Though women’s history month is coming to an end, the appreciation for books exists all year round. As a continuation of Women’s History Month: Authors, here are an additional set of impactful and heavily skilled female authors.
Virginia Woolf
Virginia Woolf is a renowned English novelist, essayist and publisher. Born into a family consisting of seven other siblings, Woolf was regarded as a pioneer for utilizing the stream of consciousness as a narrative device. Despite publishing her books as early as 1915, she did not gain notice until her fourth novel, “Mrs. Dalloway” which was released in 1925.
“Mrs. Dalloway” is capable of resonating with modern audiences, as despite its age, it tackles themes that remain relevant in our society today. Namely, feminism, mental illness, and same-sex relationships. Woolf’s reputation was at its greatest during the 1930s, yet declined following World War II. Additionally, she struggled with her own mental illness – having been institutionalized several times and ultimately dying by suicide, as she filled her pockets with rocks and walked into a nearby river.
Ultimately, it was the growth of feminist criticism in the 1970s that would cause interest in Woolf’s work to grow once more.
Toni Morrison
A native to Lorrain, Ohio, Toni Morrison shook the literary world with her novels heavily exploring societal injustice as well as the harsh consequences that stem from oppression. Morrison’s motivation for publishing her first book, “The Bluest Eye” would be caused by the prevalence of black male authors from the 1960s who wrote of powerful and uplifting topics. Morrison, while finding their work “stimulating” also wanted the public to remember that black was not always considered beautiful.
Due to the heavy nature of her stories, Morrison’s novels such as “The Bluest Eye” and “Beloved” would face banning. Even in the present day, there has been news of school districts considering banning the novel. Yet, Morrison would go on to reach great acclaim, earning a Nobel Prize in Literature as well as a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
In regards to her community, Morrison’s impact as a writer is undeniable as she provided authentic stories featuring black women, who often have narratives dismissed and ignored.
Amy Tan
If you grew up watching PBS in the early 2000s then there is a chance you may have either seen or gotten a glimpse of the cartoon “Sagwa, The Chinese Siamese Cat.” The roots of the cartoon stem from the 1994 children’s book, “Sagwa, the Chinese Siamese Cat” written by Amy Tan. Tan was born in California to parents who were Chinese immigrants. She would work a series of odd jobs before becoming a freelance business writer. Using a pseudonym that did not imply any Chinese heritage, Tan wrote for major companies such as AT&T and Pacific Bell.
Her debut novel, released in 1989 was “The Joy Luck Club” which focused on the complex relationships four Chinese-American women respectively shared with their mothers. Tan would face criticism for her book’s depiction of Chinese men as well as Chinese culture but would go on to dismiss these criticisms by claiming her work is not intended to be a representative view for all Chinese-American experiences.
Notably, despite its criticism, the 1993 film version of “The Joy Luck Club” which was not only produced but had a screenplay written by Tan, would go on to receive massive praise and cause hope that Hollywood would develop more stories around the Asian experience. In 2020, the film was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant.”
Gillian Flynn
Gillian Flynn is not only a novelist but a screenwriter and former journalist. Born in Missouri to parents who were Professors. Flynn is described as being a shy child who found escape through reading and writing. 15 years of her life would go towards journalism, which she describes as having assisted her craft due to the urgent nature of writing articles.
Her debut novel was “Sharp Objects,” published in 2006 which focuses on a newspaper journalist who must return to her hometown to report on a series of brutal murders. But the novel that would be considered Flynn’s breakthrough is “Gone Girl” revolving around whether a husband is involved in the disappearance of his wife. The story’s core theme is centered on the superficial nature of appearances in romantic relationships and how there is always more than what meets the eye.
Due to her consistent portrayal of unflattering, if not cruel, women Flynn has been accused of misogyny. However, Flynn not only identifies as a feminist but feels feminism should allow the opportunity for women to be bad characters in literature.
N.K Jemisin
N.K Jemisin – an abbreviation of her full name, Nora Keita Jemisin, is an African American science fiction and fantasy writer. In her youth she made up her own stories, however, the lack of black women writing science fiction and fantasy made her believe that one day authoring books in this genre was not possible. In adulthood, she would go on to attend Tulane University and achieve a B.S. in psychology. Afterward, she studied counseling and earned her Master of Education from the University of Maryland.
At the age of 30, she wrote the first version of her novel “The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms” which did not get picked up by a literary agent. Her second novel, “The Killing Moon” was successful in finding an agent, yet not a publisher. As a result, Jemisin rewrote “The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms,” to, among other things, make half the cast white. It would ultimately have three different publishers fighting over it at an auction. Needless to say, once published “The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms” and the other books belonging to its “Inheritance Trilogy” would receive critical acclaim.
Jemisin’s following book, “The Fifth Season” drew heavily from the human history of structural oppression as well as American history, yet she would receive her third Hugo Award. In this present time, she is the first author to win the Hugo Award for Best Novel in three consecutive years or for all three novels in a trilogy.
Ayzha Middlebrooks
Executive Editor