When you walk into a good bookstore, you often see those “Staff Recommendation” tags under certain books. I find myself drawn to those, especially when I’m in a hurry, and I usually end up with at least one of them. I got Sex and the City that way years ago, little realizing the effect it would have (for better or worse) on women and our society as a huge hit on TV and now as a movie.
Now that it’s summer and reading lists abound, we thought it might be fun to create our own “AAUW Staff Recommends” reading list for our blog readers. These books are some of our personal favorites that we thought you might enjoy. Each book is linked to a description, and I’ve included staff members’ comments about their recommendations.
America’s Women: 400 Years of Dolls, Drudges, Helpmates and Heroines, by Gail Collins
“I love women’s history and was not disappointed in this book. It’s extremely well researched and charts the changes in women’s lives and American society from the 1580s to the 2000s.”
Baghdad Burning: Girl Blog from Iraq, by Riverbend
“This is one of my all time favorite books; it’s so powerful, informative, interesting and entertaining.”
Cracking India, by Bapsi Sidhwa
“A unique perspective by a young girl living on the Pakistani/India border during the Partition”
Female Advantage: Women’s Ways of Leadership, by Sally Helgesen
“As a college intern, I was attracted to this book because I really want to learn about the leadership experiences of these specific women.”
The Fifties: A Women’s Oral History, by Brett Harvey
“While of course I know intellectually how many barriers women had in the 1950s, reading personal narratives helped reinforce my knowledge and made it more real.”
The Fountainhead, by Ayn Rand
“Dominique Francon serves as an intelligent yet dangerous protagonist next to Howard Roarke and Ellsworth Toohey … very compelling. Next up on my reading list is How to Read Like a Writer, by Francine Prose.”
—Mandy
Infidel, by Ayaan Hirsi Ali
“The worst day I have ever had could never compare to the things the author endured — circumcision, beatings, forced marriage, ongoing death threats, and more. Her story is courageous, challenging, and inspiring. It reminds me of how fortunate I am.”
The Lady and the Panda: The True Adventures of the First American Explorer to Bring Back China’s Most Exotic Animal, by Vicki Croke
“I chose this book after going to the National Zoo for the first time to see the pandas. I was interested to learn of this woman’s role in working with this incredible and endangered animal.”
—Kate
The Persepolis series, by Marjane Satrapi
“An Iranian friend recommended the books to me, and I’ve since seen Satrapi speak. She’s very smart and very funny, and the books are a beautiful, easy-to-read way to learn about the history and culture of Iran. The story is told from young Marji’s point of view, so it really humanizes what’s going on in the country.”
—Liz
Runaway, by Alice Munro
“A haunting but well done series of short stories from women facing difficult situations.”
The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd
“I couldn’t help but be attracted to the premise of this book, a novel about mothers and daughters and the women in our lives who become our true mothers.”
We’d love to hear from you! What is your favorite book and why? Check back tomorrow for more staff favorites from AAUW’s ¡Adelante! Book of the Month Club.
Three Cups of Tea by David Oliver Relin (Author) and Greg Mortenson (Author)
This is a book about a man who builds schools for girls in Pakistan and Afghanistan. After reading it I wanted to sell everything I had and go help him. It is such a rich read, and to see how teaching girls to read has empowered so many females in remote villages gave me so much hope for the world. Books not Bombs.
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant, and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood are two of my favorite books.