them. Her face held an expression of resignation, as though she had ceased to hope that the end might come"