Constantly reading or listening to books I go down a lot of rabbit holes & try a lot of new genres or topics. Many of the stories or points shared that stick with me beyond cover to cover are those about powerful women. Fascinated by some of the women like Amelia Airhardt, Sacajawea, Jane Goodall & Rosa Parks whose names we did hear in our school years, it has been those whose names & impact were unknown to me which I have thoroughly enjoyed learning more on as an adult. Here are just a small sample of some of the women centric books I have read & fond myself pondering on. Please, if you end up reading them or already have, I'd love to hear your thoughts on them as well!
Nadezhda Popova I learned about when looking up the “Night Witches” after finishing a book based on Soviet women’s efforts in aerial warfare of WWII. Popova, a Ukrainian born women, had her sliding door moment as a young school girl. Her life dreams changed when a plane landed in a field next to her school; from then on, she dreamt of flying. During WWII she joined the Soviet Union’s first all-women fighter pilot unit. The Nazi’s called them the “Night Witches” because of the ominous sound their planes made on their specifically dark flights, dropping bombs on German lines. (The Huntress by Kate Quinn, historical fiction)
Impactful due to their own experience & tenacity in standing up to protect their successors, the Radium Girls were women who took to industrial work when most of the working men of their community were deployed. Their new jobs: painting glowing parts, necessary to soldiers. It was prestigious not only for the pride from their efforts to help the war but also because it paid well, offering many a lifestyle more lavish than that they had been accustomed to. However, the danger of their daily work was unknown to them, the effects of the radiation devastating. The dismissive way any responsible parties treated these women in their years of plight is both aggravating & tragic.
(Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America’s Shining Women by Kate Moore, nonfiction)
Women can impact society without a lead simply through having their own subculture. My most recent studio listen dove into the power of beauty culture; giving me food for thought on the metamorphosis of beauty trends & makeup throughout history, it’s impact, it’s image. Women have used these standards to empower ourselves & the industry has used it’s power against us. Both the perceptions & power struggles swaying back & forth wildly through the years. I found it thought provoking, especially as one who often scoffs at how unhealthy beauty images in marketing have become for young girls but also knows the bounce of confidence a great haircut or the right mascara can provide.
(All Made Up: The Power and Pitfalls of Beauty Culture from Cleopatra to Kim Kardashian by Rae Nudson, nonfiction)
I have to stop myself because I now have a running list of books in my head I'd recommend. Before I get carried away I'll list a few more here & let you find out more about them yourselves.
◆ Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness by Susannah Cahalan
◆ I am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban by Malala yousafzai, Christina Lamb
◆ Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain
◆ The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
◆ I'll be Gone in the Dark: One Woman's Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara
◆ Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes
◆ Circling the Sun by Paula McLain