Sponsored by Bookish Broads by Lauren Marino.
Women have written some of our most extraordinary literary works while living in societies and cultures that tried to silence them. This book celebrates fierce, trailblazing female writers, reworking the literary canon that has long failed to recognize these immense contributions. Featuring more than 50 brilliant bookish broads, Marino cleverly illuminates the lives of the greats as well as the literary talents history has wrongfully overlooked. Each intimate portrait delves into one woman’s works and is accompanied by vibrant illustrations depicting each literary legend in her element and time.
WHAT’S Galentine’s Day? “Oh, it’s only the best day of the year. Every February 13th, my lady friends and I leave our husbands and our boyfriends at home, and we just come and kick it, breakfast-style.”
Speaking as someone who is categorically NOT invited to her wife’s Galentine’s Day celebrations, I can say that romantic partners in general are left at home, not just the dudely ones. I’m assuming if Amy Poehler were creating this episode today, she’d maybe make it a little less, how do we say, heteronormative, but Galentine’s Day is truly the best and the fact it was immediately embraced by the world shows how much we needed it. SO LET’S LOOK AT SOME LADY FRIENDSHIP BOOKS.
Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow and Ann Friedman
Of course, of COURSE I have to start with this one. Hosts of the Call Your Girlfriend podcast write about the “Big Friendship” that has been part of their lives for the last decade. “They have weathered life-threatening health scares, getting fired from their dream jobs, and one unfortunate Thanksgiving dinner eaten in a car in a parking lot in Rancho Cucamonga.” They interview others about their deep friendships and find common themes, like choosing to continue to be there for each other time after time. YAY FRIENDSHIP.
Text Me When You Get Home: The Evolution and Triumph of Modern Female Friendship by Kayleen Schaefer
Haha this title hits me right in the feels (do people still say that??) every time. It’s such a THING. Like, think about people in the distant future where violence against women is somehow not a thing seeing that and being like, oh wow, they liked to text each other back in the day. And then you have to add in all the CONTEXT about it meaning “I care about you and what happens to you and making sure you get home okay.” Anyway! This is a book about friendship between women and why it is great.
Between Women: Friendship, Desire, and Marriage in Victorian England by Sharon Marcus
The description for this opens with “Women in Victorian England wore jewelry made from each other’s hair and wrote poems celebrating decades of friendship.” I mean. Do you need anything else? Okay, it also talks about Victorian sexual relationships between women, as well as longterm “partnerships described as marriages.” This one’s a bit more academic, so be forewarned, but also — get into it.
In Search of The Color Purple: The Story of an American Masterpiece by Salamishah Tillet
I picked this one because of this VICE article by Tarisai Ngangura entitled “‘In Search of The Color Purple’ and Why Black Women Look For Each Other,” which says “[i]n going back to rediscover The Color Purple, Tillet gives readers a look into the thoughts of Black women of that era who embraced the book as a personal and public statement of their most intimate desires and pains.” It’s intergenerational, artistic friendship. If that makes sense. This book also JUST came out last month, so #2021NewRead.
That’s it for this week! Happy Galentine’s Day to all! For more nonfiction new releases, check out the For Real podcast which I co-host with the excellent Kim here at Book Riot. If you have any questions/comments/book suggestions, you can find me on social media @itsalicetime. Until next time, enjoy those facts, fellow nerds.