Women's Literature

Qiuyuan is the debut work of Chinese amateur author Yang Benfen, written at the age of 80. Centered on the life of the author's mother Liang Qiufang (nicknamed Qiuyuan), it tells the story of an ordinary Chinese woman who lived through war, famine, and political upheaval throughout the 20th century. This is a moving work about women, memory, and history, as well as a heartfelt retrieval of the countless Chinese women lost to history.

The courage to escape the cage of 'good woman' and 'good mother' and live according to one's own truth. A soulful memoir by an author who overcame years of addiction and a painful marriage to find true love and freedom, empowering women worldwide.

Convenience Store Woman is an Akutagawa Prize-winning novel by Japanese author Sayaka Murata. The protagonist, Keiko Furukura, is a 36-year-old woman who has worked at the same convenience store for 18 years and has no interest in society's expectations for women - marriage, children, a 'real' career. With dark humor, the novel sharply questions society's definition of 'normal' and its oppression of women who don't conform.

Thirty-four years after 'The Handmaid's Tale,' Margaret Atwood delivers a stunning sequel following the collapse of the Republic of Gilead through the perspectives of three different women. It depicts how the fires of resistance are lit from within an oppressed regime and how absolute power eventually crumbles.

A sweeping historical novel set on the Korean island of Jeju, following the intersecting fates of two female divers over several decades. From the Japanese colonial era through the Korean War and into the present, the story depicts the resilient lives, solidarity, and ultimate forgiveness of women caught in the tides of history.

Yashica Dutt extends the language of “coming out” to caste, tracing concealment, shame, mobility, and the politics of public identity.

Greta Gerwig's 'Little Women' reinterprets Louisa May Alcott's classic novel from a contemporary feminist perspective, exploring 19th-century women's struggles between artistic creation, economic independence, and social expectations, breathing new life into the classic story.

A biographical drama about 19th-century French writer Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette's growth and awakening. Keira Knightley brilliantly portrays this pioneering female writer who challenged gender norms, fought for authorial credit, and explored gender fluidity in her legendary life.

Feminism isn't just about women kicking ass - it's also about allowing us the freedom to be who we want. For the protagonist sisters in Gillian Armstrong's adaptation of Louisa May Alcott's novel, that means a writer, a musician, a housewife, and a free spirit.

An Ohio State teaching video introduces Heian court literature through Murasaki Shikibu and Sei Shōnagon. It is an accessible orientation, best paired with close reading on language, class, and historical difference.