Here are our recommendations for you to learn more about this topic and how it still remains a prevalent issue today!
You can find all the texts mentioned below at the Atrium in Cardiff or online on FindIt
In Extremis by Lindsey Hilsum:
Lindsey Hilsum details the life of the late war journalist and correspondent, Marie Colvin in her 2018 biopic. From her extraordinary endeavours into conflicts, including as Iraq and Afghanistan, Colvin was known for her bravery in uncovering, and witnessing, the truth that lies within wars. Hilsum has been described as paying justice to Colvin, this book is a moving story for aspiring journalists within the university.
Under the Wire by Paul Conroy -
If Lindsey Hilsum’s book was of interest to you, why not turn to Paul Conroy’s book for another perspective into Marie Colvin’s career and her tragic death. Conroy knew Colvin, not only as a war photographer who travelled with her and witnessed her death in Syria, but also as her friend. What could have been an upsetting and tough read is made enjoyable by Conroy’s writing style and Merseyside humour. This is a book about one of the bravest contemporary female journalists for anyone interested in her career, war journalism or photography.
Nervous Conditions by
Tsitsi Dangarembga -
Offering an insight into themes such as postcolonialism, identity and gender, Dangarembga’s book is an essential, and easy to read, book if you’re interested in the issues presented to other cultures.
The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid:
Set in 20th Century Hollywood about a star giving the rights to her biography to a journalist who is trying to make it in the world, this historical fiction novel is ruthless and blatantly honest in the way that Hugo’s story is told. It was gripping and the ending made me cry, but it wasn’t exactly unhappy. The novel deals with anti-Cuban ideas in the 20th Century, anti-Black ideas in the 20th Century but mainly through the 21st Century journalist as a mixed-race woman, homophobia and biphobia from the 1950s to present day, domestic abuse and the expectation for women to have children.
Death In The Shape Of A Young Girl: Women’s Political Violence In The Red Army Factory by Patricia Melzer:
Exploring World War 2, specifically left-wing activists on the fascism and colonialism of the time, Melzer questions the ideas regarding the ‘female terrorists’ and whether the sexism of the early 1970s was just another way to silence ‘the other’. Offered in the form of a feminist and historical text, ‘Death in the Shape of a Young Girl’ was an enjoyable, thought provoking and interesting read. I would recommend this to anyone with an interest in World War 2 who would like to broaden their ideas of the lesser known political movement of the time.
Delusions of Gender by Cordelia Fine:
Discussing the debate within STEM subjects about how supposedly men and women’s brains are different, Fine discusses how this has impacted the fewer women within these fields. In her book, Fine goes against this idea and focuses more on the influence of culture on identity and how gender is made and not born. Compared to the other recommendations, this book is a more scientific factual book, however Fine writes in a way that continues to keep the reader engaged. My personal favourite chapters being chapter 3: ‘Backwards and in High Heels’.
Marie Curie: a life from begi
nning to end by Hourly History:
A name we’re all familiar with however do we know the true extent of what Marie Curie overcame and in turn create
d of herself? A short summary of her life and the legacy she left behind within the world of Science during arguably some of the most challenging times to be a woman.
Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo:
Not following the conventional linear narrative often seen in fiction books, ‘Girl, Woman, Other’, is a thought-provoking text that offers an insight into heritage in 21st century Britain. Evaristo being a woman of colour herself and having written many books dealing with race and issues regarding the LGBTQ+ community, she is known for being an inspiring writer for this generation. Having been the Booker Prize winner in 2019, and a Sunday Times #1 bestseller, we offer this recommendation to anyone with an interest in heritage in culture within Britain.
Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen:
A comical and satirical novel about a young woman in the 19th Century as she navigates the world of romance and society in Bath while she becomes entranced by contemporary Gothic novels like the works of Ann Radcliffe. First and foremost, it is a romantic comedy, but more importantly it is an often-overlooked critique of a society that pushes dangerous romance and male violence as a to-be-expected norm.
How to Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee:
Probably one of the most well-known modern classic books on anti-racism and the Great Depression, you might’ve even read this during your English GCSE’s. However, there’s a reason for this book being so well known and how it can still be relevant today with the themes of racism that appear. A must read classic for anyone who is interest in the 1930s Great Depression, English Literature as a whole, or anyone who would like a good book to read and gain insight into another time.
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