This collection moves to observe and acknowledge the vast variety of perspectives found in works written by and about women to reflect upon the courage, resilience, and devotion of the female spirit. In these titles, you will find commentary on the state of the female experience, stories where women are the feature, and a keen sense of wisdom that accompanies the authors’ lived experiences.
Dive in deep and witness how the writers capture innate and intense moments that have the power to disrupt the norm of society and encourage tenacious endeavours.
A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf
In this feminist classic, Virginia Woolf conducts an intimate evaluation of women and fiction within the context of early twentieth-century society with enduring remarks on the privilege of financial independence and access to education which have cultivated conversation for nearly a century. Woolf’s narrative is both clever and, at times, heartbreaking.
River Woman by Katherena Vermette
Katherena Vermette uses deliberate language to explore the relationship between herself, her love and her ancestry alongside a prolonged metaphor establishing the personification and the persistence of rivers. She reflects on her place amid Canadian Indigenous-settler relations and offers the reader a nuanced and striking examination of nature’s innate place in Métis culture.
Upstream: Selected Essays by Mary Oliver
Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award winner Mary Oliver utilizes a rhythmic union of poetry and prose to reflect on the correspondence of life, literature, and nature in a collection of essays that showcase her journey and the importance of following one’s passion. She employs and balances universal truths within intimate expressions of a love for existence.
Recitatif: A Story by Toni Morrison
In her only published short story, Pulitzer and Nobel Prize winner Toni Morrison experiments on her audience. To challenge the preconceived notions, Morrison presents two girls divided on every issue, including the reality of their shared past, without ever specifying their physical attributes. This work draws upon the intricacies of girlhood, class, and race by an author who will consistently defy expectations.
Bright Dead Things: Poems by Ada Limon
Bright Dead Things is a distinct and delicate series of poems that elevates life's seemingly passing, insignificant moments into philosophical subjects while simultaneously making monumental events feel particularly intimate. She uses pastoral imagery combined with deep emotional themes, such as grief and growth, to portray a profound familiarity with the reader.
People Change by Vivek Shraya
In a stunning series of short, interconnected essays, Vivek Shraya shines a light on the beauty and the occasional heartache of life as a trans woman of colour by confronting the interactions between identity and religion within Canadian society. By addressing how change is a natural and gratifying part of life, Shraya offers a glance at acceptance and forgiveness as an act of self-love.
The Poppy War by R. F. Kuang
Based loosely on Chinese politics and inter-relationships in the twentieth century, this fantasy brings to life Fang Runin, a war orphan with grit and self-discipline like no other. Throughout the novel, she toes the line between having obsessive control and unleashing unpredictable power, which makes her both frightening and inspiring. She will leave you rooting for every decision she makes, good and bad.
Somewhere: Stories of Migration by Women from Around the World by Lorna Jane Harvey
This rich anthology of short anecdotes brings together a diverse cast of female contributors from around the world to relay their divergent experiences with migration and find their way to encapsulate the fear, isolation, beauty, and fun that can be found in major life changes.
And Still I Rise by Maya Angelou
In one of her most recognized and celebrated collections of works, writer and activist Maya Angelou uses compelling but intentional language to highlight distinct elements of the black, female, American experience, grounded with resonating themes of love and longing. This is a must-read for anyone invested in the politicization of poetry and the intersection of feminism and race.
A Field Guide to Getting Lost by Rebecca Solnit
Prolific writer Rebecca Solnit presents a stunning examination of the concepts of being lost, losing, and letting go. She utilizes a flowing narrative to nurture and parse her thoughts on subjects such as physical distance and family history to emphasize a metaphysical exploration of the self within the context of the greater existence of the world.
