Inspiring female authors you should definitely read once in your lifetime

While each one of us has a favourite author, it's never enough to satiate our literary taste buds with a conformed choice. Photo: Shutterstock/IndiaPicture

Oh! The joy of flipping through grainy pages and devouring the text till your eyes succumb to a peaceful night's slumber. Reading is so much more than just a hobby for some. It transports you to a land faraway--living, feeling the characters till you transform into a mainstay yourself.

While each one of us has a favourite author, it's never enough to satiate our literary taste buds with a conformed choice.

In case you are planning to visit a bookstore soon, here are a few superb titles you should explore.

Elena Ferrante

Visiting the periphery of inspiring female authors and not celebrating one of the pioneers would indeed be a shame.

A pseudonymous Italian novelist, Ferrante's work 'The Story of the Lost Child' was nominated for Man Booker Prize 2016. Best known for her four-volume work 'Neapolitan Novels', she tells the tale of two girls from Naples, Italy, who combat the violent culture that prevails around them.

On days when you just can pull through or are aghast at the injustice your gender is subjected to, pick a copy, read, and get inspired.

Maya Angelou

An inspiration to many noted female authors, Maya Angelou worked as a streetcar driver, prostitute, and performer before penning down her experiences and creating a literary treat. Her book 'I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings' has been branded as an autobiography by various critics.

Touching upon various topics like racism, conflict, and gender bias, Angelou reveals the many shades of a life lived by a woman of colour. Apart from making an interesting read, it speaks of courage. If books can provide determination, this one definitely gives you the strength to fight your life's battles.

Heart-wrenching in narrative, they will make you question the absurdity of norms set for women by the patriarchal society. Photo: Shutterstock/IndiaPicture

Jean Sasson

Born in the United States of America, Sasson's work mostly highlights the plight of women living in the Middle East. Best known for 'Princess' trilogy, her stories are a reminder of the suffering women endure in the name of heritage and culture.

Heart-wrenching in narrative, they will make you question the absurdity of norms set for women by the patriarchal society.

If you have ever wondered why women put up with years of abuse at the hands of their own family, the author's work will provide you with some extremely uncomfortable answers.

Nawal El Saadawi

Nawal El Saadawi's work particularly touches upon the subject of female genital mutilation practiced across various parts of the world. A tradition so barbaric, it leaves the victim scarred for life.

The author is an advocate of women liberation, and inspires others to do the same. Her words not only ignite a passion to wrestle the erroneous, but instill the spirit to retaliate.

One in particular that you need to add to your collection is 'Woman at Point Zero'. The book is a first-person account of a female prisoner, telling the tale of her struggle to cope with life, while the horror of her past refuses to die.

Natasha Walter

An idyllic manifestation of feminism, Walter's 'Living Dolls: The Return of Sexism' is a must-read.

If you are irked by constant sexualization of everything feminine, this book will broaden your horizon and provide you with valid argument to corner the next sexist moron you come across.

A straight narrative based on exhaustive research and personal interviews, the author throws light upon the new wave of female emancipation, free of society's notion of what a girl can or can not do.