Too often female writers are overlooked. Too often female characters are weak. There are countless female writers that have left their mark on the literary canon who deserve far more than the recognition they have currently been given.Here are 5 of my top choices:
5. Maya Angelou
I’m sure we’ve all read an Angelou poem or two in our high school English classes, but her poems are ones that I constantly come back to. Instead of reading these poems to annotate, try reading them for empowerment. I couldn’t count the number of times I’ve read “Still I Rise” when things felt low or “Phenomenal Woman” when I forget that just being me is enough.
4. Shirley Jackson
Jackson is one of the most overlooked novelists in my opinion, which is a real tragedy. Every now and then we need something chilling, something terrifying, but also equally well-written. Everyone focuses on Stephen King when they want a good scare, but Shirley Jackson is the real MVP of thrillers.
Recommendations: The Haunting of Hill House, We Have Always Lived in the Castle
3. Charlotte Brontë
Whether you love Jane Eyre or hate it, Bronte’s writing about the interiority of a woman is incredibly realistic and modern for its time. She took the emotions of a woman and made them a point of strength. Plus, the story of Bronte publishing that novel is a real story of bravery. To protect her sisters’ literary integrity, she went public, which was pretty bold for a female writer in the 1800s.
2. Margaret Atwood
Would a list of female authors be complete without Atwood? She’s smart, witty, and unapologetic. Ever since Hulu’s series, it seems like everyone is adding The Handmaid’s Tale to their reading lists. But, she has several other novels that are just as amazing and female-centered.
Recommendations: The Blind Assassin
1. Edith Wharton
Not only has Edith Wharton written some amazing comedy of manners (move over Oscar Wilde!), but she is an inspiration for self-sustaining women. Yes, Wharton was born into money, but she also forged her own path, living off her writing. She even divorced her husband when she decided he was mooching her money. Yas Queen ?
Recommendations: House of Mirth, Age of Innocence