Sanora Babb (April 21, 1907 – December 31, 2005) was an American novelist, short story writer, and poet best known for the rediscovered novel of the Dust Bowl days, Whose Names are Unknown. It was written in the 1930s but went unpublished until 2004.
While living in Southern California during the Great Depression of the 1930s, Babb learned of the plight of the Dust Bowl migrants. She began working for the Farm Security Administration (FSA), taking detailed, copious notes about the lives of migrants.
Babb aimed to write a novel based on the notes, hoping that it would foster sympathy and understanding for the plight of migrant workers. Read More→
Toni Cade Bambara (born Miltona Mirkin Cade, March 25, 1939 – December 9, 1995) was a writer, civil rights activist, teacher, and documentary film-maker.
Well known for her 1980 novel The Salt Eaters, she was also hugely influential in the Black liberation and feminist movements. Her writing was inspired by the Black communities in which she lived and worked. She was concerned with injustice and oppression in general and of Black people in particular. Read More→
Bessie Amelia Emery Head (July 6, 1937 – April 17, 1986) was a novelist, journalist, and poet born in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. She later left for Serowe, Botswana, and became an established literary figure across these two countries’ borders.
This overview of the life and work of Bessie Head is an introduction to this notable literary figure who was instrumental in gaining a more international voice for African peoples. Read More→
So many books, so little time … especially since so many new and noteworthy books by women are published each year. But let’s not forget those who came before. There are a plethora of 20th-century women novelists whose works deserve to be rediscovered and read; here are a dozen of them.
This list is a small sampling of a treasure trove of women authors who were widely read in their lifetimes, yet have been somewhat forgotten — and shouldn’t be! This selection of 20th-century writers are worthy of rediscovery if you haven’t read them for a while, or to discover for the first time if they’re new to you.
You may also enjoy Bustle’s list of overlooked classic novels by women. Read More→
This essay is excerpted from “An Unreasonably Deep Analysis of Goodnight Moon: On Finding (or Creating) Meaning in Dreams” by Eponynonymous.
My daughter used to fight sleep like grim death. Every night as she was dozing off, she would suddenly recoil, bouncing back from that hypnagogic state with flailing arms and banshee screams. It was as if she saw what lay on the other side of sleep and what she saw was death. Oblivion. I don’t think the analogy is too dramatic.
To a baby, bedtime really is a little death. Her sense of self is tenuous, her dreams not so easily distinguished from reality, and her mind freighted with new experiences that some psychologists say have the effect of slowing time. As it was, my daughter came to recognize those grim portents of sleep, and one of them was Goodnight Moon. Read More→
This roundup of intriguing personal essays celebrates Jane Austen’s life and legacy, and the unique place she holds in literary history.
In 2025, the year of Jane Austen‘s 250th birthday, her influence and talent have been recognized far and wide. Unusually for a woman of her time (she was born in 1775) her talent was recognized early on and taken seriously by her entire family.
Despite the popular portrayal of her as all charm and modesty, Jane was a writer and observer in full mastery of her gifts. She cared deeply about getting published and being read, despite myths to the contrary. Six exquisite novels crafted with compassion, humor, and insight into the travails of the sexes and social classes assured her lofty position in literary history.
Read More→
In 1838, Sarah and Angelina Grimké were likely the best-known — and most hated — women in the United States. Both published extensively, including essays and pamphlets promoting abolition and women’s rights.
Arm in Arm: The Grimké Sisters’ Fight for Abolition and Women’s Rights by Angelica Shirley Carpenter (Zest Books, 2025), introduces these fascinating figures to middle grade through high school readers, but can be enjoyed by all ages.
Sarah Grimké (1792 – 1873), the more reserved sister, preferred writing, while Angelina Grimké (1805 – 1879) loved the spotlight. Her spirited speeches often left audiences in tears. Read More→
Presented here is a collection of documentaries and biopics exploring the lives of iconic women poets: Maya Angelou, Edna St. Vincent Millay, Julia de Burgos, Emily Dickinson, Ingrid Jonker, and Sylvia Plath.
On the surface, it wouldn’t seem like a full-length film about a poet would be anything to write home about, so to speak. But behind their deep, soulful lines were complex lives, not always spent at a desk.
Best of all, most of the films in this roundup can be viewed gratis on YouTube by following the links provided. Read More→
