Chapter 12 - Women Rowing North

I couldn't let Women's History Month go by without a shout out to stories about remarkable women. Some of these books are based on real women and events, some not, but all of my recommendations are books about strong women.

I grew up with strong women in my own life and hope that I have passed that trait down to my family as well. For me, that didn't mean being an angry, man-hating person but rather being a woman who could cope in any situation. These books I think represent that philosophy.

The Lost Girls of Paris by Pam Jenoff - This 2019 book is a novelized account of women in the SOE (Special Operations Executive in World War II). These women were trained to infiltrate German-held territory and support resistance groups, act as couriers, and sabotage infrastructure. If caught they were generally shot as spies. This 2019 novel by Jenoff is a good one to read to learn more.

Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao - An eye-opening account of human trafficking in India, the story centers around the friendship of two women. The women survive their brutal existence while also looking for each other, once they have become separated. While the store takes place in 2001, the events are, unfortunately, still happening.

My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira - Mary Sutter is a midwife living in Albany in the late 1850's. While extremely skilled at delivering babies, Mary wants more - she wants to be a doctor. History interspersed with larger than life characters combine to make this a very enjoyable read.

The Aviator's Wife by Melanie Benjamin - This novelized account of the life of Anne Morrow Lindbergh will leave you wanting to know more. Anne was an aviatrix and a writer as well as being the wife of Charles Lindbergh, probably the most respected person in the 1930's. Her life held love, tragedy, fulfillment, and betrayal.

The Huntress by Kate Quinn - If you have read The Alice Network by Quinn, you know what a terrific writer she is. Her latest book is about Nazi hunting after World War II and introduces the reader to Russian Night Witches. The Night Witches were Russian women pilots who flew night bombing missions against the Germans.

Goodnight Stories for Rebel Girls by Elena Favilli and Francesca Cavallo - I have mentioned this book before and it bears repeating. This book is a compilation of 100 strong women who children (especially girls) should know. There is now another volume but it is never too early to let a young girl know the achievements made by women over the years.

Do you have any books you'd like to share about strong women? Just let me know.

You can order these and other books at www.bookendsonline.com.