5 Upcoming Books by Women You Need On Your TBR
Last year, I took it upon myself to finally cut down on reading white men. I know, white men are super interesting and all, and they write some great stuff, but I wanted more women in my reading- a lot more. I made myself a goal that at least 50% of all books I read in 2016 would be by women- and I succeeded. It made for a year full of essays, insights and some really amazing writing.
This year, I’m a little ahead of the curve and I’ve been gazing mysteriously into the future to see what female authors are offering later in 2017. This list will hopefully encourage us all to step up and check out some new names and faces.
We Are Never Meeting in Real Life
Samantha Irby
Due for release in May 2017, I was lucky enough to get an advance copy of this and swallowed in a few days. Sam Irby is well known for her blog bitches gotta eat and this isn’t her first book, but it’s riotously funny: moody, vulgar, gross and so much goddamn unapologetic fun. Irby might not be for everyone- sometimes, I found her negative outlook on life a bit trying, but a few lines later her dry wit cuts her own negativity in half. For any woman who’s tired of giving a damn and just wants to live life her way, this is a must.
Geraldine DeRuiter
This one is also due at the end of May, and charts Geraldine’s voyage (pun intended- sorry, not sorry) into travel blogging. Many travel writers tell stories about their families or loved ones, but Geraldine tells tales about her relationship with her husband and her gratitude for having true love in her life. I’m a cynic, but her sharp sense of humour and the courage these two people have, both together and alone, made for a really lovely read. Plus, DeRuiter is an awful traveller and regularly messes up her own trips, so this is really not your standard travel memoir.
Home Free: Adventures of a Child of the Sixties
Rifka Kreiter
You’re beginning to notice a trend now, because this is also due for release in May! Home Free tells the tale of a woman who experiences the best and worst of growing up in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s. Kreiter’s experiences as an activist, in love and even in family are honestly explored. There’s no denying that Kreiter’s life has been an adventure, bursting at the seams with experiences that have made her who she is- for better or worse.
When You Find Out the World Is Against You
Kelly Oxford
Perhaps unsurprisingly, this is due for release in (you guessed it) May! Kelly Oxford is perhaps currently best known for inviting women to share their experiences of sexual assault on Twitter, after Donald Trump’s infamous ‘grab her by the pussy’ comments became known to the public. However, the book is about much more than that. Oxford’s stories about growing up, her children, parenting, her own anxiety and feminism, are a mix of funny, sweet and nostalgic. Special shout out to the essay expressing grief and loss- it made me weep openly on a train because Oxford poured her own heart into writing it and her love shines off the page. This is a winner. Purchase it.
Lola’s House
M Evelina Galang
Far from comedy and far from fiction, Lola’s House is the heavily researched story of Filipino ‘comfort women’ during World War II- a series of women kidnapped and imprisoned for the pleasure of soldiers. The strength, courage and perseverance of these women is, truthfully, sort of life changing. Crimes against women are still under-reported and often go unrecognised. This is a book that shines a light in a dark place. It’s hard to read for a number of reasons, and some knowledge of Filipino culture would be useful, but let me assure you: it is worth reading. Watch out for it in September.
