Book recommendations for Women's History Month

Hello, fellow Courier readers! This past year has been a difficult time for women. It’s easy to feel hopeless and afraid of what’s happening in the world, but here are some books and graphic novels that might help inspire you to create the change that you want to see.

“Wake,” written by Rebecca Hall and illustrated by Hugo Martinez, is a graphic memoir of Hall’s research into the history of women-led slave revolts. Hall details the trials and tribulations she faced finding archival evidence as many institutions withhold that information from the public.

Luckily, after decades of research, Hall was able to uncover what she was looking for. All scenes depicting the women-led slave revolts were carefully researched and illustrated to make them as accurate as possible. “Wake” is a powerful memoir that gives us an insightful understanding of slavery and the discrimination African American women historians face on a day-to-day basis.

If you’re looking for a graphic novel that’s a little more uplifting, try reading “Frizzy” written by Claribel A. Ortega and illustrated by Rose Bousamra. “Frizzy” is the story of an African-Latina American girl, Marlene, who hates going to the hair salon every Sunday to get her hair straightened. Everyone in her family says that having straight hair is the only way to be “presentable” in society: that having naturally, curly hair is a “bad thing.” Yet, Marlene has had enough of pleasing others and goes on a journey to appreciate and proudly wear her curly hair. “Frizzy” is an adorable, comfort read about body positivity and healing from generational trauma.

Up next on the list is “The Penelopiad'' by Margaret Atwood. You may know Atwood from “The Handmaid’s Tale,” and this novella is equally impactful. “The Penelopiad'' is a retelling of Homer’s Odyssey through the perspective of Odyseus’s wife, Penelope, who waited twenty years for his return. During his absence, Penelope is isolated in the palace with no real friends and is constantly harassed by her suitors. “The Penelopiad'' is a story of the powerlessness women face and how the patriarchy pits women against each other. It is a devastating, but vital read.

The last on the list is “Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982” by Cho Nam-Joo. It was published in 2016 and inspired a new feminist movement in South Korea. The novel is written in the third person by Kim’s male psychiatrist, as he analyzes her strange symptoms after being forced to quit her job in order to raise her baby. Nam-Joo tackles subjects of how school uniforms sexualize girls, how girls are expected to financially support their brothers’ college funds, how menstruation is stigmatized, and so much more. “Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982” is a novel that will leave you feeling indignant and force you to reflect on the perpetrated misogyny that exists in America.