Indie Lit Awards
This past week the short lists for the Indie Lit Awards were announced! It’s my second year serving as the director of the LGBTQ category, and I’m excited to get started reading and discussing these five books. We had a ton of nominations this year which was a really pleasant surprise.
- Well With My Soul by Gregory Allen (ASD Publishing)
- Swimming to Chicago by David Matthew Barnes (Bold Strokes Books)
- Songs for the New Depression by Kergan Edwards-Stout (Circumspect Press)
- Nina Here Nor There: My Journey Beyond Gender by Nick Krieger (Beacon Press)
- Huntress by Melinda Lo (little brown books for young readers)
Feminist Classics Project
In other very exciting news, I will be hosting a read-a-long of Julia Serano’s amazing (amazing amazing amazing) book Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity for the Feminist Classics challenge. Whipping Girl was a total game changer for me and how I think about gender identity and expression and queer theory, and I am so psyched to be able to discuss it in depth. As someone who reads a tonnnn of queer studies books, Whipping Girl would be (/is always) the one I would recommend as a starting point to anyone who is even vaguely interested in the subject. So, you know, if you wanted to participate that would be cool. No pressure.
There are also a bunch of other great books on the list, not just my special favorite, so please check it out.
- February – Feminism is for Everybody by bell hooks (Amy)
- March – The Book of the City of Ladies by Christine De Pizan (Jean)
- April – Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity by Julia Serano (Cass)
- May – Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë read alongside Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys (Iris)
- June – Stone Butch Blues by Leslie Feinberg (Emily)
- July – Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (Nancy)
Cover via Amazon
- August – The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison (Lauren)
- September – Borderlands/La Frontera by Gloria Anzaldua (Melissa)
- October – The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan (Jodie)
- November – Beyond the Veil by Fatema Mernissi (Ana)
- December – Women, Race, and Class by Angela Davis (Emily Jane)
- January – Feminism Without Borders: Decolonizing Theory, Practising Solidarity by Chandra Talpade Mohanty (Eva)
Thanks for sharing the Feminists Classics Project. I was just thinking I need to meet other bloggers interested in promoting women. I have to participate in this.
What a great list of books Cass and a wonderful project!
I’m getting really excited for the YoFC even though I’m sure the alienette may cut into my scheduled reading….
I’m so super excited for the format and books with YoFC this year. The Indie Lit books sound kinda interesting too so better get on reading them right? heh
I’m excited to hear your thoughts about Whipping Girl. I have to get on with the first Indie Lit Award novel that dropped into my inbox a few days ago.
You had a ton of noms this year. It’s a daunting task to read and judge all of those books but it’s also a little bit fun.
I love lists of fresh new books, and I always look to the Indie Lit Awards for more suggestions on what to read next. Have you posted a list and/or reviews anywhere on all the nominations you received as well?
Hmm! I might hop in on the discussion of Whipping Girl in April…
I’m really excited to see what everyone thinks of Borderlands/La Frontera. It’s an amazing, eye opening book.