On Women’s History Month

Did you know that March is designated as Women’s History Month in the US? Proclaimed first by Congress in 1987, this national observance provides us with a chance each year to reflect on the contributions and achievements of women throughout the ages. We went all-out this month at CDPL with our celebration and we challenge you to choose one of the many women who’ve made history that you don’t know much about and fill in your knowledge gaps. Not sure where to start? Drop by the library and browse our favorite selections at one of three spots: you’ll find large print fiction and nonfiction near the Circulation desk, picks for teens in the Young Adult section, and regular print fiction and nonfiction on the second floor.

There are many titles on display this year that explore the long and unexplored history of women and warfare, which may be a great place to start for readers who don’t feel an immediate connection with the topic of women in history. Nonfiction books that have really caught my eye this year include “Women Warriors: An Unexpected History” by Pamela D. Toler (355.0092 Tol) and “Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers of World War II” by Liza Mundy (940.54 Mun). There’s no shortage of fiction exploring women and war, either, if that’s more to your taste. I’m eager to get to “American Spy” by Lauren Wilkinson (FIC Wil and LP FIC Wil); based on real events, this follows a young Black FBI agent who gets close to her surveillance target, the revolutionary Communist president of Burkina Faso, fusing elements of a great spy novel with romance and history. 

A topic adjacent to women in war, and another you may lack much knowledge of, is the long history of women rulers throughout the world–and there’s so much to learn! Pick up a general nonfiction book for a “big picture” introduction, like “When Women Ruled the World: Six Queens of Egypt” by Kara Cooney (932 Coo) or “She-Wolves: The Women Who Ruled England Before Elizabeth” by Helen Castor (942 Cas). Or, consider choosing a focused biography to learn all about one woman; I have my eyes on “Eleanor” by David Michaelis (921 Roosevelt, E.), the Netflix series “The Crown” (DVD FIC Cro), and the 2019 film “Mary Queen of Scots” (DVD FIC Mar). 

Finally, you’ll notice that many of our picks this month feature women scholars, because where would we be without the smarts and wits of girls and women? Learn about early computer scientist Ada Lovelace with either “Ada’s Algorithm: How Lord Byron’s Daughter Ada Lovelace Launched the Digital Age” by James Essinger (510.92 Ess) or “Enchantress of Numbers” by Jennifer Chiaverini (FIC Chi). It’s also a great time to honor and reflect on the late Ruth Bader Ginsburg by picking up 2019’s “On the Basis of Sex” (DVD FIC On) or “Notorious RBG: The Life and Times of Ruth Bader Ginsburg” by Irin Carmonn (921 Ginsburg, R). 

If you’re still not sure what book or movie to pick up, don’t be afraid to stop by one of our staff desks and let us know! We’ll be happy to make suggestions based on your favorite books and authors.