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Top 10 Books to Read Before the End of Women’s History Month

Nia Avery
Stephanie Chisley
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Salisbury chapter.

I know as college students the days are busy but taking even a few minutes of your own time a day, can help you decompress from your daily concerns. Below I have formed a list of 10 books you should try and read before the end of Women’s History Month. In honor of women everywhere, the list is comprised up of books written by women and a brief paragraph with background information. They are in no specific order, however I suggest reading the books that you find to be the most interesting first.

  1. How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents (1991)

Written by Julia Alvarez, this novel explores the experience of the three Garcia sisters and explains their journey as they flee from their home in the Dominican Republic because their father’s attempt to overthrow the current dictator.

 

  1. The Poisonwood Bible (1998)

This best-selling novel by Barbara Kingsolver is about the Prices, a missionary family, who moves out of the United States to the Belgian Congo to complete a mission.

 

  1. Difficult Women (2017)

This collection of short stories written by Roxane Gay, delves into narratives that discuss childhood, women’s identity and the way they see the world. Its references to race, class and sexuality are common themes shared between these short stories and how all of these shape women’s experiences.

 

  1. What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky (2017)

Written by Lesley Nneka Arimah is a debut collection of short stories that explains how motherhood empowers women, the steps we take to protect women and the bonds between people as well as their relation to their homes.

 

  1. We Should All Be Feminists (2014)

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s novel aids in defining feminism within the context of the twenty-first century. The author even adds in many of her personal accounts and experiences that she has witnessed while trying to gain an understanding of what it means to be a woman.

 

  1. Year of Yes (2015)

Allowing for those who have previously been disregarded to now be visible, this novel written by Shonda Rhimes discovers how big of an impact you can make if you just stop limiting yourself and say yes.

 

  1. Milk and Honey (2014)

Divided into 4 chapter, this poem and prose collection by Rupi Kaur, hints at how to survive in spite of the presence of violence, love, abuse, loss and femininity. These chapters are broken up so that you can easily understand the difference in the bitter-sweet pain that is endured throughout each chapter.

 

  1. Where the words end and my body begins (2015)

Written by Amber Dawn, this collection of poetry honors specific queer poets. Through the lines included in this work, there is an unapologetic attitude present when she discusses sexuality and a resonance of tragedy and one’s own memory.

 

  1. No matter the wreckage (2014)

This saved collection of poems by the author Sarah Kay, features work from the first decade of her career as a poet. It includes pieces about the biggest influences on the author’s life such as: love, family and many imagined romances between inanimate objects.

 

  1. Free as a Bird (2010)

Written by Gina McMurchy-Barber, this novel follows a girl with Down syndrome and her experiences as she deals with abuse, grief and learns how to be happy in spite of the most difficult obstacles.

               

Nia Avery

Salisbury

Nia Avery is a driven twenty-one year old who aspires to make a difference by having a positive impact on at least one person, every day. In high school, she was enrolled in a rigorous program called The International Baccalaureate Program. This is where Nia first learned that she had a love for writing however, her skills did not fully develop until she started writing and performing poetry during her last two years of high school. When she started attending Salisbury University in Salisbury, Maryland, she decided to bring her poetry to campus. At SU, she is in her senior year, majoring in Communication Arts and minoring in English. She is also proud to be a third-year Resident Assistant is making strides to ensure that students have a good experience during their time at SU. Nia plans to graduate from Salisbury University and continue her education by going to graduate school to earn her Master's degree in Conflict Analysis and Dispute Resolution. When she has free time, she enjoys hosting movie nights with her friends, writing poems or burying her face in a book.  Her favorite quote is "Be yourself and let your actions reflect your true character," a quote she created during her freshman year of college that has been a motivator throughout her past four years.
Stephanie Chisley is an outgoing go-getter. Originally, Stephanie is from Oxon Hill, MD. She is currently a student at Salisbury University where she is studying Communication Arts with a track in journalism and public relations and a minor in Theater. While attending Salisbury University, Stephanie currently holds an executive board position as the secretary for Salisbury's Society of Professional Journalists . Stephanie plans on becoming an anchor for E! News or a writer, radio host, and announcer for BuzzFeed. In her free time, Stephanie is always on her phone scanning through social media, communicating with her friends, and finding new places to eat near her area.