March is designated as Women’s History Month, which started as Women’s History Week back in 1981. In 1987, it became a month-long celebration of the contributions women have made to the United States and recognition of the specific achievements of women in a variety of fields.
I enjoy reading about women who have made history, overcoming the obstacles of their time, and often bending gender roles far beyond the breaking point. We so often hear about the men of history that, even in historical fiction, I often gravitate to the stories about women. I have a special interest in the World War II era and the women of the resistance, those who filled critical roles for the military, such as the Women Airforce Service Pilots, and those who kept the country producing and functioning on the home front.
I’ve put together a list of recently published titles that look intriguing. From the daring adventures of Amelia Earhart and stunt performer Helen Gibson to Dolly Parton and Malala, who overcame childhoods of poverty or oppression, we have some interesting new titles for my to-be-read list. Hopefully, you’ll find some interesting ones, too!
-Janet
Books about women who've made history, some recently and some a while ago. These first appeared in the Book Beat column in the March issue of The Messenger.
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