Play Book Tag discussion
May 2025: Strong Women
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Announcing the Tag for May
Great ... will fit my F2F book club reads nicely!
I see I have already read 7 of the top 10 on your list, so I guess this is a good tag for me, with plenty of options to improve my score.
Love this! I think I would like to read a nonfiction, learn about some real life strong women. Options from books I own include:
The Exceptions: Nancy Hopkins, MIT, and the Fight for Women in Science
The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts
First: Sandra Day O'Connor
Wine Girl: The Obstacles, Humiliations, and Triumphs of America's Youngest Sommelier
The Secret of Life: Rosalind Franklin, James Watson, Francis Crick, and the Discovery of DNA's Double Helix
Move Like Water: My Story of the Sea
*Note that these are not all tagged "strong women," let alone by 5 users, if you are looking for something that fits a challenge.
I have a wonderful suggestion for this tag for those preferring NF - and it fits Overlooked Woman in History which is a prompt in a few popular challenges:Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia by Janet Wallach. Everyone knows and hears about Lawrence of Arabia, but much of the real work and credit goes to Gertrude Bell, include the current 'map' of the Middle East. No 5 tags but there is no question she's a strong woman.
This will be fun; I have a few in my pile for next month that will fit that; perhaps more than a few.A few five star reads from my strong women shelf (there are 470 books on that shelf so far and it's probably lacking some:)
Nonfiction:
The Hiding Place: The Triumphant True Story of Corrie Ten Boom by Corrie ten Boom
Many Tender Ties by Sylvia Van Kirk
Fiction from various genres:
Republic of Dirt: A Return to Woefield Farm by Susan Juby
The Pigeon Pie Mystery by Julia Stuart
Earth Girl by Robert J. Crane plus the other two books in that trilogy
Song Yet Sung by James McBride
The Wedding by Dorothy West
I’m happy with this. It’s nearly everything I read. But can I admit that I would have loved to see what people would’ve picked for spicy?
Here are a few of my recommendations in no particular order:Remarkable Creatures
Song of a Captive Bird
The Tubman Command
The Nine: The True Story of a Band of Women Who Survived the Worst of Nazi Germany
Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine
Dare To Dream
Good Night, Irene
The Woman at the Wheel
Louisa: The Extraordinary Life of Mrs. Adams
Maisie Dobbs
Joan
Just One Damned Thing After Another
Aunty Lee's Delights
A Quiet Life in the Country
A Jewel in the Crown
The Lioness
A Peculiar Combination - Electra McDonnell
The Spy Coast
The First Ladies
Amy wrote: "I’m happy with this. It’s nearly everything I read. But can I admit that I would have loved to see what people would’ve picked for spicy?"I had a couple of books already lined up: Jean M Auel with her prehistoric soap operas. I'm up to the third book The Mammoth Hunters, and I guess you could consider the main character Ayla the embodiment of the strong woman at the dawn of mankind, in a Mary Sue kind of way
The second choice would be one of the Rutshire Chronicles episodes by Jilly Cooper, one of my guilty pleasures since the 90s. She is guaranteed to have steaming screwball love accidents every other page, and she would qualify for the doorstoppers challenge too. I think The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous would have been first on the list. With a little bending and stretching and seducing, I'm sure there are several strong women to be found in Rutshire, too.
The Mammoth Hunters was my favorite of the five, and I read them literally 40 years ago. I had to do prehistoric for a recent challenge and I was going to pick up number 6 which was written 20 years later, but Joy and other PBT folks helped convince me not to..... But oh those five were early loves for me at the very beginning of my reading career. 40 years makes me 16... So lets say it was 35 years ago like maybe in my early 20's when I read these. Or at least college age-ish.
I couldn't find the thread for Announcing the April Tag. I have been very much wanting to share a little something with you guys... So I am tacking onto the May Announcement Thread. So when I was choosing a few books I thought might be Fun for me, I ordered the Spellshop from the library. You know, magic and stuff. I thought, just go with it. So it arrives from the library, and what could be more fun! The Pages of the closed book are literally a beautiful vibrant PURPLE! Has anyone seen anything like this? Not when you are reading. Those pages are normal. But when the book is closed, all the way around the edges its totally purple. Like it has to be on all of the very tips of each page so you can't see it singularly. I have never seen a more fun book.I did DNF it though (oops). Better go back to the other thread for that admission. I just felt that the main characters were moving too slow and sleepily for me, and that I had achieved my goal with trying something fun and the purple pages were such a surprise..... That delighted me.
@Amy, I am the PBT member who suggested the "Fun" tag for April. It's given me so much pleasure to see how people are finding books that they enjoy. Even though you DNF this particular book, I'm tickled that the purple pages delighted you.
I actually read like 5 or so fun books already. That was a great suggestion Holly, and super fun. Nearly everything I read is strong women, so this will be a breeze for me. I don't even need to try.
Amy wrote: "I couldn't find the thread for Announcing the April Tag. I have been very much wanting to share a little something with you guys... So I am tacking onto the May Announcement Thread. So when I was c..."Amy - I own a special edition of The Name of the Wind where the edges of the book are a brilliant red all the way around. I have heard about other special editions of books similarly done. I think all of them have been fantasy.
Although deep in the back of my mind there's a glimmer of gold edged - I may just be thinking of all those medieval illustrated by monks texts.
I agree that it is a really fun thing to have and read a book edged in color!
My hardback of
has dark blue edges.I have a boxed special edition of the Hobbit that has lightly speckled edges.
If I keep a paper copy of a book it's usually because the binding or illustrations are beautiful.
Amy wrote: "I couldn't find the thread for Announcing the April Tag. I have been very much wanting to share a little something with you guys... So I am tacking onto the May Announcement Thread. So when I was c..."You made me think of this article from the NYT books section. End papers are also a part of book binding that I value in a 'keeper'. The exhibit at the Carle Museum in in your neck of the woods, Amy. As a former primary teacher that museum is on my bucket list.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/30/bo...
Jgrace wrote: "Amy wrote: "I couldn't find the thread for Announcing the April Tag. I have been very much wanting to share a little something with you guys... So I am tacking onto the May Announcement Thread. So ..."JGrace - agree on endpapers. Are you familiar with Persephone publishers? They are the masters of endpapers in contemporary publishing: https://persephonebooks.co.uk/
Get thee behind me! Persephone books always tempt me.
Jgrace wrote: "Get thee behind me! Persephone books always tempt me."LOL - me too.
Amy wrote: "The Mammoth Hunters was my favorite of the five, and I read them literally 40 years ago. I had to do prehistoric for a recent challenge and I was going to pick up number 6 which was written 20 year..."The Mammoth Hunters was when they started to go down for me way back when they were coming out because my mother was reading them so they were at home. It felt like every second chapter was about sex (I was never a prude, but wanted other things from my stories.) The next one was very boring with all of the scenic description as they travelled. I read everything up to when she became ill; when I tried to pick it up again, I didn't like it at all anymore.
I remember being enraptured with the first two books.
I never really read - more skimmed - the 4th and never even tried the 5th & 6th -- I wasn't pulled to them in the way the first 3 did. I actually remember the first 2 extremely well and I read them when they came out! I also attended a reading and signing for the 2nd - or maybe that was for the 3rd - when she came through NYC and she told about her research, visiting the Cave Paintings in the Dordogne - the real ones not the replica created for tourism - and what she had to go through with the French Government to get permission to see the 'real' ones. Auel was riveting, so clearly excited and passionate about this history.
Off the top of my head I recommend:A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
Wild Dark Shore - 2025 eco thriller, physical strength
Light from Uncommon Stars - sci-fi-fantasy, Fun, sapphic, music
Binti - sci-fi, fun
Cinder - sci-fi, fun
Books about Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Frida Kahlo,
The Eyre Affair, Lost in a Good Book
Maisie Dobbs mystery series - quiet strength of character
The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax mystery series, courage
I would love a newer book that involves a woman with moral courage (to speak up to power, do the right thing, regardless of the consequences). I have a few extra thrillers and fun books on hand that would easily fit this tag. I could go for a science or environmental book that fits, a spy book, historical fiction or bio, and maybe something witchy.
My possibilities include:
✴️The Women
✴️A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them
Miss Benson's Beetle and/or Remarkable Creatures
The Diamond Eye or The Phoenix Crown or Code Name Hélène.
✴️The Frozen River
Weyward or Akata Warrior or Equal Rites
The Dictionary of Lost Words or Drunk on All Your Strange New Words for play harder
The Well of Lost Plots
Out of My Mind ?
Eleanor & Park ?
What You Have Heard Is True: A Memoir of Witness and Resistance ?
Ella Enchanted or Geekerella for play harder
City of the Lost or sequel
The Poisoner's Ring
Wrong Place Wrong Time
Killers of a Certain Age
Next Maisie Dobbs
Next Mrs Pollifax
Please let me know if you think a book does not fit. Feedback welcome!
Theresa wrote: "I never really read - more skimmed - the 4th and never even tried the 5th & 6th -- I wasn't pulled to them in the way the first 3 did. I actually remember the first 2 extremely well and I read th..."
The first one was brilliant and I liked the 2nd and 3rd a lot, although it was a bit unlikely that this woman invented everything! The later one where they are traveling basically took so many pages because the man refused to ask for directions! And I always get miffed when people in books pick up new languages quickly. Apparently Ayla was so gifted at this that she could observe for a short time and comunicate. I think I mentioned that I couldn't even get far into the last book, it was so badly written.
Glad this was selected as the month's tag. Apropos of the fact that Mother's Day is in May and if ever there was a redundant tag...Strong = Women and is there really any kind of Women other than Strong Women, I mean right?!?!?
My book suggestions (for the Strong Women) in each is as follows:First: Sandra Day O'Connor for Sandra
Small Mercies for Gail
Where'd You Go, Bernadette for Bernadette
Atlas Shrugged for Dagny
Wait Till Next Year for Doris
For Whom the Bell Tolls for Pilar
Love Medicine for any female character in this book
The Sparrow for Anne
Heartwood for Valerie, Beverly and Lena
Unless anyone has a specific suggestion for me, I think I may read The Women.
NancyJ wrote: "Off the top of my head I recommend:A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
W..."</i>
I agree wholeheartedly with your recommendation of [book:A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II. Great book, amazing woman.
I have read and enjoyed Miss Benson's Beetle and Remarkable Creatures. Eleanor & Park would probably work, but I liked the other two better.
I will be reading The Frozen River.
NancyJ wrote: "A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them..."I have more books than I can read on my Strong Women tbr and A fever in the Heartland is on the list. I've been intending to read it since it came out.
Among the many others are these possibilities:
Oath and Honor: A Memoir and a Warning
Follow Me to Africa*
The Cave: A Secret Underground Hospital and One Woman's Story of Survival in Syria
Infidel*
Her Lost Words: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft and Mary Shelley
Solitary Walker: A Novel of Mary Wollstonecraft
A Drop in the Ocean
We Will Be Jaguars: A Memoir of My People
Beloved
The Chosen One: A First-Generation Ivy League Odyssey*
Fast Girl: A Life Spent Running from Madness*
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
The Silence of the Girls
Legends & Lattes
Sunflower Sisters*
A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them*
Charlie wrote: "My book suggestions (for the Strong Women) in each is as follows: "I’m adding Heartwood to my list. Thanks.
@Charlie - The Women is a definite for me. It might make a good buddy read. I own it, so any time.
@Lyn - I’m on a wait list for The Frozen River, but I’ll use an audible credit if needed. Possible buddy read??
@booknblues- ditto for A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. Buddy read?
All three of these books have high ratings and strong reviews by PBT members.
NancyJ wrote: "@booknblues- ditto for A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. Buddy read? ..."I'd be up for a buddy read, just let me know your schedule.
Booknblues wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "@booknblues- ditto for A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. Buddy read? ..."I'd be up for a buddy read, just let ..."
I can start at the beginning of the month. I’m first in line and expect it within a week or two.
NancyJ wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "@booknblues- ditto for A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. Buddy read? ..."I'd be up for a bu..."
Sounds good.
NancyJ wrote: "Charlie wrote: "My book suggestions (for the Strong Women) in each is as follows: "I’m adding Heartwood to my list. Thanks.
@Charlie - The Women is a definite for me. It might m..."
A buddy read for The Frozen River sounds good to me. Maybe others will join us.
Lyn wrote: "A buddy read for The Frozen River sounds good to me. Maybe others will join us.
..."
Great! I might not be ready until later in the month. Does that work for you?
Anyone else?
Has anyone read The Small and the Mighty: Twelve Unsung Americans Who Changed the Course of History, from the Founding to the Civil Rights Movement? It looks like it might fit the tag?
NancyJ wrote: "Lyn wrote: "A buddy read for The Frozen River sounds good to me. Maybe others will join us.
..."
Great! I might not be ready until later in the month. Does that work for you?
Anyone else?"
Sure, just let me know when you are ready.
I have three books sitting on my nightstand that I’m going to try get to in May:The Rebel Romanov: Julie of Saxe-Coburg, the Empress Russia Never Had by Helen Rappaport just came out, and I have a review copy, so that has to be first. I love Rappaport’s work, and Julie of Saxe-Coburg’s was a life waiting for the right biographer.
Hill Women: Finding Family and a Way Forward in the Appalachian Mountains by Cassie Chambers is billed as a cross between Educated by Tara Westover (which I loved, and also fits the tag) and Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by JD Vance (which I completely panned when it was released as inauthentic because he spent very little time there). I have heard great things about Hill Women, so I’m jazzed about this one.
The Women of Botany Bay: A Reinterpretation of the Role of Women in the Origins of Australian Society by Portia Robinson tells the story of “convict” women sent to early Australian penal colonies by the British government. My research assistant dug this title up to fulfill her vow to find me something esoteric for my PBT Buzzfeedesque challenge tag “Nonfiction book” — which gave us a laugh given my profession.
There are three books I love to recommend that are perfect for this tag, two historical fiction and one biography:The Forever Queen by Helen Hollick is among my top ten novels of all time. At the center of the story is Ellen, Queen of Saxon England, whom the reader meets in the year 1002 AD, as she becomes a bride to Aethelred. She would go on to rule in one form or another for fifty years. In my opinion, she is easily Eleanor of Aquitaine’s equal. If you haven’t made Ellen’s acquaintance, this is an excellent time to do so.
The Lost Queen by Signe Pike is the first of a trilogy about Languoreth, Queen of Strathclyde. Pike takes what little we do know about this real-life queen, stirs in a great deal of imagination, magic, and Arthurian legend, and produces a fantastic tale. Just be aware this is very light on the “historical” and heavy on the “fictional.” The real Languoreth and Lialoken, believed to be the inspiration for the wizard Merlin, were known to each other. Pike goes all in and makes them twins.
The Tigress of Forlì: Renaissance Italy's Most Courageous and Notorious Countess, Caterina Riario Sforza de Medici by Elizabeth Lev is another book I recommend frequently. I always love when I find an outstanding biography of a forgotten woman, and this definitely fits the bill. Caterina Riario Sforza de’Medici was a Renaissance period Milanese child-bride. She survived three disastrous marriages, learning the hard way how to stay on her feet in a time and place seldom kind to women. As one of my daughters put it, “Forgive the swear, Mom, but Caterina was a badass!”
Booknblues wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "@booknblues- ditto for A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. Buddy read? ..."I'd be up for a buddy read, just let ..."
Fran, A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them arrived today (earlier than I expected). I’ll have it for at least 7 days. I might not be able to renew it, so I’ll need to start this week. I can hold off posting though if you aren’t ready. When can you start?
Is anyone else interested in joining us? It gets great reviews and sounds more exciting than most NF. There are few funny/scary connections between 1925 and 2025,
NancyJ wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "@booknblues- ditto for A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. Buddy read? ..."I'd be up for a bu..."
I am reading a book, I will most likely finish tomorrow and then I can start.
NancyJ wrote: "Charlie wrote: "My book suggestions (for the Strong Women) in each is as follows: "I’m adding Heartwood to my list. Thanks.
@Charlie - The Women is a definite for me. It might m..."
I am good for a buddy read of The Women
Other books I plan to read this month for the tag:
Dottir: My Journey to Becoming a Two-Time CrossFit Games Champion - Katrin Davidsdottir
I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban - Malala Yousafzai
The House of My Mother: A Daughter's Quest for Freedom - Shari Franke
Jason wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Charlie wrote: "My book suggestions (for the Strong Women) in each is as follows: "I’m adding Heartwood to my list. Thanks.
@Charlie - The Women is a definite for..."
@Jason - great, when would you prefer to start? I’d prefer to wait a week or so, unless my Compass Spin today sends me to Vietnam.
I might join a buddy read for The Women. I noticed it was on Bill Gates' recommended reading list. I've been hesitant to read it since I have not really enjoyed the last two of Kristin Hannah's books (The Great Alone and The Four Winds), but I'm sure I'd enjoy it more if I were discussing it with you guys.
Joy D wrote: "I might join a buddy read for The Women. I noticed it was on Bill Gates' recommended reading list. I've been hesitant to read it since I have not really enjoyed the last two of Kri..."I've been waffling about it as well.
Other books you might like on women and Vietnam are You Don't Belong Here: How Three Women Rewrote the Story of War , For Rouenna by Sigrid Nunez and The Lotus Eaters
Thanks for the recommendations. I will take a look at them.
Joy D wrote: "I might join a buddy read for The Women. I noticed it was on Bill Gates' recommended reading list. I've been hesitant to read it since I have not really enjoyed the last two of Kri..."What time frame works best for you?
NancyJ wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "@booknblues- ditto for A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them. Buddy read? ..."I'd be up for a bu..."
This is on my TBR but I'm also doing an alphabet challenge of women authors so will have to pass for this month. I'm looking forward to seeing what others here think of it, though.
NancyJ wrote: "What time frame works best for you?.."My library has it available so I'm flexible. Whatever works for you all is fine with me.
Just finished reading Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History and it totally fits the tag
I have so many options for this tag, so I’ll probably focus on reading the books I own and continuing with a few series I enjoy.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
The Women (other topics)Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History (other topics)
The Women (other topics)
For Rouenna (other topics)
The Lotus Eaters (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Sigrid Nunez (other topics)Katrin Davidsdottir (other topics)
Shari Franke (other topics)
Malala Yousafzai (other topics)
Sylvia Van Kirk (other topics)
More...
strong women
Please share your reading plans and recommendations below.
Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as "strong women" on Goodreads, or be a book that is not yet shelved that way but you feel should be.
One way to find books to read for this tag is to please visit:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
We encourage people to link to additional lists below if they find them.
Happy Reading!!!