8 Books to Celebrate Sisterhood
International Women's Day may have passed, but here at Wanderlette, it's a year long celebration! And what better way to celebrate than sharing stories about the transformative power of sisterhood. Like many other girls with an insatiable thirst for knowledge, books were a formative part of my growing up. I remember elementary school me hoarding all of the Junie B. Jones books in my school library. Or high school me finishing the captivating words of Angela Davis’s autobiography in mere days. It's within these stories that I learned empathy, activism, and the importance of connection. With that, I was able to apply it to my real life. Through my adult life, that still rings true. Here are 8 books that continue to help us improve our idea of self and sisterhood:
The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X.R. Pan (Paranormal Fiction)
Despite its young protagonist, this is a mature story about the transcending relationship between a mother and daughter. It’s great for exploring the self and its connection to others after truth and tragedy.
The Joy Luck Club by Amy Tran (Fiction)
Another multigenerational gem! This story follows four families who lay roots in a new country in hopes of their daughters’ bright futures. This is great for exploring the intricate bonds of mothers, daughters, and friends.
Big Friendship: How We Keep Each Other Close by Aminatou Sow & Ann Friedman (Autobiography)
A real-life recounting of the authors’ first decade of friendship together. Read this to explore the ups and downs of female bonds being formed, challenged, and preserved.
Pussy: A Reclamation by Regena Thomashauer (Self-help)
This book teaches about the source of feminine power and how to use it. Pick this up if you want to reconnect with your body and truths while also getting the tools to be unapologetically you!
Women Who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype by Clarissa Pinkola Estés (Self-help)
This book digs into the female unconscious (female psyche) through the telling of multicultural myth and folklore. This is great for reconnecting with the healthy and instinctual attributes of the “wild woman archetype”.
Like a Mother: A Feminist Journey Through the Science and Culture of Pregnancy by Angela Garbes (Memoir)
This is a candid retelling of the author’s struggle to navigate pregnancy freely, without judgement. This is great for exploring a mother’s journey in discovering her body and self in a world that puts us under a microscope.
Sula by Toni Morrison (Fiction)
This story is a staple in black feminist literary criticism! It follows two young black women through their diverging paths of womanhood. Great for exploring the complexities of chosen sisterhood and societal expectations of women.
Sabrina & Corina by Kali Fajardo-Anstine (Short Stories)
This is a collection of stories centered around latina women and their journey through their indigenous ancestry. Read this to survey the unrelenting feminine power and (somewhat) universal experiences of women.
I have so many other books in my arsenal that I just couldn’t fit above so here are some honorable mentions:
The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker
The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio
Sister Love: The Letters of Audre Lorde and Pat Parker 1974-1989 by Julie R. Enszer
And Now We Have Everything: On Motherhood Before I Was Ready By Meaghan O’Connell
Under Western Eyes: Feminist Scholarship and Colonial Discourses by Chandra Talpade Mohanty
What are your favorite books about sisterhood? Let us know in the comments below!
Jaleigh Croft
She/Her
Jaleigh Croft is the Community Manager at Wanderlette. She creates content surrounding womxn's rights and movements while focusing on personal wellbeing and issues in identity development. She graduated from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a specialization in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's studies, and is constantly working towards making space more inclusive for womxn, POC, and LGBTQ+ individuals.