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Suggestion Thread
I sometimes resent being a woman and all that is put on women and would like some books that say " hey me too!" about that.
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{{The Women’s Room by Marilyn French}} is fiction and very good. It’s a great snapshot in time.
{{Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez}} is non-fiction but will give you plenty of ammunition for rage.
{{Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture}} is a collection of essays edited by Roxane Gay that is hard to read, but definitely inspired a feeling of “hey me too.”
Second Invisible Women. It is enlightening and rage inducing at the same time. I listened to the audiobook which is great. Helped me “rage walk” numerous miles.
#1/3: The Women's Room by Marilyn French (Matching 100% ☑️)
526 pages | Published: 1977 | 6.1k Goodreads reviews
#2/3: ⚠ Could not exactly find "Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Perez" but found Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men (with matching score of 80% ), see related Goodreads search results instead.
Possible reasons for mismatch: either too recent (2023), mispelled (check Goodreads) or too niche.
#3/3: Not That Bad: Dispatches from Rape Culture by Roxane Gay (Matching 100% ☑️)
368 pages | Published: 2018 | 32.0k Goodreads reviews
Feedback | GitHub | "The Bot is Back!?" | v1.5 [Dec 23] |
Yes!!! Classic! And depressing to see how little things have changed.
The vegetarian welcomed many of my I'm a woman and I must scream feelings. I confess I never had the courage to reread it.
Sold! i welcome any book that understands the wailing woman
You will be angry and you will get mad and you will even suffer with her, but damn, if it isn't relatable
Slewfoot: A Tale of Bewitchery by Brom: This is set in 1666, and definitely has a strong critique of gendered expectations in Puritan society. Obviously many parallel threads with modern mainstream society, but also a connection to what women of past generations endured (particularly the restrictions). I saw a description of this as "I support women's rights, but I especially support women's wrongs" which is pretty apt.
Butter by Asako Yuzuki: This is a crime thriller novel based on a real life serial killer in Japan, from the fictional point of view of a journalist trying to understand the case and the psychology behind it. There are many considerations of the role and expectations of women in society, particularly Japanese society, and what it's like to carry those responsibilities.
I haven't read these yet, but I also have The Change by Kirsten Miller, Bunny by Mona Awad, and Out by Natsuo Kirino under my 'feminine rage' tag for future reading in case any of those catch your eye.
I wasnt to sure about bunny but i will check the rest out
{{when women were dragons by Kelly barnhill}}
When Women Were Dragons by Kelly Barnhill (Matching 100% ☑️)
341 pages | Published: 2022 | 128.0k Goodreads reviews
Feedback | GitHub | "The Bot is Back!?" | v1.5 [Dec 23] |
I definitely thought of this book in sorta relation to the topic, I thought of it as a reasonably calm tale about a woman's rage (amongst other things) - it was a bit too slow for me to feel the depth of emotion that rage can bring on but maybe that's bc of the giant use of metaphor in the whole presmise. I cried a lot in this reading tbh so maybe i just felt the sadness more than the rage.
Nightbitch by Rachel Yoder is one of my favourite books that really captures female rage.
You beat me to it. The female rage in this one is visceral. Especially satisfying if OP is a mom.
Also The Power by Naomi Alderman. The Color Purple. And of course The Handmaid's Tale.
Edit- one more: Eileen, by Ottessa Moshfegh.
The following books should be within the outer range of your topic, talking about it indirectly:
Women who Run with the Wolves, Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Dead Blondes and Bad Mothers, Monstrosity, Patriarchy and the Fear of Female Power by Sady Doyle - one might say it touches the source of the anger and rage.
Now, for the obvious choices, a sort of classics:
Female Rage by Mary Valentis (this one is from 90' so it is kind of foundational reading).
Rage Becomes Her, the Power of Woman's Anger by Soraya Chemaly.
Edit/disclaimer: these are not fictional books.
Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao
Mary: an Awakening of Terror by Nat Cassidy
Second Mary
Natsuo Kirino writes this really well. Grotesque and Out are both written by her and filled to the brim with rage. Both stories are intense but enduring. Between the two, I think the rage in Out was more visceral and the rage there is aged at men/patriarchy
Daughters of copper woman by Anne cameron
Such Sharp Teeth by Rachel Harrison. Lots of metaphor and discussion around the shitty things that happen to our bodies that we’re just supposed to deal with or even be happy about (among other shitty things about being a woman). The rage is very much a main theme. It’s discussed through the lens of a woman who finds herself turned into a werewolf, which I loved.
{{All the Rage by Darcy Lockman}}
{{Tragedy of Heterosexuality by Jane Ward}}
{{This American Ex-Wife by Lyz Lenz}}
#1/3: All the Rage: Mothers. Fathers. and the Myth of Equal Partnership by Darcy Lockman (Matching 100% ☑️)
352 pages | Published: 2019 | 4.0k Goodreads reviews
#2/3: ⚠ Could not exactly find "Tragedy of Heterosexuality by Jane Ward" , see related Goodreads search results instead.
Possible reasons for mismatch: either too recent (2023), mispelled (check Goodreads) or too niche.
#3/3: ⚠ Could not exactly find "This American Ex-Wife by Lyz Lenz" , see related Goodreads search results instead.
Possible reasons for mismatch: either too recent (2023), mispelled (check Goodreads) or too niche.
Feedback | GitHub | "The Bot is Back!?" | v1.5 [Dec 23] |
I just finished This American Ex-Wife and really liked its insight. I also got similar insights from Blow Your House Down by Gina Frangello.
I am a man trying to better understand women and be a better husband, so all these recs are in my future.
Read the first two books, then. Highly suggest.
As a queer woman who purposefully opted out of the tragedy of heterosexuality in my 30s, “This American Ex-Wife” was great but also kind of old hat. I’ve been waiting for my straight female peers to get here for fucking 15 years.
Women talking by Miriam Toews
The Inhabited Woman by Gioconda Belli
My Brilliant Friend (series of four books) by Elena Ferrante
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
I havent read it myself but I've heard good things about I Who Have Never Known Men !
I guess. I think more than that it's a book about memories and woman companionship/camaraderie
I haven’t read anything, but I just thought I’d recommend Atomic blonde, which is a film and she is.. A. N. G. R. Y!
I’m glad my mom died - Jeanette McCurdy