10 novels by female authors that you just can’t miss

I will never forget the first time that a book “of words” fell into my hands. That time comes in the life of all girls, when the picture books give way to the stories, which enrich our mind and make us grow in all senses.

From that day onwards, literature and poetry turned into something fundamental in my life: they nourish me, they make me dream. At the end of each day reading a few lines is an exercise that helps keep my mind alive. Perhaps that is why I love telling stories so much and sharing them.

When you first become an avid reader, there are certain classics that pass through your hands. There is always someone who tells you that “you just can’t put that book down”, because its story has become a benchmark, or because its author did something more than just write a book: they helped change the society in which they lived when they published their work.

So, the search for classic books by female authors became an enriching exercise. Not only because of their storylines, but also because of when they were written, what it meant in their era and what it has meant in history.

That is why today I have chosen 10 novels by female authors for you, out of all my favourites, which you just have to read. Don’t miss out!

10 novels by female authors

– Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen

This literary work has become, without a doubt, a reference point in any literary circle. Its author, Jane Austen, wrote about situations of women of her time. And this love story is, simply, a master piece. Moreover, one interesting fact is that although its author published various books, on the title pages of her novels she wrote “By a Lady” and it wasn’t until after her death that they were published with her real name. If you haven’t read it yet, what are you waiting for?

– The Help, Kathryn Stockett

This novel, through three narrators, describes the lives of African American maids in the American South and their relationship with well-off white families. Its three main characters, with different situations and job positions, feel that the constraints imposed on them by their city and their times limit and crush them. It is one of the most popular literary works of recent times, published in 2009.

–The Diary of Anne Frank, Anne Frank

The most eye-opening thing about this book is that it is not fiction, it is a true story. Anne Frank was a Jewish girl who had to hide away from the Nazis, during the occupation of the Netherlands in 1942. In her diary she wrote about what happened in the “secret annex”, which is where she was hidden. This true story, which her father published, is one of the most well-known war diaries and it has become a book that just has to be read, at least once in your lifetime.

– Gone with the Wind, Margaret Mitchell

I am sure that if you hear those mythical words that “Miss Scarlett” used to say, you will know what I am talking about. Its author, who grew up in Atlanta (the city that the story is set in), was a woman who was encouraged by her own family to have an education and be perseverant. Although it is her only book, it has become one of those classics that, generation after generation, is still recommended as a master piece. In fact, it won the Pullitzer prize in 1937, and it is one of best-selling novels of all time. A classic that you can’t miss.

–Little Women, Louisa May Alcott

The novel is about the lives of four women, each of them distinguished for having a different character. It is a reflection of the life of women of the period in which its author lived, about how women thought. It is another one of those novels that must be read, at least, once in your lifetime.

The author of this novel was a very active person socially and politically, she spoke out against slavery and in favour of women’s suffrage. Furthermore, to be able to discuss “prohibited” matters, such as incest or adultery, she published a series of novels and tales to deal with them, under the pseudonym A.M. Barnard.

If you haven’t read it yet, put it on your list. You will love it.

–Manolito Gafotas, Elvira Lindo

Manolito gafotas (Manolito Four-Eyes) has become the iconic book for many people, who read it when they were young (or not so young). Its main character, who you can empathize with, talks about what his life is like in a district of Carabanchel alto (Madrid), together with his parents, his grandfather and “the idiot”, which is the name he gives his brother.

Its author, Lindo, wrote 8 novels of this saga and she was awarded the Premio Nacional de Literatura Infantil y Juvenil (National Children’s and Young People’s Literature Award). Not only is it a book for the little ones, it is undoubtedly a delight for older readers too, because it takes you back to your childhood. And it is very funny!

–Mary Poppins, Pamela Lyndon Travers

Who has never heard of Mary Poppins, that bubbly nanny and her magic bag? The author of the book moved to England in 1924, where she published her work under the pseudonym P.L. Travers. Walt Disney got in touch with her to buy the rights of this legendary character, to use them in a film.

The book is funny, complete and a real classic, one that you just can’t put down. In fact, the author was appointed for the “Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, by Queen Elizabeth II, for her contributions to literature.

– A Room of One’s Own, Virginia Woolf

Woolf was a British writer; she is thought to be one of the best thanks to her literary work and her contributions to feminism. In her work, including A Room of One’s Own, which is one of my favourites, she exposed women’s difficulties. She discussed the writer Jane Austen, who never had her own room to write in.

It is one of those essential reads to understand how women, like Austen, lived in their times, trying to adapt to their circumstances and struggling with restrictive societies. It is highly recommendable.

– Uncle Tom’s Cabin, Harriet Beecher Stowe

Some books are capable of moving you; touching your most sensitive fibre. And this book, undoubtedly, is one of those that has moved me the most emotionally. It is a key book to understand slavery, it was published in 1851. It is about a rich land owner who had to sell his best slave, Tom. Destiny put him in charge of the other slaves in a cotton plantation, where they were mistreated. His refusal to accept this new role, the human feelings and so many other ethical and moral lessons that are questioned in this great literary work, will definitely make you shed a few tears.

–Mary Poppins, Pamela Lyndon Travers

Who has never heard of Mary Poppins, that bubbly nanny and her magic bag? The author of the book moved to England in 1924, where she published her work under the pseudonym P.L. Travers. Walt Disney got in touch with her to buy the rights of this legendary character, to use them in a film.

The book is funny, complete and a real classic, one that you just can’t put down. In fact, the author was appointed for the “Most Excellent Order of the British Empire”, by Queen Elizabeth II, for her contributions to literature.

Indeed, literature certainly opens up doors to other worlds and these authors with their work have definitely made the world a better place. The Jane collection is a tribute to the best female writers, to literature. It is a collection that is full of love and stories, for dreamers just like you. If you still haven’t seen it, now you can by clicking here. What do you think about it?

And if you want to have a look to the collection inspired in writers and literatura, just click here!

And you, what are your favourite books? Tell me, I am reading. ?

Anekke