Sunday, March 30, 2008

Women-Friendly Books

The Arlington (Virginia) Chapter of the National Organization for Women created a book list to celebrate Women's History Month 2008, and partnered with Arlington Central Library to display the books and ask library customers for additional suggestions.

The books chosen by members of the Arlington NOW Chapter, "do not necessarily reflect the opinions of National NOW or Virginia NOW." For more information, the brochure invites you to contact Julie Noble, VP Action of Virginia NOW at junoble@gmail.com.

Women-Friendly Books - The Arlington NOW List:
Cane River by Lalita Tademy
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Nora Zeale Hurston
Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver
The Red Tent by Anita Diamant
The Women of Brewster Place by Gloria Naylor
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Red Azalea by Anchee Min
Feminist Fairy Tales by Barbara G. Walker
Possession: A Romance by A. S. Byatt
The Woman Warrior; China Men by Maxine Hong Kingston
Fat! So? Because You Don't Have to Apologize for Your Size! by Marilyn Wann
Living History by Hillary Rodham Clinton
The Triumph of Discovery: Women Who Won the Nobel Prize by Joan Dash
Women Artists: Works from the National Museum of Women in the Arts by Nancy Heller
With Courage and Cloth: Winning the Fight for a Woman's Right to Vote by Ann Bausum
Talking Back: Thinking Feminist, Thinking Black by Bell Hooks
No Small Courage: A History of Women in the United States edited by Nancy F. Cott
Baghdad Burning II: More Girl Blog From Iraq by Riverbend
Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
I Have Chosen to Stay and Fight by Margaret Cho
The Complete Poems of Emily Jane Bronte by Emily Bronte
The Collected Poems of Audre Lorde by Audre Lorde
The Collected Poetry of Nikki Giovanni by Nikki Giovanni
Phenomenal Women: Four Poems Celebrating Women by Maya Angelou
Maya Angelou: Poetry for Young People edited by Edwin Graves Wilson
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan
The Awakening by Kate Chopin

Please add to this list. I'll then share it with Ms. Noble.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Women's History Month Books

From time to time throughout the month, I will list a few books for Women's History Month. A teacher just showed me one I had not seen before. It is Rabble Rousers: Twenty American Women Who Made a Difference by Cheryl Harness (2003).

Try also -
Amelia to Zora: Twenty-Six Women Who Changed the World by Cynthia Chin-Lee (2005)

Girls Think of Everything: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women by Catherine Thimmesh (2000)

Let It Shine: Stories of Black Women Freedom Fighters by Andrea Davis Pinkney (2000)

The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights by Russell Freedman (2004)

Please share your suggestions!

Sunday, March 9, 2008

First Woman to Win Pulitzer

Writer Edith Wharton was the first woman to win a Pulitzer Prize, awarded to her in 1921 for The Age of Innocence. Born to an established New York family in 1862, Wharton's books chronicled the society in which she lived, often mocking the absurdities of trading one's true self for wealth and position. In all Wharton wrote more than 40 volumes, consisting of novels, short stories, poetry and non-fiction. She received the French Legion of Honor for her work during World War I, and an honorary doctorate from Yale in 1923, the first woman to do so.

Wharton's best known works include:

The House of Mirth (1905)
Ethan Frome (1911)
Summer (1917)
The Age of Innocence (1920)
Old New York (1924)

Which of her works have touched you?


Sunday, March 2, 2008

The Last Great Race

It is called "The Last Great Race on Earth," and it began today in earnest -- Iditarod XXXVI. Following yesterday's ceremonial start in Anchorage, ninety-six mushers and their teams of between 12 and 16 dogs began the 1150 mile, 10 to 17 day journey to Nome.

The official Iditarod website has race stats, video, photos, and lots of teacher resources. I was one of 12 applicants for Teacher on the Trail, and although I was not chosen this time, just the process of applying increased my awe of and respect for the men, women and dogs who participate each year in running the race and supporting those who do run it.

Join the excitement of the race by reading an Iditarod themed book.