FABClub (Female Authors Book Club)

FABClub 2015 Challenge

1. A work of fiction
- Where'd You Go, Bernadette**
2. A work of non-fiction
- Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption**
3. A collection of poetry
4. A collection of short stories or essays
- A Collection of Stories, Reviews and Essays**
5. An anthology of all female contributors
6. A biography/memoir
An Affair with Africa: Expeditions And Adventures Across A Continent**
7. A work of science fiction
8. A work of fantasy/supernatural
9. A book that discusses feminism
- The Red Tent
10. A book that discusses race, gender and/or sexuality
- To Kill a Mockingbird**
11. A book by an openly trans woman author
12. A book by an openly lesbian author
- Fingersmith
13. A graphic novel, manga or comic book
- The Complete Persepolis
14. A book published in 2015
15. A book written before 1960
- The Return of the Soldier**
- Pauline's Passion and Punishment**
16. 3 works by Women of Colour
- Beloved**
- Letter to My Daughter**
- The Namesake**
17. 3 works by International Women
- Minding Frankie**
18. A non-fiction work of science or philosophy
19. A romance novel
- Outlander
20. A book written by a local (to you) author
- Zip: The Adventures of a Frisky Fox Terrier (Illustrated Edition)**
21. A book published by an independent press
22. An award winning book
- Fever 1793 (ALA)**
23. A book written by a female author using a male pseudonym The Cuckoo's Calling**

(27 total)

** = finished

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message 12: by Alexa (new)

Mar 28, 2015 04:37PM

Mod

Wow, Renee, you've been busy! (Although Erin is leaving all the rest of us in the dust!)

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message 13: by Erin (new)

Mar 29, 2015 09:14AM

lol, I leave my headphones in all day at work and during my 2 hour commute listening to audiobooks. I am pretty far behind on actual reading since I have been working a lot lately but I am hoping to get caught up on the Atwood project this summer!

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message 14: by Alexa (new)

May 18, 2015 11:42AM

Mod

If you're participating in the challenge, do consider posting your progress here, we love seeing what everyone is reading! Some people like to post their plans in advance, others prefer to post after the fact, either way we would all love to see your progress towards your own individual goal!

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message 15: by Alexa (new)

May 18, 2015 11:49AM

Mod

Erin wrote: "I am hoping to get caught up on the Atwood project this summer!..."

Wait, Erin, I just realized, isn't your summer Dec through Feb? Is that the summer you're waiting for (because that's a long wait!). Or am I hopelessly confused?

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message 16: by Erin (new)

May 31, 2015 05:58PM

Alexa wrote: "Erin wrote: "I am hoping to get caught up on the Atwood project this summer!..."

Wait, Erin, I just realized, isn't your summer Dec through Feb? Is that the summer you're waiting for (because tha..."

I'm in Ohio so my summer is starting now, so I will not have too long to wait!

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message 17: by Alexa (new)

May 31, 2015 10:30PM

Mod

Am I totally imagining you in Australia? Were you once there?

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message 18: by Erin (new)

Jun 01, 2015 06:28AM

I think there's a couple Erins on here, maybe it was one of the other ones :-) I've never been to Australia but I'd love to go!

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message 19: by Alexa (new)

Jun 01, 2015 08:51AM

Mod

No, it was definitely you, but now I have no idea why! I've just always imagined you driving for hours in the outback listening to audio books - and it was all my complete fantasy!

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message 20: by Erin (new)

Jun 03, 2015 07:04PM

The Outback sounds much more exciting than urban Ohio!

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message 21: by Alexa (new)

Jul 01, 2015 07:38PM

Mod

We are now at the half-way point for our 2015 challenge. How's everyone doing? How are your categories going? Anybody need suggestions for any particular category?

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message 22: by Alexa (new)

Aug 24, 2015 07:44PM

Mod

Yikes, I (unconsciously) took an entire month off from reviewing books, although not from reading them, and now I've got a horrible backlog!

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message 23: by Taylor (new)

Aug 26, 2015 05:01PM

I haven't written any reviews for a few months now and find I really have a hard time remembering what I've read without any notes haha

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message 24: by Alexa (new)

Aug 26, 2015 06:19PM

Mod

I take lots of notes, otherwise you're right, I wouldn't remember a thing. So, I just need to give those notes a bit of polish - but I promised myself I would write and post at least one sentence about every book I read. And I am waaaay behind!

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message 25: by Alexa (new)

Aug 26, 2015 06:21PM

Mod

Although, I have to admit, sometimes the notes are just things like, "Wow, this is great!"

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message 26: by Taylor (new)

Aug 27, 2015 05:58PM

Haha even a vague note can be helpful, sometimes I honestly don't remember anything about a book I've read, even whether I liked it or not ha

I've only got 3 categories left and I've already got the books lined up:
Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal, Ravensong, and The Silkworm

Is anyone else really close??

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message 27: by Alexa (new)

Aug 27, 2015 08:00PM

Mod

You're good! I've heard a lot of good things about Mary Roach. I haven't started planning for my holes, I'm still just reading what circumstances bring me. I'm surprised though that I haven't read more foreign authors (I guess it might be because so much of my year is being devoted to Margaret Atwood, and I decided I'm not allowed to count Canada or England as foreign).

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message 28: by Alexa (new)

Aug 27, 2015 09:10PM

Mod

(Although, reading Margaret Atwood has made me much more aware of the nuances of colonialism and U.S./Canada relations. Is an American, by not counting Canadian literature as "international," simply exercising some form of colonialist privilege or arrogance? "Oh, they're not really foreign, they're Canadians, and that's almost the same as being American.")

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message 29: by Taylor (last edited Aug 28, 2015 04:46PM) (new)

Aug 28, 2015 04:45PM

Hahaha, we in Canada are very particular about not being lumped in with Americans... while we are both 1st world nations and neighbours that share a lot of resources/politics etc, we are not the same in many ways. I have learned a lot more about the UK (having a british partner) that confirms how different they are from Canadians and Americans too. The world is a big and complex place! I totally know what you mean though, when I think "international" I don't think to include the USA or UK.

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message 30: by Alexa (new)

Aug 28, 2015 05:22PM

Mod

So, here's my justification (for anyone who might think I'm being dismissive of Canada's national identity or literary scope - although after spending all year devoted to Margaret Atwood (and as slow as I'm being probably a big chunk of next year too) I don't know how that would be possible): I am using the category "international" to broaden out my reading, to go beyond the countries where most of my reading typically comes from, and that means anything outside of the U.S., Canada, and the U.K. So, there, now I've got my bases covered! :)

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message 31: by Taylor (new)

Aug 29, 2015 07:09AM

Totally fair! Books by Canadian, American and British authors are very readily available, so the "international" authors category can totally be used to broaden the scope to other nations that get less attention :)

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message 32: by Alexa (new)

Sep 19, 2015 11:39AM

Mod

Just filled my "published in 2015" category! Almost there - still don't know what I'll read in the science category though - anybody read anything recently in that category that they loved?

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message 33: by Taylor (new)

Sep 19, 2015 06:28PM

Alexa wrote: "Just filled my "published in 2015" category! Almost there - still don't know what I'll read in the science category though - anybody read anything recently in that category that they loved?"

Mary Roach has a few books that look good!

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message 34: by Miri (last edited Nov 14, 2015 03:55PM) (new)

Sep 29, 2015 08:58PM

Miri Gifford (mirigifford) | 22 comments

This is what I have so far:

1. A work of fiction

Vanessa and Her Sister, by Priya Parmar
The House on the Strand, by Daphne duMaurier
A Spool of Blue Thread, by Anne Tyler

2. A work of non-fiction

Cataloguing Without Tears, by Jane Read
50 Women Artists You Should Know, by Christiane Weidemann
Rad American Women A-Z, by Kate Schatz

3. A collection of poetry

Brown Girl Dreaming, by Jacqueline Woodson

4. A collection of short stories or essays

You Can't Keep a Good Woman Down, by Alice Walker
The Unbreakable, by Meghan Daum

5. An anthology of all female contributors

Girl Comics, by Colleen Coover et al

6. A biography/memoir

Life in Motion, by Misty Copeland
Off the Sidelines, by Kirsten Gillibrand
Yes Please, by Amy Poehler
My Beloved World, by Sonia Sotomayor
In the Frame, by Helen Mirren
Why Not Me?, by Mindy Kaling

7. A work of science fiction

Orleans, by Sherri Smith
The Girl in the Road, by Monica Byrne

8. A work of fantasy/supernatural

Transcendence, by C.J. Omololu

9. A book that discusses feminism
Bad Feminist, by Roxane Gay

10. A book that discusses race, gender and/or sexuality

The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl, by Issa Rae

11. A book by an openly trans woman author
[Redefining Realness, by Janet Mock - planned]
[She's Not There, by Jennifer Finney Boylan - planned]

12. A book by an openly lesbian author
[Nicola Griffith or Sarah Waters - planned ]

13. A graphic novel, manga or comic book

Nimona, by Noelle Stevenson
Blue is the Warmest Color, by Julie Maroh
Captain Marvel, by Kelly Sue DeConnick
A Bintel Brief, by Liana Finck
Lumberjanes, by Noelle Stevenson
Ms. Marvel, by G. Willow Wilson
To Dance, by Siena Cherson Siegel
This One Summer, by Mariko Tamaki
Tomboy, by Liz Prince
Friends with Boys, by Faith Erin Hicks
Hark! A Vagrant, by Kate Beaton
Castle Waiting, by Linda Medley
August Moon, by Diana Thung
Susceptible, by Genevieve Castree
Who Is AC?, by Hope Larson
Tina's Mouth: An Existential Comic Diary, by Keshni Kashyap
The Babysitter's Club, by Ann M. Martin and Raina Telgemeier
Skim, by Mariko Tamaki

14. A book published in 2015

The Invasion of the Tearling, by Erika Johansen
Why Not Me?, by Mindy Kaling
Furiously Happy, by Jenny Lawson (in progress)

15. A book written before 1960

Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston

16. 3 works by Women of Colour

Chasing the Sun, by Natalia Sylvester
Dumpling Days, by Grace Lin
Bird, by Crystal Chan
The Agency, by Y.S. Lee

17. 3 works by International Women

Honor, by Elif Shafak
Aya, by Marguerite Abouet
I Am Malala, by Malala Yousafzai

18. A non-fiction work of science or philosophy

Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science and the World, by Rachel Swaby

19. A romance novel
[Attachments, by Rainbow Rowell - planned]

20. A book written by a local (to you) author

The Asian Texans, by Marilyn Dell Brady
Brave Black Women, by Ruthe Winegarten

21. A book published by an independent press

The Age of Dreaming, by Nina Revoyr (Akashic Books)

22. An award winning book

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, by Mildred D. Taylor

23. A book written by a female author using a male pseudonym
[George Eliot - planned]

I have read a LOT of graphic novels this year and I'm trying not to use them for any categories besides the graphic novel one, so there are a few holes where I've technically read something that could fit. I'm still changing my mind about which category to use certain books for, too. I only glanced at your lists but I can already see several I've loved myself/ones I've been wanting to read. This is a great challenge!

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message 35: by Alexa (new)

Sep 30, 2015 09:00AM

Mod

Your list looks great Miri! I always have fun deciding which category to put a book in (do I put it in the category where it best fits, or do I put it in the category where I've got a hole...?).

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message 36: by Miri (new)

Sep 30, 2015 12:33PM

Alexa wrote: "Your list looks great Miri! I always have fun deciding which category to put a book in (do I put it in the category where it best fits, or do I put it in the category where I've got a hole...?)."

I was tempted to put a couple things in empty spaces just because they could go there, but I'm telling myself it's only September, I still have a few months to fill those gaps with something intentional. :)

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message 37: by Taylor (new)

Sep 30, 2015 09:10PM

Yay Miri thanks for joining and sharing your list! It looks AMAZING!

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message 38: by Miri (new)

Oct 03, 2015 03:34PM

There's a giveaway right now for an all-female Lovecraftian anthology, if that's up anyone's alley! I don't know about the authors, but the editor is even a woman of color.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

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message 39: by Alexa (new)

Oct 04, 2015 11:44AM

Mod

Thanks! Looks interesting.

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message 40: by Taylor (new)

Oct 08, 2015 03:49PM

AHHHH I'm jumping the gun a bit because I'm still working on two of the books, but I've filled all my sections! :)))))

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message 41: by Alexa (new)

Oct 08, 2015 06:22PM

Mod

YAY!!! Well done!

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message 42: by Taylor (new)

Oct 09, 2015 09:00AM

I'm pretty excited I got them filled with plenty of time to spare this year, maybe that means I am getting better at reading a variety of different authors/topics. I've noticed though that I've read less books by women this year... there's been some sneaky male authors creepin' into the pile, the Sabriel series was amazing and of course I had to read the Martian haha

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message 43: by Alexa (new)

Oct 09, 2015 10:31AM

Mod

Those sneaky men, you just can't keep them down!

Me, I've noticed I'm reading a lot less internationally this year....

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message 44: by Miri (new)

Oct 09, 2015 09:15PM

I've had the same thing happen with sneaky male authors. I read The Martian too, and now I have Ready Player One waiting. I just read the Sabriel series last year, by the way, and I loved it. I think it's a worthy indulgence. :)

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message 45: by Taylor (new)

Oct 11, 2015 11:17AM

Sabriel was soooo good! And I really loved Ready Player One. It's a good fluffy read with lots of fun references.

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message 46: by Alexa (new)

Nov 11, 2015 06:54PM

Mod

Yay! I filled in every category!!! And I still have six weeks to play!

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message 47: by Alexa (new)

Nov 25, 2015 05:39PM

Mod

I thought it was very clever that Go Set a Watchman simultaneously meets the category of book published in 2015 and book written before 1960!

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message 48: by Alexa (new)

Dec 18, 2015 03:12PM

Mod

And we're in the final days for our 2015 Challenge - just a few more days to fit in that final book!

Congratulations to everyone for all the wonderful female authored books you read this year! At the moment the clear winner is Erin, at 152 books! Well done! (Anyone else think they can pull into the lead in the next two weeks? Ha!)

Any thoughts for next year? Things you would like to change, keep, or add?

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message 49: by Taylor (new)

Jan 02, 2016 11:38AM

Ahhhh ok I've bent my brain into a pretzel trying to count all my books for this year. I'm counting 112 but the shelf only shows 111. Whatever, I'm going with 112. Yay me! Last year I read 96 so this is a slight improvement, though I did read a lot of comics this year which are admittedly very easy to blast through.

Looks like I still read predominantly white female authors (67%) from the USA (63%). I wanted to do better in this regard but I'll just have to try harder next year I guess!

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message 50: by Alexa (new)

Jan 05, 2016 07:46PM

Mod

I read 135 books this year, 30 or 22% were Margaret Atwood books. Taking her out (because she would totally skew my numbers otherwise), I then have 105 books, 92 (88%) by women and 13 (12%) by men. Of the women 24% were women of color and 23% of the men were of color. 30% of the women were non-US and 23% of the men were non-US. So-so.

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