A female perspective

9 novels written by women that you should read

Women have had a hard time writing throughout history due to societal constraints, expectations, and limited access to education. Yet, despite these obstacles, they have raised their voice to address social issues and share personal experiences. Let's explore 9 novels written by women that left their mark on literature.

Genji Monogatari, or The Tale of Genji, is one of the first novels ever written, and one of the earliest pieces of literature written by a woman. Penned by noblewoman Murasaki Shikibu in the 11th century, The Tale of Genji tells the story of the Emperor’s son, his love affairs, and the problems he faces at court.

Written in the more accessible hiragana (Japanese phonetic script) instead of the prestigious kanji (Chinese ideograms), this literary work is considered canonical in Japan and is studied in high schools.

Published in 1852, Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly was Beecher Stowe’s response to the Fugitive Slave Act, which required people in free states to return escaped slaves to their owners. The story follows two slaves: Tom, who is sold to pay his master’s debts, and Eliza, who runs away to avoid the sale of her son.

Though later criticized by its sentimentality and use of stereotypes, Uncle Tom’s Cabin had a profound impact on both abolitionists and defenders of slavery. According to popular lore, Abraham Lincoln called Beecher Stowe "the little lady who started this great war" upon meeting her.

When Anne Brontë published her second novel under the pseudonym Acton Bell, she encountered both success and outrage. The depiction of a woman mistreated by her alcoholic, gambling, and unfaithful husband shocked Victorian society, which did not like the representation of its hypocritical morals.

Anne Brontë’s early death meant that the book was not republished for a long time, as her sister Charlotte disliked its theme and realism, which she saw as inspired by the tragic life of their late brother Branwell.

Until 2015, To Kill a Mockingbird was Harper Lee’s only published book. Based on experiences she witnessed as a child in Alabama during the 1930s, the novel follows the trial of a Black man accused of assaulting a white woman, told from the perspective of a six-year-old girl.

An instant success, To Kill a Mockingbird is considered by many as one of the great American novels, while simultaneously appearing on the banned books list of many school districts.

During the Japanese occupation, many Koreans emigrated to Japan in search of work and faced discrimination and abuse. Pachinko follows the story of Sunja, a pregnant young woman who follows her husband to Japan, and explores how history shapes her life and the next generations of her family.

While touching on a painful subject for Korean people, Min Jin Lee also highlights the bravery of women stepping up to take care of their families in times of war and conflict.

Born in Shanghai as the daughter of a court official and raised between England, France, and Hong Kong, Eileen Chang became renowned for her wartime narratives. The Rice Sprout Song is her first novel written in English, later self-translated into Chinese, and it explores the consequences of agrarian reforms in the Chinese countryside.

Depicting famine, government control, and its effects on family life, Chang sought to give a voice to common people affected by the political decisions of a government.

Originally published in French, this graphic novel follows the life of Marjane in Iran during the Islamic Revolution, the war, her move to Europe for studies, and the challenges of returning and reintegrating into Iranian society.

_Persepolis_’ publication was not without controversy: highly acclaimed by critics, it was banned in Iran due to its critical portrayal of the regime. In the U.S., it has also been banned from certain school districts due to the themes it discusses.

Published in 2006, Half of a Yellow Sun depicts the Nigerian Civil War and its consequences through a love story, and touches on subjects such as social classes, ethnic conflicts, gender roles, and the aftermath of armed conflicts.

Half of a Yellow Sun received overwhelmingly positive reviews for its narration of such difficult themes, though some critics have noted the intense violence and graphic imagery in the story.

This historical novel by British-Dominican novelist Jean Rhys became known for its reversal of a British classic, Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre. Written from the perspective of the "madwoman in the attic," Rhys’s novel explores the power dynamics in the Caribbean and the treatment of women. Since its publication, it has been central to studies on colonialism and postcolonial literature.

These 12 incredible hoaxes tricked even the smartest minds

Image: Rishabh Dharmani

Hoaxes have woven their way through human history, fooling even the sharpest minds and taking on countless forms. Some began as harmless pranks, others as deliberate schemes for fame or fortune, and a few were born from sheer misunderstandings. Regardless of their origins, some of these deceptions were so impactful that they etched their place in history. Join us as we unravel the truth behind 12 of the most legendary hoaxes ever pulled off.

Image: Simon Infanger

In 1912, an Englishman named Charles Dawson claimed to have discovered the remains of a "missing link" between apes and humans in Piltdown, England. At the time, the discovery was hailed as the most significant find in the history of human evolution. It wasn’t until the 1950s that it was revealed as a hoax, with Dawson using modern human and orangutan bones to create the fake skeleton.

Image: Katherine Cavanaugh

In 1917, two young cousins, Elsie Wright and Frances Griffiths, captured photographs they claimed showed real fairies in the woods near Cottingley, England. The photos gained worldwide attention, and their authenticity was even endorsed by notable figures like Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. Decades later, in the early 1980s, the cousins admitted the images were faked, using cardboard cutouts to create the illusion of fairies. Don’t laugh—this was long before the era of Photoshop and AI.

Image: Benjamin Ranger

In 1869, a 10-foot stone figure was unearthed in Cardiff, New York, and hailed as the petrified remains of a giant. The "discovery" caused an immediate sensation, drawing massive crowds and widespread media coverage. However, the so-called "giant" was a deliberate hoax crafted by George Hull. Hull, a staunch skeptic, created the figure to settle a score after a heated argument with a Methodist reverend about the biblical existence of giants. Frustrated by people’s gullibility, Hull aimed to expose just how easily he could deceive the masses with his fabricated giant.

Image: blair yang

Although it's part of a largely fictional account of the Trojan War, the Trojan Horse is undeniably the mother of all hoaxes in history and legend. According to the story, near the war’s end, the Greeks staged a retreat, leaving behind a massive wooden horse as a supposed peace offering at Troy’s gates. Unbeknownst to the Trojans, the horse concealed Greek warriors who waited until nightfall to emerge, open the gates, and allow their army to overrun the city. Today, this story endures as a timeless parable of the use of cunning and deception in warfare.

Image: eberhard grossgasteiger

In 1835, The Sun, a New York newspaper, published a series of sensational articles claiming that astronomers had discovered life on the Moon. The stories—later attributed to reporter Richard Adams Locke, though others were suspected to be involved—described fantastical creatures and a lush lunar landscape supposedly observed through a gigantic telescope. Conveniently, the telescope was said to have burned down shortly after the breakthrough. The incredible claims caused a frenzy but were soon exposed as a hoax, designed to boost the paper’s sales.

Image: Joan

Since the 1930s, reports of a mysterious creature lurking in Scotland’s Loch Ness have fascinated the public. Photographs, including the famous "surgeon's photo" from 1934, were once touted as proof of the creature’s existence but have since been debunked as hoaxes, with many revealed to be manipulated or staged. Despite its dubious origins, the legend of "Nessie" has long transcended fraud to become a true cultural mythology. Like many great legends, it thrives on a blend of mystery, hope, and the enduring allure of the unknown.

Image: Immo Wegmann

On April Fools' Day in 1957, the BBC aired a segment showing Swiss farmers harvesting spaghetti from trees. Presented as a serious report, the broadcast fooled many viewers—likely due to a post-war lack of familiarity with spaghetti in Britain. Curious callers flooded the BBC to verify the story, and the network cheekily advised them to "place a sprig of spaghetti in a tin of tomato sauce and hope for the best." Arguably the silliest hoax on this list by far, it goes to show just how gullible people can be!

Image: Muhammed ÖÇAL

In 1938, Orson Welles’ radio adaptation of H.G. Wells' The War of the Worlds caused widespread panic among listeners who believed a Martian invasion was actually taking place. This was due to the storytelling style, which presented the story as a series of news reports, blurring the line between fiction and reality. While the reactions were unintended, it became one of the most famous hoaxes in history. The infamous broadcast even became a case study of the power of mass media to manipulate the public.

Image: Patrick Tomasso

In 1996, physicist Alan Sokal submitted a deliberately nonsensical paper to the prestigious academic journal Social Text. The paper, filled with convoluted jargon and academic buzzwords, made no logical sense and presented no meaningful ideas. Sokal's goal was to expose the lack of intellectual rigor in certain academic circles. To his surprise, the article was published. Afterward, Sokal revealed the hoax, sparking a widespread debate about intellectual rigor and some journals’ willingness to publish questionable content.

Image: Max Letek

Not exactly a hoax, but a lesson on how quickly the media can jump to sensational conclusions, even when the science is still in progress. In 1984, scientists discovered a meteorite in Antarctica that appeared to have originated from Mars. Some of its unique features, including structures resembling microscopic fossils, led certain scientists to speculate that it could be evidence of ancient Martian life. The discovery made headlines, with former U.S. President Bill Clinton even hailing it as humanity’s first proof of extraterrestrial life. However, after further study, it was concluded that the unusual features were not markers of life after all.

Image: Peter Thomas

In the 1950s, adventurers in the Himalayas reported finding large footprints they believed belonged to the mythical Yeti. While some of these claims may have been the result of misidentified Himalayan wildlife, further investigation revealed that many of the footprints and other supposed evidence were likely hoaxes, with human prints altered or created using tools. Sadly, this means there are no abominable snowmen lurking in the mountains after all.

Image: Simon Berger

In the early 20th century, the discovery of King Tutankhamun’s tomb by archaeologist Howard Carter was followed by rumors of a terrible curse. Several members of the expedition died under allegedly mysterious circumstances, leading to sensationalized stories of a curse placed on those who disturbed the tomb. While the deaths were natural, the stories surrounding the "curse" captivated the world, spreading rapidly through media and fiction.