New book group. Focus is women. Recommend a book please

[DoItTooJulia]

It's not my group, but we are meeting for the first time next week.

I've read the first book, but we need recommendations for subsequent books.

I loved American Wife and would like to recommend something in that vein. I've looked at her new novel, sistersland, but the reviews aren't great. Any ideas?

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

The Handmaid's Tale

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

The Yellow Wallpaper

The Bell Jar

The Woman in White

[DoItTooJulia]

Ah, Remus how am ya?

I've read Handmaid's Tale, and I love it ( and all Atwood).

Never fancied the Bell Jar, but I will check it out.

The other two I've not heard of....will check them out.

Thanks!

[ProfondoRosso]

Three Strong Women (Trois femmes puissantes in the original French) by Marie NDiaye, an awesome French-Senegalese writer who has produced lots of amazing stuff, and she's only in her 40s.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Am good, ta! :)

If you liked The H's Tale, you'd probably like Bell Jar tbh.

The Woman in White is magnificent. The Yellow Wallpaper is a short story and is superb.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Another fantastic read, this time based on real events, is Isabel Allende's, 'Paula' about the death of her (adult) daughter. Sublime.

[DoItTooJulia]

Loved Paula too!

Three Strong Women sounds interesting too.

Thank you!

[JeanSeberg]

Angela Carter
Jeanette Winterson
Sylvia Plath
Virginia Woolf

[lilystem]

The future homemakers of America -
Laurie graham.

I also just read 2 other novels that we're fab but can't remember the names. One was about a woman who helped on the slave escape route. Think it was by Tracy chevalier. The other one was about the servants in pride and prejudice Both v v good.

[TheGirlOnTheLanding]

The Sealed Letter by Emma Donaghue (I know I've recommended it on here before but I like to be consistent!) about a divorce case in Victorian London - really interesting about the rights (or lack if them) of married women.

Mr Wroe's Virgins by Jane Rogers - about a mid century religious sect, and the relationships between the women the cult leader took as his 'wives'.

Oh and of course. The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie by Muriel Spark. Although that's girls more than women.

[Germanwife]

'Summer without men' by Siri Hustvedt.
'The Women' by TC Boyle -- a real page turner about the women who inspired the architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
'The Robber Bride' or 'Cat's eye' by Margaret Attwood. Again, page turners! Sorry, am cradling sleeping DS otherwise I would type up a summary of each but all the books are about relationships between women.

[Germanwife]

Oh and, 'revolutionary road' by Richard Yates. It's more about marriage but has a strong commentary on the role and opportunities for women in 1950s America.

[outtolunchagain]

Portrait of a lady , Henry James I red this as an A level text and the themes have stuck with me all my life

Would second the BellJar and add Frost in May by Antonia White

[outtolunchagain]

Oops sorry , obviously I read it not red it

[Loveleopardprint]

The hand that first held mine by Maggie O'Farrell. Great book.

[PestoSnowissimos]

The Little Coffee Shop of Kabul is a straightforward read, but raises a few issues that really made me think.

[DoItTooJulia]

Now, I've read some Siri Hustvedt and loved it....but I can't remember which one. off to google. Thanks!

[Destinysdaughter]

Do you only want fiction? I could recommend some good non fiction ones...

[DoItTooJulia]

No, I'm happy to suggest some non fiction. Even if the group don't go for it, I might read it!

I've been a member of a book group before and the book suggestions were all so crap, so I'm really hoping to read some good stuff this time!

[Destinysdaughter]

Ok , The good women of China by Xinran is excellent.

Shame by Jasvinder Sanghera is very good too - both very powerful and illuminating books.

[maillotjaune]

We read A Woman in Berlin for last month's book club. Easy to read but hard going subject matter, but was great for discussion and I would recommend it as the kind of book everyone should read.

[JeanSeberg]

Wild Swans?

[Destinysdaughter]

I second A Woman in Berlin. Essential reading

( not to be confused with Alone in Berlin tho )

[AppleSnow]

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

[Destinysdaughter]

Princess by Jean Sasson is a fascinating and shocking account of the life of one of the Saudi Princesses. Despite living in unimaginable luxury, her life and those of the young women around her is utterly lacking in many of the rights we take for granted here.