This thematic Collection highlights Books that Feature the Theme of Femininity. Through novels, plays, and works of nonfiction, the selections in this Collection explore the feminine experience in a variety of historical settings and cultures as they examine topics such as gender roles, feminism, and what it means to be feminine.
Publication year 2007
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality
Tags Lyric Poem
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Teams, Values/Ideas: Good & Evil, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Romance, Modern Classic Fiction, Fantasy
Publication year 1998
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Society: Community, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance
Tags Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Inspirational, Trauma / Abuse / Violence, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography
Desert Flower: The Extraordinary Journey of a Desert Nomad is a memoir published in 1998 by the Somali model, author, and activist Waris Dirie and author Cathleen Miller. The book recounts Dirie’s harrowing life story, from her roots as a member of a nomadic family and the abuses she suffered as a child to her rise to international fame as a fashion model, an ambassador and advocate for women's rights, and an author. The novel... Read Desert Flower Summary
Publication year 2021
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Relationships: Family, Identity: Gender
Tags LGBTQ, Gender / Feminism, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1982
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Art, Society: Community, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Language, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality, Relationships: Mothers
Tags Prose poetry, Asian Literature, Gender / Feminism, Education, Education, Arts / Culture, Modern Classic Fiction, Classic Fiction
Theresa Hak Kyung Cha’s Dictee (1982) is a hybrid form of prose poetry, autobiography, ethnography, criticism, and fictional experiments. Cha was a Korean American visual artist, poet, and filmmaker. She was tragically murdered only a week after the book was published. The book went out of print for several years before interest in Cha’s work was revived in the 1990s by feminist authors, such as Norma Alarcón. Cha’s work was honored with an exhibition including... Read Dictee Summary
Publication year 2015
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Relationships: Mothers, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies
Tags Horror / Thriller / Suspense Fiction, Mystery / Crime Fiction, Psychological Fiction
Publication year 2019
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Coming of Age, Relationships: Family
Tags Historical Fiction, Coming of Age / Bildungsroman, Modern Classic Fiction, History: World
Publication year 2015
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Self Discovery, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Beauty, Emotions/Behavior: Love
Tags Depression / Suicide, Arts / Culture, Relationships, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Biography, Humor
Publication year 1992
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Fear, Emotions/Behavior: Forgiveness, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Guilt, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Emotions/Behavior: Nostalgia, Emotions/Behavior: Memory, Emotions/Behavior: Hope, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Sexuality, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Life/Time: The Past, Life/Time: The Future, Natural World: Place, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Nation, Society: Politics & Government, Society: War, Values/Ideas: Fate, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Society: Class, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal, Values/Ideas: Order & Chaos, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger, Values/Ideas: Trust & Doubt, Values/Ideas: Truth & Lies, Values/Ideas: Win & Lose, Values/Ideas: Religion & Spirituality
Tags Historical Fiction, Romance, Fantasy, Science-Fiction / Dystopian Fiction, Action / Adventure, History: European, Health / Medicine, History: World
Publication year 2020
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Values/Ideas: Equality, Relationships: Family, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Courage
Tags Realistic Fiction, Gender / Feminism, Social Justice, Children's Literature, Education, Education, Modern Classic Fiction
Publication year 1931
Genre Short Story, Fiction
Themes Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice, Emotions/Behavior: Revenge, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Race
Tags American Literature, Race / Racism, Education, Education, Southern Gothic, History: World, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
“Dry September,” by American author William Faulkner, is a short story that explores racial tension, violence, and moral decay in a small Southern town when a white woman’s accusation against a Black man leads to violence. The story, which unfolds in five parts, revolves around the rumors that Will Mayes, a Black man, assaulted or frightened a white woman, Miss Minnie Cooper. Without concrete evidence, the men of the town exact their revenge against Mayes... Read Dry September Summary
Publication year 2022
Genre Graphic Memoir , Nonfiction
Themes Life/Time: Coming of Age, Society: Class, Identity: Gender, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Society: Economics, Natural World: Environment, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Relationships: Friendship, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Safety & Danger
Tags Biography
Publication year 1961
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Regret, Emotions/Behavior: Shame & Pride, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Masculinity, Identity: Race, Identity: Sexuality, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Family, Relationships: Fathers, Relationships: Friendship, Relationships: Marriage, Society: Community, Society: Immigration, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Tags Asian Literature, Historical Fiction, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1965
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Conflict, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Identity: Mental Health, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Relationships: Daughters & Sons, Relationships: Marriage, Values/Ideas: Art, Values/Ideas: Literature
Tags Depression / Suicide, Confessional, Free verse, Grief / Death
Publication year 1966
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Colonialism, Identity: Femininity, Society: Community
Tags African Literature, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Education, Education, African American Literature, History: World, Classic Fiction
Publication year 1968
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Identity: Race, Identity: Femininity, Values/Ideas: Equality
Tags Lyric Poem, African American Literature, Black Arts Movement, Black Lives Matter, Gender / Feminism, Allegory / Fable / Parable, Race / Racism, Mythology
“Ego Tripping,” also known as “Ego Tripping (there may be a reason why),” is one of American poet Nikki Giovanni’s most well-known poems. Giovanni first published this poem in 1972, which is the year that also marks Giovanni’s first trip to Africa, three years after the birth of her son. As the title of the poem suggests, this poem is a fulsome celebration of the many facets of Giovanni’s identity as a Black woman. Written... Read Ego Tripping Summary
Publication year 1914
Genre Poem, Fiction
Themes Emotions/Behavior: Courage, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Emotions/Behavior: Grief, Emotions/Behavior: Hate & Anger, Emotions/Behavior: Loneliness, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity, Life/Time: Midlife, Life/Time: Mortality & Death, Natural World: Climate, Natural World: Environment, Values/Ideas: Loyalty & Betrayal
Publication year 1987
Genre Novel, Fiction
Themes Society: Politics & Government, Identity: Femininity, Emotions/Behavior: Determination / Perseverance, Natural World: Appearance & Reality, Society: Community, Values/Ideas: Justice & Injustice
Tags Magical Realism, Historical Fiction, Romance, Latin American Literature, Classic Fiction
First published in Spanish in 1987, Eva Luna is a novel written by celebrated Chilean writer Isabel Allende and later translated into English by Margaret Sayers Peden the following year. The story is set in an unnamed South American country believed to be an amalgamation of Chile and Venezuela. The eponymous Eva Luna narrates the epic story of her life against a backdrop inspired by the sociopolitical changes in South America from the mid-1940s to... Read Eva Luna Summary
Publication year 2023
Genre Book, Nonfiction
Themes Identity: Femininity, Identity: Gender, Identity: Masculinity, Life/Time: The Past, Natural World: Nurture v. Nature, Relationships: Family
Tags Science / Nature, Gender / Feminism, Women's Studies (Nonfiction), Health / Medicine, Anthropology, Anthropology, History: World
... Read Eve Summary
Publication year 2018
Genre Autobiography / Memoir, Nonfiction
Themes Relationships: Friendship, Emotions/Behavior: Love, Identity: Femininity
Tags Humor, Gender / Feminism, Love / Sexuality, Modern Classic Fiction, Romance, Self Help, Biography