There is a drought in literature recommendations that accurately represent the female experience, written by women, for women. Often female authors are relegated to young adult or popular, surface-level fiction. While these have their worth, the world of writing is steeped in the idea that only men can craft insightful, beautiful works of literature. We are here to challenge this concept. There is a long list of incredible women in every genre who write their world and characters, particularly their women, intelligently. They are all worthy of the spotlight their male counterparts are offered. We cannot claim to cover every single important woman in literature. There are so many great female authors of every genre and background that we would have loved to include and dive deeper into. In no particular order, here is a brief well-rounded list of female authors.
L.M. Montgomery
Few authors are able to touch on the whimsy and joy of girlhood while still expressing the tangible challenges of life like L.M. Montgomery. She is most famous for her Anne series (beginning with Anne of Green Gables), which follows Anne Shirley, an orphaned girl who gradually comes into her place as an integral part of the fictional town of Avonlea. Anne is far from a one-dimensional character. She takes after Montgomery herself with her quick temper, imagination, and impressive capacity for friendship. Since her story’s release in 1908, so many young women have seen themselves in Anne and her dynamic cast of friends. If you are looking for joy in a novel, visit Avonlea.
Toni Morrison
Author of The Bluest Eye, Nobel Laureate for literature, and a pioneer in the New York editing scene, you know her name. Toni Morrison speaks to an ugly part of the female experience, that of self-loathing as a result of systemic violence. Well-spoken and firm in her language, there is a reason that although her work deals with heavy complex issues she has stood the test of time. Most everything she writes is purposeful and valuable to understand the entirety of womanhood; it was imperative to Morrison to explore intersectionality. She would be a fantastic author for those who want to understand these complex topics through fiction.
Agatha Christie
Agatha Christie is a household name, and for good reason. Her acclaimed mystery novels are the best of their kind. For a genre dominated by trench coat-wearing men, it speaks volumes to her writing that she was able to break into the mystery novel scene. For a reader who enjoys an unpredictable mystery that you can’t solve ahead of the characters, Christie’s works are perfect. If you don’t know where to start in her impressive catalog, consider taking them in chronological order. Since she often alludes to her own previous stories, it’s a treat to understand her clever references.
Lorrie Moore
Lorrie Moore writes witty women. Her widely acclaimed short stories feature a range of women, from leaving their twenties to far into their middle age. The thread that carries throughout them all is their sense of being lost to adulthood. Often this leaves her characters cynical and a little bit bitter. Her story You’re Ugly Too was featured in the New Yorker and follows a woman, Zoe, who is incredibly flawed and may or may not know it. What is unique here is her portrayal of women, even older women, as human. Sometimes unpleasant, sure, but what speaks to Moore’s ability as a writer is the way she makes us care regardless. However, her novel Anagrams is the one to read if you find yourself wishing for complex female characters. The protagonist, Benna, is a Tina Fey-esque professional whom we follow through space and time. Getting to know her takes the entire novel, but the ending will leave you deeply impressed with Moore’s craftsmanship of this character.
Madeleine L’Engle
Madeleine L’Engle was one of the most beloved science fiction authors of the twentieth century, as her books touched children and adults alike. She gained fame for combining her Christian faith and her love of modern sciences in her works, a rare occurrence in science fiction authors, especially of the 20th century, who often had to make efforts to emphasize one or the other. This was part of the appeal of L’Engle’s writing, as comprehension of her poignant commentary on authoritarianism, the value of history, and the importance of not losing oneself to a collective consciousness is accessible to everyone. L’Engle is most well-known for her main series of books: A Wrinkle In Time and its sequels, which followed Meg Murray, who is an incredibly believably-written young woman, and her family. Meg’s fierce devotion to her precocious brother and genius parents is admirable and endearing.
Amy Tan
Most famous for her 1989 debut novel The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan is the author of countless novels, short stories, and essays about the Asian immigrant experience and the mother-daughter relationship. Her books are a raw analysis of the lingering effects of Asian society on immigrants and their children and a portrayal of how women’s roles are coped with by multiple generations. Her prose is gorgeous and intelligent.
Carson McCullers
At just nineteen, Carson McCullers wrote her critically acclaimed debut novel The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. The novel follows several characters’ stories as they begin to intertwine in a milltown in Georgia. Mick, a rebellious and intelligent young girl, stands as our main character, and Mcullers writes her seamlessly. Mick represents awkward adolescence in a hauntingly realistic way. You can feel yourself age with the characters as they move through grief, love and change. For anyone mourning their girlhood, this is the book for you.
Virginia Woolf
The author of Ms.Dalloway, Virginia Woolf is a profoundly unique writer. The novel takes place over the span of a day and is a study in observation in a British town. If you enjoy character driven novels and value digging deep into a characters history and relationships, her meditative prose is perfect . Her hopeful melancholy stream-of-consciousness style isn’t an easy read, but it will reward you greatly. Woolf is also known for her short stories and essays and is overall an established author who ought to be on every fan of literature’s radar. For the highschool-age audience though, her novel The Waves, while extremely experimental, might be more relatable. Following several characters throughout their development from children to middle age, it’s a unique format for beautiful prose on growing up and observation.
Ursula K. LeGuin
One of the best speculative fiction authors of all time, Ursula K. LeGuin was a pioneer in sci-fi. Her 1968 novel The Wizard of Earthsea introduced the “magic school idea” that has become so central to the fantasy genre. Many of her novels offered explicit critiques of gender roles and other societal norms. Her stories explored philosophy and the concept of state power. Her works are powerfully timeless and necessary reads for anyone interested in the science fiction genre. Her other notable works include 1969’s The Left Hand of Darkness and 1978’s The Dispossessed.
Megha Majumdar
A Burning is Megha Majumdar’s debut novel and as she is still in her mid-thirties, Majumdar is one to watch. For her first novel, she provides a fantastic Muslim female perspective on corrupt government and extremism. More relevant than ever, she writes about the effect of social media on our society on a personal level. What landed her on this list though is A Burning’s variety of female experiences through a specifically Indian lens, although that does not mean her perspective within that is limited. She explores intersectionality in a way that ought to be praised.
Jane Austen
Perhaps the most famous woman in the realm of literature, Jane Austen is acclaimed for her accurate portrayal of dynamic female characters. Her books still read as intimate, quick-witted musings on her electric settings despite being written over a hundred years ago. Each of her characters jumps off the page and each is so unique. Her books touch on many social topics, including county versus city sensibilities, the perceived role of women, economic and class struggles, and the difficulties of womanhood in Edwardian England. If you are looking to enter the world of Austen’s wonderful novels, Pride and Prejudice and Emma are great starting places.
If you ever find time to sit down and read, offer one of these incredible, often-forgotten authors your time.
