5 Books for Women of the World

Besides running a mile day, I set myself the goal of reading at least one book per month. So far, I have finished 5 (including 2 audio books). So, it’s safe to say I am embracing my reading goal. It’s also really got me thinking about the type of books I enjoy reading the most. Because life is too short to be reading books that let you put them down. I’m after those devour at every possible waking second, just-one-more-chapter books. I want books that make me feel. Stories that make me learn and even take me on a journey to another country, another culture, another time.

I have my favourites and it just so happens that in many of my favourite books, the protagonists are female. These stories, my favourite stories, will take you away to Afghanistan, Cambodia, The Deep South, Korea & Nigeria. The stories of these women will both trouble you & humble you, that I can assure you.

I guess it’s not a huge coincidence that my favourite charity & my favourite books have women of the world in common. These books have played a role in reminding me frequently just how lucky I am. They have opened my eyes & my mind and made room for compassion in the process. They are stories that have stayed with me and reminded me of my desire to do something for those born into less fortunate circumstances. Because let’s be honest, it’s total luck of the draw & none of us are getting out alive so why not try and make life less shitty for others if we can. It all starts with empathy. So, let’s jump right in and get empathised, shall we?

Because this is a travel blog don’t you know!

Author: Khaled Hosseini

Location: Afghanistan

Year Set:1960’s – early 2000’s

OK so there’s a high chance you’ve already read this one because it’s been around a while – and it has stood the test of time.  The story follows the lives of two women brought together under different & opposing circumstances. Khaled’s style of writing will transport you & leave you envisaging a lifestyle that seems unfathomable (and unjust) to many of us. The tale took me through a multitude of emotions as I grew attached to both female protagonists. It’s a ride you need to get on and I fully implore you to ride it again if it’s been a while.

This book has a solid 4.3 out of 5 on Good Reads from OVER 1 MILLION REVIEWS. This book is seriously popular, and for good reason. It is amazing.

Read it here.

Author: Vaddey Ratner

Location: Cambodia

Year Set:1975 – 1979

This book is so beautifully written, I kept finding myself pausing to re-read the authors metaphors & descriptions. I feel like it should be a rite of passage to read this in Cambodia when experiencing the harrowing and heart-breaking Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng.

Whilst I was discovering the truth behind what happened to the many victims of the Khmer Rouge’s genocide regime, I was reading about a young girls naïve & innocent experience throughout the years that were so detrimental to her country.

Pushed out from her wealthy city life to live in rural Cambodia, Vaddey’s true story will teach you about what was happening to the millions of Cambodians who were not being targeted for torture, but controlled by the regime. The uncertainty & confusion felt by the masses is palpable and it’s almost impossible for us to comprehend what they had to go through. A true eye opener and I cannot over-exaggerate how beautifully written this book is.

Read it here.

Author: Alice Walker

Location: Georgia, USA

Year Set: 1909 – 1949

I wish I could remember who recommended this story to me because I loved it so much. On the off chance you’re reading this, thank you thank you. In the color purple, we hear the story of a woman ‘Celie’, through her prayers to god and letters to her sister. Written in such a way that leaves you reaching for the pieces of the puzzle.

I listened to this audiobook recently and to begin with I was a bit confused. This era & part of history is not one that I am overly familiar with and admittedly, it took me a while to adapt to the use of language. When Celie talks about ‘him’ rather than using a name, it took me a while to understand that it was always the same ‘him’ she was referring to, and that when she talks about being ‘grown’ she’s talking about being pregnant.

Once I got the authors use of language down, I was hooked. An empowering story that tells the tale of an unloved women’s journey to loving herself and the empowerment that comes along with it. I found myself grinning stupidly whilst listening to parts of this tale, I felt strong emotions of pride & heartbreak for the character. Along with all of the books mentioned in this post, it made me shed a few tears.

Read it here.

Author: William Andrews

Location: Korea

Year Set: 1943 onwards

My mum recommended this book to my cousin who enjoyed it so much, she recommended it to me. I downloaded it on audible and nonchalantly walked around with this gem in my pocket for MONTHS. When I eventually listened to it I was so annoyed at myself for not consuming it earlier. I was hooked on this story. I listened to it at every possible moment and it is easily my favourite read of 2019.

Whilst the story is fictional, it’s based on true events that occurred during the Korean war and focuses on the ‘Comfort Women’ or ‘Ianfu’, as the Japanese called them. These women, who were actually young girls (from age 11 onwards), were taken from their homes under false pretexts and used as sex slaves for the Japanese military men. The resilience of these young women is astounding and again, it is impossible for many of us to grasp what they went through.

This story, shares one elderly women’s experience as she recounts her life to her granddaughter. I found parts difficult to listen to and at times it made me feel so helpless. But, I like a story that can make me feel something that powerfully and whilst there are heart-breaking moments, there are some truly beautiful moments too.

You’ll immediately want to know more about these women and like me, I’m sure you’ll be thrilled to learn this is part of a trilogy… Whhhaaaattt. I haven’t listened to the others yet in fear of overkill and disappointment, but they are on my list for 2020.

Read it here.

Author: Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Location: Nigeria / USA

Year Set: 1985 – 1999

I read this book whilst we were travelling & I couldn’t put it down. It saw me through some long journeys! Americanah follows the story of Nigerian Ifemelu and her high school sweetheart Obinze. Ifemelu eventually leaves everything she knows behind in Nigeria to attend university in the USA, where she is faced with a completely new culture and discrimination of her race for the first time. With fascinating insight into the expat world, as well as what it’s like to be the returning expat, this book taught me a lot about a culture that was completely new to me and painted a descriptive way of life in Nigeria. You may remember Adichie from such novels as ‘half a yellow sun’ and ‘the purple hibiscus’, so if you enjoyed either of these, I recommend you give this book a shot.

Read it here.

So there you have it, my top 5 book recommendations to transport you around the world. Above, I have provided the links to purchase the books on Amazon but I also listened to a few of these through audible which I highly advocate. I can feel quite sick sometimes if I’m reading on transport so being able to sit back, close my eyes and immerse myself is worth the small subscription fee. It’s also perfect for listening to on the move or in the bath, unless you’re clumsy like me and drop you phone in the bath like I did today. Woops.

Until Next Time x