From financial advice to a dissection of the Southernisms you picked up from Grandma, these new books from female authors are just what you need to finish out 2019 strong.
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“Invisible Women: Exposing Data Bias in a World Designed for Men” by Caroline Criado Perez
Read this if: you’ve ever wondered why kitchen cabinets are built so high
“Because so much data fails to take into account gender, because it treats men as the default and women as atypical, bias and discrimination are baked into our systems. And women pay tremendous costs for this bias, in time, money and often with their lives.
Celebrated feminist advocate Caroline Criado Perez investigates the shocking root cause of gender inequality and research in ‘Invisible Women,’ diving into women’s lives at home, the workplace, the public square, the doctor’s office and more. Built on hundreds of studies in the U.S., the U.K. and around the world, and written with energy, wit and sparkling intelligence, this is a groundbreaking, unforgettable exposé that will change the way you look at the world.”
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“Fifty Things That Aren’t My Fault” by Cathy Guisewite
Read this if: you never miss the Sunday funnies
“From the creator of the iconic ‘Cathy’ comic strip comes her first collection of funny, wise, poignant and incredibly honest essays about being a woman in what she lovingly calls ‘the panini generation.'”
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“Thick” by Tressie McMillan Cottom
Read this if: you’re looking to validate your own experiences or learn about others’
“In eight highly praised treatises on beauty, media, money and more, Tressie McMillan Cottom — award-winning professor and acclaimed author of ‘Lower Ed’ — is unapologetically ‘thick’: deemed ‘thick where I should have been thin, more where I should have been less,’ McMillan Cottom refuses to shy away from blending the personal with the political, from bringing her full self and voice to the fore of her analytical work. ‘Thick’ ‘transforms narrative moments into analyses of whiteness, black misogyny and status-signaling as means of survival for black women’ (Los Angeles Review of Books) with ‘writing that is as deft as it is amusing’ (Darnell L. Moore).”
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“Clever Girl Finance: Ditch Debt, Save Money and Build Real Wealth” by Bola Sokunbi
Read this if: you’re working on paying down debt
“Join the ranks of thousands of smart and savvy women who have turned to money expert and author Bola Sokunbi for guidance on ditching debt, saving money and building real wealth. Sokunbi, the force behind the hugely popular Clever Girl Finance website, draws on her personal money mistakes and financial redemption to educate and empower a new generation of women on their journey to financial freedom. Lighthearted and accessible, ‘Clever Girl Finance’ encourages women to talk about money and financial wellness and shows them how to navigate their own murky financial waters and come out afloat on the other side.”
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“Southern Lady Code” by Helen Ellis
Read this if: you’re Southern by nature (or by choice)
“The bestselling author of ‘American Housewife’ (‘Dark, deadpan and truly inventive.’ -The New York Times Book Review) is back with a fiercely funny collection of essays on marriage and manners, thank-you notes and three-ways, ghosts, gunshots, gynecology and the Calgon-scented, onion-dipped, monogrammed art of living as a Southern lady.”
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“How to Skimm Your Life” by theSkimm
Read this if: you’re at least ready to try to get your act together
“It might seem like everyone you know took secret classes on budgeting, owning their career and choosing the right wine — and you were sick that day. Enter: ‘How to Skimm Your Life.’
With theSkimm’s trademark mix of real talk, humor and inspirational messaging, this book gives you the information you need to make informed and empowered decisions in your life. Covering everything from personal finance, to career, to stress management, global politics and more, ‘How to Skimm Your Life’ breaks down some of the less glamorous parts of adulting.”
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“Maybe You Should Talk to Someone” by Lori Gottlieb
Read this if: there’s a healthy mix of laughter and tears in your life
“From a New York Times best-selling author, psychotherapist and national advice columnist, a hilarious, thought-provoking and surprising new book that takes us behind the scenes of a therapist’s world — where her patients are looking for answers (and so is she).”
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“Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered” by Karen Kilgariff and Georgia Hardstark
Read this if: you love true crime series and staying alive
“Sharing never-before-heard stories ranging from their struggles with depression, eating disorders and addiction, Karen and Georgia [the voices behind the hit podcast ‘My Favorite Murder’] irreverently recount their biggest mistakes and deepest fears, reflecting on the formative life events that shaped them into two of the most followed voices in the nation.
In ‘Stay Sexy & Don’t Get Murdered,’ Karen and Georgia focus on the importance of self-advocating and valuing personal safety over being ‘nice’ or ‘helpful.’ They delve into their own pasts, true crime stories and beyond to discuss meaningful cultural and societal issues with fierce empathy and unapologetic frankness.”
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“I’m Telling the Truth, But I’m Lying” by Bassey Ikpi
Read this if: you’re working through your own relationship with mental health
“In ‘I’m Telling the Truth, But I’m Lying,’ Bassey Ikpi breaks open our understanding of mental health by giving us intimate access to her own. Exploring shame, confusion, medication and family in the process, Bassey looks at how mental health impacts every aspect of our lives — how we appear to others, and more importantly to ourselves — and challenges our preconception about what it means to be ‘normal.’ Viscerally raw and honest, the result is an exploration of the stories we tell ourselves to make sense of who we are — and the ways, as honest as we try to be, each of these stories can also be a lie.”
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“(It’s Great to) Suck at Something” by Karen Rinaldi
Read this if: you need a pick-me-up after plan C fell through
“Coupling honest, hilarious storytelling with unexpected insights, ‘(It’s Great to) Suck at Something’ is an invitation to embrace our shortcomings as the very best of who we are and to open ourselves up to adventure, where we may not find what we thought we were looking for, but something way more important.”
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“Because Internet: Understanding the New Rules of Language” by Gretchen McCulloch
Read this if: you’ve ever been laughed at for your perfectly punctuated texts
“Even the most absurd-looking slang has genuine patterns behind it. Internet linguist Gretchen McCulloch explores the deep forces that shape human language and influence the way we communicate with one another. She explains how your first social internet experience influences whether you prefer ‘LOL’ or ‘lol,’ why ~sparkly tildes~ succeeded where centuries of proposals for irony punctuation had failed, what emoji have in common with physical gestures and how the artfully disarrayed language of animal memes like lolcats and doggo made them more likely to spread.”
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“The Conscious Closet: The Revolutionary Guide to Looking Good While Doing Good” by Elizabeth L. Cline
Read this if: fast fashion has lost its appeal
“‘The Conscious Closet’ is not just a style guide. It is a call to action to transform one of the most polluting industries on earth — fashion — into a force for good. Readers will learn where our clothes are made and how they’re made, before connecting to a global and impassioned community of stylish fashion revolutionaries. In ‘The Conscious Closet,’ Elizabeth Cline shows us how we can start to truly love and understand our clothes again—without sacrificing the environment, our morals or our style in the process.”
Just a reminder: Although we included links to purchase the above books, the Central Arkansas Library System is amazing and we strongly suggest using it to your advantage!
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