Forum / New novels by women writers

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    Ann Bogle
    Oct 14, 02:42am

    Please recommend new novels by women writers for me to read. These must be easy to read. The pages must wish to turn.

    An example of one of those for me is Mary Gaitskill's _Veronica_, Alice Munro's _Runaway_ (long short stories), and Louise Redd's _Playing the Bones_ and _Hangover Soup_. (Singular stet)

    I have no clue what is out there. I have no Kindle or Nook. I haven't tried to read on one of those except my seat neighbor's vacant writing on the plane. I spied on it from the side of my eyes. There was no indication on the screen page of author or title.

    I will put off reading great books for a while. My life hurts. Suggestions for reading might include books that whet an appetite for life. There is a temptation to read how-to's. Are there recent women's novels that are how-to's?

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    Robert Vaughan
    Oct 14, 03:10am

    I loved Wendy C. Ortiz- Excavation (memoir); Laura VanDenBerg's The Isle of Youth (short stories); Ellen Bass- Like A Beggar (poetry); Roxane Gay- Bad Feminist (essays). Not novels, mind you...but all worthy reading!!!

    In the how-to's did you ever read Kay Redfield Jamison's An Unquiet Mind? Also a wonderful read.

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    Sandy Ebner
    Oct 14, 04:20am

    Jo Jo Moyes, Tana French, M.L. Stedman (The Light between Oceans), Zoe Ferraris (her novels are set in Saudi Arabia/ 'City of Veils' is a good one to start with). You might also try The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh, although it's a couple of years old.

    I'm with Robert re Bad Feminist. It's phenomenal.

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    Henry Standing Bear
    Oct 16, 05:32pm

    Pretty much anything new by Kelly Link, Aimee Bender, Karen Russell, Christine Schutt, or Lorrie Moore, and I second Robert on Wendy's book. It's pretty amazing.

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    Mathew Paust
    Oct 16, 07:22pm

    I just bought Marilynne Robinson's "Lila" based on Leslie Jamison's review in The Atlantic. Will start reading it when my notebook gets back from the shop. http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2014/10/the-power-of-grace/379334/

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    Ann Bogle
    Oct 17, 09:28pm

    Thanks for these ideas. I am asking on Fb as well and keeping a list.

    Lila appeals. Matthew, let me know as you get into it. There's another ABR nominee called Unnecessary Woman (by a male author about a 72-yr-old woman in Beirut) that I am considering.

    Robert, yes, terrific nonfiction, I agree.

    Thanks, Sandy, for your short list. Thanks, Sheldon.

    Oh, this looks so good. I cannot wait until I find Her/The writers that will instill new love for me in fiction writing as a phenomenon.

    Thanks, keep 'em coming.

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    J.A. Pak
    Oct 20, 02:49am

    Ann, I've started reading Helene Wecker's The Golem and the Jinni and am really enjoying it.

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