ReadWomen2014

In the October 12^th Sunday New York Times Book Review, there was an essay by Alexander Chee about reading women writers.  He mentioned a British writer, Joanna Walsh, who made bookmarks featuring her 250 favorites.  I meant to make a list of my favorites, and have just gotten around to it. 

There is one screenwriter, Anna Hamilton Phelan (no, we’re not related).  Novelists, nonfiction writers, children’s writers, playwrights, mystery writers, writers who write about religion, a couple of poets, all mixed together.  This list is totally biased-  it is not writers who are important (like Aphra Behn or Anna Cora Mowatt), or popular (like Harper Lee), or classic (like Emily Bronte).  They’re here because I like and admire their work.  It’s 123 names. I’m sure I could create a longer list, but I’ve got other stuff to do.  I’m also sure that there are writers I’ve forgotten and will remember after I post this.  

 Above, Anna Akmatova

A

Joan Accocella

Anna Akmatova

Louisa May Alcott

Isabelle Allende

Maya Angelou

Karen Armstrong

Jane Austen

B

Enid Bagnold

Kristen Bakis

Pat Barker

Vicki Baum

Elizabeth Bishop

Elizabeth Bowen

Anne Bronte

Charlotte Bronte

Anita Brookner

Frances Hodgson Burnett

A.S. Byatt

C

Sheila Callaghan

Angela Carter

Caryl Churchill

Beverly Cleary