Female Authors

[QUOTE=jane s.]
[b]Margaret Atwood[/b]. Canadian woman; best known work is [i]The Handmaid's Tale[/i]. I haven't read it, but my favorite short story by her is "Hairball", a story about a woman who builds up an impressive professional life just to watch it crash all around her.[/QUOTE]
I read Handmaid's Tale last year I quite liked it, thought the way she set up the society in it was quite nice, she gave you as much detail as you needed to understand the plot, but left you thinking in the end.

Yes, it's true, I paid Jane an undisclosed sum to start this bad boy (girl, perhaps?) because I knew she'd ultimately do a better job than I would. I'm all about expanding my window of literature and this is one avenue I haven't explored nearly enough. Thanks for your help, Jane.

My personal favorite female author, and one any true Chuck fan shoudl read, is [B]Katherine Dunn[/B]. She's written three novels (Attic, Truck, and Geek Love), but her most well known is undoubtedly Geek Love. A family of freaks is the center of her book and it's really one of the most beautifully written works I've ever read.

I liked Helen Ellis she wrote [I]Eating the cheshire cat[/I] which I think was totally funny and entertaining, but in the same time talked about the cattiness and drama that there is between some women. the characters where well written and where stereotypes without being too stereotypical (I know that probably doesn't make sense) very good read in my opinion.

Well, we're not going to get very far in this thread if we don't mention Amy Hempel. But if you frequent the book forums and haven't come across her yet, well...all manner of spankings are in order.

I might throw in Edith Wharton as a "female author" that I really like. I though the Age of Innocence was superb. Very tight, loaded sentences. Lots of subtle images and symbols and - best of all - a love frowned on by society (no - not that kind of love!)

I believe Vendetta is pretty knowledgable about old Wharty too. Hassle her for some info.

Harper Lee!! I forgot all about her! The Great American novel. Probably one of the most skillful novels in the English language. Sigh.

[QUOTE=jane s.]Harper Lee!! I forgot all about her! The Great American novel. Probably one of the most skillful novels in the English language. Sigh.[/QUOTE]
Don't forget Carson McCullers... and Kate Chopin

Or Shirley Jackson for that matter. Although, her writing always reads, to me, as if a guy is writing it.

I don't mean to be dumb, but could you guys tell me what books these people wrote and [B]why I should bother picking them up?[/B]

[QUOTE=Rents]I don't mean to be dumb, but could you guys tell me what books these people wrote and why I should bother picking them up?[/QUOTE]
Carson McCullers wrote "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter"
Kate Chopin wrote "The Awakening"

[QUOTE=PGoutis01]Or Shirley Jackson for that matter. Although, her writing always reads, to me, as if a guy is writing it.[/QUOTE]

I think one of the brilliant things about Jackson, especially "The Lottery", is that her work is faceless, sexless, almost voiceless. She does an incredible job of pulling the person directly into the scene without a lot of outside judgement. It's not about that she writes like a guy, to me; it's that it's hardly writing at all.

Oh jesus, Flannery O'Conner is my patron saint. I honestly don't think I would be the person I am today if I hadn't discovered her stories just when I needed some tolerance and revelation and awe in my life. I think she may be the most skilled short story writer I've ever read. Her stories are difficult to read. They suck you in in this langorous almost gossipy way and then they just turn on themselves and become a mirror into the human soul in all it's most reverent and base aspects. [B]The Lame Shall Enter First [/B] still gives me goosebumps. [B]The River[/B] still brings me to tears.

Marianne Wiggins is genius. Especially [B]John Dollar[/B]. I hope this is being taught in schools. It's that[B] Lord of the Flies [/B] genre if that's a genre: kids creating a new society before they have been fully socialized.. scary shit.
[B]
We Have Always Lived in the Castle[/B] by Shirley Jackson is amazing and creepier than [B]The Lottery [/B], her most famous story. I'm not a big fan of hers besides these two pieces.

[B]The Poisenwood Bible[/B] is an amazing novel about hubris and family and nature and religion that just blew me away. Everything else that Barbara Kingslover has written has struck me as too cutsey.

[QUOTE=PGoutis01]Or Shirley Jackson for that matter. Although, her writing always reads, to me, as if a guy is writing it.[/QUOTE]
What the hell does that mean, "as if a guy is writing it"? How can you distinguish a male author from a female author by their writing style? It seems like a superbly ignorant thing to say, but I'll give you a chance to explain your comment.

[QUOTE=mirkah][B]The Poisenwood Bible[/B] is an amazing novel about hubris and family and nature and religion that just blew me away. Everything else that Barbara Kingslover has written has struck me as too cutsey.[/QUOTE]
There you go, I forgot about that one. Another of my favorites. I really loved the final chapter of the novel. It totally wrapped everything up for me.

I second "Poisonwood Bible", Mirka. I read that when I was in early high school, and it just changed my perspectives on so many things. At that point I was just getting to be in with a group of people who seemed to consider missionary work as natural as eating and sleeping, and it was a real sock to see the other side of that coin, how moving so far away could not only hardly leave a dent in the new sphere you're moving into, but also almost completely destroy the sphere you brought with you in the first place.

Also the passage I loved most about it (forgive me, it's been yeeeeaaars) is where the girl who marries the schoolteacher moves to America with her husband, and they have to leave because they would go into American grocery stores and everything was so harsh and sterile. And she talks about how nothing has any smell. I don't think I could ever look at a grocery store the same after reading that book.

[QUOTE=Rents]What the hell does that mean, "as if a guy is writing it"? How can you distinguish a male author from a female author by their writing style? It seems like a superbly ignorant thing to say, but I'll give you a chance to explain your comment.[/QUOTE]
I wasn't meaning to be sexist or anything. But, when I read something, I can usually tell if a man or woman wrote the piece. Men seem to be a little better at creating different voices. Like Jane said, Shirley Jackson's writing is faceless/sexless. You can picture a man or woman as the main character. Sometimes it gives me a little trouble picturing the story in my head until she gives a clue as to who the character is.

Please do not take this the wrong way. I am not putting woman writers down at all here. I'm just saying that I can usually tell the difference when I read them. Amy Hempel is a perfect example - she is one of my top short story writers, but I think the voice she writes in is very feminine. Nothing wrong with that at all. I was just making an observation.

What about Jo Ann Beard or Joan Didion?

I have books by both of these authors, but I haven't read either of them yet.

I have a ZZ Packer book here that I haven't read yet either. "Drinking Coffee Elsewhere"

I'll add an opinion of it to this thread when it's finished.

Grace Paley has written some really wonderful short fiction. Plus, there's a good chance of finding her at the library. Fans of minimalist literature should check her out.

[QUOTE=mr_hash]I liked Helen Ellis she wrote [I][B]Eating the cheshire cat[/B][/I] which I think was totally funny and entertaining, but in the same time talked about the cattiness and drama that there is between some women. the characters where well written and where stereotypes without being too stereotypical (I know that probably doesn't make sense) very good read in my opinion.[/QUOTE]
Ugh! That was a horrible book. Never buy a book by its title. I know this now.

I dont actually have very many books by female authors. Sad thing is, I try to avoid them. Buuuuut, Ive read a few:

[B]The Lovely Bones[/B] by [B]Alice Sebold [/B](this book made me cry and laugh and want to hug everyone around me and read it again and....Ive read it 3 or 4 times....ive not read much fiction more than twice, before)

[I]Maps to Ecstasy[/I] by [B]Gabrielle Roth[/B] This is of harmony, inertia and soul expance. Being, Loving, Knowing, Seeing....and Dancing. Ive danced a lot of my life, and so...well, even if you dont like to dance, this is still a decent book. Its sort of a personal growth book, but found in the Metaphysical section....

Molly Jong - Fast - This one is iffy. She writes contemporary. I dont remember the book, and I really cant say anything too good about it, since I dont remember it all that well.....Ahh, the title is Normal Girl...I just went to look for it. This happened on my shelf because it was one of those desperate, hurry and up and pick a book, the first one you see book and it happened to be this one, because its bright fuckin` pink.

I guess that is all I can think of now....definately The Lovely Bones...I do not read much fiction...

my girlfriend's in love with francesca lia block (wasteland, weetzie bat, i was a teenage fairy). she mostly writes teen-level books, but from what i've read, they're very good. plus my girlfriend is the coolest person alive, so of course they're good.

[QUOTE=Minuet]
[B]The Lovely Bones[/B] by [B]Alice Sebold [/B](this book made me cry and laugh and want to hug everyone around me and read it again and....Ive read it 3 or 4 times....ive not read much fiction more than twice, before)
[/QUOTE]

I read this for a class last year. I wouldn't say it's one of my favorites, but I didn't detest it as much as some of my classmates did. I will admit the ending was cheesy and the bit with the girl finally having a moment with her love posthumously was lame.

sorry to resurrect such an old thread.. I was searching Atwood and this popped up! I would always recommend her novels, The Blind Assassin is one of my absolute favourite books, couldn't put it down.

Anyone read any A.M.Homes? The End of Alice. Somewhat shocking subject matter-wise but beautifully written.

And now for something completely different, I would recommend Daphne du Maurier also - Rebecca is a brilliant, engaging drama, atmospheric and mysterious. Her short stories are good too, particularly The Birds and Other Stories collection which seems to expand her interest in creepy female characters further.

wow. When we had discussions. *tear*

i was gonna come in here and say francesca lia block because i read some of her books but i saw this. but yeah, she's an interesting writer and 'wasteland' is beautiful.

pretty funny i guess. and judging by the date, this was probably moments before we broke up.

fucking right. Paley is great.

obviously Hempel.

my girlfriend really likes Angela Carter and Joyce Carol Oates. i've read a little of both, and i've liked what i've read. not loved it. but liked it a fair ammount.

Mary Robison

oh, obviously, Monica Drake. Duhhh!

Sylvia Plath. The Bell Jar is one of the best books I've ever read.

Those Bronte girls were pretty wicked.

I loved that book.

Another good one is She Came To Stay by Simone de Beauvoir.

Oh!

Looking For Mr. Goodbar, Judith Rossner

Oh, and The Secret History is pretty good, by Donna Tartt. I haven't read her other book, The Little Friend.

Jane Eyre aside, I pretty much loathe anything Brontë. Had to study them for A-Level literature and they were thoroughly depressing.
I mean, so your entire family and all of your friends are dying from TB.. Lighten the fuck up!

;D

my girlfriend has been trying to get me to read this for fucking ages. probably years.

Virginia Woolf is probably one of my favorite writers ever. Outside of her, there aren't that many female writers that really get to me. I dug Hempel. Dig Flannery O'Conner more. But there really aren't really that many females i read.

How could I forget? Shirley Jackson.

You should read it! I persuaded a guy to read it and he really enjoyed it.

For some reason I'm not too excited about female authors. o__O I'm not even sure I've read a book by a female author, I tend to avoid them.

Oh, I read Twilight. Not a success.

I don't have any books by a female author. This is sad! I'ma get one of the books mentioned here.

Alexa, I think you'd really like some Margaret Atwood. Maybe start with The Handmaid's Tale.

Whoa, I don't even remember starting this thread.

Alecia! I love the Brontes. I just recently re-read "Jane Eyre" and I was surprised by how much of it I'd overlooked when I read it in high school. Few things get me more pumped up than Victorian feminism (and this is NOT a joke.) And just thinking about the scene in "Wuthering Heights" when Cathy dies and Heathcliff is screaming outside her window...I get chills.

What's really sad is that I took a class last year called Major Women Writers, and I liked 1% of the books we read. We did read a book of poetry that I liked called All Saints by Brenda Marie Osbey that was pretty good. Other than that, it was stuff like Killers of the Dream and The Secret Life of Bees. Blegh.

There. I'm a philistine. I'm sexist. I can't appreciate great literature. I should be shot.

I don't like Virginia Woolfe either. Her writing style was revolutionary at the time but I feel like outside of the style, she had very little to say that interests me. If I wanted to read about that era I'd read Wharton or Chopin.

PHIL! Never apologize for having an informed opinion about literature.

I don't like Virginia Woolfe because i think she's not very attractive to look at.

i think i'm a big softie:

'Did I wound you, mutilate. Take away your voice. Did I cut something from you. Leave you locked in silence?

This is what you do: you sing. Every part of you. Your locks of hair sing, your eyes, your hands, your smile. If I listen closely I can even hear your blood.

Was I the one that took that away?

Go down to the water where we used to swim. Stand under the sky at dawn when the sky is streaked with blood. Open your mouth and shout our secret to the waves. The ocean will be your voice. You won't have to carry anything alone. Little Sister, my Spring, April. Little nightingale. Stand at the edge of the water. Your voice will come back to you. Maybe. If I am silent.'

'But he loved her enough not to leave her, not to turn away. When she started to sob again he took her in his arms and answered every question with a whisper. 'Am I sick? No. It was my fault? No. Where is he? Here, here, here', West said, putting his hand gently at the hollow of her throat where he could feel her brother beating like a heart. 'Help me? Yes.'

"A kiss about apple pie a la mode with the vanilla creaminess melting in the pie heat. A kiss about chocolate, when you haven't eaten chocolate in a year. A kiss about palm trees speeding by, trailing pink clouds when you drive down the Strip sizzling with champagne. A kiss about spotlights fanning the sky and the swollen sea spilling like tears all over your legs."

"Sometimes she has imagined what it would be like to fly, to live in the river, to run like a horse. She has dreamed of that freedom, that power, and fears the wildness in herself that wants to live as beasts live, moved purely by need and desire. She has felt torn between the heat of her limbs and the thoughts in her mind telling her to be careful and good and always calm.
Don't scream or cry, don't run to him and throw yourself at his feet, pleading for him to take you in his arms, don't strip off your clothes and run naked to the water, wild with wanting."

How is it no one has mentioned Jane Austen? And then there is J.K. Rowling too.

blah and blah.

jane austen can suck my dick. and as for that other skank...