I Am Woman, Hear Me Write

It's Women's History Month. Quick! Name your favorite female Mississippi author!

There are a slew of wonderfully talented authoresses hailing from our great state and they have written (and continue to write!) in a number of genres: romance, mystery, biography, and more. Whatever your preferred reading style is, these women have covered it. Sometimes, though, it feels like they're overshadowed by the Faulkners and Grishams in the state. According to an article published by the website Quartz, only 18% of published authors in the 1960s were women. Fast-forward sixty years to 2020--a new study proclaims that women have surpassed men in book field, now publishing more than 50% of the written word. Whether or not this study was sound methodologically, it points to the fact that women writers in Mississippi and world-wide have come a long, long way.

10 Books by Mississippi Women You Need to Read

Mississippi is the land of storytellers. It's the birthplace of literary greats Richard Wright, Willie Morris, and William Faulkner, to name just a few. Women, though have been steadily adding to the state's writing wealth as well. In honor of Women's History Month, we've picked our favorite books by some of the best authoresses Mississippi has to offer.

The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love

Jill Conner Browne
Tupelo and Jackson, Mississippi

Laugh until you cry with this ode to being true to yourself and being the woman you want to be. This hilarious memoir covers everything from what to do when you find a possum under your bed in the middle of the night to tips on writing your own obituary.

Victory Over Japan

Ellen Gilchrist
Vicksburg, Jackson, and Ocean Springs, Mississippi

Ellen Gilchrist is a short story master and this collection is chock full of women in all their earthy, gritty, unabashed glory.

From the Mississippi Delta: A Memoir

Endesha Ida Mae Holland
Greenwood, Mississippi

Holland's memoir is a life-changing read. As a child, she suffered unimaginable horrors; as a young woman, a chance encounter with the Civil Rights Movement in Mississippi gave her life a new direction and meaning.

Coming of Age in Mississippi

Anne Moody
Centerville, Jackson, Canton, and Gloster, Mississippi

Completely forthright and never sentimental, Anne Moody's autobiography is an eye opening experience. Moody, who was the same age as Emmett Till, was deeply affected by his kidnapping and murder. A fiery determination to fight for justice and equality was born and makes for a fascinating and inspirational read.

I'm Just a Person

Tig Notaro
Jackson and Pass Christian, Mississippi

Comedian Notaro had a very bad year. With humorous insight, this memoir describes how she managed to stare down the dark side of life and come out with soul intact on the other side. 

Everybody's Got Something 

Robin Roberts
Pass Christian, Hattiesburg, and Biloxi, Mississippi

In this powerful memoir, Roberts paints an inspirational portrait of her life. She has lived her motto to a T: that though everybody has problems, everybody also has something to give.

Bellocq's Ophelia

Natasha Trethewey
Gulfport, Mississippi

Inspired by photographer E.J. Bellocq's photo series of prostitutes in New Orleans' red light district, this poetry collection tells Ophelia's story. Moving from an objectified woman to a self-aware person with dignity, this lyrical book of poems is a gorgeous read.

Jubilee

Margaret Walker
Jackson, Mississippi

Jubilee follows its protagonist Vyry, born a slave, through the Civil War and its aftermath. Vyry's story, driven by hope, integrity, and justice, is a fictional account of the author's own family.

Salvage the Bones

Jesmyn Ward
DeLisle and Oxford, Mississippi

Set during the days before and after Hurricane Katrina, Esch, a young pregnant teen, struggles to keep her family safe and secure. With themes of love, family, and community, you'll be reaching for a box of tissues well before the moving conclusion.

One Writer's Beginnings

Eudora Welty
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson and Columbus, Mississippi

One Writer's Beginnings is a quiet reflection of growing up in Mississippi, of a love of books, and the discovery that one can be small and still make your voice be heard.

Until next time, happy reading!

The Best of the Best: Reading Your Way Through Women's History Month

Continuing with Women's History Month here is a list of books by or about women for older readers.

Non-Fiction:

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

The Rules Do Not Apply by Ariel Levy

Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Irin Carmon, Shana Knizhnik

All the Single Ladies: Unmarried Women and the Rise of an Independent Nation by Rebecca Traister

Asking for It: The Alarming Rise of Rape Culture and What We Can Do about It by Kate Harding

Sex Object by Jessica Valenti

Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body by Roxane Gay

Shrill: Notes from a Loud Woman by Lindy West

The Princess Saves Herself in this One by Amanda Lovelace

The Geek Feminist Revolution by Kameron Hurley

Florynce "Flo" Kennedy: The Life of a Black Feminist Radical by Sherie M. Randolph

Mrs. Sherlock Holmes: The True Story of New York City's Greatest Female Detective and the 1917 Missing Girl Case That Captivated a Nation by Brad Ricca

Living a Feminist Life by Sara Ahmed

You Can't Touch My Hair: And Other Things I Still Have to Explain by Phoebe Robinson, Jessica Williams

Tranny: Confessions of Punk Rock's Most Infamous Anarchist Sellout by Laura Jane Grace

Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan

Fiction:

Difficult Women by Roxane Gay

All Grown Up by Jami Attenberg

Always Happy Hour: Stories by Mary Miller

13 Ways of Looking at a Fat Girl by Mona Awad

The Atomic Weight of Love by Elizabeth J. Church

The Stars Are Legion by Kameron Hurley

Lady Cop Makes Trouble by Amy Stewart

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin

The Power by Naomi Alderman

A House for Happy Mothers by Amulya Malladi

The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood

Prayers for the Stolen by Jennifer Clement

Ascension by Jacqueline Koyanagi

Almost Famous Women: Stories by Megan Mayhew Bergman

Graphic Novels:

Bitch Planet, Vol. 1: Extraordinary Machine by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine De Landro, Robert Wilson IV

ODY-C, Vol. 1: Off to Far Ithicaa by Matt Fraction, Christian Ward

The One Hundred Nights of Hero by Isabel Greenberg

DC Comics: Bombshells, Vol. 1: Enlisted by Marguerite Bennett, Marguerite Sauvage

Are You My Mother? by Alison Bechdel

French Milk by Lucy Knisley

Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi, Mattias Ripa

The Thrilling Adventures of Lovelace and Babbage by Sydney Padua

The Story of My Tits by Jennifer Hayden

Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation by Octavia E. Butler, John Jennings, Damian Duffy

Happy reading.

Young Adult Books for Women's History Month

To celebrate Women’s History Month we have put together this list of young adult books by and/or about strong women. We hope that you can find a few new favorites from this list!

Non-Fiction:

• We Were Feminists Once: From Riot Grrrl to CoverGirl®, the Buying and Selling of a Political Movement by Andi Zeisler
• Here We Are: Feminism for the Real World by Kelly Jensen (Editor), Kody Keplinger, Courtney Summers Erika T. Wurth Brenna Clarke Gray, Mikki Kendall, Angie Manfredi, Lily Myers , Becca Sexton, Allison Peyton Steger, Anne Thériault, Shveta Thakrar, Kayla Whaley, Sarah McCarry, Malinda Lo, Ashley Hope Pérez, Nova Ren Suma, Daniel José Older, Wendy Davis, Matt Nathanson, Mia DePrince, Alida Nugent, Constance Zaber, Brandy Colbert, Siobhan Vivian, Rafe Posey, Jessica Luther, Michaela DePrince, Amandla Stenberg, Suzannah Weiss, Zariya Allen, Risa Rodil
• The V-Word: True Stories About First-Time Sex by Amber J. Keyser, Molly Bloom, Sidney Joaquin-Vetromile, Alex Meeks, Carrie Mesrobian, Sarah Mirk, Sara Ryan, Erica Lorraine Scheidt, Jamia Wilson, Kiersi Burkhart, Chelsey Clammer, Christa Desir, Kate Gray, Justina Ireland, Laurel Isaac, Karen Jensen, Kelly Jensen

• Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
• Let Me Play: The Story of Title IX: The Law That Changed the Future of Girls in America by Karen Blumenthal
• Women's Rights (Great Speeches in History) by Jennifer A. Hurley

• A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf
• Manifesta: Young Women, Feminism, and the Future by Jennifer Baumgardner, Amy Richards

• Feminism by Nancy Dziedzic              
• Feminism : Reinventing the F Word by Nadia Abushanab Higgins.
• Wonder Women: 25 Innovators, Inventors, and Trailblazers Who Changed History by Sam Maggs, Sophia Foster-Dimino

Fiction:

• Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor
• Rani Patel in Full Effect by Sonia Patel
• Not Otherwise Specified by Hannah Moskowitz

• Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel by Sara Farizan
• Asking For It by Louise O'Neill
• The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

• The Valiant by Lesley Livingston
• Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

• After the Fall by Kate Hart
• Exit, Pursued by a Bear by E.K. Johnston
• Gabi, a Girl in Pieces by Isabel Quintero

• Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina
• If I Was Your Girl by Meredith Russo
• Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera

Graphic Novels:

• Lumberjanes, Vol. 1: Beware the Kitten Holy by Noelle Stevenson, Grace Ellis, Shannon Watters, Brooke A. Allen
• Princeless, Vol. 1: Save Yourself  by Jeremy Whitley, Mia Goodwin, Jung-Ha Kim, Dave Dwonch
• Ms. Marvel, Vol. 1: No Normal  by G. Willow Wilson, Adrian Alphona

• Rat Queens, Vol. 1: Sass & Sorcery by Kurtis J. Wiebe, Roc Upchurch
• The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, Volume 1: Squirrel Power by Ryan North, Erica Henderson
• Kim & Kim Vol. 1 by Magdalene Visaggio, Eva Cabrera, Imogen Binnie

• Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O'Neill
• Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
• Blue Is the Warmest Color by Julie Maroh

• The Adventures of Superhero Girl by Faith Erin Hicks
• Adventure Time: Marceline and the Scream Queens by Meredith Gran
• Dare to Disappoint: Growing Up in Turkey by Ozge Samanci

 Happy reading.

Ten Powerful Picture Book Girls

Women's History Month is a great time to study the accomplishments of women throughout history. Women have invented, dreamed, built, and explored, just like men, since the beginning of time, though their accomplishments may be less known. (After all, for every 1.03 men born, 1 woman is brought into this world. By the time we pass the age of 65, there are only .805 men for every woman on this earth. Women do have a longer life expectancy!¹) Covering up women and their achievements doesn't only occur in history books, but in other books as well. Until quite recently, boys nearly always took center stage when it came to literary entertainment. Now, more and more girls have begun to take their rightful place on the shelves of libraries, bookstores, and homes. We've dug through picture books from the past several years and picked our favorites that feature girls as main characters. These girls are powerful and strong, inventive and inquisitive, proud and compassionate, but above all, they refuse to take "No" for an answer just because they're girls.

Tía Isa Wants a Car

Meg Medina and Claudio Muñoz (illustrations)

2011

Based on a true story from Meg Medina's childhood, a young girl helps her aunt save for a car so that they can visit the beach and still save enough to help their family come to America.

Interstellar Cinderella

Deborah Underwood and Meg Hunt (illustrations)

2015

Cinderella doesn't need saving in this charming adaptation. This girl mechanic rescues the prince. (And no, they don't get married.)

Ada Twist, Scientist

Andrea Beaty and David Roberts (illustrations)

2016

Little Ada is inquisitive and she wants to know everything. What will this budding scientist discover next?!

Suki's Kimono

Chieri Uegaki and Stéphane Jorisch (illustrations)

2005

No matter what anyone says or thinks, Suki wants everyone to see her favorite thing in the world: the kimono her grandmother gave her. When she brings it to school for show and tell, she wins over her whole class and spreads the joy and fun of her Japanese heritage.

Mango, Abuela, and Me

Meg Medina and Angela Dominguez (illustrations)

2015

When Mia's grandmother moves in with her family, a language difference proves to be a big barrier to communication. Mia saves the day by coming up with creative ways to interact with her grandma.

Nasreen's Secret School: A True Story from Afghanistan

Jeanette Winter 

2009

Nasreen's grandmother enrolls her in a secret school for girls when her parents are taken by the ruling Taliban party in Afghanistan. Surrounded by other girls learning math, history, and reading, Nasreen blossoms in this beautiful story about the power of friendship and women.

Mama's Nightingale: A Story of Immigration and Separation

Edwidge Danticat and Leslie Staub (illustrations)

2015

When Saya's mother is sent to an immigration detention facility, she and her daughter share messages and stories via cassette. Saya's father tries to free her mother, but it is Saya herself who saves the day.

New Shoes

Susan Lynn Meyer and Eric Velasquez (illustrations)

2014

Two enterprising young girls won't be stopped by Jim Crow laws. They find a creative way to fix their problem and help fill a need in their community.

This is Sadie

Sara O'Leary and Julie Morstad (illustrations)

2015

Sadie has been a mermaid, a sailor, and a fairy tale hero. She fashions her own playscapes, using couch cushions, blankets, and even hammer, nails, and wood. This is a hearty salute to the power of a girl's imagination.

Zephyr Takes Flight

Steve Light

2012

Zephyr loves planes; she's going to be a real pilot some day! For now, she flies around the world, taking off from her very own room.

Look for more book lists about women in the next few weeks as we celebrate Women's History Month. Until next time, happy reading!

¹CIA World Factbook