From acclaimed works of fiction and poetry to unforgettable memoirs and eye-opening non-fiction, these are our readers’ favourite books to mark International Women’s Day.
Left out of the literary canon for so long that even masters like George Eliot and Jane Austen were forced to adopt male pseudonyms or obscure their names, the last few centuries have finally made the necessary space for women authors to write – and then re-write – a new one.
As International Women’s Day approaches, we asked our readers to tell us about wonderful books by women they love reading, discussing and recommending to others. The result is a brilliantly broad-ranging list of classics and modern masterpieces anyone with a love of great fiction – or non-fictions, memoirs, poetry and more – will enjoy.
And if you find this useful, check out our list of our readers’ 100 favourite classic novels, learn about their favourite children’s books and see the best memoirs they’ve ever read.
We said: In this award-winning memoir, Yrsa Daley-Ward – poet, model and activist – shares the moving and heartbreaking story of how a childhood spent in the north-west of England became an adulthood in which she discovered the power and fear of sexuality.
You said: A beautiful, yet often sorrowful, tale of awakening, The Terrible is an enchanting discovery that will grip you from the opening lines. Yrsa’s poetic lilt is simply captivating.
