Who is writing feminist novels these days? And does anyone buy them?

[nkf]

I could only really think of Sarah Hall (The Carhullan Army) among the younger novelists. And (at a very big stretch) Candance Bushnell. Yet when I thought back I could think of many older writers that I would describe as feminist.

That is a very good question nkf. When I was a student I was reading Margaret Drabble but that is a long time ago now. Wait a minute, how about Helen Simpson's short stories?

Is Simpson feminist?
Rachel Cusk maybe.

Joanna Briscoe, Charlotte Mendelson, Sarah Waters, Emma Donoghue? Maybe not as overtly feminist as some of the 70s feminist writers, but then I wonder if 'Surfacing' or 'The Women's Room' would get published these days.

I find Simpson very damning of women's position in society - emphasising how everything is stacked in men's favour. Is that what you mean by feminist?

I've only read Rachel Cusk's book of her own experience of early motherhood, not her fiction.

Extremely good question. Since becoming a mum it's all I can do to read a whole thread on mumsnet, but would like to get back into some decent reading so shall watch this thread with interest

I really enjoy the VI Warshawski series by Sara Paretsky (detective novels set in Chicago), these started in the 80s I think but a new one still comes out every couple of years.

Rachel Cusk calls herself a feminist but recently said in the grauniad that she "likes women less than she used to". And also seems to think that being a feminist= whinging about being a mother and thinking anyone who likes motherhood is delusional. What a plonker.

I heart Helen Simpson. Although I agree EW she seems wildly anti-male sometimes - that wonderful one with Dorrie in the rain at dawn - in hey yeh right get a life - are there REALLY men like that, still?

That's the Helen Simpson anthology I was thinking of, Grace.

Looking at genre fiction, Sara Paretsky is still writing, and another who explicitly defines herself as feminist is Denise Mina (and I'd agree with her definition). I know a lot of crime writers who wouldn't run a mile screaming from the definition.

I would also agree with Sarah Waters. Margaret Atwood is still writing, as is American Barbara Kingsolver and the less well known Michele Roberts.

I also think there are lots of women writers whose work is informed by feminism and others who have benefited from the eventual success of earlier generations of women writers. And for example there are books which are succesful and widely read which are very much about women and which have some kind of feminist perspective even if their authors are not known as feminist writers. Examples include Chimamanda Ngozie Adichie (author of Purple Hibiscus and Half of a Yellow Sun).

Interesting that someone else mentioned Paretsky while I was composing my last post.

Am I the only one bored to tears by Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible?

Oh, elasticwoman, really? Loved it.
I think of Kate Atkinson as feminist.

I love Kate Atkinson. But the Poisonwood Bible - turgid! You knew from the first time you read about the father of the family that he was a Hypocrite and would come to a Bad End. It's been done so many times before.

Elkie - yes Sara Paretsky is the bee's knees imho

Elasticwoman - god no. I know I've read that book but can't for the life of me remember what it was about. Must have blanked it out.

Is Jeannette Winterson still writing? She's got a fruit and veg shop near my office now but I've never seen her in it, so maybe she's still in her garret typing away...

bet she doesn't only sell oranges in her fruit shop.

JW as a greengrocer is quite surreal

Doris Lessing is still writing, and still selling & being feted, of course; though she has a complex take on feminism & prob. wouldn't want to be used as a poster-lady.

I think the real place to look for the sort of power & intensity that feminist writing had a generation or so ago is Third World women's writing. Which is not going to be your trad Anglo-American feminism but is the current equivalent revelation of female experience thing. And I can think of masses of women in that category.

ooh lord what was that latest dl one called........the cleft or something......lordy. agree about non first world fiction though

lol gracepaley - I went in with my mate to buy oranges when it first opened, we were really hoping to be the first to crack that joke with Jeanette, like I said she wasn't there, we just looked like a pair of divs with loads of oranges.

Been having a bit of an internal crisis with my own (post-? heaven forbid)feminism lately, since becoming a mum. First, my own (rad feminist, lesbian) mother was monumentally unsupportive when she found out I was preggers. She has improved muchly since and is a lovely granny but still seems to struggle to share her own experiences of motherhood with me, like it's something a bit icky and embarrassing that happened to her once. Second, I read "What Mothers Do" by Naomi Stadlen, I found it a fascinating and really important read but the chapter "What is motherly love?" contains a fairly damning indictment of feminist literature about motherhood (although she's so blooming polite and inclusive that you have to read between the lines to interpret it as antifeminist). Third, Rachel Cusk in the Guardian the other week books.guardian.co.uk/departments/biography/story/0,,2267177,00.html really pissed me off, I thought she was drivelling, self obsessed and downright rude about other women.

All this has made me question whether it's possible to be a feminist and to put your all into, and enjoy being, a mum. Which I hate to say it leaves me questioning whether I can call myself a feminist at all! Can anyone say something to help me back into the fold??

Oh rod, I agree with everything you say, esp. irritation with Rachel Cusk.

My take on feminism and motherhood is: if you enjoy what you do, and have respect for your own choices, and expect other people to have respect for them too, then you're a feminist.

Oh Rachel cusk is not a feminist she hates most women

Oh Rachel cusk is not a feminist she hates most women

Don't leave us, rodformyownback! I thought Stadlen's critique was unfair and unrepresentative, actually. I don't think it's true that all feminists are negative about motherhood. Though, um, am struggling to think of examples at this time of night. Oh, what about Anne Roiphe's book on motherhood? I particularly loved the bit where she talked about how motherhood had rescued her from a lifetime habit of depressed introspection.

Rachel Cusk is just annoying. I hate it when women who don't enjoy motherhood pretend that there's something Stepfordesque about women who say they do.

the quest for positive feminist writing on motherhood is going to keep me awake all night now...

Thank you wombyn comrades! I feel reinvigorated already.

I haven't heard of Anne Roiphe but will def get hold of her book and read it. I think I could relate to that! Shame motherhood didn't do the same for Ms Cusk...

Thank you wombyn comrades! I feel reinvigorated already.

I haven't heard of Anne Roiphe but will def get hold of her book and read it. I think I could relate to that! Shame motherhood didn't do the same for Ms Cusk...

"All this has made me question whether it's possible to be a feminist and to put your all into, and enjoy being, a mum. Which I hate to say it leaves me questioning whether I can call myself a feminist at all! Can anyone say something to help me back into the fold??"

why?

why do you question it?

why can't you be a feminist and enjoy motherhood?

Aefondkiss, I'm not saying you can't be! I want to be a feminist. I've called myself a feminist since I can remember (thanks mum!). Just as I said on my orig post about this, I've been disappointed recently by mothers who call themselves feminists (namely my own mother and Rachel Cusk) and inspired by someone who doesn't (Naomi Stadlen). Not having immersed myself in feminist literature for some years I feel unable to give a coherent explanation of why in the face of this I will still call myself a feminist. I'm asking for help here!!!