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International Women’s Day (IWD) is soon approaching, landing on Friday, March 8 this year. The day marks a global celebration of the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women everywhere. It’s also a day meant to remind us all to keep working toward gender equality.
While there may be no long-held International Women’s Day traditions — at least, not yet — that doesn’t mean you can’t find your own little ways to pay homage to the inspiring women around us. It’s the perfect excuse to treat your self to a new read, particularly one that is written by a strong female author.
Show your support and get inspired this International Women’s Day with one of these nine memoirs written by women:
"The Electric Woman" by Tessa Fontaine
Amazon
One of Tessa Fontaine’s greatest fears was her mother passing, as her mother continually suffered from strokes that fear moved closer to reality. In the face of uncertainty, her mother chose to follow one of her dreams while she still had the chance — travel to Italy and tour the country with her husband. Taking a cue from her mother, Tessa decided to take on a new adventure that had been on her bucket list for a while — she joined the circus.
While in the circus, she transformed herself into an escape artist, a snake charmer, and a fire eater, among other unlikely roles. "The Electric Woman" details Tessa’s unique job, but more importantly it provides a moving message we all can relate to about how we overcome fears and deal with heartache, through the one-of-a-kind lens of circus life.
Buy it here >>
"Small Fry" by Lisa Brennan-Jobs
Amazon
You may think that growing up with Steve Jobs as your father would make life easy, but it typically wasn’t that way for Lisa Brennan-Jobs. Constantly moving between her mother’s and father’s homes throughout her youth, Brennan-Jobs lived two very different lives. Her relationship with her father was unpredictable — moments of generosity were bookended by tougher times.
With up-and-coming Silicon Valley as the backdrop, "Small Fry" depicts the complex dynamics of one family. Moreover, Brennan-Jobs’ strong literary style and authentic voice (which have received high praise) make for an emotional coming-of-age memoir we can all empathize with, prolific father or not.
Buy it here >>
"Heartland" by Sarah Smarsh
Amazon
Sarah Smarsh was born into a family of wheat farmers in rural Kansas, just 30 miles west of Wichita. Though country childhood was filled with many simple pleasures, it was also wrought with poverty that presented a multitude of challenges — abusive relationships, untreated medical conditions, and unsafe job conditions were just some of the harsh realities.
Through personal narrative and careful analysis, Smarsh shatters the notion of the "American Dream," a false promise that has attempted to keep people like her and her family down. Ultimately, this book challenges readers to examine the class divide in our country, which for many has become so alienating, and reconsider how we think about social class.
Buy it here >>
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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Source: Business Insider – rrosmarin@businessinsider.com (Remi Rosmarin)